Wedding planning is generally the natural next step after finding the person you want to spend your life with. For me, getting engaged was the most exciting moment of my life, but since then, my fiancé and I have had to buckle down to figure out how to make our wedding dreams a reality. This includes finding ways to honor God throughout our planning and ceremony. A wedding can be an expensive investment, and of course we want everything to be perfect, so where do we start?

Dream Big or Small

The first step is to understand your personal style and expectations for the event. Some people want to get married in a Victorian castle in the countryside with 500 people in attendance while others are content to stop by the courthouse with their partner. A large part of my fiancé and my relationship has been our church, since that is the place we met and his place of employment, so we decided to hold our ceremony there. The couple should take time to set expectations together to make the big day everything you dreamed it would be. You should also take time to decide what you are willing and able to spend on your wedding and honeymoon. This could be from money the couple has saved and/or donations from parents or other family.

Budget Realistically

With dreams in place, research comes next. Learning what acceptable prices are for resources in your area will help you set your budget. A budget could include reception venue, ceremony location fee, photographer, food & service, wedding attire, clothing alterations, reception decorations, reception music, cake, rehearsal dinner venue, officiant fee, car rentals, favors, flowers, invitations, save-the-dates, ceremony programs, thank you cards, stamps, rings, bridal party gifts, and honeymoon. Websites like theknot.com are great resources for finding local vendors and setting budgeting goals.

Unfortunately, this step can also come with compromises. You may discover that the photographer you want is just out of your price range or that a cake will cost a little more than you were expecting. Do not panic. Please remember that your wedding day is so much bigger than a slice of cake. You put your budget in place based on the resources available to you, but if you feel as though you need to expand your budget, sacrifices will need to be made. This may mean working extra hours, cutting back on expenses to save additional money, or asking family for financial help. Either way, be sure to honor your God-given resources in the process of financing your dream wedding.

Track your Expenses

Once you have outlined your costs for the wedding, you can start reaching out to vendors, scheduling phone calls, and booking their services. This step can be a bit overwhelming, but with the budget in place, you can easily keep track of the contact information and costs of each vendor. I used a physical planner to track my budget, but one of my friends used the budget tool on The Knot and had success that way. Whichever way helps you make sense of your wedding day the most effectively is the one you should choose. Also make note of payment deadlines that come every couple months, such as venue or catering costs, so you are not caught off guard.

Enjoy Yourself

If the wedding planning process ever becomes too overwhelming, take a breath and think about your life after your wedding day. One does not enter a marriage for a wedding but for a godly, life-long partnership. Honor the monetary resources God has granted you by budgeting and preparing wisely and enjoy the journey of engagement. If you want someone to walk alongside you in your wedding planning, feel free to schedule a meeting with a coach at https://ronblueinstitute.com/schedule-an-appointment/.