I’ve just booked my wedding… Now what?

By Sarah Oliver

So… you’ve booked your wedding at The Grove Gippsland! Firstly, CONGRATULATIONS!

You’ve officially secured your date, picked your venue here at The Grove Gippsland and made one of the biggest decisions of your wedding planning journey. Now comes the fun part. And, if I’m being completely honest, the part where you might sit down, look at your partner and say…“Okay… what do we actually do now?”

I get it.

There are so many things you could be doing after booking your wedding that it can feel a little overwhelming knowing where to start. After coordinating hundreds of weddings, I’ve learnt that you absolutely do not need to organise everything at once. In fact, please don’t!

Your wedding should be exciting, not a second full-time job. So, I thought I’d put together my little “I’ve booked my wedding at The Grove… now what?” guide to help you work through the next steps without feeling overwhelmed.

Step one: Celebrate!

This might sound obvious, but I mean it. Stop! Celebrate, and enjoy it! You’ve just booked your wedding venue and secured your wedding date ekk! Have the champagne. Go out for dinner. Tell your family and friends. Soak up that feeling of knowing you have officially started planning your wedding.

I see so many couples jump straight into spreadsheets, Pinterest boards and supplier enquiries before they've even had a chance to enjoy the fact that they’re getting married. There is plenty of time for all of that.

For now, enjoy being engaged and enjoy saying:“We’re getting married at The Grove!”.

Step two: Get organised

Once the excitement has settled slightly, this is when I recommend getting yourself organised. Create one place where you keep everything to do with your wedding. Whether that's a spreadsheet, folder, wedding planning app or a notebook (which to be honest is my fav pick, I’m a little old school) but it’s whatever works for you.

Keep track of things like: Your wedding date, guest numbers, supplier details, contracts, payments and due dates, inspiration, menu ideas, styling ideas, questions for your venue and important planning deadlines.

You don't need a 47-tab spreadsheet if that's not your personality! The best planning system is the one you will use. And please, please keep your invoices, contracts and supplier information somewhere safe. Future you will thank you.

Step three: Start thinking about your guest list

You don't need your final guest list straight away, but having a rough idea of numbers will make so many other decisions easier. Start with your must have people. Then work your way out from there. Think about your immediate family, bridal party, close friends and the people you couldn't imagine celebrating your wedding without.

Your guest list will probably change several times and that's completely normal. I always tell couples not to panic if the number isn't perfect from day one. It will evolve as you work through your planning.

Step four: Book your key suppliers

This is where I recommend starting to get serious about your suppliers. Some suppliers book out well in advance, particularly photographers, videographers, celebrants, florists and entertainment I am now seeing some suppliers booking dates 3 years in advance!!!

If there is someone you absolutely love, don't leave it until the last minute. Your key suppliers can include: Photographer, videographer, celebrant, florist, DJ or band (I highly recommend a DJ if you’re after a party and hours on the dance floor), hair and makeup, cake maker, styling and decor, transport and content creator.

One of my biggest pieces of advice is to choose suppliers whose work you genuinely love and to meet your celebrant and photographer in person or online. Some celebrants can be so similar to others, and they sound like they are on auto pilot; you want to find someone who gets to know your story and adds humour, love and personality into a ceremony.

It’s the same as a photographer, if you do not get along with them or feel comfortable around them your photos will tell the same story… Don't book someone just because they're popular or because your friend used them. And don’t book someone because you feel like you should! Choose people whose style fits you and who you feel comfortable with. Your suppliers are going to spend a huge part of your wedding day with you, so you want people you trust.

Just shout out and ask us for The Grove’s recommend suppliers list if you haven’t seen it already, we have taken out half the guess work for you.

Step five: Start building your wedding vision

Now for one of my favourite parts! Start collecting ideas. Google, Pinterest, Instagram, TikTok, magazines, real weddings, save anything that makes you stop and think: “I LOVE this.”

But here’s my biggest warning… Don’t let Pinterest become your wedding boss. I have been doing a lot of wedding research on Pinterest lately, it’s so easy to save 400 different photos and suddenly realise you've got a rustic, modern, colourful, black-tie, bohemian, coastal wedding all happening at once! Instead, start looking for common themes. What colours keep appearing? What flowers do you love? Are you drawn to relaxed styling or something more polished? Do you love lots of candles and warm lighting? Do you want a big party? Are you more focused on incredible food and wine? Do you want your wedding to feel romantic, fun, relaxed, elegant or completely wild?

