The Wedding Planning Checklist for the DFW Bride
So you just got engaged!!! There are probably so many emotions happening from excitement, to overwhelm, right? I hope to outline for you what the wedding planning process may entail for you, so that you know the best way to go about planning your day!!
Whether you are planning your own day, or hiring a wedding planner, it’s grounding to get an overarching layout as to what lies ahead of you! This may also help you to decipher if you’d want to tackle planning on your own or with the help of a planner, every bride is different!
First things first
Set your budget! No matter the number, it’s important to know where you’d like to stay at for the wedding as a whole. It will be helpful to do some research and get an idea as far as how much each vendor in DFW averages at! According to google, an average DFW wedding costs roughly $37k. Beautiful weddings can 100% be achieved at both lower and higher budget points, so don’t feel boxed in! I do have some tips and tricks up my sleeve as far as saving money in areas that you or your friends can DIY and I love to help my brides with some ideas if needed just as a side note! Big thrifty girl over here!
When & Where?
Select a date and choose your venue or location! What is the first thing any vendor is going to ask you to see if they’re available for your day? When and where is your wedding at!? When you focus on establishing those two important details before thinking about the other vendors, you’ll have a great start. It seems like the obvious choice to explore a wedding venue, and while a lot of the time that checks off what a lot of couples are wanting, there are also alternatives as well.
Hosting a backyard ceremony and setting out tables and chairs outside for the reception part can be executed really beautifully. A chapel ceremony followed by a separate reception location is another great option as well!
Who do you want there?
Guest lists!! Sit down with your fiancé and write down every single person you would want to invite to be there on your wedding day. Also go ahead and ask your bridesmaids and groomsmen to be part of your day!
Here are some quick pros and cons for larger invite lists:
Pros to large guest lists
- More lively reception
- No one feels left out
Cons to large guest lists
- Less personal
- More costly
- Increased planning stressors
Choosing a theme
My best advice is to browse Pinterest wedding inspiration and pin what you’re drawn to. After that, you can look through your board and see what you gravitate towards and dive deeper into that!
Decide on things like color palette, style (vintage, modern, eclectic, minimal, etc.), florals, vibe, etc. Finalizing this overall vision will make the actual choosing of things a lot smoother since you have a clear direction!
Hiring your vendors
Your planner should be first unless you’re opting out of hiring a planner and taking it on yourself. Then comes photographer, florist, HMUA, catering, DJ or band, rentals, etc. Selecting vendors that you can TRUST is going to take so much weight off of you for both planning and actual wedding day. Get to know your vendors, make sure they care about you and your wants. When you feel confident, book them and put your trust in them to do their expertise well!
Say yes to the dress
I don’t see one timeframe that would fit each bride for this step. The traditional brides wanting to enter a bridal shop and order a gown, aim for 10-12 months before your wedding to allow time for necessary dress ordering and alterations. For the modern brides that want to order a dress online or maybe even buy one second hand, you of course don’t need to plan so far in advance unless you want to!
Choose a dress that makes you feel beautiful. Consider a reception dress change if you are torn between two looks or just want something lighter and easier to dance in for the night portion of your day!
Save the dates
6-12 months before the wedding, you’ll want to send save the dates cards to let your guests know via mail or email to save the date before they make any other plans or trips on your wedding day! This gets people excited, lets them know to plan ahead, announces your engagement, all the things!
Take engagement photos
One of my favorite things is getting to know my couples before their wedding day by capturing engagement photos! This is included in my wedding packages and is a great way to celebrate your engagement. I’ve seen couples do this a year in advance or just a couple months from the wedding day, it’s all in your preference!
Such a fun way to celebrate your engagement, be spontaneous, & get to know how your photographer operates while they get to know you!
Details
Around 5-8 months out you can nail down some of the following details. Bridesmaid dress selections, groomsmen suit selections, create online registry for gifts, choose officiant, book honeymoon, choose groom’s suit, purchase wedding bands, brainstorm favor/gift ideas, etc. I would suggest purchasing a wedding planner journal to just help you keep track of things as well as keep it all in one place, especially if you aren’t hiring a wedding planner.
2 months out
Send those invites! (They can also be via mail or email). At this time you’ll also want to finalize song selections or playlists, write personal vows, pick up your marriage license, touch base with vendors, and buy miscellaneous items or start on DIYS.
Final touches to the bulk of wedding planning! Invitation cards can be really pretty when used for detail photos too but not required at all, sometimes emailing Invites saves time and money!
1 month out
Getting close!! Vendors will most likely require the full payment month-of, so be sure and finalize those payments as well as touch base with them. Create a seating chart if applicable, break in your wedding shoes, and you are practically all ready for your wedding!! Enjoy your final engaged month, go on a date, this is such a fun season!
Wedding day
The planning is done. Intentionally make time to take in this day, and delegate little tasks to your coordinator, MOH, trusted family members, etc. so that you and your fiancé don’t have to worry about anything except for celebrating your union!! I highly recommend having a wedding coordinator for your day otherwise so many stressors and tasks will fall on you or your family members!
Your only job on your wedding day is to soak in this day!!! Be in the moment, let things naturally happen, don’t feel like you need to curate moments, and celebrate your love. <3
You got this!!
Daunting or not, wedding planning does typically have a lot to it and it’s up to you whether or not it’ll be worth hiring a wedding planner! As a wedding photographer, I love nothing more than to be a helping hand to my brides that want some extra guidance and another opinion! You have the support of your family, friends, and vendors behind you to help make your day exactly what you envision!
You got this friend!!
Graduated with a bachelor’s degree in digital photography. Started freelance wedding photography business in 2020 and have captured many wedding days.
