Believe it or not, this COVID-19 stay at home order is a great time to plan your wedding. Below are wedding planning tasks that are easy to complete from home with a computer, a phone and your fiancée.
Budget and Guest Count
Deciding on your overall wedding budget and your guest count is the very first task you and your fiancée should do to start your wedding planning. Create a budget spreadsheet and allocate the amount you are comfortable spending on each item based on your priorities. The largest portion of your budget, about 50%, will be on your venue, food and beverages. Then, track your expenses as you hire vendors and sign contracts so you can stay within budget. Even if you are well into your wedding planning process, you should create a budget spreadsheet to track your expenses so far.
Hire a Wedding Planner
Did you know the best time to hire a wedding planner is before you have a wedding date? Your wedding venue is your largest wedding purchase. Having a professional planner on your team to help you make your venue decision and to negotiate your venue package and rate is imperative. Especially if you are planning a destination wedding and cannot visit the venue in person. A planner will know the venues in your area intimately and will be able to recommend the best venue to fit your style and budget.
Research Venues
Once you have your estimated guest count and allocated budget, you can start researching venues in your area that match the size, budget and style of your wedding. Many venues, such as Julep Venue here in San Diego offer virtual tours of their event spaces allowing you to get a feel for the space from your own home. Create a list of 3 venues that meet your criteria to visit in person once the stay at home order is lifted.
Research Your Vendors
Almost all wedding vendors are working from home during this pandemic. Since their weddings have all been postponed until at least June, they are available to answer questions about their services and meet you virtually or have a phone call to discuss your needs. This is a great opportunity to talk with vendors and learn which ones fit your style and budget. If you are not comfortable hiring vendors during this time, you can create a short list of vendors you like with their availability and pricing, so you are ready to go when this pandemic ends.
Select Your Wedding Party
This is a great time to talk with your fiancée about who you want to include in your wedding party. Being asked to join your wedding party is an honor that may be a welcome distraction to the stay at home order and give your best friends something exciting to plan for. You also want to be considerate of friends or family who have lost their jobs and may be struggling financially during this time. Depending on the situation, you may want to wait to finalize your wedding party.
Visualize your Ceremony
Many couples spend most of their time planning their reception. Use the extra time you have to really create a special ceremony that is true to you and your fiancée . Find music and readings that reflect your love story, research wedding traditions that you want to incorporate into your ceremony and write love letters to each other that can spark creativity when it’s time to write your vows.
Select Your First Dance Song
Your first dance together as married spouses is a special tradition. Use this time to discover a song that really captures your love story. Or if you are musical, write or perform a song together that can be used for this special occasion.
Create a Wedding Web Site
Creating a wedding web site is a great way to communicate your plans with your family and friends during these uncertain times. Use this extra time to upload photos and special stories about your relationship.
Take advantage of some quiet time with your fiancée to decide what’s really important for your wedding celebration. The planners at Stephanie Rose Events are available to help talk through any wedding planning questions you have via email, text or phone. Stay safe, sane and kind.
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