Congrats, girl! The excitement of being newly engaged is so fun and so sweet. Enjoy this time of celebrating your new engagement! OMG, you’re engaged! First of all, congratulations, girl! I hope you’ve spent the last few days staring at your gorgeous ring, taking about a million pictures of your hand, and telling anybody who will listen about the proposal.
Seriously, enjoy this part. It’s such a sweet time!
And before you know it, every Tom, Dick and Harry will start asking you questions as well.
“Have you picked a date?”
“Where are you getting married?”
“Have you found your dress?”
Good grief, people! Can a girl finish celebrating her engagement before planning an entire wedding?
As an Orlando local, I know of how exciting Florida weddings can be. Many beautiful locations exist for weddings such as the beach, gardens and some of the best resorts in the world. With our beautiful weather, many gorgeous wedding photos can be taken.
It’s work. There’s a lot of planning that goes into planning a wedding, and if you’re newly engaged it can feel like trying to plan a family vacation and there are 150 members in your family.
Don’t worry – we have you covered! In order to go from newly engaged to newlywed, we have created a comprehensive Florida wedding planning checklist for you to refer to while you celebrate!
Start With Your Wedding Budget
One thing to establish before deciding on the perfect location for your Florida wedding is your overall wedding budget.
I know. Talking about money isn’t exactly romantic.
However, the centerpieces you have chosen for your Florida wedding may cost a lot when all is said and done. Find out the true cost of your wedding venue BEFORE you start picking out flowers, linen, etc. For example, a beautiful waterfront mansion may cost $20,000 or more for a Florida wedding.
Decide how much you can spend. Discuss whether or not family will be contributing to the cost of your wedding and factor in some extra money for unexpected expenses.
Florida weddings can range from small beach ceremonies to enormous luxury celebrations.
Pick a budget that works for YOUR life.
It is so very important to set a budget for your wedding. And please don’t let the pressure of others dictate how you can spend money within your means. Remember, your wedding is about starting your marriage, not about trying to impress your guests with an 12′ tall floral arrangement.
Pick Your Florida Wedding Date
Now comes the fun part. Choosing your wedding date!
Florida is a wonderful state with beautiful weather throughout the year. However, our seasons do have their differences.
Spring and fall are popular seasons for an outdoor wedding as the temperature is typically more mild than the summer months.
Summer weddings can be absolutely beautiful here in Florida, but the heat and humidity can be overwhelming at times.
Your makeup should remain in place throughout your wedding, not melt off your face!
Hurricane season in Florida runs from June to the end of November so will need to be carefully considered when choosing a coastal venue for your wedding.
Look at the time of year, where your guests will be traveling from and your budget when choosing a date for your wedding.
Additionally, remember to look for holiday and events in the local area and in close proximity to your desired wedding venue. Orlando is a very busy city and you would hate your wedding to coincide with say New Year’s.
Create Your Guest List
Oh, the guest list.
This is where wedding planning gets interesting.
You start with fifty people, then somebody mentions Aunt Carol, your second cousin, and that neighbor your mom hasn’t spoken to since 2018.
Suddenly, you’re inviting half the state of Florida.
Begin by listing all of the immediate family and closest friends. Then you can see how many additional people your budget and your chosen venue can hold.
Guest count will affect your choices for items like catering, seats for your guests, wedding invitations and wedding favors.
A smaller wedding can save thousands of dollars.
Remember, you don’t have to invite everyone you have ever met!
It’s your wedding, sweetheart!
Find Your Dream Florida Wedding Venue
Florida has some seriously beautiful wedding venues.
There are plenty of historic and luxury wedding venues near Orlando, such as historic mansions with beautiful gardens, venues by the water, or a modern ballroom with plenty of luxury to go around.
If you are looking for a beach wedding then consider locations such as Clearwater, Naples, Cocoa Beach or Anna Maria Island.
Want something more tropical? Look to the Florida Keys for a wonderful beach wedding or a island flavor to your special day!
Before you book your desired venue, make sure to inquire about the following: How many guests will your desired venue hold? What types of food and beverages does your desired venue require? What are the hours of operation for your desired venue? Does your desired venue have a secondary location in case of bad weather?
Please, please ask about the rain plan.
These Florida thunderstorms, they like to show up when you least expect them to, generally after someone says, “Oh look, the weather is just fabulous today!”
Visit your favorite venues in person whenever possible.
