30 Questions to Answer Before Planning Your Wedding
Congratulations! You just got engaged :) You have been celebrating with all your friends and family, and they keep asking you – have you set a date? Where is the wedding going to be? Questions you can’t possibly have an answer to yet.
When my fiance and I got engaged, we realized how overwhelming the process of not just planning a wedding can be, but also how to decide on key elements so you can even begin planning. It’s a lot! But, fear not. This list is here to help you.
My fiance and I sat down one afternoon and intentionally carved out time to reflect and discuss what we envisioned for our wedding celebration. There are so many important components to consider as you begin planning your celebration for this huge life milestone. There are no wrong answers; it’s just important to have answers (even if it’s “we don’t know yet”). Sit down with your partner and ask each other these questions. Write down your answers so you can reference them as you start to plan your wedding.
When do you want to get married? Do you have a favorite season? Are there times of the year you want to avoid, like the holidays, winter, or your birthday months?
How many people would you like to invite? Be honest here. You don’t have to show anyone else your answers. Do you want to invite everyone you know? Or do you want to have an intimate dinner party vibe? Or an elopement with just the two of you or a few friends and family?
Do you want to get married in your home country or abroad?
Do you want to get married in the city you live in or somewhere else that is special to you both? Is there somewhere you have traveled together that you’d love to revisit for your nuptials? Or maybe one of your hometowns? Even a place you’ve never been but have always wanted to visit?
Do you want to get married in an urban city environment, or in the country?
What type of ceremony would you like? Who will officiate? Will it be a religious ceremony, or something more casual, officiated by a friend?
Do you want to get married in a church? Did you grow up religious and envision a church wedding?
What kind of venue do you have in mind? Do you want to be inside or outside? A mix of both? Do you like industrial space, or something more rustic? Or maybe something charming and historic?
Do you have a venue in mind? Is there a specific venue you have been dreaming of?
What style would you like your wedding to be? What would you like the dress code to be? The options here are endless!
How involved do you want to be in the planning process? Do you want to do all the vendor research, make the spreadsheets, manage the budget, organize the contracts, and be the main point of contact? Or, do you want someone else to take care of all of that?
Will you plan the wedding yourself or hire a coordinator? Will you hire a full planner, or a month, week, or day-of coordinator?
Will you write your own vows? Or will you use the standard vows? Or, a combination of both?
Who will be your witnesses? Who will serve as your legal witnesses on your wedding license?
What aspect of the day is most important to you? Is it the food? The photos? The music? The ambiance?
Do you want a bridal party? If yes, how many bridesmaids or groomsmen are you envisioning?
How do you envision the flowers at your wedding? What about other decor?
Do you want to invite children to your wedding? Do you have a lot of children in your life?
Is it important to you that your venue allows dogs? Would you like a family pet to be your ring bearer, or appear in your wedding portraits?
Will you have a rehearsal dinner or welcome party? What about an after party or day-after event? Will all of your guests be invited, or only a select few?
Will you set up activities for your guests if you have a destination wedding?
Will you have any guests who will need special accommodations? Will anyone have a wheelchair, a service animal, or other requirements?
What type of wedding photographer will you hire? Do you prefer film or digital photography, or does it make no difference to you? Do you want a photographer who will be a fly on the wall, or a big energy? Do you want primarily candid or posed photos?
Will you hire a videographer? What style do you envision for your wedding video? Do you prefer Super 8, 16mm, camcorder, or digital vibes?
Do you want to do a first look with your fiance? Or with someone else, like a parent?
Will you have a cocktail hour? Will you and your fiance attend the cocktail hour, or will you use that time for portrait photos?
What type of food would you like to serve? Is there a cuisine you both love? Will you have a plated dinner or a buffet?
Do you want a band or a DJ? A mix of both; maybe one at the ceremony and another at the reception?
Do you want any other type of entertainment there? A caricaturist, a tattoo artist, a photo booth, a tarot card reader, a petting zoo? The options are endless!
What type of reception do you want to have? Do you want to dance with your friends late into the night? Or do you picture a more relaxed dinner party energy?
This is not an exhaustive list of all of the decisions you will need to make, but answering these questions is a great place to start! Once you know the answers to these questions, it will be so much easier to tackle any other that arises. Sit down with your partner and talk through each question and each of your answers. You will create a shared vision for your day that will be magical to bring to life!
