Wedding planning resources and tips

Getting married? Congratulations! Enjoy these special days!

Now it's time to start to plan your wedding. Researching wedding professionals is made easier with many online resources; however, it's extremely important that you meet these folks face-to-face, review their portfolios (digital or hard copies) and get to know them.

Wedding professional research tips:

1. Search wedding websites, especially this one, for wedding professionals in your area where you will hold your ceremony and reception. Most wedding pros travel; however, if it's more than 25 miles, they may charge a travel fee.
2. Search South Sound Wedding & Event magazine for local wedding professionals in these counties: South King, Pierce, Kitsap, Jefferson, Clallam,Thurston, Mason, Lewis and Grays Harbor. A digital version is available via a link on our home page.
3. Attend the South Sound Wedding Workshops held throughout the South Sound -- usually in February. See website / Wedding Shows for details. There are usually 10 to 14 hand-picked, highly-skilled wedding professionals at these workshops. The free workshops are presented by South Sound Wedding & Event magazine.
4. Attend the South Sound Wedding Show at the Marcus Pavilion at Saint Martin's University for Thurston County area wedding professionals.
5. Attend the West Sound Wedding Show at the Kitsap Conference Center to meet exclusive Kitsap County wedding professionals.

More wedding planning tips:

1. Select the top three wedding professionals in each category: wedding and/or reception venue(s), photographer, bridal apparel, florist, DJ, etc. Schedule face-to-face appointments with all of them.
2. Before you meet, set an agenda of what you want to learn from them, what you want to ask, then take notes. While meeting, you'll get a general sense whether this is someone who "gets you" and if you want them to help you with your wedding.
3. Finally, make your selection, then tell those rejected that you have selected another wedding professional, so they can remove your date from their calendar.

Happy planning! Remember to enjoy your engagement.

Click on a photo to enlarge.