Some venues you will instantly know are for you while others you will need to see in person in order to determine if it is the right choice for you.
Book Your Wedding Vendors Early
Now that you have a venue and a date for your wedding, it is time to book your main wedding vendors (if you haven’t already).
These key wedding professionals include your wedding photographer, your wedding caterer, your wedding planner, your wedding florist, your DJ, and last but not least your hair and makeup team.
This is particularly true for well known wedding professionals in highly sought after locations like Florida for spring and fall Saturdays.
Check for pricing, read past reviews, and look at past work of theirs.
And don’t be afraid to ask questions.
Your vendor is there to serve you so don’t be afraid to ask for anything!
Make sure everything (e.g., payment schedule and cancellation policy) is written out for you.
No one should have to pay a surprise bill a few days before their wedding!
Go Wedding Dress Shopping
Okay, now we’re talking!
Wedding dress shopping is one of the most exciting parts of wedding planning!
Bring some trusted family members and friends along for the ride, set a budget and start trying on some different styles of wedding dresses.
What you are looking for may be completely different from what you thought you were looking for (i.e. you go to the bridal shop looking to try on simple satin dresses and end up falling in love with lace and sparkles).
It happens!
Give yourself plenty of time for ordering and alterations.
Be mindful of your wedding dress choice and how it will fit in with your warm weather Florida outdoor wedding. Opt for a lightweight fabric that will allow you to feel beautiful and comfortable throughout your celebration.
And think about your shoes!
Walking through beach sand in skinny heels is basically asking for an unexpected workout.
Plan Your Wedding Decorations and Flowers
Now it’s time to make everything pretty!
So next we’re going to discuss the wedding dress shopping, followed by planning your wedding decor and flowers for your wedding!
Floral arrangements, candles, and other beach wedding decorations are often enhanced by using tropical greenery, soft-colored roses, orchids, and other coastal natural elements to create beautiful Florida wedding centerpieces and ceremony decor.
Don’t feel like every corner needs decorations.
A beautiful venue can be amazing enough on its own to add decoration to all of the corners of the space.
Reuse ceremony flowers from your wedding ceremony at your wedding reception for an easy and affordable decoration!
These arrangements can look just as beautiful on your Sweetheart Table as they did descending the aisle.
Your florist can help you figure out what works.
Send Invitations and Handle the Legal Details
For a traditional wedding guests will need to travel to your wedding and you will want to send out your save-the-dates 6-8 months prior to your wedding.
Formal invitations typically are mailed 6-8 weeks prior to the wedding.
Destination weddings may need a little more notice.
You’ll need a Florida marriage license, too!
The requirements for obtaining a Florida marriage license can change frequently. It is best to contact the county clerk where you will be obtaining your license to confirm current requirements. There are different requirements for residents and non-residents of Florida, and some require a waiting period to be performed.
Be sure to arrange for the individual who is going to be performing the ceremony for you to be legally authorized to do so.
Again, this paperwork isn’t half as fun as tasting cake for your wedding!
Take Care of Those Last-Minute Wedding Details
Confirm your wedding vendors, establish the final guest count for your wedding and begin creating your wedding-day timeline.
Schedule final fittings and pay for dresses. Pack an emergency kit with things like safety pins, tissues, lip gloss, bandages, etc. Mine would have chocolate in it because it fixes most problems.
Mine would include safety pins, tissues, lip gloss, bandages, and probably chocolate.
Chocolate fixes quite a few problems.
Throw in sunscreen, bug spray and a small fan for an outdoor wedding in Florida.
And please assign someone to handle last-minute questions.
Don’t be the one answering questions about missing tablecloths thirty minutes before you are to walk down the aisle.
Enjoy Your Wedding Day, Girl!
After months of planning your wedding will finally arrive.
So something may go wrong. Maybe a boutonniere gets lost, or the groom’s ties get wrinkled. Or your little flower girl suddenly refuses to walk down the aisle and give her away.
And you know what?
That’s okay.
Your wedding does not have to be perfect to be beautiful.
Laughter, more tears, hugs and moments of love to cherish for years to come.
As you sit on your couch in years to come looking through your wedding photos you will probably hardly remember whether your napkins were the perfect shade of blush. What you will remember is the look of adoration on your new husband’s face, the people who celebrated with you, and the incredible feeling of being married at last.
Now go admire that beautiful engagement ring for a little while longer! The seating chart and all the other details can wait a few more days. And don’t worry, Aunt Carol will be just fine too.
