Planning a wedding can be a lot! This is exactly why I’m sharing my 5 tips for planning a wedding in Chicago! Use these tips to make the process so much easier!
Research your date
This can be said for any major city I’m sure, but when you’re planning a wedding in Chicago you definitely want to research your date. If there are major conferences or festivals then hotels book out fast! You want to make sure that if you have guests attending from out of town they’ll be able to find a place to stay for your wedding. It’s not that you have to avoid these dates but you’ll need to be aware of these factors ahead of time! You may need to let guests know ahead of time or if there’s a festival maybe you’ll be avoiding the park that it’s located in. The more you know the better prepared you are for the day!
Hire a wedding planner
If you’re looking for a stress free wedding and planning process then hiring a planner is the best way to go! This is especially helpful if your schedule is very busy. Planners guide you through the process of wedding planning and know how to work wedding budgets so that what you value most is accounted for. The best part of having a planner is on your wedding day though. You do not need to be concerned with anything besides enjoying your day when you have a planner present. While venue coordinators can be great there’s still limitations to what they do.
Timeline
Another important factor you’ll want to consider when planning your Chicago wedding is your timeline. One of the best things you can do for your day is have a timeline with padded time added in throughout the day. This ensures you never feel rushed or like you’re running late. When you have a timeline everyone knows where they need to be and when. Then you’re not trying to manage any part of your wedding day. You’ll just sit back and relax throughout the day! I create custom timelines for all of my couples because it helps ensure their day feels easy and stress free. Also, they’ll know exactly what will be covered throughout their day and have the ease of knowing all of their most important moments are captured!
Hire your key vendors first
This one is so important to make sure that you don’t feel stressed by wedding planning. Once you have all your key vendors booked such as your planner, venue, photographer, florist, and entertainment you can really ease your way through planning. The hardest part of planning is finding a vendor you’d love to work with only to find out they’re booked on your date!
Know the Weather
Chicago weather can be all over the place, and on your wedding day I think all weather can work! We just need to plan ahead of time for whatever we might encounter. I have photographed weddings on days that have had gale force winds, rain, snow, and subzero temperatures. It’s all possible if we plan what we’ll do when the weather gets tricky. I’ll chat with my couples ahead of time so we can create a plan for where we’ll do portraits if there’s rain. This way we never feel stuck.
Bonus: Make it about you and your love!
Do not be afraid to create the day you want! Everyone will have an opinion about what you decide to do, but the only person you need to worry about is yourself!
Want more tips? Read some of these helpful articles:
Top 5 Downtown Chicago Wedding Venues
5 Questions to Ask Before Hiring Your Wedding Photographer
Ultimate Guide to Planning Your Engagement Session
If you’re ready to learn more about working together head here!