In order to make a wedding truly special, you need to plan it from the start. Sit down with your partner and work out the wedding plans together. Once you have set some personal expectations, you have a firm footing for all the other items to make up a memorable wedding.

When and Where

The first item on the agenda is picking a date. Living in Central Florida, you might be less concerned with seasonal changes. But some of your guests may have to travel, so you should avoid winter storm conditions. You don’t have to set an exact date in the early stage, but start the process up to 16 months in advance, if possible. Settings like indoor or outdoor, formal or casual, and large or small will determine what site you should use as your location. It could be anything from a church wedding and a banquet hall to an intimate ceremony and beach party reception. Make the actual bookings about eight months in advance.

Priorities

Here are important items to consider (besides choosing a date and place):

• Budget
• Style of ceremony
• Minister
• Members of the wedding party
• Guest list
• Sending invitations

Formality

Your budget and style choice will help shape your wedding plans. A large, formal wedding may seem ideal, but something more casual would be more fun, more relaxed, easier and just as memorable.

Colors

Setting a color scheme in advance will help you determine the colors for flowers, wedding party attire and decorations. A silver and white palette is the top 2017 color for a winter wedding, which will offset the season’s normal dreamy, dreary mood. Popular spring colors should mix a splashy dash of nature’s colorful harvest – greens, reds and yellows – with a subdued tone, conveying a sense of youth and birth. Go bold with deep yellow and blue to celebrate glorious summer. Autumn calls for colors reminiscent of the wonders of the outdoors as it settles for the long night: browns, oranges and heavy greens.

Budget

Typically receptions consume the biggest portion of a wedding budget, about 40 percent; wedding party attire is about 8 percent, and flowers 5 percent. Know how much money you have to spend, and what portion you can devote to each part. You could also try some money-saving tips to stretch your budget.

Groom’s Role

The groom’s role traditionally includes arranging transportation for the wedding night and the honeymoon. He is also responsible for the attire of the male members of the wedding party, and should be involved with the guest list, gift registration and financial planning.

Who’s in charge?

Ultimately, the bride and groom are in charge, but with so much to do you should consider enlisting the help of family members and friends. Big plans mean more discussions, more money and more potential delays. If it all gets overwhelming, it would be a good idea to hire a wedding planner to see that the big day comes off smoothly.

If you need help coming up with the right wedding plans, Golden Ocala Golf & Equestrian Club is here to make it easier for you.  We offer several packages to help make your wedding perfect, including rehearsal dinners, photography, menus, and even planning the bachelor/bachelorette parties. Give our event planners a call to take the stress out of planning your special day.