On average, newly engaged couples begin their search for the perfect reception site about nine months before their wedding date. Some wedding coordinators recommend starting the search soon after becoming engaged. If this timeline sounds long, remember that 30% of brides need between seven to 12 months for planning. Of course, having someone else take care of the research for you can shorten that timeframe.

Are Wedding Packages a Better Choice Than a la Carte?

A wedding package can differ from company to company. The typical package includes the reception location along with food, drinks, and perhaps setting up the tables and chairs. The bride may or may not have options to choose from for these features. Conversely, an a la carte wedding is comprised solely of features chosen by the couple. So which is a better choice?

Wedding Packages: Convenient, Less Stress, and Less Planning Required.

Some wedding packages are all inclusive, meaning that nearly every aspect from location, flowers, food, hotel rooms, and party favors are included. Other packages might only include the location, the food, and perhaps the cake. These arrangements are put together to help couples meet their budget.

All inclusive weddings can be less stressful when compared to a la carte weddings. The package narrows down the many choices the couple must choose from to just a few. Also, because the entire event is being handled by one company planning is much simpler. While this option is cost-effective and fairly efficient, there is typically not much room for individuality.

What to Know When Planning an Entire Wedding From Scratch.

Planning a wedding on your own can be stressful. At its simplest components, a wedding must have a venue, food, drinks, cake, flowers, and favors. But most brides don’t envision the bare minimum. Dream weddings take careful planning, which is why many brides give themselves nearly a year to put one together.

The downside to an a la carte wedding is that there will be many moving pieces to keep track of. There’s searching for the best venue to consider; the catering company and the types of food; the bakery that will make the cake flavor you like; checking with the florist to find flowers that are in season; and a dozen other details as well. It is keeping things in order and in alignment with the budget that creates most of the stress.

Ultimately, the choice between wedding packages or creating the wedding yourself is a personal one. Some brides have a very specific vision for their big day. Other couples might just want to get the event over with, or perhaps are only excited for the cake.

The trick is to first determine your budget, and then decide what aspect of the wedding is most important to you. Perhaps it is having things look just right. Or maybe you want the entire endeavor to involve as little stress on your part as possible. Figuring this out what matters most will simplify your choices later.