Engaged Colorado bride’s wedding planning checklist for month one.
When couples first get engaged it’s easy to make a lot of decisions quickly, due to their excitement, without thinking certain decisions through all the way. Yes, you need to set your budget “range” at the very beginning, or else you’ll start making poor decisions and wish you had waited to do more research. Once you know a budget range you can spend and how much, and who in your family can contribute to your budget, you can start setting priorities.
This Colorado bride’s wedding planning checklist for month one that I put together in this article should help you avoid some common mistakes and avoid regretting making some decisions too quickly.
.
What are the priority decisions to address in your first month of wedding planning?
For some couples the date and time of year is a critical decision they’ll consider first, so choosing their date or a range of dates is important. Understand Colorado’s peak wedding seasons – May – October book the fastest; consider shoulder seasons (April, early November) for better availability and rates. Then begin compiling your guest list; there’s no sense in touring wedding venues in Colorado if you don’t even know what venue capacity you need. Next is finding the Colorado wedding venue that you love. Ask yourselves some key questions before you go touring like all-inclusive wedding venue or DIY, a mountain venue or closer to home for the convenience of all your guests, a hotel since many guests are coming from out of state or a locally owned wedding venue, or is it the “look” of the venue and the reviews from the venue that matter most? Once you’ve made these decisions, start booking tours at a Denver Wedding venue or venue in the area you desire.
Why making quick wedding decisions in the first month may be a mistake
If you know you really want a specific photographer, then get that photographer so you know that you have them reserved. If a DJ that you’ve experienced at another event in your past really made a party phenomenal, try to get that DJ. And then from there, maybe take your time and do more research before you make some other decisions.
“Dress Regret” – choosing a wedding dress too quickly can be costly & stressful.
If I had $100 for every time a bride told me she bought two dresses because she found one she liked better later on, I’d have a tall pile of 100’s. This scenario is a well-documented phenomenon known in the industry as “dress regret” or “bridal buyer’s remorse,” where brides change their minds after initially saying “yes” to a dress, often because they found a better option later. Your style can change, you mostly likely will find another dress on Pinterest or social media, or somewhere else along the way. Don’t decide too soon.
.
Why choosing your wedding party is a decision that should come later on your checklist.
Choosing your wedding party isn’t something that has to happen at the very beginning of your planning. Too many times there can be hesitation, pressure, and guilt to choose certain family members or friends to stand up for you that will cause you to make the wrong decision. The first thing to consider is will this person be in your life in the future in a positive way? And when you reflect back and look at your wedding photos, are you happy they’re in all of your photos? If you have any big hesitations before choosing someone to stand up for you and your fiancé at your wedding ceremony, you may want to wait on these decisions for a while. If there’s drama, if there’s any negativity that will affect how joyful and happy your wedding day is, my advice is to wait. From experience, we’ve seen far too many unhappy brides at the end of the night when none of her bridesmaids helped her pick up, or a friend caused drama of some sort, or a half-brother or sister didn’t want to be in that role. Nobody says you have to have your siblings in your wedding party if they aren’t happy to be there! Choosing your maid of honor and best man are probably the two most important decisions when it comes to deciding who’s in your wedding party; will they have your back, help you out, support you, and genuinely be happy for you on your wedding day?
Based on industry and my own wedding planning expertise, this is a list of the top decisions newly engaged brides should only consider making right away. I’m hoping this will be really helpful for you.
Your first month wedding planning checklist:
1. Set your wedding budget – this is usually the first conversation couples have, as it influences every other decision. Determining who’s contributing what and the total available funds sets the framework for everything else.
2. Choose your wedding date or time of year (or at least the season/year) – many couples have a timeframe in mind, whether it’s a specific season, a meaningful date, or just “within the next 12 – 18 months.” This helps narrow down venue availability.
3. Create your wedding guest list (at least a rough count) -even a ballpark number like “50 people” vs. “200 people” dramatically impacts venue choices and budget allocation. Most couples start with a draft list that gets refined later.
4. Research costs and begin allocating your wedding budget by priority – what I mean by this is you may not even know what the average cost of a venue, catering, wedding photographer, videographer, DJ, or wedding dress costs. Don’t make the mistake of paying a deposit on an expensive photographer you “must have” unless you know you can still accomplish all of your other goals with the budget you have for the remaining services and products you want.
5. Decide on your wedding venue style/vibe – is it formal or casual? Indoor or outdoor? Rustic barn, elegant ballroom, beachfront, or backyard? This aesthetic direction guides all subsequent decisions about the perfect Colorado Wedding Venue you choose. Consider your venue vision – rustic, enchanted forest, secret garden, dark modern, romantic, modern romantic, candlelit, outdoor, etc.
