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Determining what is most important to you (and therefore where you'll spend your budget) will help clarify a lot of the below steps. Once your budget is set, talk about your wedding day priorities. It's important to know the financial limits you may be working with, as well as who are your key contributors." Discuss Your Priorities "These two go hand in hand and will help shape the venues and vendors you procure. "Brainstorming your guest list and talking about an overall budget are the first tasks you should do," advises Ashley Tangerini, wedding planner for Mavinhouse Events.
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Now's the time to determine whether you want something small and intimate or large and lavish, because this will have a direct impact on the cost of your wedding. The guest list count will influence the overall cost, as well as the venue you book. Social media can also be a powerful tool for getting inspired.Īs you begin to set your budget, this will require you to think about the potential size of your wedding too. What colors speak to you? Would you like to follow a theme? Where do you want to exchange vows? What do you think you'd like to wear? We recommend browsing Real Wedding galleries to gather ideas and inspo from other couples just like you, which will help you create a vision for your own wedding. Now's the time to think about what you want your wedding to look like. So, when you're 13-15 months out from the big day, use this time to research, gather ideas, and create a vision. In fact, according to The Knot Real Weddings Study, the average engagement length is 15 months.
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While it's modeled as a 12-month wedding checklist, you can use this guide for whatever amount of time you do have-just follow the order of tasks and you'll be good to go. A wedding planning timeline is not one-size-fits-all, which is why we've crafted this checklist to work for you regardless of how much time you have to plan. While some couples want a longer, multi-year engagement, others might prefer to say their "I dos" mere months after getting engaged. Every couple is different, which means there's no pressure to follow a timeline that doesn't fit your needs.
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Fact: There's no such thing as the "right" engagement length.
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