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town bride THREE IMPORTANT PHASES OF PLANNING A perfect wedding By Katie Beth Johnson | FOSTER’S MAIN EVENTS Navigating the wedding process can be a tricky task. With all of the options out there, it is easy to feel overwhelmed, over budget, and stretched to limit. It is often hard to know where to start, and “What is my first step?” is the most frequently asked question. When plan- ning your wedding, keep this motto in mind: No matter what you do, do it well. Regardless of your wedding’s size or budget, if you stick to this simple motto, it will be a hit! PHASE ONE: CREATING YOUR GUEST LIST The question has been popped and answered, and the date has been set, so what ‘s next? We look at the plan- ning process as three phases. To start, let’s talk guest list. Hands down, this may be the most frustrating part of the entire planning process. Whom do I invite? What are our guests’ formal names and titles? How do I gather their addresses? We advise that you first list everyone you can think of. That way, you’re not leaving anyone out. From there, ask these questions: Are these people important in our lives or our families’ lives? Are they close friends, or are they simply acquaintances? Will we stay in touch with them after the wed- ding? By asking these tough questions, you will begin to see it is much easier to create a wedding guest list full of those who you want to help cele- brate your big day! PHASE TWO: MANAGING YOUR BUDGET Next, set your budget and book your vendors. Let’s chat about phase two a bit further. While you may be able to tweak your budget as you go along, it is a good idea to have a guideline to follow. As you set your budget, keep a few things in mind. How big will your wedding be? It is very difficult to pull off a $12,000 wedding with a 300-person guest list. Food and drink tend to be on a per-head basis, so more guests equal more money. You will need more seating, meaning you will need to rent more tables, chairs, and linens. You will also need more centerpieces for those tables. The number of invitations you send will increase that cost as well. This could well be the point at which you revisit Phase One. The first booking we recommend is the venue This lays the foundation for your entire wedding, and it sets the tone for your big day as well. For example, you wouldn’t necessarily host a black-tie affair in a small barn wedding venue. While this may seem like common sense, we often see brides booking smaller venues and struggling to fit their guests inside. And on the flip side, we see brides booking larger venues that need a lot of tables and decor to fill the space. If your budget does not allow for additional tables and decor, the process can become very frustrating, and what you have envisioned may not work out. 6 | TOWN BRIDE SPRING 2020 PHOTOS BY RILEY MORGAN PHOTOGRAPHY