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*By: Owner and executive planner of Mariée Ami, Neillie Kirk Butler, who has been hired by brides from all over the country to create and manage the weddings of their dreams. Her reputation speaks for itself. Her strong work ethic, calm disposition and leadership has her leading one of the fasting growing wedding planning companies in the country. Mariée Ami is a premier full-service wedding planning studio specializing in planning exquisite weddings across the globe. Their name, Mariée Ami (mah ree ah me), is French for “bride’s friend” and describes the essence of our work.*
1) Hire a planner
Hiring a planner is not seen as a luxury item anymore — it is a necessity. The wedding world is more complicated than ever before, primarily because a bride has so many different options and choices. A bride may think she has the perfect event design and can hire all the right vendors, but there is so much more to planning a wedding. The horror stories we hear come from the lack of experience and when a bride believes she can do everything. A seamless wedding day is only created by a professional who knows the ins and outs of every detail. If you ask any wedding vendor, they will agree...A wedding day without an on-site planner is a recipe for disaster!
2) Set the date
Picking a date can be more stressful than you think. Finding a date that works for the ceremony location, reception venue, the family, and wishlist of vendors is like a giant puzzle. If there is a particular location or vendor that is a “must” for you, start with their calendar first and work around it. Be sure to consider the time of year and the weather. Choosing a winter date when you have always wanted to get married outside is not realistic. Remember that one date might not work for every person you want to invite, but it needs to be one that the couple and their families are genuinely excited about.
3) Create a budget
Weddings are expensive. Educate yourself on how much your dream wedding really costs. Most often, brides set a budget and expect to be able to get everything they want. An experienced planner will be able to set a realistic budget that can cover the cost of your expectations. Decide what is most important to you and start there. Often, the best weddings are the ones where the bride truly values the guest experience. They choose to spend more money on things that create a fun party or make each guest feel like they are a king or queen.
4) Make a guest list
Knowing how many people you are expecting at your wedding is something that needs to be determined from the very beginning. Every decision you make can be affected by the guest count. What you can do for a small group doesn’t always work well for a big crowd. We often see brides fretting over tiny details when, in reality, if she is planning to have 500 guests, these little details will go completely unnoticed.
5) Establish your “sense” of style for the wedding
This may sound crazy, but brides should think of the 5 senses when planning their big day. In other words, what will it look, feel, sound and even smell like? Your planner can help you think about all of these areas before you start hiring your vendors. You need to make sure you hire the right vendors to help carry out your vision. If you are dreaming of a luxurious, well-designed wedding, then hiring vendors that are experienced in big production is crucial. If you are wanting a more laid back and intimate gathering, then hiring vendors that have the same passion will make for a more enjoyable process and result in an event that is consistent with your plan.
