You're engaged -- congratulations! Before you give in to the temptation to dive into planning your Alabama wedding, however, there are a few things you need to do first. A good place for the savvy bride to start is by figuring out the size of your guest list. This not-always-simple step will be a crucial piece of info for all of your wedding vendors, from the reception site to the cake baker. (And don't worry, you don't have to decide exactly who is invited -- you just need a ballpark number to figure out how large your venue should be, how large a wedding cake you need, and so on.)

As soon as you've nailed down a number, it's time to start researching local Alabama wedding vendors. A great way to find reputable professionals is by asking friends and relatives who have recently gotten married in the area. Not only will this allow you to see samples of their work in a no-pressure setting, but you'll also hear firsthand about the vendor's business manner from someone who has already planned a wedding in Alabama.

Of course, before you book a vendor you'll want to interview them for yourselves. This will let you get a sense for the sort of work they do, and also gives you a feel for the vendor's personality. When it comes to finding the right setting for your wedding, set up visits to any Alabama wedding venues you're considering and make sure that the space matches up well with your styles (and visions for your wedding day).

One last piece of advice when it comes to working with your wedding vendors: Once you've hired your pros, it's key to fill them in on any time or space restraints at your wedding ceremony and reception venue (especially if they haven't done a wedding at that site in the past). One way to prevent schedule snafus is by creating a time line (with important phone numbers) that you can share with your wedding professionals so they know where their contact person will be on the day of the wedding.