INSPIRATION
venues and suppliers that friends and family have used for their own weddings . If you ’ ve been to a wedding where you loved the band or thought the photographer produced some beautiful shots , then cut out the time on Google looking for suppliers , and go directly to those you ’ ve seen in action .
LONG ENGAGEMENTS ( 2 YEARS OR MORE ) Obviously , the idea of getting engaged is to eventually be married , but the engagement period is a lovely , joyful time where you and your loved one get to plan your special day together . There ’ s plenty of time to revel in your engagement and soak up the celebrations before getting down to the finer details . Many couples say they actually miss wedding planning once the big day is done , so if you ’ re planning a longer engagement then make sure to revel in this time .
Start Saving One of the benefits of a long engagement is you can spread the cost of the wedding out over a longer period of time . When you first get engaged , set up a savings account and decide with your partner how much your overall budget will be and how much you can put aside each month . Then , work out a timeline for what you need to pay for and when .
Don ’ t Delay Look at venues and suppliers as early as possible , even if you have two or three years to go until your big day . If you have a dream destination or particular photographer in mind then the earlier you contact them the better . Having a longer engagement means you ’ re likely to have more choice when it comes to availability , but it ’ s not guaranteed , so lock those important elements down early .
Find Your Vibe The beauty of having more time to plan your wedding is that once the venue and date are set , you have lots of time to gather inspiration and ideas . Wedding trends constantly change , so if you aren ’ t sure on colour schemes , themes or décor ideas then you ’ ve got plenty of time to create mood boards , visit wedding fairs and scroll through Pinterest and Instagram to find ideas .
Plan Your Escape ( no , not like that …) Often the honeymoon details can get overlooked as the couple spends all their time planning their wedding . But , if you ’ ve got a bit longer to go until your big day , then you could also spend time as a couple researching and planning dream destinations you could escape to once you ’ ve said ‘ I do ’.
Hone Your Crafts One of the more time consuming parts of a wedding is creating elements for the big day yourself . From decorations to stationery and favours to flower arrangements , when you have time on your side , you can get stuck into making beautiful , unique pieces for your big day yourself - or , if crafting isn ’ t your thing then it gives you time to dish out the tasks to your friends and family instead !
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