The 5 Most Important Decisions You Need to Make as You Start Wedding Planning

Yahoo

7 days ago

Before you start making appointments or booking vendors, follow this expert-backed advice.
After getting engaged, it may feel tempting to immediately start browsing venues, shopping for your ceremony look, and considering color palettes. However, it's important to take a moment to pause. 'Before the mood boards and gown appointments, before the tastings and playlists, the first month of wedding planning is where the real foundation is laid,' says Tionna M. Van Gundy, the CEO and founder of Wedicity. 'Whether a couple has six, 12, or 24 months, those early decisions influence everything that follows.' Some of the choices you make during this time period may change: Guest lists get shuffled to make room for new friends, budgets go up (and sometimes down), your aesthetic goes from timeless black and white to a color-forward approach. But others, like your major must-haves, your planning team, and your venue are less easy (and likely) to shift.Meet the Expert
Tionna M. Van Gundy is the CEO and founder of Wedicity.
Chanda Daniels is a luxury wedding planner.
Sarah Brehant is a wedding planner and the founder of Sarah Brehant Events.
Lisa Jaroscak is the owner of and lead planner at Elegante Events.The most successful couples take a holistic approach that allows the decisions on this list—the who, what, where, when, and how—to inform each other as they begin to build the groundwork for their big day. 'The early days of wedding planning can feel overwhelming, but they're also full of possibility,' says Van Gundy. 'These first five decisions form the framework of everything to come, and when made with clarity and intention, they set the tone for a celebration that is not only beautiful, but deeply personal and well-executed. The magic is in the details, but it starts with the right foundation.'
Below, the experts break down the five critical choices to make in the first few months of wedding planning. Read on for everything you need to know.
Related: The 8 Most Common Wedding-Planning Questions Couples Ask, According to Experts
The Number of Guests
Though the final list of names you use to create an escort display may differ from the one you make in the earliest stages of your planning process, you need to begin with a basic idea of how many people you plan to host—whether that's 10, 100, or 500 'Your guest count is the single most important decision you'll make in the early stages,' says Chanda Daniels, a luxury wedding planner. 'It impacts nearly every aspect of your wedding venue—capacity, catering, rentals, and your overall budget. Many items are priced per person, so knowing how many guests you're inviting is essential.'
Without at least a rough idea of how many people you plan to invite, you can't move forward with other key decisions. 'Your list, even in its roughest form, is the driving force behind capacity, layout, catering cost, and the overall guest experience,' says Van Gundy. 'Before falling in love with a venue or crafting your dinner menu, you need a guest count range. The difference between a 75-person wedding and a 200-person affair is vast, logistically, financially, and emotionally. From seating charts to invitation counts, this number is a cornerstone of planning and can impact the overall investment and how the event is experienced.'
The Budget
Before you can start daydreaming about floral installations or welcome baskets, you need to determine your budget. 'This is the foundation of everything else,' says Sarah Brehant, the founder of Sarah Brehant Events. 'If you don't know your ballpark (even if it's a wide one), it's like shopping without knowing your credit limit—stressful and confusing. We lovingly call this the unsexy phase of wedding planning — budgets, spreadsheets, guest counts. It's not the Pinterest-worthy part, but it's absolutely essential to building the day you're dreaming of without the chaos.' The other critical part of your budget conversation is who will be contributing to your wedding fund—and how: Maybe your in-laws want to pay for the photographer, or you have a godmother willing to write a blank check. 'This is not always an easy conversation to have, but it is an important one to make sure everyone is on the same page,' says Lisa Jaroscak, the owner and lead planner at Elegante Events.
Your guest list and budget will work in tandem as you move through the rest of the process. 'Establishing a realistic budget is crucial, especially if this is your first time planning a wedding,' says Daniels, who recommends consulting with a planner to align your per-guest cost with your budget. 'A planner that works with higher budgets will have deep industry knowledge and can provide a realistic per-person cost based on your location and expectations,' she says. 'Once you understand the average cost per guest, revisit your guest list; you may need to adjust it to match your ideal budget. Having this clarity is essential before touring venues or hiring your core vendors.'
The Look and Feel
Clarifying the type of wedding you want to have is another key during the early stages of the planning process. 'Destination versus local, intimate versus the-more-the-merrier, onsite ceremony versus offsite ceremony—this decision will really impact how your planning process moves forward and sets that tone for what the mutual goals are for the vision of the celebration,' says Jaroscak. Brehant encourages each partner to write down their top three must-haves, and then compare their wishes to define shared priorities. 'That conversation is more valuable than any Pinterest board,' she says. 'A wedding isn't just a checklist—it's a reflection of your values and vibe. If creating a visually stunning space and an unforgettable guest experience are top priorities, that should drive where your budget and energy go.'
A clear vision can also help you properly scale your spending, allowing for last-minute changes and spur-of-the-moment adds. 'Think about whether you want a single-day celebration or a full wedding weekend,' says Daniels. 'If you choose the latter, create a separate budget for pre- and post-wedding events, like welcome dinners or farewell brunches. This helps prevent unexpected costs, and ensures every experience is well-planned.'
The Planner
An experienced planner can become an invaluable part of all of these discussions, helping you dive into realistic cost breakdowns, define the design aesthetics you find most appealing, and determine a timeline. 'From securing the right venue to balancing competing priorities, a planner is a guiding hand through every layer of the process,' says Van Gundy. 'The earlier they're involved, the more value they bring, from negotiating contracts to aligning the aesthetic thread that runs through the entire celebration.' While this might feel like an unnecessary expense to couples worried about their overall spending, incorporating an expert's wisdom can pay off in the long run.
When interviewing planners, look for someone who understands your vision—and your finances. 'Review their portfolio to see if they've produced weddings that match the aesthetic you're drawn to—it's important to work with a creative person who can execute your vision authentically without forcing them into a design style that isn't their own,' says Daniels. 'And use this rule when selecting your other creative partners as well.' However, avoid anyone who tries to upsell you: 'As your planner, my job is to help you avoid the financial detours that don't serve your vision,' says Brehant. 'This is also why finding a planner you trust early on is everything. You need someone who can help you make smart, grounded decisions now—so the fun, creative stuff down the line actually works and doesn't derail your vision (or your budget).'
Whether you choose to work with a planner or not, this is also the time to think about who else in your life you want involved in the planning process (your brother: yes; your know-it-all aunt, maybe not). 'Be cautious about who you invite into your planning circle, as sometimes having too many people involved can mean a lot of opinions, confusion, and frustration,' says Jaroscak. 'It is a lot easier to add people as you go versus having too many cooks in the kitchen. Keep your planning circle core to who supports you in being happy, and the key-decision makers.'
The Date and Location
After your planner, your venue is the first major wedding commitment you'll make—and one that defines nearly all your future decisions, from how many musicians you can hire for your band to where you'll post for newlywed portraits. 'Venues book up fast, especially for popular dates,' says Brehant. 'Once you book it, you have a concrete date and can finally start reaching out to vendors with real information. While the rest of the planning process doesn't need to start until 10 to 12 months out, the venue process usually needs to begin ASAP in order to have the best options.'
While it's not impossible to change your mind about a venue during the process, you're likely to incur a number of added costs associated with breaking your contract. 'Consider more than just aesthetics: Think through flow, weather contingency plans, what's included in the rental, and how it aligns with your guest count and vision,' says Van Gundy. 'Ask yourselves not just what you want the wedding to look like, but how you want it to feel. That feeling, joyful, romantic, bold, classic, is what guests will remember most.'
Up Next: What Does Full-Service Wedding Planning Really Mean?
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