Planning a wedding is a process. I think anyone that’s either previously planned a wedding or is currently in the process of planning one would agree with that statement. In the months leading up to the big day, your to-do list will undoubtedly be composed of quite a few different tasks and maintaining a consistent schedule throughout will be extremely important in preventing any unneeded stress. That brings us to the topic of this week’s blog post. 

We’ve all been guilty of procrastinating something at one point or another in our lives, right? Maybe it’s a home improvement project that you keep putting off each weekend. How about procrastinating on going to the gym or implementing a regular workout routine? Or it could even be something in relation to your job. Nonetheless, it’s safe to say that procrastination sometimes just naturally happens. And considering wedding planning can easily include several tasks spanning a number of months, it’s not hard to see how some of us could potentially procrastinate on various wedding planning responsibilities. Having said that, this week on the blog, we’ll be discussing tips on how you can avoid procrastination when wedding planning, as well as a few tasks you’ll want to highlight to ensure you don’t let them sit for too long!

Photo on the thumbnail courtesy of Sweet Nest Photography.

Set a Timeline

It might sound rather nominal and we’ve actually mentioned it before on prior blog posts, but it goes without saying that a timeline can be extremely helpful in making sure you stay on schedule. This is especially true if you don’t have a wedding planner that’s helping manage things too! The timeline should split out the tasks by the month to ensure you’re taking care of any time-sensitive to-do’s accordingly. If you’re unsure of what all needs to be included, there are plenty of templates online that are worth utilizing too.

By the way, when couples book with Madera Estates, they are provided access to our “Client Portal.” This portal includes a number of useful resources, including a comprehensive wedding planning timeline. With this guide, engaged couples essentially have a 12-month calendar composed of everything they need to complete before their big day arrives! Definitely the perfect resource for anyone that tends to procrastinate.

Planning a Wedding During a Popular Wedding Season?

While avoiding procrastination is important during all seasons, the importance is heightened during the busy wedding seasons. So…if you have any specific wedding vendors that you’ve been following for quite some time and would consider them to be must-haves for your own celebration, make sure to prioritize them and try to get them booked early on. Especially with ones like your wedding venue or even photographer, these vendors can get booked up months (and possibly even over a year) in advance. With that being said, our next anti-procrastination tip is to prioritize getting your favorite vendors booked early. Trust us, you don’t want to settle for anything but the best on something as important as the venue or photographer!

Working on Your Budget

While the majority of wedding planning tasks are exciting and things that you’re delighted to work on, many couples may agree the budgeting talk doesn’t fall under that category. Nonetheless, it is an important component and will make it easier to work on future tasks as well. Knowing you can spend x amount on a caterer, x amount for the wedding cake and so on will help simplify your options. With a budget being so important to get established, we always recommend couples having this discussion early on and including anyone else that will be chipping in financially for the wedding. Once that’s set in stone, you’ll have no hesitations when it comes to all of the fun stuff!

Make It a Dual Effort

While it’s not uncommon for one person to take the lead on wedding planning, we have to say that it’s always important for couples to make wedding planning a combined effort. Not only will that ensure your wedding day is that much more special, but it will also guarantee the wedding planning process is a memorable experience for each of you. From touring venues to taste-testing catering options and so on, you definitely want your significant other with you every step of the way. Let’s just take a quick look at a handful of tasks you’ll have to complete and you make the decision whether or not you agree that these should be a team effort.

• Researching and Booking Honeymoon
• Finalize Guest List and Seating Charts
• Shop for Wedding Rings
• Create Wedding Registry
• Meet With Photographers

Now, on that list above, I just selected a few random tasks off our wedding timeline checklist. With that in mind, it’s safe to say all of these are perfect examples of things that should be a team effort. Creating a guest list is going to require input from each of you to ensure friends and family from both sides are invited. Creating a wedding registry should definitely be a dual effort because you obviously want gifts that both of you can use and enjoy. In the end, there is plenty of truth to the phrase, “teamwork makes the dream work!” Plus, if each of these projects are a team effort, you can hold each other accountable and limit any procrastination.

Set Aside Time

Planning a wedding takes time. There’s no denying that. When you factor in your normal day-to-day responsibilities (such as work, family and social obligations), it can seem a little daunting to find time to plan a large wedding too! As evidenced throughout this blog thus far, there are definitely small tips and tricks that can make everything a little bit easier. Next on our list is one that’s simple, yet effective. Set aside time solely for planning purposes and try to just knock out a few things at a time. You don’t need to plan the entire wedding in one day, so take your time and truly enjoy the process. It’s when the planning process starts to feel like a chore that you should know it’s time to make some adjustments.

Still Need a Venue? How About Madera Estates?

While it won’t prevent procrastination by itself, getting your wedding venue finalized early on in the planning process really will help simplify many future decisions. For one, you’ll have a specific date, location and time that you can give to other vendors in order to see if they’re available. Likewise, considering the wedding venue rental is one of the bigger purchases you’ll make, you should have a better idea of how much you can spend on the various other components. To sum it up, it’s always a wise move to get your wedding venue locked in early on.

We didn’t provide much of an introduction at the start of this blog, but we would like to give a quick welcome to anyone that may be visiting our blog for the first time. Madera Estates is a luxury event space located in Conroe, TX that specializes in all-inclusive wedding packages. With a Spanish and European-inspired theme, we’ve been honored to have had the opportunity to host hundreds of weddings over the years. If you’re engaged and searching for the perfect wedding venue near the Houston area, we would be more than happy to have you out for a free tour. You’ll have the opportunity to see everything in-person and ultimately decide if it’s the right venue for you. To check out our online tour booking calendar, feel free to click the link HERE. Cheers to a stress-free wedding planning experience!