Congratulations you’re engaged!  Now the fun and sometimes challenging task of wedding planning!  Today I’m sharing the first four things you need to book and the order, as you plan your wedding!

#1- Set a Date

First things first set your date! Honestly, this can be a pretty tough decision.   Not only are you balancing your schedules, but also your future inlaws. Unfortunately, almost everything else is dependent on this choice. For North Dakota mid to late June will get you longer days, and plenty of tall green grass.  July and August will be much warmer and a better chance of missing a rain shower. Leaves around Williston and Minot area will start to change colors around the middle of the second week of September.  Unforcanetly, it is North Dakota and a strong wind could come up and blow those pretty fall colors off. October is a tricky month in North Dakota.  It could be a beautiful crisp fall day, or you could get snow.  If you’re wanting snow late November to mid-January you are pretty much guaranteed to have snow here in North Dakota. However, you also run the risk of bad roads.

#2- Book a Wedding Planner

Next up it’s time to book your wedding planner if you’re using one. Wedding planners can help you with so many things, and often have different packages depending on what your needs are. Often you can find a planner to just help with lining up vendors, or refining your timeline, or you can invest in a full-service wedding planner to handle all the details required to create your dream wedding.

#3- Book Your Venue

Now it’s time to decide where you will be tieing the knot!  Choosing your venue is a pretty crucial step.  The rest of your vendors will need to know where to deliver the goods, and often will need to calculate millage into that invoice first.  This means you need to pick and secure a location first.  This is for both your ceremony and your reception.  If you’re getting married in a church this is also a great time to book your officiant.

#4- Book Your Photographer

Final it’s time to book your photographer. Booking your photographer early on in the wedding planning process can ensure a few things.  First, there is a higher chance of your number one pick having your date available still.  Second, this also ensures you have plenty of time to get your engagement session booked and use those photos before the wedding.  Engagement photos are great for save the dates, invitations, bridal shower invites and decor, as well as using them for decorations at your wedding.  For inspiration on what to wear for your engagement session check out this post!

If you are wanting to use your engagement photos for your guest book, you need to make sure your engagement shoot scheduled far enough in advance to take the photos, get them back from your photographer, design the guestbook and get it ordered and shipped to you.  Engagement sessions are also one of the most important parts of your wedding photography.  This is the time for us to meet and get to know each other.  This is also when I’ll be teaching you how to pose in front of the camera so that on your wedding day you are a pro, and so much more relaxed.  I love showing up to weddings feeling like its a reunion because we have gotten to know each other before the big day!

And there you have it the first four things you absolutely must do first when it comes to planning a wedding!