Essential Wedding Planning Advice

What could be better than advice from one wedding planning expert? How about advice from an entire team of wedding planning gurus?! From the swoon-worthy moments we can’t stop talking about to those moments that make us scratch our heads in confusion, we here at Junebug have seen it ALL!

And we’ve finally rounded up all of our tips and tricks to share with all of you in today’s very special blog post. We’re talking budget, guest list, vows, engagement season, and everything in between! So get your notebooks and pens ready…these tips from the Junebug Weddings team is everything you need to read today.

WEDDING BUDGET

Advice from Carrie — General Manager & Editor-in-Chief:

“Prioritize the budget talk early on in the wedding planning process — in fact, I think this is the first thing you and your partner should do after you’ve finished celebrating the engagement. I know budgeting isn’t the sexiest part of wedding planning, but it’s a conversation that needs to happen early on before any big decisions are made. I think some of the best advice that I was given while planning my wedding was to build our budget around 3-5 things that were super important to us as a couple.

We decided that photography, food, and music were categories that we needed to budget a bit more, while invitations, flowers, and the venue weren’t as important to us. If you need help with your wedding budget, check out our budget tool spreadsheet!”

WEDDING VOWS

Advice from Nicole — Executive Editor:

“Write your own vows! More than any other part of your day, this is your chance to speak to your person and to the universe exactly what commitment you’re making in marriage. Sharing personal vows can also be an extremely special way to celebrate with your community who’ve shown up to support your love and the next chapter together. Worried your vows are too private to share publicly? Exchange vows during your first look when it’s just the two of you. Remember, what matters most isn’t that you’re a good writer or speaker, it’s that you are making meaningful promises for your life together. Be heartfelt, be funny, be true, and most importantly, be you! Not sure where to start? Check out these tips for writing your own vows!”

MAKING TIME FOR EACH OTHER

Advice from Juliette — Editorial Assistant:

“Your wedding day will go by faster than you can even imagine, which is why it’s so important to make time to stop and take it all in. Build private moments into your wedding day timeline so you know, without a doubt, that you’ll have time to soak it all in! Get ready together. Have a private first look. Steal away for a post-ceremony toast. Opt for a sweetheart table rather than a head table with your entire wedding party. Whatever you choose, the most important thing is that you and your partner get a few quiet moments together on the wedding day to breathe, laugh, and simply be crazy in love.”

ELOPING

Advice from Colleen — Editorial Assistant:

“If a big traditional wedding isn’t for you, don’t feel pressured into having one! Intimate, destination ceremonies and elopements are a great way to focus on what’s most important: you and your partner. Follow your heart and keep what you and your partner want at the forefront. And if you want to have your cake and eat it too, throw a reception after you elope to celebrate with your people. It’s a win-win!”