As Featured on Brides.com: 5 Must-Make Wedding Decisions
- Tionna Van Gundy
- Aug 6
- 4 min read
I was recently featured in Brides, where I shared expert advice on the most important early steps in wedding planning. I decided to expand my thoughts into a full article on must-make wedding decisions to share with newly engaged couples.
The First Five Wedding Decisions That Set the Stage
Before the mood boards and gown appointments, before the tastings and playlists, the first month of wedding planning is where the real foundation is laid. Whether a couple has 6 months, 12 months or 24, those early decisions influence everything that follows. As a seasoned planner, these are the essential first calls, the five key decisions couples should make early, why they matter, and how they shape the planning journey ahead.
1. Hiring a Wedding Planner and Deciding on Planning Support
Get Expert Help From the Start
Bringing on a wedding planner early isn’t just a convenience — it’s a strategic move. A skilled planner offers not only vendor referrals and timeline expertise, but also clarity. They help couples translate vague ideas into an actionable vision, keep budgets on track, and make informed decisions from the very beginning.
How it supports future planning
From securing the right venue to balancing competing priorities, a planner is a guiding hand through every layer of the process. The earlier they're involved, the more value they bring — from negotiating contracts to aligning the aesthetic thread that runs through the entire celebration.
Can this change later?
Yes, couples can bring in a planner further down the line (such as for partial planning or month-of coordination), but doing so means missing the chance to shape big-picture decisions with expert guidance, and possibly over-committing or over-paying vendors for a service that wasn’t the best fit.
Planner insight
Couples often think they’ll “figure it out as they go,” but this early window is where costly mistakes can happen. A right wedding planner protects your time, your investment, and most importantly, your peace of mind.
2. Setting the Wedding Investment
Budgeting with Intention and Flexibility
The budget isn’t the most glamorous part of planning, but it’s easily one of the most defining. It informs nearly every decision and ensures that expectations remain grounded in reality — not Pinterest.
How it supports future planning
Knowing what you're working with financially allows for meaningful decisions about guest count, venue, attire, and vendor selection. It also invites conversations about who’s contributing and what your true priorities are.
Can this change later?
Budgets can (and often do) shift as couples learn more about actual costs or receive unexpected contributions. That said, significant changes can delay booking or require reshuffling priorities midstream.
Planner insight
Budgeting is less about restriction and more about intention. Knowing where you’re willing to invest, and where you’re happy to scale back, brings a powerful sense of control to the process.
3. Creating a Preliminary Guest List
The Count That Affects Every Choice
Before falling in love with a venue or crafting your dinner menu, you need a guest count range. Your list, even in its roughest form, is the driving force behind capacity, layout, catering cost, and the overall guest experience.
How it supports future planning
The difference between a 75-person wedding and a 200-person affair is vast, logistically, financially, and emotionally. From seating charts to invitation counts, this number is a cornerstone of planning and can impact the overall investment and how the event is experienced.
Can this change later?
Yes, but within limits. Some fluctuation is natural, but a dramatic increase or decrease can impact vendor contracts, rentals, and your overall event design.
Planner insight
Frame it as a draft, not a commitment. Even an approximate count helps narrow your venue options and gives you insight on overall spend.
4. Defining Your Wedding Vision and Priorities
Align on Look, Feel, and Experience
Couples don’t need a full theme or color palette in month one, but they do need a shared sense of direction. Is the celebration formal or relaxed? Traditional or modern? Is guest experience the top priority, or is it all about creating a stunning visual moment?
How it supports future planning
This early articulation becomes the lens through which every decision is viewed. From selecting a venue to choosing attire or a photographer, clarity around your wedding style and priorities prevents decision fatigue and keeps you focused.
Can this change later?
It may evolve as inspiration flows and logistics come into play, but major pivots can be costly and time-consuming, especially if they affect vendor or venue contracts.
Planner insight
Ask yourselves not just what you want the wedding to look like, but how you want it to feel. That feeling, joyful, romantic, bold, classic, is what guests will remember most.
Looking for wedding inspiration? visit our pinterest.
5. Booking the Venue
The Space That Shapes the Celebration
Your venue sets the tone, the date, and, in many ways, the soul of your wedding. It’s often one of the largest line items in the budget and the biggest factor in overall logistics. Decisions 1-4 are undoubtedly more important and how you get to this phase in the process!
How it supports future planning
With a venue in place, you can lock in your date, begin reaching out to vendors, and start visualizing your day in a tangible space. Many design decisions stem directly from the venue’s style, architecture, and layout.
Can this change later?
Rarely. Once contracts are signed and deposits paid, switching venues can be both costly and disruptive.
Planner insight
Consider more than just aesthetics, think through flow, weather contingency plans, what’s included in the rental, and how it aligns with your guest count and vision.
Final Thoughts
The early days of wedding planning can feel overwhelming, but they're also full of possibility. These first five decisions form the framework of everything to come, and when made with clarity and intention, they set the tone for a celebration that is not only beautiful, but deeply personal and well-executed. The magic is in the details, but it starts with the right foundation.
Need help making these decisions?
Wedicity offers full-service planning, vendor curation, and expert guidance from "I will" to "I do." Contact us today to start your wedding planning journey with confidence.
Featured in Brides: Read the published article here.
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