Checking things off the list ...

On the big list of "things to do" in order to plan your wedding, you've been on quite a roll so far ...

Proposal - check
Created a budget - check
Started working on a guest list - check
Chosen a location for the wedding - check
Defined your wedding style - check

What's next?

Start looking into venues and then vendors. Decide where in your budget you want to spend more money - food, entertainment, decor, lighting, transportation, any aspect of the reception - its up to you to choose where a larger portion of your budget should go, based on what is important to you as a couple.

Decide if you want to hire a wedding planner. A planner can be a great resource for cost cutting ideas, help with pulling together the design for the wedding day, aid with all the logistics, and most importantly for relieving stress from you. Most planners offer a range of packages from Full Planning to Day Of services. If you opt to go the planner route, decide which package will suit your needs the best.

Start looking at stationary (Save the Dates, invites, other paper goods) and meeting with different stationers. If your guests are going to be traveling in for the wedding weekend, its best to send a Save the Date out roughly nine months before the wedding to give them a heads up and to start making their travel plans.

Amass a big collection of wedding related materials - magazines, blogs, images and file them away. Everything you see should serve as a source of inspiration for each element of the wedding day. Start looking at various wedding gowns and go try a few on! You'll never know what looks the most amazing if you don't try it on!

Lastly, relax. Be proud of the things you have accomplished so far. Since its the holidays, take some time to just enjoy the holidays!

Happy Planning!
-Lisa

PS - I am off on vacation this afternoon, and will be posting when I have regular access to the Internet. Hopefully it'll be everyday, but in Africa, you never know!