Wedding Planning Guide
Welcome!!
Thank you so much for booking me as your wedding photographer! : ) I’m beyond excited to work with you and cannot wait to capture your special day! Planning a wedding is something that you may not have done before and can be extremely stressful. When should you book my vendors? When should you buy your attire? When do you send out save the dates?
As you embark on the journey of planning your dream wedding, I’d love to help in which ever way you’d like. So I’ve put together this comprehensive guide below to hopefully help you stay organized, know what to expect from my photography services, and enjoy a stress-free planning process!
Your Wedding Photography Journey: A Quick Glance
Booking
At this point, you have completed the booking process and have solidified me as your wedding photographer! I’m so excited and honored to be working with you! If you need anything at all (vendor recommendations, help with planning your wedding day, etc.), please reach out as I would love to provide assistance in any way possible.
One Month Out
One month from your wedding day, I will send a questionnaire via email where you outline your wedding day details. These include getting ready locations, start times of ceremony and reception, vendor list, and family portrait combinations. Using your answers and purchased coverage, I will create your wedding day timeline! You then have the option to make any changes you see fit.
One Week Out
Your big day is almost here! About one week from your wedding day, I will reach out to confirm details as well as answer any last minute questions.
Day Of
It’s finally here!! Time to enjoy every moment and celebrate! I will follow the timeline and document all of these amazing moments.
Image Delivery
After your wedding, the editing process begins! Within 48 hours, you will receive 10-15 sneak peeks to share with friends, family, and social media. Don’t forget to tag me in your posts! I will then have the rest of your gallery completed and delivered to you in no later than 8 weeks. From there, you’ll be able to download and order high-resolution photographs immediately from your Pic-Time gallery.
Albums & Prints
With every gallery, you have the ability to download your photos and take them anywhere to get them printed. To get the best quality prints, I suggest ordering prints and albums through the professional Pic-Time store. I provide a hefty discount code to ensure that you have the option of purchasing high quality keepsakes at an affordable price!
Step by Step Wedding Planning Guide to for the Newly Engaged
12 to 18 months before the wedding
Celebrate!!
Don’t forget to take the time to soak it all in and celebrate your engagement with your friends and family! Share the news, post the ring on social media, and celebrate with a fabulous engagement party!
Set a Budget
After you’re done celebrating and you’re ready to start planning, determining your overall wedding budget is crucial. Are you planning to use your savings and/or parent contributions? It’s time to have that conversation with both sides to determine how much they plan on contributing (if you’re going that route). Note that if you do decide to accept contributions from friends or family, be prepared if they want a say in the planning of your wedding day. Remember, this is YOUR day. Don’t let anyone tell you what you can and cannot do! : )
Break down the budget into categories such as venue, catering, attire, photography, and more. Determine how much you’d prefer to spend in each category and stick to it!
Create a Guest List
Decide whether you want a small, intimate wedding or a larger celebration.
Draft an initial guest list to get an estimate of the number of attendees. Vendors such as venue and catering will ask you for an estimated number to help them calculate the total price of hosting your special day.
Hire a Wedding Planner or Day of Coordinator (Optional)
This is a good time to think about if you’d like to hire someone to help you with planning or if you’d prefer to take on the role yourself.
Some couples decide to hire a Day of Coordinator - someone who oversees the execution of all your wedding plans on the big day. They manage vendors when they arrive, oversee the final walk through of the venue, manage your wedding rehearsal, manage your wedding timeline, and more.
Select a Date, Venue, and Style
Choose a wedding date and book your ceremony and reception venues. When you’re choosing a date, consider the season, day of the week, and any potential conflicts. Do you love how nature looks in the fall and want it’s beauty as your backdrop, or would you prefer a winter wonderland wedding? Would you consider choosing a wedding date during the week or on a Sunday to save money? PRO TIP: Visit each venue in person (preferably in the same season as your wedding date) to fully experience it’s magic and all the venue has to offer. Scroll down to see some of my unique wedding and elopement venue recommendations!
Decide on the overall theme and style of your wedding. Choose a color palette and incorporate it into your invitations, attire, and decor.
