Where to start on wedding planning?

Short answer

Start with the three basics: your budget, your guest list, and your venue. Book the venue first because it sets the date and the style. Then work through suppliers in order of importance, such as catering, photography and music.

Begin by making a shared document or notebook with three sections: budget, guest list, and venue. Write down a realistic total budget, then break it into broad categories like venue, food, drink, clothing, flowers, photography and music. You do not need exact numbers yet, just rough proportions. Keep the guest list as a working list, adding names as you go, because it directly affects venue size and catering costs.

Your venue is the biggest decision and the one to make first. Once you have a date and a venue, everything else has a home. Ask the venue what is included, what time you can access it, and whether it is licensed for civil ceremonies if you want a legal wedding there. For a church or religious building, contact the minister or registrar early to check what is needed, such as banns or a licence in England and Wales.

After the venue, book the suppliers that are hardest to change: caterer, photographer and registrar or celebrant. Then work down your list. Give yourself plenty of time for notice periods. In England and Wales, notice must be at least 28 days before the ceremony, in Scotland 29 days, and in Northern Ireland 28 days. Registrars often advise giving notice much earlier, so check with your local office.

Keep a simple timeline of what to do each month. You do not need a detailed plan, just a rough order, and you will find it easier to stay calm.