Your awesome significant other spent time researching your Pinterest page, or talking to your BFF. They went out of their comfort zone and braved the jewelry store. They may have asked your Parents permission for your hand. Then when you least expected it…(yea, you knew it was coming…) they got down on one knee and popped THE question!! And you said “YES!!!” Congratulations to you both! You are about to embark on such a fun (and sometimes stressful) time in your lives. Planning a wedding is a HUGE undertaking. No one really understands this until they start to answer all the millions of questions that people have for the newly engaged couple. Where will you be getting Married? Will it be indoor or out? Will you need a tent? How much seating will you need? DJ or band? Did you hire your photographer yet? Save the dates? The questions are endless.
The first three things you need to do to ensure your wedding is made of the stuff you have dreamed of is, hire a wedding coordinator, pick out the perfect venue, and hire your photographer. Personally, I think it is VERY important to hire a wedding coordinator, who will help you handle all of the aspects of your day. From staying on budget to where to sit Aunt Edna at the reception, a wedding coordinator is your go to person for making sure all of your wedding details get taken care of. Even if you don’t think you can hire a coordinator to be there with you through the whole process…you should look into hiring one to coordinate the BIG day! A day of coordinator will come and make sure all the last touches are perfect and in place, that the timeline runs smoothly and that you don’t have a thing to worry about. Then you, your Mom and Bridesmaids can breathe easy knowing everything is done!
Venues book about a year in advance (sometimes more) from the date of your wedding. So you have to jump on this next! When choosing a venue…look for something that really speaks to you and your Fiance. If you aren’t beach people…don’t pick the beach. If you are afraid the weather could be a factor on your day, make sure you look for something that has an indoor option. Even Grandma’s backyard can be turned into the most POSH wedding spot with a little know how…so nothing has to be off-limits. If you have grabbed that coordinator, they will be able to help you navigate through the world of venues.
Photographers also book out a year in advance. When looking for a photographer…make sure that they LOVE weddings. Some photographers shoot weddings, but they don’t LOVE weddings. When a photographer LOVES weddings, it will show in their work. They will strive to capture all aspects of your amazing day so that when it is over…and believe me, it is over in a flash…you will always have the photos to help recreate how much joy and love was felt on that day. I know that wedding photography can seem expensive, but remember that at the end of the day all you really have are your memories and your photographs. So make sure that you hire the best photographer that your budget allows.
Need to know some great Wedding Coordinators or Venues I recommend? Email me at Leigh@Leighskaggsphotography.net Congratulations again and Happy Planning!! 
