Monterey Wedding Planning - Where to Start?
Congratulations on your recent engagement or decision to celebrate your marriage with a renewal of vows! When it comes to planning your wedding, figuring out exactly what to do can cause quite a bit of confusion and stress. Where do you start?
• Decide on a date for the ceremony. Is there a particular time of year that you enjoy? Depending on how many guests you plan to invite, how many will be able to come on the date? Are you flexible about having a wedding on a weekday when there will be more availability at venues, restaurants, and hotels? Sending out an informal "save the date" will give you a good idea of who can be there before you make any deposits for venues, reception sites, or companies such as Weddings In Monterey.
• How many guests do you want to invite? After you got engaged, did you discuss having a simple elopement ceremony or a larger gathering with all of your friends and family? Or does it make more sense, emotionally and financially, to have a ceremony with just your closest friends and family? Some people have been opting for a smaller ceremony (50 or fewer guests) and then having a larger, more informal wedding celebration party a few weeks after they return home.
• Where do you want the ceremony to take place? Since you have found our page, it appears that you are at least considering somewhere in Monterey County. What type of location appeals to you most? In our area, we have many choices, including beaches, parks, special event venues, historical landmarks, private ranches, cliffs, private residences, churches, redwood forests, and more. Just about every location has a site fee and a different set of rules. At Weddings in Monterey, we can help you navigate to find the perfect spot. Check out our Wedding Venues page for more information.
• Vendors. Who you select as your vendor team will be one of the most important decisions that you make. Personally, we feel that hiring locals is a great way to go. They know the venues/locations; we have mostly worked together, and if any issues come up (e.g., the DJ forgets a cable or the photographer left an important lens at home), they can be handled quickly. It's also important to note that some cities in Monterey County require vendors to have a business license from their city (even if they are "out and about"). We are an open book -- if you are trying to decide between multiple vendors, just let us know, and we will give you our honest opinion. If you book with Weddings in Monterey, we provide you with our vendor list, cultivated over the past 15 years based on our experience working with individuals, teams, and companies.
If you are interested in meeting to discuss your plans for your Monterey or Carmel area wedding in detail, contact us about our Explorers Consulting Package. You can also view our different wedding packages, including the officiant, photographer, flowers, and more.
• Decide on a date for the ceremony. Is there a particular time of year that you enjoy? Depending on how many guests you plan to invite, how many will be able to come on the date? Are you flexible about having a wedding on a weekday when there will be more availability at venues, restaurants, and hotels? Sending out an informal "save the date" will give you a good idea of who can be there before you make any deposits for venues, reception sites, or companies such as Weddings In Monterey.
• How many guests do you want to invite? After you got engaged, did you discuss having a simple elopement ceremony or a larger gathering with all of your friends and family? Or does it make more sense, emotionally and financially, to have a ceremony with just your closest friends and family? Some people have been opting for a smaller ceremony (50 or fewer guests) and then having a larger, more informal wedding celebration party a few weeks after they return home.
• Where do you want the ceremony to take place? Since you have found our page, it appears that you are at least considering somewhere in Monterey County. What type of location appeals to you most? In our area, we have many choices, including beaches, parks, special event venues, historical landmarks, private ranches, cliffs, private residences, churches, redwood forests, and more. Just about every location has a site fee and a different set of rules. At Weddings in Monterey, we can help you navigate to find the perfect spot. Check out our Wedding Venues page for more information.
• Vendors. Who you select as your vendor team will be one of the most important decisions that you make. Personally, we feel that hiring locals is a great way to go. They know the venues/locations; we have mostly worked together, and if any issues come up (e.g., the DJ forgets a cable or the photographer left an important lens at home), they can be handled quickly. It's also important to note that some cities in Monterey County require vendors to have a business license from their city (even if they are "out and about"). We are an open book -- if you are trying to decide between multiple vendors, just let us know, and we will give you our honest opinion. If you book with Weddings in Monterey, we provide you with our vendor list, cultivated over the past 15 years based on our experience working with individuals, teams, and companies.
If you are interested in meeting to discuss your plans for your Monterey or Carmel area wedding in detail, contact us about our Explorers Consulting Package. You can also view our different wedding packages, including the officiant, photographer, flowers, and more.