Plan a Wedding Without Losing Your Mind

Take some time.
When you first get engaged you are usually beside yourself with excitement - and rightly so! You call your parents, text your friends, post to Facebook, and start dreaming about your perfect dress. But before you start devoting your life to Pinterest boards, there are a few questions that a couple should ask themselves: What kind of people are you and your fiance? Do you love formal affairs, or are you more comfortable at casual gatherings? Who will be on your guest list - mostly old college friends or extended family members? These are the kinds of decisions that come first because they will determine the tone and even the setting of your wedding. Then you can begin to think about how you want your day to look. Flip through lots of magazines - not just bridal ones - and see what speaks to you style-wise. Even thinking about why you love the restaurants you do will help you shape your vision.

Make a budget.
Money is never a fun topic, but you have to know how much you can spend before you start reserving a 15-piece reception band. Once you both decide on your budget your options for your venue, vendors, and style will be much clearer. After that, if you are like most couples, you'll have to choose between having a smaller wedding with every thing you have ever dreamed of, or a larger event that means cutting out some extras like a photo booth or swans in the fountain.

Ponder working with a planner.
If you don't enjoy negotiating with vendors, handling contracts, or troubleshooting problems - a planner can handle all of this for you. If a planner is completely out of the question, maybe an on-site coordinator could help you make sure everything runs according to schedule the day of.

Select your setting.
Picking your venue is the hardest part of the puzzle - everything else will fall in to place once you have your venue like your catering and decor. Since many popular spaces can get booked up to a year in advance, you wil want to decide on your location and date as soon as possible. Choosing a site also means you will know whether you have to order tent rentals, extra bathrooms, and the like, which also affects your overall budget.