Wedding Photography Surrey - helpful guidance on how to plan your wedding.

Planning your wedding on your own sounds like a lot of work - this is what we in Wedding Photography Surrey thought so, too. That's why we created this basic guide on how to plan a wedding.

Have you just got engaged and have no idea where to start? Check out our how-to wedding planning guide to help make it less stressful, while maintaining your high expectations.

Wedding planning can be overwhelming. But you don't need to panic! There are steps you can take to make this process easier, and we break them down one step at a time below.

We at Umbrella Wedding Photographer recommend focusing on one task at a time so you don't get overwhelmed with the wedding-planning process go ahead and delegate some of these responsibilities to friends and family members; they're likely happy to help you as the wedding day approaches.

Have you ever wondered what the steps to planning a wedding are?

When to start planning? Some couples spend three months planning their wedding, while others originally wanted a year-long engagement but eventually sped up the timeline to 14 months. The timeframe you want to be engaged in all depends on two factors: 1) the general timeframe that you want to marry, like year and season; 2) how long it will take you to do all of the above items. The average engagement is 13 months, which is more than enough time for tackling planning steps.

Planning your wedding may seem overwhelming, but you can simplify the process by following a list. Below we have listed some important steps to planning a wedding and there's a reason for every single one. Here's just one example: in order to make sure that your dress is comfortable, you should book your venue and set the date before choosing your attire. The list below includes many more reasons why following the steps to plan a wedding is so important.

Setting a budget for your wedding is the first step to making sure you’re getting the celebration you deserve.

The first step to planning your wedding should be setting a budget. This may not be the most enjoyable task, but it's important to do this first because it helps you make decisions that will save money and time in the long run. For example, if you decide that a certain vendor,  or any other service, requires too much money for your budget, consider cutting them from your list of potential vendors and moving on with the planning process. Or, conversely, if you fall in love with something (like wedding photography Surrey services) but it's out of your price range, review how you can reorganise your budget so that you're able to include this item as part of your wedding day.

Play with New Ideas

The best part of wedding planning is finding inspiration. Think about the kind of wedding you want to have. Are you going for a super formal and traditional style? Or maybe something more laid-back and rustic? The choice is yours, but it's a good idea to start looking at Pinterest, Instagram, and the latest trends in wedding décor to get some great inspiration. We recommend starting early on, but once you've picked your venue and date, put your energy into this process.

How big is your dream wedding?

It's time to start finalising your guest list. Now that you have created a detailed guest list, it's time to order their contact information and ask them when they'll be travelling to the event. You'll want to consider the size of your wedding before getting too far into your planning process. To do this, start by coming up with a guest list estimation early on. There's a big difference in venues between a 50-person wedding and a 300-person wedding, so make sure you go for the one that suits your needs. Say you've just selected your wedding party and it's time to get started on the planning.

Once you've finalised your guest list, you'll be ready to write a killer guest list letter. Soon enough, all of your guests will be lining up in the wedding venue courtyard to take photos.

It's up to you whether or not you want your parents to have a say in who attends the wedding. If they are contributing financially, they will most likely want to invite certain people. Mention this to them before finalising your guest list so there won't be any surprises as the big day gets closer. Make sure you keep your venue's capacity in mind and don't invite more guests than the hired space can accommodate.

The Bridal Party

First, ask the important people if they'll take on this important role - being part of the bridal party. Choose wisely, as they will have a very important role during your wedding - even from the perspective of helping wedding photography Surrey with the group shots.

Choose your date first

Before you start looking at venues, think about the season in which you would like to get married and if a Saturday night wedding is a must or not. Once you've narrowed this down to a few potential dates, you'll be much more prepared for your venue selection process.

Choose your venue

You're about to start planning your event, but the first decision you need to make is where it's going to take place. Now that you know your budget and guest count, as well as some potential wedding dates, it's time to book a venue. This will be one of the most important decisions in your wedding planning schedule. Search for venues near you, visit them in person and work with your partner to find your dream wedding location. Once you have thoroughly read the contract and secured the venue, you've officially set a date for your ceremony—and it's time to celebrate!

Try a wedding registry (recommended by wedding photography Surrey)

A wedding registry can be a very helpful place to start for all the items you'll need for your upcoming wedding. Planning your wedding step by step can be daunting. You can make the process a little less stressful by creating your registry as early on in the process as possible. you can use the checklist to make sure you've got everything you need!

Create your own wedding website

If you are planning a wedding, consider creating a standalone website that is a centralized hub for all of your wedding information. Use a unique hashtag for your wedding. Setting up your wedding website is one of the most essential steps to planning the event. Make sure to include all the important information about your big day on your website, such as date, location, travel information, room block details, and more. At this point, it can't hurt to create a wedding hashtag for social media leading up to the big day.

Send out the wedding invitations

One of the last steps in your wedding planning process is to send out wedding invitations. Don't forget to send your invitations way in advance! The more time you give your loved ones, the easier it'll be for them to put this date on their calendars.

Buy your dream wedding dress and other attire

The purchase of a wedding dress and other attire is usually done as soon as the date, time and location of the wedding are selected. Wedding Photography Surrey cannot stress enough that when planning a wedding, it's important to give yourself plenty of time. And when it comes to something like a wedding dress, it can take months from the time you first shop for your attire until it's fitted and ready to go. So don't wait until the last minute!

Plan your honeymoon

If you're the bride or groom-to-be, planning a honeymoon is one of the last things on your mind. After the wedding is over, it's time for the honeymoon! If you don't mind leaving shortly after your wedding, it's best to prepare early by deciding on a location, booking airline tickets and accommodations, and then finalising an itinerary.

Plan your pre-wedding events

There are many pre-wedding events that can take place before the big day - now it's time to start making your list of attendees. Events like the engagement party, the bridal shower, and the bachelor/bachelor party will likely fill your calendar leading up to the wedding.

Purchase your wedding rings

Remember - you're not the only one who needs wedding rings. Pick something that compliments your engagement ring and suits your personal taste.

Guest seating chart

It's best to plan a seating chart beforehand, with details like how many guests will be attending and what type of wedding the ceremony is. Every great wedding has a flawless seating chart. The first step is to figure out how many people your venue can fit at one time. Luckily, there are plenty of online tools that can help you plan the best layout like this one keeping in mind family relationships and guest personalities.

Book your suppliers (for the best wedding photography in Surrey)

It's important to confirm any vital details for your wedding as soon as possible. Make sure you confirm the vendors' availability and get a contract signed. By now, you’ve probably been in contact with all of your wedding vendors. You should make absolutely sure that you’ve got any loose ends tied up and all your vendors are given the information they need and have been properly compensated by you. Wedding planners are a great help in this regard and will make sure that your vendors know where to be for your big day. Wedding photography Surrey offered by Umbrella Studio is unique and it would be great if you would want to consider us to be a part of your wedding day. Please contact us for pricing and availability!

It's easy to get overwhelmed with wedding planning. There are myriad details to address, like the guest list, décor, and coordinating your partner's family into the mix. Fortunately, once you've picked your photographer or planner, you'll still have one person on board for each of these tasks.

We hope this will help you in the journey of planning your wedding. Have a lovely time and don't forget to check our portfolio!