How to Start Planning a Wedding: The First 5 Things to Decide

So kaka-engage mo lang — congrats, sis! 💜 Then the wedding content starts flooding your feed, and somewhere between the gowns and the reception reels, na-hit ka ng: “Wait… ang dami palang gagawin. Paano ba ’to sisimulan?”

That overwhelm is completely normal. You see a gorgeous gown and parang gusto mo nang bumili agad. Pero before you book a single supplier, there are just 5 things you and your fiancé need to talk about first. Get these down, and suddenly your whole wedding planning has direction — kalma ka lang.

I walk through all 5 in the video above, so give it a watch after reading.

1. Your wedding date

Bago lahat, kailangan ninyong pag-usapan kung kailan. And it’s not as simple as picking a pretty date — you have to line up a few things:

• Your and your fiancé’s availability
• The family members and closest friends na hindi pwedeng mawala
• The availability of the suppliers you want to book
• The availability of your church and venue

Isipin niyo rin kung gaano kahaba ang planning runway na kaya ninyo — 6 months? A year? As a rule of thumb, around 6 months is enough to plan properly if you have a system to follow, so hindi ka nagcra-cram sa dulo.

2. Your wedding budget

Ito ’yung kailangang linawin sa umpisa pa lang, kasi dito mo malalaman kung realistic ba ang dream wedding mo, o kung kailangan munang i-adjust ang expectations.

Set a clear ceiling as a couple — kung magkano lang talaga ang kaya ninyo, without touching your savings or going into utang. And always leave a buffer. May mga unexpected na gastos na lalabas along the way, promise, so a little allowance saves you a lot of stress later. Your budget is the anchor — almost every other decision follows from it.

3. Your wedding venue

Saan ba ninyo balak magpakasal? This connects straight to your budget. May mga in-demand na spots — like Tagaytay — na mas mahal ang venues at suppliers, precisely kasi sikat sila at maraming gustong magpakasal doon.

If you’re eyeing an outdoor or garden wedding, check the weather forecast for your target date, ha — iwas heavy rains and sobrang init. And once your date and venue click, book the venue as early as you can, kasi ’yun ang unang nauubos sa peak season.

4. The type of wedding

Anong klase ng kasal ba ang gusto ninyo — civil, church, or a destination wedding like a beach ceremony? And how big?

Dito sa Pilipinas, kapag sinabing intimate, it usually means 50 guests or fewer. Or gusto ba ninyo ’yung traditional, big wedding? Pag-usapan ninyo ito agad, kasi it shapes your venue, your budget, and honestly the whole vibe of the day.

5. Your approximate guest count

Sasabihin ko na — ito ’yung isa sa pinakamalaking dahilan kung bakit lumolobo ang gastos. That’s why brides call it the silent budget killer.

Isipin mo: your guest count decides how big a venue you need. Sa caterer, per head ang bayad — so kung ₱1,000 per head sa 100 guests, ₱100,000 na agad ’yon, sa pagkain pa lang. Tapos bawat bisita, dagdag pa sa invitations, souvenirs, tables, and chairs. So before you invite the whole clan, decide on a realistic number together.

If you want a done-for-you starting point for all of this, I made a free guide — “Your First 30 Days as a Bride-to-Be” (a video + a PDF) — that walks you through these exact first moves so ’di ka maligaw sa umpisa pa lang. Get it for free here.

Once you’ve settled these 5

Kapag nagkasundo na kayo ng groom mo sa lima na ’to, may direksyon na ang planning ninyo. Pag nag-inquire kayo sa suppliers, may maisasagot na kayo kapag tinanong kung kailan at saan ang kasal — which makes you look organized and gets you much better conversations (and quotes).

Kung gusto mo ng mas detalyado at step-by-step na guide para ’di ka maligaw sa buong journey, that’s exactly what my eBook, Wedding Planning for the Clueless Bride-to-Be, is for. It comes with a 6-month wedding planning timeline, a budget tracker, an RSVP tracker, wedding checklists, at daming practical tips — perfect kung gusto mong mag-DIY instead of hiring a planner.

But wherever you’re starting from, sis, please just start. Grab the free First 30 Days guide, sit down with your partner, and knock out these 5. Everything gets easier from here.

Happy preps, sis! 💜

— Camille