The first few months of wedding planning have already been filled with several meetings with different vendors. I’ve had venue consultations, wedding dress appointments, we’ve met with our photographer, and just a few weekends ago I spent over an hour picking out flowers and decorations at Festivities MN. Although we still have a lot more planning to do, this is how I’ve approached each wedding consultation thus far.
The Prep: As soon as we got engaged I looked to Pinterest for all of my wedding inspiration. I love to peruse the site and pin anything that looks of interest to me. The more options the better! Once an appointment is scheduled, I start to narrow down ideas and create a more cohesive vision to share with the consultant. For example, when I prepped for the Festivities MN appointment, I picked out my top three to five favorite centerpieces, bridal bouquets, and boutonnieres, and saved each one on my phone for easy accessibility. It sounds cliche, but I also always remind myself to keep an open mind during each appointment. I’ve found that showing up with a starting point and then listening to our consultant’s advice and feedback has been a good approach for us.
The Meeting: For any appointment I’ve been mindful of keeping the group small. At most I’ve had three other people attend a wedding meeting with me—that includes wedding dress shopping. In my opinion, too many cooks in the kitchen may create an overwhelming appointment. I also try to think of a few questions to ask during each meeting, as well as clarifying next steps before it ends. That way it’s clear what is needed from who and when.
Follow Up: Staying organized after each wedding appointment has been very important. It can easily become overwhelming and complicated trying to juggle contacts, follow ups, and next steps for several different vendors. I have a folder in my email specifically for wedding planning, and I’ve also been relying on The Knot’s wedding checklist to ensure I’m on track each month. There are so many different resources out there to keep you organized, but if all else fails maybe you’re trusty maid-of-honor can help!
