Wedding planning can get complicated, and it's easy to overlook details when you're extremely busy. Staying organized will help ensure everything gets done and the wedding turns out the way you envisioned. You don't have to get too fancy; just follow these simple do’s and don’ts to stay on top of the planning process.

Do

Plan your timeline.

Start your planning as early as possible. Make a list of everything you need to arrange, including the wedding venue, catering, flowers, music, guests, invitations, and all of the other elements of your big day. Then, create a schedule that outlines when each one needs to be taken care of. Make sure to give yourself a realistic amount of time for researching and meeting with providers, and ensure anything that involves booking a vendor is done well before the big day.

Keep information in one place.

Having a notebook or a computer folder where you keep all of your wedding plans, thoughts, and ideas will help ensure you don't lose any of this information or contradict yourself. Ideally, you should arrange it in sections that deal with each element of the wedding. This way, when you need to look up a detail about the flowers or dress, you can flip right to that section instead of hunting through your notes.

Don't

Do everything yourself.

While you should be in the loop on every part of the wedding planning and keep as much information as possible in your notebook, you can't handle all of the arrangements yourself. Delegate some tasks, like flowers, decorations, or the guest list to people you trust. This will help ensure everything gets done on time—without stressing you too much.

Be vague.

When you communicate with friends, family, or vendors, be specific and direct about what you need from them. Being vague or noncommittal about deadlines and requirements means they won't know what you want and may not be able to deliver. You don't have to be rude, but you should be assertive.

If you're starting the wedding planning process, contact Makoy Center in Hilliard, OH. This large Franklin County venue can accommodate up to 400 guests and has 30 years of history providing beautiful service to couples, including catering. They were voted “Best of Weddings” on The Knot^® for 2019, which makes seven years in a row. To schedule an appointment, call (614) 777-1211 or visit them online.