When you start to process all of the emotions that you have about your
special day, it’s completely normal to feel overwhelmed as you contemplate all
of the planning and decisions you have in front of you. But rest assured many a
bride has done it before, and so can you. So take a deep breath, relax, and
continue on. Following these few simple steps can make planning your wedding a
lot less stressful.

First things first. You have some talking to do!

Before you make any decisions, book any venues, or even buy your perfect
dress, you have a few things that you need to figure out. So have a seat, grab
your favorite glass of wine and discuss the following with your partner:

• Do we want to have the ceremony at a house of worship or at another type of
  location all together such as a restaurant or a park?
• Do you want the reception to be held inside or outside?
• Are you a beer and brats type of couple, or do you feel more comfortable
  serving champagne and hosting a formal sit down dinner?
• Would you like it to be small and intimate, or do you prefer to share the
  day with everyone you know?
• With well-meaning family, how can we retain control over this event?

See? Not so bad, right—well maybe with the exception of the last question.
And now that you know the type of wedding you’d like to have, it’s time to talk
about money.  OK, maybe this isn’t the most fun topic to discuss. After all, no
one likes a budget! But it’s really, really important to be realistic and
truthful here. This isn’t the time to skirt around financials. So be candid with
each other and talk about the following:

• How much can each of you contribute?
• Will either of your parents be paying for anything? How much?
• If parents are contributing, how much control will they want and how do we
  manage this?
• How many people would you like to attend?

While those first two are important, because, let’s face it, you have to know
what you can afford, it’s that last question which is really key. That’s because
the number one contributing factor that affects the budget, no matter how casual
or fancy you want your event to be, is the number of guests attending. Make sure
to decide on a ballpark number before you begin the actual planning process.
Remember, more people equals more mouths, which means more food and drinks, all
of which equals more money.

Now – you’re ready to start planning!