Raleigh Heart2Heart Wedding Blog: You just got engaged! What Next?

You Just Got Engaged! What Next?

After you choose the date…..

Before you try on dresses, seek a florist, or sample cakes, look for a photographer or DJ….. REMEMBER without a Minister-Officiant there can be no wedding!

The first two things you want to BOOK are your venue and then your Wedding Officiant.

What style wedding do you want?

Do you want your celebration to be formal, casual or somewhere in between? Classic, romantic, vintage, botanical, rustic, modern or all-out glam?

Perhaps you want something themed with a holiday or your favourite hobby.

Setting the Budget

Once you know the style you want, it’s time to set your Budget.

Take into account that more guests means higher prices, as catering and cake costs are generally calculated on a per-head basis. More

people mean more tables, and more tables mean more flowers, linens, china, etc.

When building your guest list, consider the fact that most venues have a limit of how many people they can accommodate.

Look for the a Location

Ask yourself some of these key questions: What season am I holding my wedding? Is the season most appropriate for outdoors or indoors?

How far are you and your guest willing to travel? Do you want a lake or pond background? Flower garden or a ballroom filled with roses? Or maybe you seek a rustic vibe and want to tie-the-knot in a local barn?

Book your Venue

You can save time by searching the web for venues in the location that fits your distance needs. Most venue websites offer plenty of information about what they can offer you along with photos that allow you to see if they meet your wedding style.

Find a few places that meet your vision and call them to ask about availability, capacity and cost. They can tell you if they have in-house catering and other details that will help you decide if you want to set an appointment to tour their facility.

Ensure that you get the look you envisioned, with the price you budgeted for by shopping around, scheduling visits and booking early.

Hire Priority: Wedding Minister-Officiant

Your next highest wedding priority is to find and book your wedding officiant. They write and perform the marriage ceremony that makes your whole day possible.

Because of their importance in the wedding process the best ones book up quickly. Don’t be left choosing from someone who just joined the business this year and haven’t acquired the experience to create the perfect ceremony for you. Couples often don’t realize the creative options available in today’s wedding ceremonies. No longer the days of the Officiant speaking the same generic words for all couples.

Decide what kind of ceremony you feel fits you and your family. Religious (light or completely), Non- Religious/Romantic or Spiritual. Ask what options are included in the ceremony. Can you include your children in the ceremony? Not only will the ceremony set the mood for the day, it is the reason for the day!

Rev. Samantha L. Heart * Raleighweddingofficiant.com

Next…..

Now it’s time for you to decide what the rest of your wedding priority vendors are. Do you want to hire a wedding planner to help you through the whole planning process or maybe for just the day of the wedding? Whether it’s the hottest photographer, trendiest music, amazing flowers, or an extraordinary cake, snap up the vendors whose work you love as soon as possible. Many in-demand vendors are hired more than a year in advance.

You can now think about where your remaining budget can give a little for the things you find most important.