Anybody planning a wedding will know just how monumental it is to secure your venue! With your location booked, you’ve likely set your date in stone too – and suddenly, everything starts to feel very real. Your plans begin to fall into place, your vision becomes clearer, and your wedding style starts to take shape.
But what now? What actually needs to be done once you’ve ticked off this huge milestone?
The good news is that making those next big decisions becomes so much easier once your venue is locked in. Here’s exactly where to focus your energy:
Get Your Finances In Order
Now that one of your biggest expenses is confirmed, it’s time to reassess:
- Review your remaining budget and start allocating funds to other suppliers and priorities.
- Consider wedding insurance to protect everything you’ve planned so far.
- Factor in those often-forgotten extras like supplier trials, tastings or late-night bar extensions.
Sort The Planning Admin
A little organisation now will save you a lot of stress later:
- Download the free weddingsonline wedding planning app – it’s the easiest way to keep everything in one place.
- Decide if you’d like to hire a wedding planner, partial planner or on-the-day coordinator.
- Create a customised planning timeline so you know what needs to be done (and when!). Use this guide to help you.
Book Your Key Suppliers
The best suppliers book up quickly, especially once your date is set. Prioritise these next:
- Wedding planner (if you haven’t already secured one)
- Photographer (now’s a great time to schedule your engagement shoot!)
- Videographer
- Band and DJ
- Check out this list of when to book each of your suppliers!
Stay On Top Of Guest Admin
With your date confirmed, it’s time to loop in your guests:
- Finalise your guest list and start gathering postal or email addresses.
- Send out your Save the Dates so everyone can mark their calendars early.
Your Next Steps (And A Little Reality Check)
Don’t be surprised if you feel a little overwhelmed after booking your venue. It’s a huge milestone, and while there’s still plenty to do, not everything needs to happen right away.
In fact, this is the perfect time to take a small step back.
Stay on track with a quick weekly planning check-in, start gathering inspiration (you’ll find plenty across our blog, podcast and socials!), or get a head start on any DIY projects. But most importantly – give yourself permission to relax and enjoy this exciting stage.
You’ve done a lot already… and you’re off to an amazing start!
Featured image credit: Vedendo Photo & Video, Ballymagarvey Village
