Burgh Brides: How to Make Your Biggest Wedding Decisions Your Easiest

PHOTO: ADOBE STOCK

What’s the first thing we should do before setting our wedding budget?

Before you spend a dime, finalize your wedding guest list. The number of people you invite has a major impact on your wedding budget, influencing everything from your venue and catering to rentals, florals, stationery and postage. While it’s tempting to jump right into touring venues and booking vendors, having a clear guest count from the start will help you make informed decisions and avoid unexpected costs or a blown budget later. If you need to trim your budget, reducing the guest list is often the simplest and most impactful way to do it.

What’s the biggest red flag when hiring wedding vendors?

Any legitimate, reputable business or wedding professional will ask you to sign a contract. If they don’t, consider it a major red flag. Not only does a contract protect the vendor, it also protects you as the client by clearly outlining expectations, responsibilities and deliverables. Without a legally binding agreement, you have very little recourse if something goes wrong or if the services provided don’t match what was promised.

How many venues should we tour before making a decision?

If you’ve done your homework, you shouldn’t need to tour more than three or four venues. Before scheduling any visits, research potential venues online to ensure they fit within your budget, can accommodate your guest count and align with your wedding vision. This focused approach saves you time, helps prevent decision fatigue and allows venue teams to dedicate their attention to couples who are seriously considering their space.

Victoria Deardorff is the creator and CEO of Pittsburgh’s wedding resource, Burgh Brides (burghbrides.com). Look for her “Ask the Expert” column in Pittsburgh Magazine.