The moment I got engaged, I thought wedding planning would be magical, picking a dress, choosing flowers, imagining the perfect day. Instead, I felt so overwhelmed. Between never-ending Pinterest boards, unrealistic movie expectations, and a million decisions, I didn’t know where to even start.
But then I reminded myself of something: A wedding is first and foremost an event to celebrate our love. And, as we saw in my first post—marriage is what truly matters. For me, the wedding, that’s just the celebration.
So let’s simplify the process.
Visualize and Moodboard: Imagine your perfect wedding
Close your eyes and take a deep breath. Start picturing your wedding day… Who’s there? Your fiancé, your favorite people—what are they doing? Chatting? Drinking champagne? And you? What are you doing? How do you feel?
Start there. After spending some time visualizing, begin picking ideas one by one. Use the internet, save inspiration, maybe even create a mood board. Take a considerable amount of time on this step, but don’t get practical just yet. Think big, dream freely, and don’t stress about details.
Once you’ve got a vision you love, then it’s time to align it with reality, without losing what makes it special. And that starts with these three key decisions.
1️⃣What Type of Wedding Are You Planning?
What kind of wedding do you want?
- Religious or civil? If faith plays a big role in your life, a religious wedding might feel meaningful. If not, a civil wedding keeps things simple and personal.
- Small, medium, or big? Here you really have to focus on what makes sense to you, depending on how big your family and friends circles are, the kind of atmosphere you want and of course costs and work that would follow.
About me: For me, the choice was easy, I’m an atheist, so a religious wedding didn’t make sense. We chose a small, intimate civil wedding, where we could focus on doing our own thing and celebrating with our favorite people.
2️⃣ The Venue(s): Where Will It All Happen?
Once you know your wedding type, the next big step is choosing where it will all take place.
- The ceremony: Stadthaus? Church? Or a scenic spot with a private officiant?
- The celebration: Will you have an apero, a sit-down meal, or both? Same venue or a different one?
- After-party: Do you want to dance until sunrise, or keep it intimate and low-key?
Tip: If your ceremony and reception are in different locations, think about guest transportation and how easy it is to move between them.
3️⃣ The Budget: How Much Are You Willing to Spend?
Let’s be real—weddings can get expensive, fast. That’s why you need to set a budget early on, before falling in love with a venue or a dress that definitely wasn’t part of the plan.
Ask yourself:
- What’s your absolute max budget?
- What are your top priorities (venue, food, dress, photography)?
- What can you skip or simplify to save money?
Tip: Make a ‘non-negotiable vs. flexible’ list. If good food and a great photographer matter more than extravagant decor, adjust your budget accordingly.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, planning a wedding isn’t about ticking boxes or meeting expectations. It’s about making intentional choices that reflect you and your partner.
Once you have your vision and these three key decisions are made, everything else will feel more manageable. You’ll know the size of your wedding, where it’s happening, and what you’re comfortable spending. From there, it’s about bringing your vision to life—step by step.
And of course, one of the biggest steps? Thinking of all the details that will be making your wedding uniquely yours. That’s what we’ll talk about next!
