Wedding planning is a fun and crazy ride. There’s sooo much information to process, that it can be very overwhelming. But it doesn’t have to be information overload if you are strategic about how you approach planning.
We recommend starting with these 5 steps to get your San Francisco wedding planning off on the right foot!
You can also contact some of the incredibly talented Bay Area wedding planners in town – to help guide you through the wedding planning process.
1. Set Your Budget
This is the first and most important wedding planning task you will have. You need to sit down and truly think about what you can comfortably spend.
We recommend adding 10-15% to the overall budget as an emergency fund. This way you have a buffer in case you overspend. The last thing you want is to feel strapped.
2. Confirm Your Guest Count
The number of guests you invite has the biggest effect on your overall budget. As your guest list increases, so does your catering, beverages, table rentals, centerpieces, invitations, etc. Take the time to sit down with your fiancé and families to decide on who you are going to invite.
You should only invite as many guests as you can afford. That way you aren’t stressing out if all of your guests say “yes” to attending.
3. Book Your Big-Ticket Items
Once you’ve decided on your budget and guest count, move on to the big-ticket items. Venues and catering are usually 50% of your overall budget, so this is where you should start. That way you know how much you have left in your budget for other vendors.
If you need help with picking your Bay Area wedding venue, check out our article about how to choose your wedding venue.
The next big-ticket items are usually photo, video, and floral.
4. Keep Sane by Only Booking One Vendor at a Time
Information overload is a very real thing and can cause wedding planning burnout! Avoid that by only working on booking 1 vendor at a time. Once the contract is signed and deposit is sent for the first vendor, then move on to the next.
This will allow you to keep your budget in check as well as let you not have your life overrun by wedding planning.
5. Stay Organized
Staying organized during the planning process is key to remaining sane. Having all your contracts, inspiration photos, budget worksheets, and other pertinent wedding info in one place will make it easier to access when needed.
We recommend going with a cloud based, shared folder service like Google Drive or Dropbox. This way you can share the folder with your fiancé, select family members, and vendors if needed.
Following these steps will get your San Francisco wedding planning off on the right foot. A Bay Area wedding planner can also make your life a lot easier! You should definitely call some of the great planners in town.