If you love an Italian inspired wedding venue with grand staircases, balconies and beautiful aesthetics, check out our venue The Bella Sera Event Center.
Find and begin touring Colorado wedding venues.
-
- What style wedding venue do you like?
- Do you want an all-inclusive wedding venue?
- Do you want a DIY option?
- Vendors included or option to choose?
- Indoor vs. outdoor?
- Location?
- Large or small?
- Alcohol onsite or bring in your own?
- Catering onsite or bring in your own?
6. Book your wedding venue – Popular venues book up 12-18 months in advance, so this is often the first major vendor decision. The venue often determines the date more than the other way around. Once you have your venue chosen, you can begin dreaming about what “look and feel” you want within the venue.
7. Hire any “must have” vendors such as a photographer, videographer or a DJ that you really can’t live without. Much like venues, top photographers, videographers, and DJ’s can book up far in advance. Since photos are one of the few things that last beyond the day itself, this is often prioritized early by couples.
8. Select a planner or coordinator (if using one) – month-of coordinators or full-service planners can guide other decisions, so couples often decide whether they want professional help early on. They may also choose a venue based on the fact that they provide wedding planning services for them.
9. Research other key vendors and prices – list what the average prices are for Colorado wedding caterers, florists, decor, cakes, etc. Then put these prices into your wedding budget spreadsheet to see if you need to cut back somewhere. Begin a list of vendors you’d like to meet with and interview; gather reviews or referrals.
10. Start wedding dress exploring, but not purchasing – many brides begin browsing or booking appointments within the first few months, but it’s best to avoid purchasing a dress for several months, as wI mentioned above. You don’t want to wait too long though, as shipping and delivery, and alteration time are all factors to consider.
Many more wedding planning decisions you’ll need to make later:
Find the perfect wedding planner
Find and interview catering companies, ask for a tasting before deciding.
Find and ask for referrals on wedding DJ’s / bands
Choose your photographer
Book Engagement photos
Choose your videographer or content creator
Start dress shopping
Find and interview florists…Colorado florists in a forum
Build a wedding website
Order save‑the‑dates
Book hair & makeup trials, and if happy, secure them for your wedding day
Plan ceremony structure and hire officiant or family member
Rentals (tables, chairs, linens, centerpieces, tableware)
Order cake/desserts
Buy accessories & shoes
Tuxedos
Decide on guest experience items and services – Photo Booth, games, special effects, signature drinks
Order invitations
Finalize menu & bar
Transportation (if needed)
Mail invitations
Track RSVPs
Seating chart
Marriage license plan
Book hotel blocks – Brighton, CO Hotel
Final vendor confirmations
Final headcount
Write vows
Prepare tips
Final fitting
Emergency kit
Print timelines & seating chart
Beauty prep
License, rings
Thank‑you notes
Preserve dress and/or bouquet
Order photos/albums
Don’t Forget:
Return rentals
Rain plan
Vendor meals
Card box + assigned handler, guest sign in item
End‑of‑night cleanup helpers
Assign someone to take your gifts home for you
Hotel for the two of you on wedding day
Engaged Colorado bride’s wedding planning checklist for month one precedes this:
Check out our popular blog that includes much more detail in: “The Ultimate Wedding Ceremony Checklist”
Summary: This Engaged Colorado bride’s wedding planning checklist for month one is simple, yet so valuable to minimize regrets.
Written by locally owned wedding venue owner – Elisabeth Montoya
When you’re ready to search for all inclusive wedding venues Denver, remember that popular Denver, Colorado wedding venues are already booking 2027 dates.
Schedule a venue tour with us.
Schedule a tour to our locally owned Denver Wedding Venue “The Bella Sera Event Center” by simply clicking here: “The Bella Sera Tour Request Form”
720-937-6337
Event center in Brighton, CO
Locally owned wedding venues
We have been a locally owned Colorado wedding venue since 2004, offering the most caring and creative service for all of our couples over the past 2 decades. Our all-inclusive venue is located just 20 minutes north of Denver. We sincerely hope to encourage our couples to learn more about the value and importance of choosing a locally owned business when it is time to book your wedding venue and vendors. Locally owned venues will offer a high level of hospitality, attentive communication & a desire to ensure your wedding exceeds expectations. We are thrilled to support other locally owned wedding venue owners from around the country with a shout out in our blog!
No Comments