Find out what you need to do before your big day.
With your wedding two years away, you have the opportunity to capitalize on savings and booking the services of preferred vendors. But do not wait too long or you will miss your opportunity. Start planning for your wedding today by discussing the important factors of your wedding, reserve your venue and go shopping.
Budget and Style
Discuss the overall feel that you want your wedding to have. Set a budget for your wedding and talk to both sides of the family to determine what amount relatives are willing to contribute. Decide whether you will have a large wedding or an intimate ceremony with close friends and family only. Your budget will help you determine how many guests to invite since the more guests you invite, the more your event will cost. Determine the time and date of your wedding ceremony and reception. Choose a theme if you prefer. Themes can help point you in a specific direction, but they can also limit your creativity.
Organize
Place all of your important papers, ideas and contracts into a binder. Take pictures of potential venues and staple them together with the vendor information for future reference. Hire a wedding planner if possible. Sign up for a free wedding website or a wedding checklist, such as the one on The Knot. With this tool, you can schedule all of your wedding appointments and receive weekly reminders about the tasks you need to accomplish.
Venues
Reserve your wedding reception venue and ceremony site today. Get a contract in writing with the total due. Many venues book up a year in advance so if you reserve your site today, you are more likely to lock in the time and date you prefer. Rates are likely to increase over two years, so you can also lock in a cheaper rental rate. If you are getting married in a church, you may be required to complete premarital counseling or religious classes before church officials will agree to set a date. Begin your preparation as early as possible.
Go Shopping
Since your wedding is two years away, every holiday will pass by at least once. Take advantage of this fact by shopping for generic wedding items during after-holiday sales to save as much as 75 percent off. Buy Christmas lights, baskets and silk flowers. Consider planning your wedding around a holiday or seasonal theme for even more savings. Stock up on seasonally appropriate items like candles, plant containers, napkins and table linens.
Vendors
Time is on your side, so you have enough time to meet with multiple potential vendors and negotiate a good price. Book your wedding ceremony music, reception music and entertainment, photographer, caterer, baker and florist. Wait for a sale before reserving your groomsmen's attire and before purchasing your wedding dress.
Notifications
Begin asking friends and family members to be in your wedding party. Send save-the-date cards to out-of-town guests who need time to plan and budget for your wedding. Send an engagement announcement to your local newspaper.
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