Research and Book Vendors
Now is the time to secure essential vendors such as a photographer, videographer, DJ/entertainment, caterer, and florist. These vendors tend to book clients well in advance, so make sure you prioritize booking your vendors to ensure that your dream vendors are available on your wedding date! Ask your venue if they have a preferred vendor list, ask a friend who they used as their vendors, or join your local wedding Facebook group and create an “ISO” post (in-search-of). For the Pittsburgh area, the Pittsburgh Brides Facebook group is a great resource for all things wedding as well as obtaining vendor recommendations from past couples. Don’t forget to ask your caterer about the famous Pittsburgh Cookie Table!
Knowing what to ask your vendors to better understand their services and determine if they are the right fit can be daunting. You should have received a Vendor Question List for you to download via email! This way you are better prepared going into each vendor meeting and sound like you know a thing or two!
Shop for Wedding Attire
Begin shopping for your wedding dress, suit, and/or bridesmaid dresses. It’s important to provide ample time for any alterations!
Create a Wedding Website
Wedding websites are a great place to share your engagement photos, important details, RSVP information, and registry details with your guests. For my own wedding, we used The Knot and were extremely satisfied with their service! It was very customizable and allowed us to save money on our invitations as guests were able to RSVP right on the website. No need to purchase and send an RSVP card in the mail! Save the trees : )
Unique Wedding and Elopement Venues near Pittsburgh, PA
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The Pump House
MUNHALL, PA
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Sugar Tree Lodge
LAUREL HIGHLANDS, PA
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Sienna Mercato
PITTSBURGH, PA
9 to 12 months before the wedding
Send Save the Dates & Order Invitations
It’s time to send out your save the dates and order your invitations! Save the dates notifies your guests of your wedding date, providing them ample time to plan and avoid booking any conflict on that date. If you’d like your save the dates to match your invitations, it may be a good idea to purchase them at the same time. There are numerous sites to choose from such as Zazzle, Canva, and Etsy. If you enjoy design, show off your skills and make your own invitations with programs like Photoshop and Canva!
Plan the Honeymoon
Now is a great time to start researching and planning your honeymoon. Would you prefer to relax on a beach, visit a foreign country, or go on a cruise? Do you want to visit during peak season or in the off season? Book flights and accommodations well in advance to avoid any issues and unavailability. NOTE: Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months after your travel date in order to visit most countries.
Choose the Wedding Rings
Head over to your favorite jewelry store and browse their selection of rings. Do your best to choose rings within your budget and preferred style.
Create a Registry
One of my favorite parts of planning my wedding was creating a registry! I loved browsing through the home stores and picking out our future kitchenware. We decided to create two registries - one on Amazon and another on Bed, Bath & Beyond. One issue we ran into when deciding where to host our registry was that we wanted to add products from multiple stores to one registry. This way our guests wouldn’t have to reference tons of registries when deciding on an item to purchase. At the time, we were unable to find a website that fulfilled this need, so we went with the two registries mentioned above.
Recently, we came across a platform called Elfster. It’s mainly utilized for Christmas gifts but can most definitely be used for your wedding registry! How it works is that you create a Wishlist and can put any item from any store on your Wishlist. Guests can view your Wishlist, purchase those items, and mark them as “Purchased” to let other guests know. It is a great platform and can be used for all types of situations (birthdays, weddings, Christmas, etc.).
Now when deciding which items to put on your registry, make sure you include other non-essential items such as workout equipment, tools, house decorations, furniture, and a honeymoon fund!
6 to 9 months before the wedding
Block Hotel Rooms and Book Transportation
If you have guests traveling and in need of a hotel room, now is the time to contact a hotel close to your reception venue and block rooms for your guests. Discuss with the hotel if they can provide transportation to and from the venue or if you need to hire a third party company.
Choose a Wedding Cake
Select a baker in your area to design your wedding cake and attend cake tastings to finalize flavors. Bring out your wedding Pinterest board to help convey your vision to the baker.
Purchase or Rent Decorations
Decide if you’d prefer to purchase or rent your wedding decor. Purchasing your wedding decor allows for you to obtain a portion of your money back if you decide to sell the items post wedding. One downside is that you need a place to store your decor until you are able to resell. If you have the space to store your decorations, I would suggest purchasing them and then reselling. If you prefer to avoid all the hassle, renting your decorations may be the best option. Depending on your choice of decorations, renting tends to be cheaper overall and less work. It is completely up to you and what your budget allows!
Schedule Hair and Makeup Trials
Book trials for hair and makeup to finalize your wedding day look. Some couples like to schedule these trials on the same day as their engagement session!
