the path from “yes” to “i do” – part 1
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Congratulations! You’re engaged! It’s probably been a few days or weeks and already, the reality of planning a wedding is starting to hit. For many people, planning a wedding will easily be the biggest single project that they will take on in their entire lives!
You browse through several wedding-themed magazines and think to yourself, “wow, that’s beautiful — that’s a great idea — oooh that’s amazing!” It all looks so easy, until you think about all that has to be done for your wedding: getting the dress, booking the venue, picking the photographer, it all seems so overwhelming — but it doesn’t have to be! You have two options available to you.
Hire a wedding planner
The first option, of course, is to not do the actual planning yourself! There are people who specialize in planning weddings and can take care of every detail of the wedding for you. Typically, they have many connections and experience with many vendors in the industry. Like any industry, everybody knows everybody and the insight wedding planners can give on vendors could be valuable. Also, because they specialize in weddings, many of them use a standard approach to managing your very special project.
Like any wedding professional, of course, employing the services of wedding planners are an additional item to budget for. If you don’t have the time, or would like the insight and experience of a wedding planner, this may be the way to go for you.
For advice on how to best utilize a wedding planner, check out this article on Building a Better Relationship With Your Wedding Planner
Plan your own wedding
Of course, the other option is to do it yourself! This option is obviously going to be the most work, and in the long run, will be the most rewarding and will offer the most control. You may even have fun doing it!
So where do we begin? From my experience, the most basic step is to evaluate what’s called the triple constraint: scope, time, and budget. You may have heard of the saying that goes, “Good, cheap, or fast: pick two.” There is much truth in that saying. Basically, the idea is that if you make changes to any of the three elements of the triple constraint, something has to give. Need to include more guests in the reception? Each head will cost you. Forgot to book a photographer early? Chances are, you’ll have to settle for your next best choice. Want to save money on invitations, you may have to skimp on the next day delivery.
Below are descriptions of the elements of the triple constraint:
- Scope
This element refers to defining your deliverables, everything that you need to get done to make sure that you have a smooth wedding. These deliverables include things like your dress, bookings for your venues, and of course, your photographer! Knowing what the scope is early on allows you to be able to stand your ground when tempted with doing more than you can handle. - Time
This element refers to defining when things need to happen. It begins with setting your wedding date then figuring out where the deliverables fit into your timeline. Nailing this down will save you from scrambling to finish something that should have already been completed. - Budget
This element refers to defining how much money will be allocated to pay for completing each deliverable. Knowing how much the wedding should cost and tracking your expenses to ensure that your actuals meet your budget is the key to managing this.
To adequately evaluate the triple constraint, keep the following points in mind:
- Be realistic
Ask yourself, “how will this decision affect what I can get done, when things get done, and how much it will cost?” Answering this question holistically will ensure that you consider every angle so you reduce the risk of being blindsided. - Be honest
If you haven’t already begun looking at “wedding stuff,” you will be presented with a myriad of options, and they will cost you! Before you start seriously considering any of these options, make sure you’re honest with yourself about how much time and how much money you are willing to put into your wedding. Being honest with yourself this early on will save you headaches later on. - Be creative
The “triple constraint” should not constrain you! Sometimes it’s easy to just compromise on some aspect of your wedding by skimping on costs, or reducing quality, or some other area. Don’t forget to think outside the box by coming up with different ways to accomplish the same thing. You may be pleasantly surprised that the alternative is better than your original idea!
Stay tuned for the next installments of the series, The Path From “Yes” to “I Do” where each element will be described in further detail:
Part five: Putting it all together
