News

Wondering where to start when planning a wedding? Start with five decisions — not a venue, not a Pinterest board, not a dress. Before you book a single thing, settle your budget range, your date range, your rough guest count, your top three priorities, and your wedding's feeling in one sentence. Make these five first, and every other choice — venue, vendors, design — gets dramatically easier.

And if you feel behind already? You're not. You're exactly where you need to be. Here's how to make each decision.

1. Your budget range — a ceiling, not a number

Don't try to land on one exact number. Decide two things together: the most you could spend without it hurting (your ceiling), and what feels comfortable (your floor). Your wedding will land somewhere in that range — and knowing it instantly tells you which venues and vendors are even worth a call.

2. Your wedding date — a season, not a date

Pick your season first — spring, summer, fall, or winter — and a two-month window inside it. A flexible range means that when you find a venue you love, you can actually book it. Locking one specific date before you have a venue forces you to compromise on one or the other.

3. Your guest count — within about 25

You don't need a finalized list, just a ballpark: are you hosting around 75, 150, or 225? That single number eliminates most venues from your search in one move, and makes every catering quote actually mean something.

4. Your top 3 priorities — what you'll splurge on

Ask each other: if we could only do three things really well, what would they be? Photography? Food? Florals? The dress? Pick three, put most of your budget there, and let yourself save on everything else — guilt-free.

5. Your wedding's feeling — in one sentence

This is my favorite, and the most powerful. Not “modern minimalist with garden touches” — go deeper: “like the best dinner party we've ever thrown,” or “a love letter to our families.” That one sentence becomes the filter for every decision that follows, from your venue to your napkins.

You're not behind — here's your next step

Notice what's not on this list: you haven't booked a thing. That's on purpose. These five decisions are the foundation that makes venue tours, vendor calls, and design choices feel clear instead of chaotic.

When you're ready for the full picture, my free Wedding Planning Roadmap walks you through all five phases of planning, in order. And once your venue is booked and it's time to design the day, that's where we come in: Maison Wilde Affairs designs florals, installations, and decor for weddings across the DMV.