3 to 6 months before the wedding
Finalize Menu
Work with your caterer to finalize the menu for your reception. Something to note is that some caterers charge you for taste testing or do not provide it at all. Definitely discuss this with them before booking!
Purchase Wedding Favors
Choose and order wedding favors for your guests that align with your wedding theme and style. Our wedding was at a winery so we decided to purchase custom cork wine stoppers from Etsy!
Obtain Marriage License
Go to your county’s website to apply and obtain your marriage license. There usually is a fee and an application interview in order to grant the license. Once your application is approved, your county will either automatically send your marriage certificate in the mail, require you to pick it up in person, or require you to request for the marriage certificate to be sent to you via mail. Reach out to your local county office for official steps on how to obtain your marriage license and the validity period for your location. Did you know there are two types of marriage licenses is Allegheny County?
Plan Rehearsal Dinner
Start planning and book a venue for your rehearsal dinner, preferably a restaurant close to your wedding ceremony venue or the hotel where guests are staying. Ask your reception venue if they are able to include hosting your rehearsal dinner in your purchased package.
Wedding Favor Idea: Wine Stoppers
1 to 3 months before the wedding
Finalize Details with Vendors and Create a Timeline
Work with your caterer to finalize the menu for your reception. Something to note is that some caterers charge you for taste testing or do not provide it at all. Definitely discuss this with them before booking!
During this time, I will be emailing you a Wedding Day Timeline Questionnaire to help me better understand your wedding day plans! With your answers and purchased coverage, I will create your wedding day timeline! You then have the option to make any changes you see fit.
Finalize Seating Arrangements
Choose and order wedding favors for your guests that align with your wedding theme and style. Our wedding was at a winery so we decided to purchase custom cork wine stoppers from Etsy!
Send Invitations
Go to your county’s website to apply and obtain your marriage license. There usually is a fee and an application interview in order to grant the license. Once your application is approved, your county will either automatically send your marriage certificate in the mail, require you to pick it up in person, or require you to request for the marriage certificate to be sent to you via mail. Reach out to your local county office for official steps on how to obtain your marriage license and the validity period for your location. Did you know there are two types of marriage licenses is Allegheny County?
Final Fittings
Start planning and book a venue for your rehearsal dinner, preferably a restaurant close to your wedding ceremony venue or the hotel where guests are staying. Ask your reception venue if they are able to include hosting your rehearsal dinner in your purchased package.
Sample Wedding Day Timeline
1 to 2 weeks before the wedding
Confirm Details
Confirm all final details with vendors including timelines and any special requests. I will send an email the week before your wedding to confirm all details!
Pack for the Honeymoon
Pack for your honeymoon and ensure all necessary travel documents in order. NOTE: Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months after your travel date in order to visit most countries.
Delegate Tasks
Assign specific tasks to trusted friends, family members, or bridesmaids for the wedding day. Delegation and staying organized is key to ensuring a smooth wedding day!
Relax and Enjoy!
Take some time to relax and enjoy the days leading up to your wedding. Trust that you’ve planned everything meticulously and your wedding day will be everything that you’ve been dreaming of!
post wedding
Send Thank Yous
Thank your guests for celebrating with you your special day and for any gifts they purchased. Send out your Thank You Cards once you return from your honeymoon.
Share Wedding Photos and Video
Most photographers and videographers provide sneak peaks a few days to a week after your wedding. Gush over the content and post them to your socials! Make sure to tag your vendors in your posts.
Purchase Albums & Prints
With every gallery, you have the ability to download your photos and take them anywhere to get them printed. To get the best quality prints, I suggest ordering prints and albums through the professional Pic-Time store. I provide a hefty discount to ensure that you have the option of purchasing high quality keepsakes at an affordable price!
Change your Name
Once you’re marriage and you obtain your marriage certificate, you have the freedom to change your name whenever you want! Marriage certificates don’t expire so there is no rush to change your name. Most couples change their names once they return from their relaxing honeymoon. Check with your state and county regarding the requirements for changing your name. These required documents tend to be your updated Social Security card, a certified copy of your marriage certificate, and proof of address.
Write Vendor Reviews
Honest client reviews are extremely helpful for prospective clients to understand the value of each vendor’s services. Your vendors would be eternally grateful if you write a short, honest review of each vendor on their Google Business page! : )
