A Haute Guide To Wedding Planning

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Birch Event Design

Love is in the air with the holidays and New Year quickly approaching and with these festive times comes another type of season: engagement season. After you’ve celebrated this exciting time with friends and family, it’s time to get down to work. And who better to discuss wedding planning with other than Caroline Goldstein, Chief Executive Officer of Birch Event Design?

So where to begin? The entire wedding process can seem overwhelming initially but, “The first thing you want to get out of the way when planning your wedding is choosing the venue so that you can solidify the date of your wedding, and be able to move forward with everything else,” says Caroline. “Without a date, you can’t book any other vendor.”

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Birch Event Design

Once you have your wedding venue and date selected you can start moving on to booking the florist, band, photographer, and all your other vendors. According to Caroline, “Booking the band would be the second priority as the band makes or breaks the vibe of the event.” Top bands book out way in advance so you want to make sure you get your top choice and lock them in as soon as possible.

“Many often don’t realize that if you like a specific caterer, decorator, photographer or band, and know you want to work with them, you can simply book them without getting into the small details.” Having your date allows you to plan at a high level so that you can leisurely plan and enjoy the process.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Birch Event Design

While you may not be getting married for a year or more out, shopping for a wedding dress starts in the early stages. “People often don’t realize that you need to start looking for a wedding gown right away. It can take up to 7 months for your gown to come in from the moment you find it and place the order.” You also need to take in consideration fittings and alterations.

But how do you know what you like or more importantly don’t like? “Spending time to look for inspiration pictures is important too, and it is always best to know what you like and what you want when you go for your vendor meetings. This will make the meetings more productive.” Caroline advises. “Knowing what kind of photos you like can help with choosing a photographer, and knowing what kind of decor you like will help with choosing a decorator or, at least, help you in guiding your vendors as to your likes and dislikes.”

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Birch Event Design

At the end of the day, “The most important thing is getting your date saved in their calendars, the nitty gritty such as the design of your wedding cake, the color of your flowers or which linen to use can be discussed at a later time.”

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Birch Event Design