Items to keep include invitations, bridal shower details, family trees, bridal party info, post-wedding details, and much more. You can even pass these memories on to your children. 

Here are a few places to find what you need:

Cafe Press

Jenni Bick 

Beyond marking significant events, writing in your journal will keep you organized, and avoid many frustrations during the whole process.  

2. Set the Budget

Assuming you've told everyone, and have set the date, you need to start thinking about the tone of the event.  Will it be a formal Wedding?  Or a little bit more relaxed. Simple?  Or ornate. Once you start shaping your Wedding, you can start to get a good idea of what it will cost.  

Look at your finances. How much do you have in savings? How much you are you prepared to set aside each month? Talk to your parents and ask them to determine what they are prepared to contribute to your wedding. Finally, decide how much you feel comfortable going into debt. Avoiding debt as much as possible is a good idea. Since married couples fight about money more than anything else, why start marriage with a mountain of debt right at the front? 

Get a realistic idea of what certain things are going to cost you and what is really important to you. At the very least, you need to consider the following factors in terms of price:

• Venue
• Wedding Coordinator
• Decorations for the Wedding & Reception
• Invitations
• Photographer
• DJ

And believe me, there's more.  For instance, are you giving gifts to your bridesmaids?  Are you planning totip the vendors?

Once you determine what your budget is, and have familiarized yourself with what you'll need, you can start to shop around for vendors.  But don't start until you have set some spending limits for yourself first.

3. Choose Attendants (Bridal Party)

Your attendants do a lot more than just stand next to you on the day of the wedding. You need to get them involved as soon as possible. While it's true that some couples decide not to have any attendants at all, usually 2-10 members are selected for the bridal party. And they can prove invaluable in helping you plan your wedding. 

Now is the time to look over these responsibilities for bridesmaids and groomsmen before you make your final choices. If they live nearby, ask them in person. A phone call works for out-of-towners. But don't wait until the last minute.

4. Start looking for Venues

Inside or outside? Weather and time of year play a big part of this in Kansas City. There are plenty of places to choose from, depending on your budget.  But for this purpose, we'll focus on inside venues.  Make sure that you have a good idea of how many people will be attending, and what you want the feel of your wedding to be.  Choosing the proper event will go a long way to create the proper atmosphere. 

Work with the vendor to find a good compromise on pricing, as you can often get a lower rate.

Keep in mind, however, that most popular places are booked a year or more in advance. Here are a few of my personal favorites for a range of budgets.

2000 Grand

Bice' Lounge

Loose Mansion

Emaline Ballroom


5. Time for the fun stuff!

Now that you have a good idea of the direction you want to take with your wedding, you've put together your bridal party, and selected your venue, it's time to have some fun.  You'll need to select tuxes, dresses, flowers, decorations and more.  And now that you have your budget in mind, you can begin to determine what's most important to you. 

Keep in mind that if you really want to make your memories last, a good photographer is key.  Look for someone who has experience in weddings specifically and is willing to work with you on what you want. Here are a few of my favorites in Kansas City:

Vendor Spotlights
Looking to capture your Wedding in a special and unique way?  Premier Sound proudly recommends the following: 

Click to visit Aubre B Photography

Click to visit Sarah Dickerson Photography