What makes a wedding special and memorable? Some would say the decorations, the flowers, music or food. And yes each brings a level of beauty, energy and enjoyment to the event. However, throwing a bunch of strangers together can be a daunting task. This may be your first larger hosted event as a couple and you want to do it right so the pressure is on to create the perfect event for all your friends and family. There are so many different blogs out there you can use to plan your wedding whether its large or intimate it can be very confusing and add to all the stress of planning. So I am going to try to simplify it which hopefully will help to destress your planning. Lets get started.

As soon as the proposal is done you start online searches. Whoa! Stop! Back up! Start with discussing WHO you two are as a couple and what YOU want your wedding to look and feel like. That is the absolute most important decision after the proposal. A wedding should reflect you and when it starts out that way it sets the scene so to speak. 

Now once you know what type of wedding is perfect for you then budget is next. Who is paying? How much are they contributing and are there specifics or strings attached? Important questions to answer. Often the one paying has strings attached even if they seem invisible. Your wedding at this point can become someone else's. Just keep this in mind. If this is going to be your reality then now is the time for a 'head' check. You will need to relax and let them take over. Don't fight the little things; they're not worth it. Plus there will be bigger and more important ones down the road. Those you need to stand your ground on. But know when its best to say okay and roll with it. That is the price you pay when someone else is picking up the tab. Not always but pretty much most of the time from what I have seen. 

To avoid this if you are a strong headed couple is to pay for it yourselves and ask those willing to pay to start a fund for your future needs instead of spending thousands or even 10s of thousands on a single day or two. Some options that seem to strike a balance is to have a small, private ceremony with a larger reception. Or you can even elope, do a destination of your choice bringing along no one or just a handful of family or friends. When you come home throw a big party. 

So to sum up this first installment on How to Make Your Wedding Special first decide what type and size wedding you both want and then what is your budget. As well there are a couple different types of wedding. A larger, fancy one at home or potentially smaller destination wedding with a party scheduled on your return.

This is a great start for you that begins your path to stress-free wedding planning. Next week I will tell you a bit about planning all those details like flowers, colors, decor, hotels, etc. Some overview on how best to get these things under control before they take over your life.

Give me a call if you are planning a New Orleans destination wedding or to inquire about my portrait photography. 504-920-8703. Enjoy some of the candid photos from past weddings.