#settingupthebones

[sharingthelove]

The Place

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The money

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The Numbers

The

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The Date

The time of year you get married can be driven by any number of things - from my understand the three key factors are Religious beliefs, Availability (yours, guests and suppliers) and Weather. I know that some people are set on a certain date for sentimental reasons - your decision is easy!

Religious beliefs:

Availability:

Weather/ Seasonality:

Now to choose an actual date.

[sharingthelove]

Setting up the bones

You've both said yes, you've exchanged rings, PCs, chocolates, onesies, whatever - now you have to actually get married.

I have to admit that my first 3-4 months of being engaged were my favourite. I didn't give a single thought to planning a wedding and I focused exclusively on staring at, cleaning, and taking photos of my shiny new piece of jewelery. If possible I recommend enjoying some 'engagement' time before the crazy begins.

Once you're done procrastinating, there are a few structural wedding planning 'bones' you need to set up before anything else.

Step 1: The Date - Choosing a date can be as simple as looking at a calendar, closing your eyes and pointing or as complicated as consulting religious leaders to identify the most auspicious time for your marriage. Most of my experience has been somewhere in between.

Step 2: Get a rough idea of guest numbers - Just the right order of magnitude so you know whether you're looking to accommodate 50 or 500 guests.

Step 3: The Location - Deciding on a geographic location and venue for your reception will set the tone for the rest of your wedding. Again, this can be as simple as 'the RSL next door' or as intricate as 'Taking our 200 best friends to the south of France'

Step 4: Set a budget - Throughout wedding planning, my budget was my best friend. I annoyed everyone around me with constant budget updates. You may be as ridiculous as me or much less bothered by this but still, it always helps to have a budget set up.

If you're in Sydney, I recommend choosing a date at least 11/12 months after you start planning to allow you enough time and give you the best chance of booking vendors. Of course this time period depends on where you're hosting your wedding, any cultural requirements and (hopefully limited to 2020/2021 brides) global pandemics.