wedding 2025 | The Plan Planning Your Wedding

date posted: February 20, 2025

Photo by Quyn Duong Studio. Planning by Gina Maloney Events.

So you’ve decided to say yes to the adventure of your love, and you now have a celebration to plan. Huge congrats! Love is just the best, and there’s nothing on Earth like getting together to celebrate your joy in it. Around our beloved realm, the Hudson Valley and the Catskills, there are lots of sweet, smart souls who thrive on helping you make your dream celebration a reality.

Photo by Taylor Gray.

Hold that thought when you see clickbait headlines about “ruined” weddings and temperamental relations. Ignore that noise and anything that suggests that planning is a massive ordeal to be endured, rather than the delightful process of planning the party of your lifetimes in honor of the beginning of a lively, lovely new chapter.

The essential elements are the binding ritual, the feast, and the dancing/revelry. Those are absolutely it, and the two of you can choose among the various ways of manifesting those elements to your hearts’ content. Your wedding can be a time that invites your circle into the story of your love, whether it’s a state park barbecue or a black tie evening for 200.

So have fun planning, and tune out anyone—no matter how well-meaning who tries to tell you there is only one right way to wed. The right way is the way you both love, because that’s the vibe that will make this party sing. That’s what you want to radiate and resonate: happiness. Go with what makes you glow, and it should be pretty easy to convince even the most opinionated relative that this wedding will be an experience they don’t want to miss.

Photo by Teresa Horgan Photography.

ENLIST HELP

Working with a planner, which can be hugely helpful if you’re not the planner type yourself, doesn’t have to mean you sacrifice that individuality. You can let the planner apply practiced skills to the broad strokes

Go with what makes you glow, and it should be pretty easy to convince even the most opinionated relative that this wedding will be an experience they don’t want to miss.

—helping you find the vendors who can do what you’re after, figuring out the logistics and cheduling—while you brainstorm together on creating the perfect rituals, special décor touches, and the precise flavors of reception fun that will please your people.

OR DO IT ON YOUR OWN

Doing it yourselves is entirely possible if you have the time and energy to take it on as a work project lasting from a few months (a relatively simple =little gathering) to a full year, which is about what it takes to reserve a venue; get stationery made; settle on your couture; book the food, music, and flowers; and throw a classic wedding. If you’re planning a multi-day destination affair, it’s a good idea to give yourselves 18 months.

EITHER WAY, HAVE A PLAN

Before you start, know how much you plan to spend and talk to anyone who is helping out to get a clear idea of what you can afford. There are free apps vailable to help you calculate how much of it you’ll probably spend on each vendor category. And get a fresh notebook so you’ll have a handy hard copy of everything. If you’re not working with a planner, consider retaining a day-of or week-of coordinator. Ever host a party and be so busy you got no time to just enjoy it? That will be you, and/or any well-meaning person who takes on this role as a volunteer. An experienced wedding coordinator will be laser focused on the practical details.

BASIC TIMELINE

Photo by Liudmila Chernetska.

You can let the planner apply practiced skills to the broad strokes while you brainstorm together on creating the perfect rituals, special décor touches, and the precise flavors of reception fun that will please your people.

12-18 months: Choose a venue and a planner and book top-priority vendors: officiant, caterer, music, designer, florist.

10-12 months: Find a dress. Order stationery and send save-the-date cards. Make a wedding registry. Choose attendants.

8-10 months: Meet with officiant. Order cake. Reserve space for rehearsal dinner and other related events. Decide on wedding party attire.

6-8 months: Send invites. Order favors and gifts for attendants.

4-6 months: Send invitations.

3-4 months: Meet with caterers/baker for tastings. Finalize menu. Apply for license. Confirm vendors.

2-3 months: Gather RSVPs and make seating plan. Start dress alterations. Do hair and makeup trials.

1 month: Finalize guest count. Send final payments.

1 week: Grab some me time and some couple time. Rehearse. Breathe deep. Get married!

CATSKILLS CONCIERGE

Catskills, 518-821-1750, catskillsconcierge.com

Your go-to wedding guru. Boasting over ten years of experience in planning and execution, from off-the-grid to classic charm, of weddings and special events. If there is one thing we’ve learned, it’s that not one wedding is the same, and we are here to guide your unique style and requests! Provide staffing for out-of-town catering and beverage services. Connections to local venues and vendors. Specializing in day-of coordination.

GINA MALONEY EVENTS

Hudson Valley, 845-853-4075, ginamaloneyevents.com

For Hudson Valley’s most beautiful and unique weddings—couples call upon Gina Maloney Events. Winner of The Knot’s “Hall of Fame” and voted “Best Wedding Planner in The Hudson Valley” by Hudson Valley Magazine, Gina and her staff are dedicated to making your wedding the most special, stress-free, and fun affair that reflects your personality and dreams. Follow us on Instagram @ginamaloney_events.

MAIN COURSE

New Paltz, 845-255-2600,
maincoursecatering.com

Every couple has a unique vision for their wedding day, and Main Course event planners are there to help bring that vision to life. Whether it’s deciding on the perfect venue or choosing the right china pattern, Main Course staff will be by your side to ensure that every detail is addressed. Expect highly personalized service from their professional staff, whose only goal is to make the planning process as easy for you as walking down the aisle.