Wedding

Deciding what size wedding you plan to have would be the best place to start, because it will affect everything else (how big a venue you need, what you can afford per person in catering, how many tables and chairs you will need, how many centerpieces and invitations you will need to order, etc. etc.). I would sit down with your partner and create your guest list. Once you have your guest list finalized, you should start looking for venues that can accommodate the amount of people you are inviting.

Start with budget first. That determines everything else to follow. It's not the most fun part, but it's the most important!

Sit down with your fiancé and finalize 3 things: budget, guest list and areas to focus your attention and budget. Decide together how much you are willing and able to spend of your own money without assistance from parents or loans. Parents already got married, which their parents planned and they just showed up and probably didn’t like everything because they didn’t get to pick by not paying. Paying off a loan is a bad way to start a marriage. Decide who are your ride or die supportive people whom you can not imagine the day without. Do not invite people out of obligation to make parents happy, such as parents’ colleagues and relatives you have no relationship with because parents can host them in their home anytime that is not your wedding. Also a good reason to start an annual family reunion picnic at a local park that everyone equally contributes to and is not your responsibility to host or share with your wedding. Send announcements to anyone who is not invited and move on with married life, hosting regular events, instead of having wedding related events for months and years after the wedding day.


Pick 3-5 areas to focus your money and attention on. Eliminate the rest. Most couples go for the guest experience (good food, free drinks, great dj) and memories (great photos) because that’s all you have at the end of the day besides your new spouse. Cut out everything else that is not important to you. Don’t skimp by doing lower quality, just cut it out entirely. Social media and the Wedding Industry gives couples the idea that they must copy Instagram celebrity weddings or else their wedding will not be valid and that is not true. It’s also not true that a couple must have a full meal in an all inclusive venue or they won’t be married. Many couples get married at the courthouse and go out to a local diner or they serve cake and coffee only at the local park and call it a day, and have no vow renewal afterwards that they call a real wedding.