Planning A Wedding Together: A Couple's Guide

Planning a wedding as a couple can be a daunting task, but it's important to remember that your wedding should be all about the two of you. Before diving into the details, it's helpful to establish your priorities and expectations, as well as your vision for the big day. This will guide your budget allocation and ensure you and your partner are aligned on what's most important to you both. It's also a good idea to seek advice from other couples and to decide on your guest list early on. From there, you can start planning your stationery, choosing an officiant, and confirming your venue and wedding style.

Budget allocation

It's also a good idea to discuss upfront what each person's role will be in the planning process and to set related expectations. This will help to minimise disagreements and conflict along the way. For instance, if one person is taking the lead on organising the wedding, it's important to communicate this clearly and set expectations around what tasks the other person will be responsible for.

When it comes to the actual budget, start by creating a list of all the expenses you'll need to cover, from the venue and catering to stationery and wedding favours. Then, decide how much you want to spend on each item. Be realistic about your budget and don't be afraid to compromise. If there are certain aspects of the wedding that are particularly important to you, make sure to allocate enough funds to those areas.

Finally, don't forget to factor in the cost of pre-wedding events, such as engagement celebrations, showers, and bachelor/bachelorette parties. While these events are typically hosted by friends or family, you may still need to contribute financially, especially if you're creating the guest lists.

Venue and wedding style

When it comes to venue and wedding style, it's important to establish your priorities and expectations as a couple. This will help you decide on the type of wedding you want to have – whether it's casual or formal, large or small, traditional or modern.

If you're planning a destination wedding, save-the-date cards should be sent out nine months in advance. For a local wedding, four to six months is sufficient. Once you've decided on a venue, you can start planning your stationery and sending out invitations.

Your wedding should reflect your personalities and what's important to you as a couple. If certain traditional aspects don't feel right for you, don't be afraid to leave them out. It's your day, so make sure it's true to who you are.

It's also a good idea to seek advice from other couples who have recently planned their weddings. They can offer valuable insights and help you avoid potential pitfalls.

Guest lists

When it comes to guest lists, it's important to sit down with your partner and key family members to put together a wish list of wedding guests. This will help you determine the size and scope of your wedding, as well as the budget required. You'll also need to decide whether children are invited and who will be allotted a plus-one.

Once you've confirmed your venue and wedding style, you can start planning your stationery. Save-the-date cards typically go out nine months before the wedding date for a destination wedding and four to six months ahead of time for local nuptials. Invitation suites then follow six to eight weeks before the big day. As far as RSVPs, you should request those no later than one month before the celebration to avoid last-minute hiccups.

In addition to the wedding itself, there are often pre-wedding events such as engagement celebrations, showers, brunches, and bachelor/bachelorette parties. While these festivities are usually hosted by close friends or family members, you will still need to participate in a small portion of the planning and create the guest lists for these events.

It's important to keep in mind that your wedding should reflect you as a couple, so feel free to adapt or omit certain traditional aspects that don't align with your style or values. For example, if you prefer a fun, casual dance party over a formal and elegant affair, you can tailor your guest list and invitations to match that vision.

Pre-wedding events

Planning a wedding as a couple is an exciting time, but it can also be stressful. To avoid conflict, it's important to establish your priorities and expectations, and to keep the lines of communication open.

There are lots of pre-wedding events that traditionally take place in the months leading up to your wedding day. These include engagement celebrations, showers, brunches, and bachelor/bachelorette parties. While these are usually hosted by close friends or family members, you will need to participate in some of the planning. At the very least, you will need to create the guest lists for these events and pass them on to the hosts.

Stationery

Once you've confirmed your venue and wedding style, it's time to start planning your stationery. Save-the-date cards typically go out nine months before the wedding date for a destination wedding and four to six months ahead of time for local nuptials. Invitation suites then follow six to eight weeks before the big day. As far as RSVPs, you should request those no later than one month before the celebration so there are no last-minute hiccups.

Guest list

Before you begin planning in earnest, sit down with your partner and key family members to put together a wish list of wedding guests. You will also need to decide whether you’re inviting children and who will be allotted a plus-one.

Vision

Before you dive into too many of the big decisions connected to your wedding plans, it's a good idea to think about the big-picture vision you have for your wedding day. Is it casual or formal? Large or small? Do you want a fun, casual dance party or something more formal and elegant? Once you've decided on the overall vision, the other decisions will fall into place.

Wedding vision

Wedding planning can be stressful, but it's important to remember that your wedding should be all about the two of you as a couple. If certain traditional aspects make you uncomfortable, feel outdated, or simply aren't your style, then don't feel pressured to include them on your wedding day.

Before you dive into the details, it's a good idea to establish your priorities and expectations as a couple. This will not only guide your budget allocation but will also help you remain aligned on what's most important to both of you, allowing you to compromise and minimise disagreements along the way. It's essential to discuss upfront what each person's role will be and the related expectations.

Start by putting together a wish list of wedding guests with your partner and key family members. Decide whether you're inviting children and who will be allotted a plus-one. Think about the big-picture vision you have for your wedding day. Is it casual or formal? Large or small? Do you prefer something formal and elegant, or would you rather have a fun, casual dance party? Once you've decided on the overall vision, the other details will fall into place.

Once you've confirmed your venue and wedding style, you can start planning your stationery. Save-the-date cards typically go out nine months before the wedding date for a destination wedding and four to six months ahead of time for local nuptials. Invitation suites then follow six to eight weeks before the big day. As far as RSVPs, request those no later than one month before the celebration to avoid last-minute hiccups.

Frequently asked questions