[ad_1]

So he popped the question … now what?

If you're among the nearly one million brides-to-be who received an engagement ring over the holidays, it's time to ring in the new year by scratching the first few items off your wedding day "to do" countdown. Kick start your 2009 wedding plans now!

Here are the first three items that you must cross off your wedding planning checklist before you can accomplish anything else.

Step 1: Determine Your Budget

Your budget will determine the type of wedding you can have – from how many guests you invite, to where and when you host your wedding, right down to the specific blooms in your bouquet, so you need to start here. Sit down with everyone who is going to contribute to the wedding-day piggy bank and discuss how to logically divide the tab and arrive at a total number.

Step 2: Find a Site and Set Your Date

Remember – many reception sites book over a year in advance, so you really can not decide on a wedding date until you have officially booked your venue with a signed contract. Find as many reception sites that meet your budget, capacity and overall style quotient as you can. Use our wedding reception site search to find venues in your area, and narrow down your list. Then schedule appointments to tour each wedding venue and meet with the manager.

Step 3: Start the Guest List

You do not need to have the list finalized just yet, but you'll need an estimate from both sides of the family (and yourself) right away to avert countless planning head down the road. Once you've talked with all financially contributing parties to determine your total wedding budget, you can estimate how many people you can afford to invite to the affair.

Now that you've tackled the first three steps, this complete wedding planning guide will walk you every step of the planning process, from setting the theme and style, to booking your vendors, to managing every detail.

[ad_2]

Source by Cori Russell