Your wedding doesn't need to fit into one style. It just needs to feel like you.

Step six: Think about your wedding day flow

This is one I encourage couples to think about earlier than they probably expect. Your wedding day isn't just about how everything looks. It's about how the day feels.

Think about: When do you want your ceremony? Do you want plenty of time for photos? Do you want a relaxed cocktail hour? Do you want to sit down for dinner early or enjoy a longer drinks period? Do you want speeches before or during dinner? Do you want a big dance floor moment? Do you want to spend lots of time with your guests?

These decisions will eventually form your wedding run sheet. And don't worry, you don't need to have this all figured out immediately. That's what I'm here for! One of the things I love most about my job is helping couples take all their ideas and turn them into a timeline that works.

Step seven: Start thinking about your menu

If you've booked The Grove, you already know that food is a big part of what we do! Your menu should be something you're excited about. Think about what you love eating, what your family loves, what suits your style of wedding and what you want your guests to remember.

Your tasting is a great opportunity to experience the food, talk through options and start imagining what your menu will look like on the day. And don't forget about dietary requirements. It's something that can easily get forgotten until later, so keep a note of any allergies or dietary requirements as your guest list develops.

Step eight: Don't forget the little things

This is where your wedding starts becoming your wedding. The little details. Maybe it's personalised menus, a family heirloom, a special cocktail, your favourite song playing as you walk into the reception, a handwritten note for your bridesmaids, a photo of a loved one, a late-night snack, a personalised cake topper, your favourite flowers, a signature drink.

Something completely random that only makes sense to the two of you! These are the things I absolutely love seeing at weddings. They don't have to be expensive. They just must mean something.

Step nine: Don't compare your wedding to everyone else's

This one is important. You are going to see weddings everywhere once you've booked yours.

Instagram. TikTok. Pinterest. Your friend's wedding. Your cousin's wedding. The wedding you went to five years ago. And suddenly you’ll think… “Should we be doing that?”

Maybe. Maybe not. There is no one perfect wedding. I've seen incredibly elaborate weddings and beautifully simple weddings. I've seen couples spend months choosing tiny details, and I've seen couples who just want amazing food, good music and their favourite people together. Both can be incredible. Don't add something to your wedding simply because you saw it online. If you don't care about it, don't do it. Save your time, energy and budget for the things you love.

Step ten: Keep communicating with me!

And finally… Talk to me! I would much rather you send me an email with five questions than sit at home stressing about something for three weeks. Seriously.

If you've booked your wedding at The Grove Gippsland, I'm here to help you through the planning process. If you've booked a supplier, send through the details. If you've changed your guest numbers, let me know. If you've got a crazy idea, tell me. If you've seen something on Pinterest and you're wondering if we can make it work at The Grove - ask me!

The more information I have, the more I can help. I love being involved in the little details and seeing everything come together.

So, What's the actual order? If you're sitting there thinking “Sarah, this is all great… but what do I do FIRST?” Here's my simple version:

1. Celebrate your engagement!

2. Get organised.

3. Start your guest list.

4. Book your key suppliers.

5. Create your wedding vision.

6. Start thinking about your wedding day timeline.

7. Work through your menu and tasting.

8. Add the personal details.

9. Don't compare your wedding to everyone else's.

10. Keep communicating with your venue and suppliers.

And remember…

You do not have to do everything this week. Wedding planning is a process. Things will change and ideas will evolve. You might fall in love with something completely different six months from now - and that's okay. I've seen so many weddings come together over the years, and one of my favourite things is watching that very first booking turn into a completely different finished wedding day.

The flowers arrive. The music starts. The guests arrive. The champagne is poured. The food comes out. And suddenly all those emails, decisions, spreadsheets and pinterest boards make sense. You get to marry your favourite person. And honestly? That's the bit that matters most.

So, if you've just booked your wedding at The Grove Gippsland… Congratulations! Take a breath. Enjoy the moment. And then, when you're ready… Let's get planning!

Sarah XOXO