The Planning

Reasoning:

1. The primary reason for a longer engagement was budgetary. The couple wants to fund the majority of their wedding with their own funds, so they wanted to take two years to adjust their savings accordingly to avoid going into debt or relying too heavily on the generosity of family members and loved ones. After securing a fall 2023 wedding date at their venues of choice, the first year of their engagement was primarily focused on building their financial savings and sourcing general aesthetic ideas, with the majority of the detail-oriented planning occurring in the year leading up to the wedding.
    

2. The lingering question of the COVID-19 pandemic also gave Elena and Aidan pause. As they are both strong advocates for and believers in the scientific process of discovery, they were hesitant to rush into planning a larger group gathering before vaccines became more broadly available to the general public. While this delay gave the couple and their guests more confidence in the health and safety of this wedding, it did not allow for as much contemplation once the metaphorical ball started rolling. The couple needed to be decisive in their decision-making process to ensure that everything could be explored, proofed, and executed within the appropriate timeline for their wedding date.

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Challenges:

1. The Design phase of the planning process is always an exciting one for engaged couples, but it does not come without its challenges. Elena and Aidan were no exception. While they had a decently solid idea of the aesthetic choices they favored for their wedding, it took a fair amount of effort and coordination to identify the ideal vendors to bring their vision to life. It was important to find vendors that could coordinate well together between two venues and with a smaller consultant team. The couple wanted to be sure that they could count on clear communication and transparency from vendors so that their wedding day could go as smoothly as possible.
   
   Additionally, the couple was faced with the challenge of narrowing down and finalizing their guest list during this phase. Due to the fact that the couple is funding the majority of the wedding on their own, they had to be intentional about their guest list, which resulted in some ruffled feathers from more distant relatives or acquaintances from the couple’s childhood or school years. While these interactions of disappointment or other negative emotion were challenging to navigate in the moment, Aidan and Elena feel confident in their decision. It is not worth going into debt to appease the expectations of others.
    

2. Though it remains in the future, the consultancy team of Yes And? Weddings and Events remains aware that the Implementation phase of this particular wedding will present its unique challenges and opportunities to problem solve. As a relatively new and growing business, the team is comprised of one primary wedding consultant and two full-time assistants. Though the couple could have opted to hold their ceremony and reception at a single venue, they felt strongly about having two separate events on their wedding day: a more intimate wedding ceremony in a natural setting and a larger, more festive celebration that is ideally situated in the city. The coordination of deliveries and set-up at two locations will require the consultant and her two assistants to develop a highly detailed production schedule to avoid anything falling through the proverbial cracks. While the relatively small guest count at both phases of the day make for less set-up in some aspects (e.g. folding chairs), smaller numbers of product mean that some vendors are able to provide delivery day-of. The team will have to coordinate and execute well, and perhaps bring in the assistance of an intern or short-term production assistant to help on the day.