Wedding Preview Series: Your Planning To-Do’s

He popped the question. You said, “Yes!” Now what? Follow our step-by-step plan to planning the big day and keep stress at bay.
1. Talk it out. Chat with your new fiancé and discuss his/her vision of how your wedding should play out. Touch on style, theme, location, ceremony detail, and other aspects that may be important to you.
2. Consider timing. While there’s no need to set a firm date until you’re in talks with a venue, it’s always a good idea to have an idea of the season in which you’d like to marry.
3. Form a tentative guest list. Number of guests and necessary travel accommodations for guests are MAJOR factors in your wedding day cost and options.
4. Talk budget. Decide on a bottom line cost for the whole shindig and find out from parents or other potential wedding day backers if and how much they would be willing to contribute.
5. Figure out the “who” and “where” of the I do’s. Keep in mind that the actual moments of commitment are what the day is all about! Start your search for an offciant and ceremony site early on in order to ensure that your vows will go off without a hitch.
6. Designate a reception venue. But before you can do so, carefully consider some important questions – Indoors or outdoors? Sit-down dinner, cocktail reception, picnic, or maybe a simple cake cutting? Seating arrangements? Your and your guests’ cuisine preferences? When and where do you envision dancing taking place? Once you have a comprehensive vision of your dream wedding reception, begin your search. Start with these Cape May County picks:
The Golden Inn Hotel & Resort
7849 Dune Dr, Avalon, NJ 08202
(609) 368-5155
The Carriage House Café & Tearoom
1048 Washington St, Cape May, NJ 08204
(609) 884-5404
7. Line up the best of the best vendors. Here, we share our checklist of essentials and local picks:
• Photographer and/or videographer: The best ones usually book weddings several months in advance, so get on this one early. Enlist the advice of friends and family anf then look into the kind of style and feel you’d like your wedding day album and video to feature. Select the pro that fits you best! Start with these seasoned experts:
Gelzunas Photography
Pravada Photography
• Musicians/DJ: If you’re looking to have a band perform live, arrange to sample their performance before signing them on. Be sure to give them a rough idea of your ideal playlist so they can create the atmosphere you’re seeking. Hiring a DJ can often be less expensive than live musicians. Explore all your entertainment options before making the final decision.
• Flowers and décor: Once you have your reception venue booked, you can make design decisions on décor and floral arrangements. A ballroom or banquet room provides a relatively blank slate, whereas a museum or Victorian home may need just a few added accents. But flowers for both the ceremony and reception venue are almost always a MUST.
• Beverage and spirit needs: Consider creating a signature drink to add your personal flare to the reception and cut costs. If you’re tempted to save by having a cash bar, stop! Instead, cut down on liquor costs by offering one signature drink (like pitchers of a gourmet martini) along with beer, soda and juices. Another idea: Buy cases of a local wine and serve just that.
• Transportation: Roll up to your ceremony and reception in style in the sleek ride of your choice. Hiring a transportation professional is an excellent way to guarantee that all members of the wedding party arrive together, on-time, and in luxury. It also eliminates drunk driving concerns.
For more planning tips, face-to-face interactions with wedding vendors, and a fashion show of the latest bridal trends, be sure to attend the Wildwoods Spring Bridal Fair on Sunday, March 23rd in the Oceanfront Arena of the Wildwoods Convention Center. Meet with vendors beginning at noon and catch the fashion show starting at 4 pm.
Need a professional planner’s help or advice? Weddings by the Sea owner Catherine Walton, a Professional Bridal Consultant, established the beach wedding business in Cape May and enabled its designation as third in the country for destination weddings. After planning 800+ weddings, 16+ years of excitement, love, wind, sand, rainbows (and a lot of drama), she has seen it all. Call (609) 884-7900 or visit the store at 139 Broadway in Cape May for her very qualified assistance.