Before you start planning your wedding, be prepared by doing a little research on where to start by reading wedding planning articles, visiting local bridal shows, and asking friends for wedding advice.  One thing a couple will need to do if they don’t hire a wedding planner is hunt down the perfect venue, check out decorators, and taste food to find the appropriate caterer…always remember to carry these simple things with you on your searches:

Camera

You should be taking pictures of the outsides of venues, table settings, chairs, inside decor, center pieces, and food arrangements.  This will be useful for when you and your fiancee sit down to compare all your choices and choose the right aspects for your wedding.  When planning a wedding, it’s true that a picture is worth a 1000 words.

Check Off List

Make a list of requirements that you and your fiancee have for venues, vendors, and food.  You need a list of requirements to ask representatives about in order to find out if their venue or services are right for you and your wedding.  Some examples of criteria are capacity, vegetarian food, animal access to the venue, cost of parking, handicap accessible entrance, etc.  If you have a wedding planner, they will talk with you about your requirements and present venues, vendors, and caterers that meet those vital requirements.  This will save you time so that you don’t have to go hunting through venues and services that don’t meet your desires.

Water

Hunting for venues, vendors, and food involves a lot of walking, eating, thinking…it can all be pretty dehydrating.  Always carry a water bottle to keep you hydrated and ready, this will keep you fresh for a whole day of wedding planning.

Notebook and Pen

It’s important to take notes on what you liked and didn’t like about the venues and services you visited.  This will help you keep track of why you didn’t choose a certain venue or entertainer.  When you are reviewing all your choices, you may want to go back and change something, so it’s always a good idea to write down why you chose one venue, centerpiece, or caterer over another.

If time is limited and/or you and your fiancee don’t know where to start, it can help to hire a wedding planner.  Wedding Planners help to save you precious time that you need in order to hunt for wedding aspects.  They can present options to you in a meeting filled with pictures, videos, reviews, and information without you having to go out and search for everything on your own.  If you do decide to plan you wedding without professional help, keep this list in mind when you’re hunting down venues and services.

Have a happy wedding planning experience!