Where Do You Even Start With Wedding Planning? (Right Here, Babe)
Okay… so you’re engaged (yaaay!), and now everyone’s asking:
“Sooo, have you started planning yet?”
And you're just standing there like, “Start with what exactly?”
Because every time you try to figure it out, it’s like the internet throws 50 tabs at your brain and your notes app starts looking like a crime board.
You want to start — you really do.
But between “pick a date,” “set a budget,” “book vendors,”...and you're like,
how am I supposed to know what comes first??
You are not the problem.
Wedding planning is a whole different universe — and no one gives you the map.
So I made one. 😌
This post is your soft but solid place to start.
No overwhelm.
No chaos.
Just one step at a time.
Let’s get into it.
1. First, forget the pressure to do everything at once.
Literally no one is expecting you to have your entire wedding mapped out by the weekend.
So if your brain is already running a marathon — pause.
This isn’t a race.
You don’t have to start everywhere — you just need to start somewhere.
2. Talk to your partner (yes, before opening pinterest).
Before you get caught up in colors and cake tastings, sit down with your person and talk about the big picture stuff:
What kind of wedding do you both imagine?
Big guest list or intimate vibes?
Indoor or outdoor?
Home or destination?
...What’s the vibe you want to feel?
This will anchor every decision you make moving forward.
No point picking a venue when you haven’t even decided if you want 40 or 240 people there, ya know?
3. Pick your top 3 priorities.
Every couple has different priorities.
For some, it’s food.
For others, it’s photos or the music or the dress.
What are your top 3 things that matter most on your wedding day?
Write them down — they’ll guide your budget and your energy later on.
4. Get an idea of your guest count.
No, you don’t need a final guest list right now.
But having a ballpark number (like “around 80” or “closer to 200”) helps when you start looking at venues and thinking about budget.
Everything from food to invites to chairs depends on that number.
5. Budget check — aka the not-so-fun part (but necessary).
Before you start booking anything, you need to know what you're working with.
Even if you’re still figuring it out, draft a simple starting budget.
If someone else is helping out (parents, family), have those money talks early — yes, it’s awkward, but future-you will be so grateful.
6. THEN (and only then), start venue searching.
Now that you know your general vibe, guest count, and budget — it’s time to look at venues.
The venue often locks in your date, and your date affects everything else (photographer, planner, vendors, etc.).
---
So yes, this is a big step.
But now? ...you’re ready for it.
7. Now let your checklist do the heavy lifting.
Once your date is set, that’s when things really start happening — dress shopping, vendor booking, guest list drama
(lol, kiddin …kind of).
But you don’t have to juggle everything in your head.
This is the moment where structure really starts to save your life.
A good ol’ to-do list (one that tells you exactly what’s coming up and when) will honestly make you feel 10x more in control
---
If you need one …I already have a Free Wedding Checklist that breaks everything down month by month
I dropped the link to get it below, if you wanna check it out
---
To Wrap it Up...
Something i want to say before i end the blog post
Don’t be afraid to start MESSY
There’s no “perfect” way to plan a wedding.
There’s no gold medal for getting every single thing done in the perfect order.
Honestly, the beginning is supposed to feel a little wobbly.
So don’t wait until you have the whole vision, or the perfect Pinterest board, or your entire guest list down to a science.
Just start with what you know.
One decision at a time.
One little step forward.
Because that’s how wedding planning actually works.
Not all at once.
Just... little by little.
You’ve GOT to read this next...
Engaged? Amazing. Now what? Before you dive into the Pinterest rabbit hole, read this. These are the 11 things every bride actually needs to do right after saying yes—no fluff, no stress, just clear steps that will save your sanity.
Not sure how to split your wedding budget without messing it up?
This guide walks you through exactly how to allocate your budget (no matter how much you have), so you’re not stuck overspending on flowers and forgetting the chairs.
Looking for bridesmaid proposal ideas that feel real, personal, and actually meaningful?
This isn’t your basic Pinterest list—these 20 ideas are thoughtful, fun, and guaranteed to make your girls feel all the love
Thinking of skipping the wedding planner?
Here’s the honest truth (from someone who gets it) — plus the one tool that can actually help you pull it off without losing your mind.