A Guide for How to Survive the Holiday Season and Plan Your Wedding

The holiday season is a time of celebration and joy. It's also engagement season, as most couples get engaged during this time. For those who are trying to plan their weddings, it can be difficult to balance the overwhelm that comes with this huge event and also find time to gift shop, host, and celebrate the holidays with loved ones. Here is what to tackle first so you can spend less time pulling your hair out and more time enjoying that eggnog!

Set a date, but be flexible

The first thing to know about wedding planning is that vendors can get booked a year or more in advance and with the COVID disruptions of 2020, and many celebrations being pushed back, a lot of vendors are already booked into 2023. With this in mind, it is important to set a realistic goal on when you should set your wedding date. If you set it too soon, not only may you not have enough time to plan your first choice of vendors may already be booked up. We recommend giving yourself a full year to plan and having a few dates in mind that can work for you. That way you are more likely to be able to book your wedding dream team.

Create a mood board!

Now the date is set let's set the mood. Creating a mood board is one of the most fun parts of planning. We know Pinterest is flooded with engagement boards, and ideas but recently a lot of our couples have been turning to Canva to really hone into their unique style. Making a mood board on Canva is amazingly simple. Just select a layout, upload the images that really speak to you (HINT - they don't all have to be wedding inspo images) Maybe they are pictures of you and your fiance's favorite places to visit or eat or a piece of artwork you love. Finally include some of your favorite colors and you are on your way.

Start the guest list

It is important at this point to start discussing with your significant other how many guests you would like to invite. The reason you want to have a good grasp on this early is that your guest count affects a lot of your future choices. Can the venue I want hold this number of people? what is the price per plate of my favorite caterer? You don't need to have an exact number right now, and most vendors only require this a month to 2 weeks before the event, but having a rough estimate in mind now will make your wedding planning journey that much smoother.

Research vendors (Hint: Start with the venue!)

If a ton of your mood board pictures consists of places and destinations, that is your sign to make finding your venue a priority.

Not only does your venue sets the tone for your whole event, but it is also often one of the biggest line items on your budget. The best venues are often booked up to 18 months in advance so start early and give yourself time to make sure the one you choose ticks the majority of your boxes.

The rest of your vendors should be booked in this order: Wedding planner, photographer (make sure their editing style matches yours!), caterer, Dj, officiant, florist, videographer, and finally hair and makeup.

Going bespoke with your attire? Start now!

If you have your heart set on a custom dress or suit do not procrastinate. Not only can it take several months for a custom suit or gown to arrive at the bridal shop from the manufacturer (we're looking at you global supply chain) you need to take into account the time it may take for your alterations to make sure everything fits like a glove on your big day.

Finally, celebrate!

Ok now you've tackled some of the really big tasks on your list, take a breather and celebrate. There's nothing more magical than a holiday engagement party. It's twice as festive and twice as sparkly.

There's a lot of partying this time of year, so keep your guests comfort and time in mind. Be smart with your scheduling and plan your celebration on an off day or consider a brunch or sunset soiree to ensure maximum attendance. Check out our Pinterest board on holiday engagement parties for some festive inspiration.

Planning a wedding during the holiday season can be challenging but if you check these items off your list early, you'll still have plenty of time to spend with your fiance under the mistletoe.

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