Set a Budget: Before anything, establish a clear budget to manage costs for your venue, photographer, vendors, attire, and other wedding essentials. The venue and photographer normally take up a big portion of your budget. Getting both of those on the books ASAP will let you know where you are for the rest of your planning

Create a Guest List: Start drafting your guest list to determine the size of your wedding and help with planning logistics and finances. Venues and caterers need to have a head count to know how much food they need to provide, number of tables, chairs and center peaces to name a few.

Choose a Wedding Date and Venue: Select a date and book your ceremony and reception venues early, as the more popular spots fill up quickly. If your dream venue doesn’t fit into your date or your budget, see what availability or discounts you can get by doing it on a weekday.

Hire a Photographer: Book your wedding photographer right after securing your venue is accentual to ensure you can get the photographer of your choosing. After your wedding the only thing you have to remember it beside your memory will be the photos that where taken on your day. So you want to make sure you are picking someone that you can trust to capture your big day. Most photographers are booking out 6-12 months in advance so delaying this might have you settling with a photographer that you don’t fully have faith in.

Hire Key Vendors: Secure your caterer, florist, baker, DJ, and other essential vendors in advance to lock in your top picks. Priorities was holds the most value to you and start there and work down the list from most value to lesser value.

Send Out Save-the-Dates: Once the date and venue are confirmed, send out save-the-dates to give your guests plenty of time to plan. Follow up with formal invitations closer to the wedding date. In my experience, normally 70% of guest will actually show up because life happens. In Intimate wedding, that number normally goes up to 90%. But regardless is always better to have an excess than not enough.