5 Tips for Becoming an Organized Bride in the Washington DC Area

When you think about it, your wedding day only lasts for a matter of hours. Depending on the date that you select, the type of ceremony that you are having and the schedule that you decide upon, it could range anywhere from 4 hours to 12 hours. It will go by faster than you can ever imagine, so you will want to make sure that everything runs as smoothly and efficiently as possible.

Many brides do not realize that the overall success of their wedding day and their ability to enjoy a timely, relaxed affair begins months before the day itself. Being an organized bride is critical, and you need to make the organization a priority from the moment you get engaged.

These 5 tips will help you become an organized Washington DC bride:

In the moments after he has popped the question, your mind likely began to race with ideas for what type of wedding you wanted and when you could get started with the planning process. It’s a euphoric time, one that is filled with daydreams of discovering the perfect gown or tasting endless pieces of cake. 

However, when it comes down to starting the planning process, you need to begin with the most important decisions. You need to hire your vendors first, as this is the only way to keep you as organized as possible. Some of the first decisions you need to make include reserving a ceremony site, booking a reception venue and hiring a photographer. The best Washington DC wedding photographers and Maryland wedding photographers can book up to one year in advance. 

Staying organized throughout the planning process and being organized on the actual wedding day requires you to have the most reliable and trustworthy vendors. You need vendors who will respect and honor your timeline, and who know how to do their job well without falling behind. An experienced wedding photographer will appreciate your commitment to your timeline. In addition to your wedding photographer, you also should quickly hire a wedding coordinator, your DJ or band, your officiant, a caterer, your baker, and your invitation designer. These vendors play a pivotal role in the ultimate success of your day.

Begin By Hiring Your Vendors for the Day

As you will soon find out, planning a wedding can quickly become a full-time job of its own. While you are likely pursuing your career and managing your obligations, you will still have plenty of wedding tasks that need to be completed every week. To start off on an organized note and stay on that same path throughout the planning process, you will want to purchase a wedding planner that is dedicated solely to the big day. 

Some traditional brides love the idea of a paper wedding planner. They can carry it around with them to their vendor meetings, and they can always have it on-hand to refer to when they need it. Plus, it’s kind of fun to decorate it and use embellishments to create to-do lists and mark meeting times.

On the other hand, some tech-savvy brides much prefer a wedding planning app. This is also a viable option for getting organized quickly and staying organized until the wedding day is complete. A wedding app will be able to sync with your existing digital calendars and planners, giving you a dedicated space for wedding planning as well as an overall glimpse at what you need to do each day.

Create a Wedding E-mail Address

Much of your communication between you and your vendors are going to be digital. When you are inquiring about the availability of Washington DC wedding photographers, you will send an e-mail to get the information you need. When you are reaching out to your wedding coordinator to provide her with the latest vendor contracts, you will do so over e-mail. 

Rather than clog up your work inbox or your personal account, you may want to consider creating a separate wedding e-mail address. This will allow you to keep better track of your wedding communications and will prevent some important e-mails from ending up in your spam folder inadvertently. When you use this e-mail exclusively for wedding planning, you will minimize the risk of missing a deposit date or forgetting to respond to an important vendor question.

If you decide to create a wedding e-mail address, don’t forget to check the account frequently. You should check for new e-mails at least once per day, if not more often. You and your vendors need to be in frequent communication, especially in the early stages of wedding planning and in the weeks leading up to the big day.

Designate a Wedding Planning Day Each Week

As with any commitment in your life, you are going to need to make time for wedding planning. One of the best ways to stay organized and to make the best use of your time is to dedicate a day of the week to wedding planning. Some brides find it advantageous to work every Saturday or Sunday on their wedding planning. These weekend warriors can go out and look at reception venues on the weekends, meet up with various vendors that they are considering or just spend an afternoon creating a working timeline for the day. Weekends are often a great time to rest and relax with your fiance as you begin to create the day of your dreams together.

However, for other dedicated brides, weeknights are a better option. Designating one specific weeknight to wedding planning is also an effective way to get organized and stay that way. Throughout the week, you can make note of things you want to do on that wedding planning evening. Many vendors and venues are available on weeknights to meet up and discuss the details of your day. For you and your fiance, this is an ideal opportunity to work on the wedding and cap off the evening with dinner and drinks. You can easily transform wedding planning evenings into a date night of sorts. It proves that wedding planning can be both organized and fun at the same time.

Design a Working Timeline for the Day and Distribute It to All Vendors

Far too often, brides assume that they do not need to create a wedding timeline until a few weeks before their wedding day. In reality, however, you should be working on your timeline for months in advance. Your timeline is one of the most critical aspects of your wedding day. It will keep your vendors on track and working together. It will dictate what you do and when you do it. It will make sure that you have plenty of time to do the things that you need to do on your wedding day as well as the things that you want to do.

Sometimes, it helps to work with vendors early in the process of creating your timeline. For example, Washington DC wedding photographers can provide you with insight into what has worked well for them in the past and what mistakes they have watched other couples make. Your photographer is going to be with you from the moment you begin your day until the minute the dancing stops, so they are a good partner when it comes to creating your timeline. It’s important to hire a photographer who values your opinion and your needs, and who will work with you to create a wedding timeline that allows you to maximize your enjoyment of the day.

Maryland, Washington DC and Virginia weddings are often sophisticated affairs. As a stylish bride, you know that you are going to work tirelessly to achieve the look and atmosphere that you want for your wedding day. Allow yourself to enjoy the moment once your wedding day arrives by becoming an organized bride early in the process. When you hire the right vendors, such as one of the top Washington DC wedding photographers, you can be confident that you are going to get the service and results you deserve. You can simply relax and enjoy your day. 

For more information on why being organized is the key to getting breathtaking wedding portraits, contact us today.