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wedding planning basics

It's probably no surprise that when it comes to planning your wedding, there are a ton of decisions to make. The average couple takes anywhere from eight months to a year to plan their wedding, and the bulk of that time will be spent narrowing down reception venues, finding the perfect wedding photographer, and deciding on which wedding style best suits you and your fiance. But before you throw yourself into the occasionally-hectic world of planning a wedding, take a minute to look at the big picture so you can avoid making major wedding planning mistakes. First, figure out your budget. Every single decision you make while planning your wedding will be affected by this single detail, so it is important to nail down a number before you do any serious wedding planning. Next, finalize your guest list. Until you know how many people you're inviting to your wedding, it'll be tough to know which venues can accommodate your party. Your wedding guest list will also determine your catering costs, bar tab, wedding favor costs, and a host of other wedding details, so get the number finalized as early as possible (though you still might want to account for guest add-ons closer to the event). Another commonly overlooked detail when planning a wedding? Giving yourself enough time to order your dream wedding dress. If you want a couture or customized wedding gown, you should allot at least six months for the dress to be ordered and altered. Giving yourself less time means running the risk of not having time to do enough fittings -- or even getting the dress you want. And one last piece of advice: If you're feeling overwhelmed, consider hiring a wedding planner -- or at least a day-of wedding coordinator -- to help arrange all the little details.

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planning basics

Your first wedding planning to-do? Set your wedding budget. From the dress to the reception, here's how to plan your wedding budget and stick to it.

Wedding Budgets 101

Your Wedding Budget Calculator!

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planning tools


Make a wedding checklist

Calculate your budget

Manage your guest list

Your wedding notebook

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Our Planning Basics Editor, Anja W.