So you’re recently engaged, where do you even start? Planning a wedding can be daunting. With so many moving pieces it’s hard to comprehend where to begin.
Let’s start at square one. Take out a pen and paper with your partner and separately write about what you want and what's important to you. From there, have a chat about it. See what ideas you have in common and where your ideas are different. Think about what you value most because unless you have an unlimited budget, compromise is gonna be key.
Once you have some common ground, talk about budget and who will be paying for what. Do some research into what things cost so that you will have a realistic budget. You might also have friends and family that are in the industry that can support you. Perhaps you have a cousin that can do calligraphy or a friend that’s a photographer. Check-in with them! It's also good to factor in a 5% buffer as some small or unexpected things can often come up!
As far as average costs go, if you’re looking at having a wedding thats in downtown Vancouver, on a Saturday, in the summer, at a top wedding venue; you’re probably looking at spending at least $50,000 on your wedding. Outside of downtown that number lowers down to about $45,000 and outside of the city of Vancouver that can get down to $35,000. Guest count is the top factor in costs. You’re likely looking at paying anywhere from $50-200+ per head and that can add up quickly!
Consider having a planner! Of course, there’s an upfront cost but think of it as almost of an investment. Planners are often very connected within the industry and can sometimes get deals from different vendors. They will also take most of the stress of wedding planning off from you by doing the majority of the legwork.
If having a planner is out of your budget, at least consider a day of coordinator. They basically run the show for you on your wedding day so that you can focus on each other and your friends and family! As a bonus, many day of coordinators actually takes over your planning a month out from your wedding date.