Hello, I have recently got engaged in April and I don’t know where to begin with planning for a wedding in Summer 2026. So far I have tried on shoes and I know I would like macaron tower as my cake. But the rest of the planning is intimidating and I am a perfectionist which has now turned into procrastination.
Any tips or helpful suggestions on how to begin or even a wedding check-list would be wonderful!
Congratulations! Also, obsessed with the macaroon tower idea. There’s a lot to think about, and as a fellow perfectionist and procrastinator, I totally understand. I always advise starting with ‘The Budget’ - it may not be the sexiest part of the planning process, but it’s key to determine the next big factors: venue & date. When you have those locked down you’ll feel more relaxed because then you can send out save the dates and start planning the next things. Also it sounds like our G&O Wedding Planner (I can’t seem to link it) but it would be the perfect item for you - I wrote it during my own planning and added in a lot of expert advice from wedding planners and suppliers; it’s divided into 19 chapters and is full of wedding checklists and tips. If you sign up to our mailing list you also get 10% off your 1st purchase too. (Just head to our site and it is on the homepage)
Congratulations! How exciting. It’s great that you already have a year and season in mind, thats the first step, then a rough budget is also very important.
The first thing you need to have booked is the venue, you should decide what kind of wedding you want - ie city wedding, destination, barn, stately home, tipi in a field. once the venue is booked you can then consider the celebrant, dress, guest list, catering (if not already managed by venue), photographer and videographer.
You should be able to find lots of checklists and breakdowns of when to start booking things.
As far as inspiration, you can look at other peoples wedding films and just see what you like and what you don’t like. The main thing to remember is that there are no rules. If you don’t want a sit-down meal just go cocktail style and have bowl food circulating constantly. You don’t have to cut a cake, or have a first dance (or have one big group dance to a well-known dance anthem). You don’t have to have bridesmaids - I didnt, I got ready with my now-husband as he is my best friend and we have a very special morning. If you still feel overwhelmed, consider talking to a planner or just browse Pinterest until you start to fall in love with things.
Good luck, and enjoy the process