Where do I start??

Wedding planning can be an overwhelming process to know how to start. Do you look at vendors first? Should you tour a venue? Buy the dress?

PAUSE. Before you go any further, I want you to stop and take a deep breath. You don't have to start with any of those tasks. Here's what you do first:

Make a "Needs & Wants List."

Get something to write with and your copy of MK Events' template to get started. Download the template here.

Here we go!

Needs

You'll want to start with the elements you NEED for your wedding. These are what you cannot live without on your big day, what you would regret not having. Take your time to determine your top three needs because they will shape your event. When I planned my own wedding, my top three were:

1. I need my family to be able to come.

2. I need there to be yummy food for everyone to enjoy.

3. I need quality photos to remember this day by.

Those were my top three. Now, yours may be the same, or they might be completely different! That is the beauty of wedding planning. This day is yours and no one else's (as much as it might feel like it).

Wants

Now that you've established the three most important elements of your big day, move onto three things it would be nice to have. These should be three things that would make the day great, but if they don't happen you'll still have a blast!

For myself, my three "nice to haves" were:

1. I want coffee (some form of it, whether during or before the event).

2. I want a DJ or someone competent to run music.

3. I want 8 bridesmaids (all my besties if it worked out!).

Don't shy away from what you might describe as "dreams." If you don't write it down, you won't even give it a chance of happening!

Take a moment to create your list. I would recommend that you and your partner each fill one out separately, and then you come back together to discuss what your priorities are.

Let these needs and wants shape how you start your planning process. For my husband and I, we started with catering ("yummy food") and making sure we found a date and venue that worked for a large part of our family ("family to be able to come"). Look at your completed needs and wants list and use it to guide your next steps!

warmly,

Need a little more guidance?

Watch a reel of me completing a "Needs & Wants List"!

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