For more than 20 years, I have been DJ’ing wedding and events of all sizes and shapes. I have met with hundreds of brides and grooms to help them plan their special day. But I never realized the true magnitude of this task until I began to plan my own wedding day.

Planning Started With An Engagement

For me, planning my wedding started when I decided to propose to my girlfriend at the time. I decided I wanted to propose in the summer of 2014. As the summer ended, I began looking for the perfect ring, devising the perfect engagement and building up the courage to ask permission. Then tragedy struck. I fell victim to a home fire and plans were immediately delayed. The dust eventually settled as the year began to come to a close and I knew then that I still wanted to propose. I did and it was truly a magical experience for both my fiance and myself. It was an engagement weekend in which every details was planned. From the presidential suite where at least 12 former presidents have stayed, to special access museum tours and dinner arrangements, every detail was meticulously planned. And this was only the beginning.

Balance the Details and Big Picture

One of the most important lessons I think I can pass on to you for planning your wedding is to balance the details with the big picture. What does this mean? It means that you have to keep focused on the big picture and find vendors that you trust to details with the smallest of details. This sounds a little scary but it will keep your sanity through the process. Picking a caterer, DJ, photographer and wedding planner you trust, will allow you to focus on the big picture. These vendors will fulfill your wishes, deal with details and create an experience that you always dreamed of.

Don’t Trust Reviews, Recommendations and Marketing

No one will tell you this. Vendors ask their most happy customers to leave reviews online. Banquet halls and vendors receive commission and referral bonuses for making recommendations. There are a lot of very clever marketing tricks to find the “best” vendors online. I challenge you to dismiss all of those tactics. TheKnot.com charges thousands of dollars for vendors to be listed on their site. If a vendor pays to be on their site, do you think they are the best? I don’t think so, I think they have an advertising budget. Instead, ask your friends who they used. Sit down with those vendors and don’t sign a contract until you are 100% comfortable with their vision for you. Ignore sales tactics that pressure you to sign a contract that day. It’s about finding the best vendor for you.

Planning your wedding is a lot of work. The secret to success is to start planning in the beginning by choosing the right vendors. Trust their instincts and experience. Together you will conquer both the big picture and details.