featured on www.mrswhyknot.com on January 26, 2015

Maybe you got engaged on a holiday. Maybe you or your other half popped the big question at midnight on New Year’s Eve. Maybe it just happened recently at a place and time that was meaningful to you. Whatever your story, November-January is the most popular time to get engaged and known throughout the industry as “engagement season”. January-February is our favorite time of year. As wedding planners, coordinators, and designers, we love being introduced to new couples who are happy, enthusiastic, and ready to embark on the journey toward their dream wedding.

If you’re planning your big day without the help of a planner, have no fear! We’ve put together a list of the top 11** questions we get from newly engaged couples – and we’ve answered each one, so you can stop worrying, and start getting the most out of this exciting time in your life!

#1. What do I say when people keep asking me what kind of wedding I want? I have no idea!

You don’t have to know right away! Simply say, “We are just enjoying being engaged right now and we’re not rushing anything. We are thinking we’ll start planning in (insert timeframe here).” You can say 2 weeks, 1 month, 6 months, or whatever feels right.

#2. What is the best time of year to get married?

Wedding season is typically March-November, but there aren’t any rules! Fall is becoming popular for weddings, and of course Spring & Summer are always beautiful. Winter weddings are special in their own way, so you really can’t go wrong any time of year!

#3. What comes first? Where do I start?

You’ll need to come up with your guest list first. Once you understand how many people you want to celebrate with, the process will be much easier to navigate. Having a guest list enables you to select venues that work for your guest list, and rule out those that don’t.

#4. How much is this going to cost?

Depending on what you want, you can make your wedding fun and enjoyable without breaking the bank. In New York, we’ve worked with budgets of $10K or less, all the way up to opulent events that cost $250K+. Decide what you’re comfortable with, and go from there.

#5. Can I ask my family and friends to help me plan?

If they’ve offered, of course! Ask them to help research, come up with ideas, and even craft with you. If you want to make sure you’re not asking too much first, say something like, “Since you’ve offered, I could really use help with XYZ. Would that be something you’d enjoy & have time for?”

#6. How do I ask my family and friends to STOP helping me plan?

Simply say, “I really love that you want to help – and I want this process to be enjoyable for everyone involved. Can you give me some time and space to figure out what I need the most help with?” Then, when you’re ready, refer to question #5 to enlist their help.

#7. Do I have to pick a color scheme that goes with the season of my wedding?

Not at all! When it’s done right, you can make any color work with any season. If you’re hiring an event designer, they’ll make it work for you!

#8. Do I have to invite everyone I know?

In short, no. In general, people understand that weddings tend to be expensive affairs, and many couples are planning and paying for their big day on their own without help from parents. “We’re keeping it small, mostly just family,” is all you have to say.

#9. I want a small wedding. How do I tell my big family?

You can simply say, “We would love to celebrate with everyone, but with the size of our families, that’s tough to do. What we want is a stress-free day for all involved, and while we’d love to invite everyone, we’d prefer to keep it small & intimate.” If it’s important to your extended family to be involved, you can invite them to the ceremony, or promise to post a wedding video online soon after the wedding.

#10. How long does it really take to plan a wedding?

We’ve planned weddings in as little as 3 months, and others in as long as 2 years. Whatever timeline is right for you, it’s totally possible! Wedding planners often make events with short timelines possible – they’re pros that can help coordinate everything for you, quickly! If your timeline is fairly short, that would be a great route to explore.

#11. How do I know when to book all my vendors and services?

It’s tricky to know the order of operations for wedding planning, but we have a great timeline tool that’s helpful! If you’d like a freebie PDF of it emailed to you, simply reach out to us at Nicole@EventsBySB.com orJohn@EventsBySB.com. We’ll send you one right away!

Whatever you’re planning, just try to keep yourself de-stressed and excited. Remember – being engaged is one of the best times of your life. Soak it up, enjoy it, and don’t sweat the small stuff. Happy Planning!

XOXO

Nicole & John

**Why 11 questions? Why not just a typical top 10? Well, we’re not your typical wedding planners. First of all, 11 is a lucky number for us and second of all, we’re just the type who like to go above and beyond. So, you get 10+1 from us!