The First 3 Steps for 2025 Wedding Planning

Whether you are recently engaged or just starting to think about your big day, following these first 3 steps for 2025 wedding planning will set you up for success. Planning a wedding is a very big task, especially if it is your first time navigating this exciting journey. The amount of tasks and events can feel overwhelming, right?? Don’t worry! I have three steps for you:

Estelle Nashville Wedding; Photo by Sarah Davis

1. Create a Dedicated Wedding Email Account

One of the first steps to begin 2025 wedding planning is to set up a dedicated wedding email account. This might seem like a small detail, but it is important for keeping your planning organized. Here’s why:

• Efficient Communication: During wedding planning, you’ll be exchanging countless emails with venues and wedding vendors. Having a separate wedding email account ensures that all thee emails and details are stored in one place. This not only prevents your personal inbox from becoming overwhelmed but also helps you stay on top of important details and deadlines.

• Simplified Coordination: If you and your partner are both involved in the wedding planning process, a join wedding email account makes it easier to share information. Both of you can access the account and stay updated! This avoids the frustrating confusion of remembering who inquired with which vendor. You will always be on the same page!

• Organize Documentation: From vendor quotes to venue agreements, keeping all your wedding-related emails in one account helps you easily track and retrieve important documents. It’s a way to maintain an organized record of your planning journey.

(When you inquire with Philocalist Designs– it only takes one email in your inbox to get the information you need!)

2. Build Your Wedding Guest List

Once your wedding email account is set up, the next step is to build your wedding guest list. This list influences a lot of your 2025 wedding planning.

Begin by listing all the people you want to invite to your wedding. This includes family, friends, colleagues, and anyone else important to you. Having a list will help you make decisions about your wedding venue, catering, and other aspects of the event. If you don’t know names but you do know how big or small you want your guest list to be, make sure you have a maximum guest number. 

The size of your wedding guest list will directly impact your choice of venue and your wedding cost in 2025. Most venues have a capacity limit, so knowing how many guests you plan to invite will help you narrow down your venue options. Additionally, your guest count will add up in catering costs, florals, hotel blocks and other details.

(Wait… how does a guest list impact my wedding budget in 2025? I’ve already talked about that HERE.)

With a wedding guest list created, you can more accurately estimate costs and plan for seating, catering, and other wedding services. This makes it easier to manage your budget and ensures that your planning process is efficient and well-organized. There won’t be any surprise costs at the end when you start this way! 

3. Map Your Top 2025 Wedding Planning Priorities

The final step to start your 2025 wedding planning is to identify three wedding priorities. This step guides your decision-making and guarantees your wedding day reflects your unique vision and desires.

My biggest suggestion? Sit down with your partner and discuss what aspects of your wedding are most important to both of you. These priorities don’t necessarily have to be related to your budget. For example, one priority might be having a relaxed and intimate moment together after the ceremony, while another might be securing a venue with beautiful outdoor space! 

Having clear priorities helps you make clear and unified decisions throughout the planning process. When it comes to choosing a venue, selecting a caterer, or designing your wedding decor, knowing your top priorities ensures that you stay focused on what matters most to you.

By establishing your priorities, you create a framework for making decisions and managing the many details of your wedding. This approach helps you stay true to your vision and ensures that you’re making choices that align with your values and preferences.

Consider Hiring a Wedding Planner

While these three steps are essential for starting your 2025 wedding planning, many couples find that hiring a professional wedding planner can be the biggest help of all. As a Nashville wedding planner, I know firsthand how this can enhance the planning experience.

(Looking for Nashville wedding venues? I have a list for you!)

A wedding planner offers valuable expertise and advice, helping you navigate the complexities of planning your wedding. From recommending trusted vendors to coordinating logistics, a wedding planner can take a significant amount of stress off your shoulders.

You might prefer to plan most of your wedding yourself or you may need full assistance. Philocalist Designs offers packages in three types to fit your needs. For couples who want to handle their own planning but want to relax the day of the wedding, Month-of Coordination is the best choice! In this busy world, however, Full Planning services provide complete support. My most popular package, Partial Planning, offers a balance by assisting throughout the wedding planning process, and it allows you to enjoy the fun parts of planning your wedding.

Wedding Cost Estimator for 2025 Wedding Planning

As part of my Partial Planning and Full planning packages, I sit down with each couple and walk them through this valuable wedding planning resource. 

Of course, I’m always wanting to help EVERYONE! My Wedding Cost Estimator is a resource that my couples turn to day after day while wedding planning— And I want you to have it for free. That means you’re getting a big part of my top tier wedding planning service without spending a dime! 

It’s a no-brainer way to start wedding planning and creating a wedding budget in 2025 that won’t have you worrying. Get that HERE! 

But if you want to be the first to have my latest wedding planning tips and other resources I create, make sure you sign up for my newsletter. When new tools come out to help you create a beautifully stress-free wedding, you’ll already have it waiting for you in your inbox. 

Don’t worry— I won’t flood your inbox… especially if you already followed my first step to start 2025 wedding planning!