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from Dr Diana Carroll, Celebrant. 
Wedding Planning – The essential items to book immediately for your Wedding Day! Congratulations! You’ve just got engaged and can’t wait to start planning your big day. There seems to be so much to do…So where do you begin? These are the most important items that you should always book first: Venue – Ceremony & Reception: The Venue should always be the first thing you book. Without a venue and a date, you can’t lock in any of the other suppliers you need. Remember that popular venues can easily get booked out 12-18 months ahead, especially for a Saturday wedding, so you may need to be flexible with your choice of venue or date. Many couples have their Ceremony and Reception at the same place, so it’s just the one venue to book. If you’d like to have the Ceremony at a different location, you need to co-ordinate your bookings to ensure they’re both available for your date and time. You’ll need a rough idea of guest numbers before choosing a venue and some idea of your budget. It’s easiest to think of this as a price per person. For example, a reception budget of $5000 is $100 a head for 50 people but only $50 a head for 100 people. Work out what you can afford and how many people you want to invite and go from there. Many couples now have their wedding at home. This can definitely be cheaper but it can also be a lot of time and effort, so decide if it’s right for you. Celebrant: You can’t get married without a Celebrant! Find one you love and make it a date! Saturday is the most popular wedding day, and many Celebrants take bookings up to 2 years in advance, so book one as soon as you know the date. Found a Celebrant you love? Call or email with the date and location of your Ceremony so they can tell you immediately if they’re available. Photographer/Videographer: The photographer and videographer are the next big items to tick off your list. These services may be provided by the same company but most couples choose to hire separate professionals based on the style of their work. There are so many photographers and videographers to choose from, and a wide range of prices, so pick those whose style of work and budget is right for you. What’s Next? Once you’ve locked in these three main items of venue, Celebrant, and photographer & videographer, you can take some time to plan the other key elements of your wedding day including: wedding dress and outfits for the bridal party; wedding rings; catering; wedding cars and transport for guests if required; printing and stationery; hair and make-up; florist; and a bakery to create a beautiful wedding cake! Need some help or advice? See my other blog posts and feel free to call or email anytime! I’m always happy to help! Enjoy your wedding planning! Diana, xx As your Celebrant, I will guide you through the wedding. I am calm, relaxed, and happy! Call me on 0419 829 667 or email diana@bestweddingcelebrant.com.au (Photo thanks to Alex Kwong Photography) 
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