Photo by: JLM Photography

Keeping your special day organized is key to avoiding unpleasant surprises and having the time of your life. With the right preparation tactics, it’s possible to make sure everything goes smoothly while you create amazing memories.

Our event experts at Watson Block know exactly how to plan a wedding. We are sharing our professional tips to help you streamline the wedding planning process. Whether you’ve booked our beautiful event space or are just starting on your planning journey, this wedding guide is here to help you stay on track.

Start Your Planning Journey Early

The earlier you start the wedding planning process, the more chances you have of securing the best venue and the most reliable vendors. Whether it’s the perfect photographer or the most highly recommended florist, the earlier you call them, the more likely they are to be available for your date.

Popular wedding venues tend to get booked quickly. Starting early gives you a wider choice of options and prevents last-minute stress and frustration.

At Watson Block, we work with the most reliable vendors in town. We’ve worked countless events with our partners and have seen first-hand their high-quality work and service. We can connect you with these vendors to book your special date in advance. Once you’re booked, we will schedule a meeting to discuss timelines, vendors, and all your wedding day details.

Stick to a Planning Timeline

Even if you already know how to plan a wedding, you can benefit from creating a detailed timeline. Start by listing all the major tasks you have to complete before the day comes. For example:

• Selecting a venue
• Booking vendors
• Choosing outfits
• Sending out invitations

Once you have your list, assign realistic deadlines for each task. You can break each of them down into smaller elements to make achieving goals easier. By following a planning timeline, you can tackle tasks one by one and avoid feeling overwhelmed.

Not sure where to start with a timeline? We’re here to help! Think of us as your go-to for any and all questions when it comes to wedding planning.
Check out our blog | The Ultimate Wedding Timeline as a starting point. 🖤

Make Notes of Your Progress/Status

Once you start completing tasks from your list, don’t forget to make notes about the progress. By keeping track, you can make sure that nothing falls through the cracks. This simple act of marking completed tasks can be incredibly motivating and helps you stay focused.

Consider using an app or a physical planner to keep track of your progress. Whichever method you choose, make sure it’s easily accessible so you can make regular updates. Our couples have loved using The Knot and Zola to create wedding websites for themselves. Both sites also come with wonderful features that help push the planning process forward. Checklists, a budget manager, etc. We can not recommend them enough!

Create a Budget Outline

A budget outline can give you an understanding of how you can proceed with your tasks. It will help you avoid unexpected financial issues and prevent overspending. Here is how to get started:

• Determine priorities for allocating larger budget portions
• Research vendors and venues to compare pricing and offering
• Account for additional costs (taxes, gratuities, delivery fees)
• Track each expense and include it in the outline

To simplify things, break down your budget into categories like venue, catering, attire, décor, and entertainment. Assign a specific portion of your overall budget to each category to help you stay organized.

Use a Custom Wedding Email

Create an email address specifically for your wedding purposes. This can help you keep all your wedding-related correspondence in one place. Since you probably have plenty of messages in your regular or work inbox, keeping wedding-related items separate could help you stay more organized.

Photo by: Eileen K Photography

The Watson Block Difference: Personalized Planning Experience

While it’s possible to organize a wedding on your own, having some help from the experts can’t hurt. At Watson Block, we understand how tough it can be to plan your special day without stressing or making unfortunate mistakes. That’s why we provide our couples with our experience and expertise to help you stay organized. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that our award-winning, historic venue combines charm and modern elegance requiring minimal decorating, allowing the original elements of the space to shine as you say ‘I do.’

Inquire now to learn more about our stunning venue in Minneapolis and how we can be a resource in helping your dream day come to life.