1.  Plan your budget

How much do you want to spend?  There are many difference expenses on your wedding day. Some of the biggest ones include your Colorado wedding venue, reception site and catering, wedding attire, music, centerpieces, wedding cake, photographer, videographer, invitations and thank you notes, flowers, attendant gifts, and honeymoon. If you have a bottom line budget, you can then see how much money you would like to spend on each of your major items.

2.  Do you want to hire a wedding planner?

Depending on whom you hire, your wedding planner may help you save money on your wedding. They often know the ins and outs of difference sites and vendors and ask the right questions. We are always happy to work with wedding planners in Denver or we would be pleased to help you ourselves.

3.  Guest List

Creating a guest list will start to give you an idea of how much space you will need and which venues you can afford based on your budget. Do you want an adult-only wedding or family wedding? You would be surprised how many people do not think they need to include children in their guest count.  Not only do they need to be included for seating purposes, but they also need to be fed!

4.  Determine your wedding type

Do you want your wedding indoor/outdoor, casual/formal, day/night, and what time of year? Do you want the ceremony and reception together or separate? Generally speaking, Saturday nights in the summertime are the most expensive time to get married in Denver. You can pay less for the same experience by choosing daytime or another night of the week other than Saturday.

5.  Determine your venue

As you start researching possible Colorado wedding venues and reception locations, make sure to learn about ALL the services and costs. For example, does the price quote include table, chairs, linens, and place settings? Or, are some things separately priced? Are you responsible for any facility set up or clean up? How much total time do you get? Ask questions about other fees. Caterers and reception halls typically have service charges and taxes – but they don’t always put them on the quote! Make sure to find out what your bottom line cost will be including those items so that you can compare rates between venues correctly. Find out if the pricing includes all staffing fees – such as wait staff, bartender service and security. The easiest way to compare the cost of different venues is to ask what the bottom line per person cost will be (kind of like unit pricing at the grocery store).

6.  Site Tour

Ask to visit the venue right before or during another wedding. That way, you can get a good idea of what the room will look like and how customer service will be at your own wedding.

7.  Have fun!

As you plan your special day, remember that it is YOUR day. We hear many stories that cause a bride and groom stress –for instance, needing to please or satisfy the demands of others, spending more money than they are comfortable with, or needing to invite more guests that others want in attendance. But it is really about the two of you and the start of your new lives together. And your wedding planning should be an enjoyable part of that.