Wedding "Tops" List
Being in the wedding industry I have had many conversations with clients and other professionals about the B word - budgets. While I am not someone that tells people how or where to spend their money I am totally someone that will tell people to make sure you are spending where YOU want. Lately, I have seen many outdated and stiff, to put it nicely, wedding day budget generators. The problem with these resources is, frankly, they are not you and cannot priotize your budget based on your primary wedding wishes.
I have been speaking with other wedding vendors lately about the importance of having a tops list for brides. Wedding days have no exact rules on what is most meaningful. Every wedding and couple will love of and cherish different moments and details. As a bride you should take the time to write out their top three. This may seem a little overwhelming at first but try it this way.
- Write down all the elements you can think of that will make your wedding day, anything that you will be putting time or effort into.
- Now cut that list down the to the top ten that hold a special place in your day.
- From there cut it down to the top five and then, bam, top three.
A few examples of wedding day elements that could be itemized on a tops list include: the cake, escort cards, specialty linens, food, photography, videography, hand-crafted invitation suite, the chairs, coordination, wedding day signs, the venue, handwritten vows, specialty plates, a certain designer gown, florals and of course the shoes.
The last thing a couple would want is leaving their day feeling that they focused their time and energy on the wrong details. The details that were less important to them. Once you have your top three narrowed down a couple can ebb and sway their needs to find the perfect team of vendors to bring that dream to life.
If you are having troubles narrowing down your tops list, ask yourself this question. What is most important on my wedding day? A few examples:
"Hand calligraphered invitations and cards are a must."
"A custom wedding cake that matches my dress and decor is a must."
"The wedding dress is the most important."
"The photography being a certain style and hours of coverage is a must."
"The food being to a certain palette is a must."
"The venue is my number one."
"The bridal details are very important to me"
"Having a signature wedding day scent is a must."
If any of these examples speak to your wedding loving, planning heart put it high on the list.
After working in the wedding industry, I fully encourage couples to find vendors that they love and click with their personalities, they will be by your side on your wedding day. I believe that a well ran vendor team creates a stress free wedding day and is the best experience for a couple. Once you have come up with your top three list start to reach out to vendors that fit your style and fill the significant parts of your day and, yes, budget. A bride's biggest budget helper is, believe it or not, a planner! Lucky for my PSJ Brides I know some pretty awesome planners and vendors and love to share them with y'all! Please, never hesitate to ask if you are searching for a vendor.
If all else fails pop in Father of the Bride for a little inspiration, plus, a good laugh!