Anyone who's planned a wedding knows: there's always information you walk away with after your event that makes you think, "I wish I'd known that when I was planning our wedding!" From the woes of complicated seating charts to awkward conversations to be had around budget ("Hey mom, can I, uh, get that check?"), there are so many things to consider when it comes to planning the perfect soirée. To help you as you plan, then, we reached out to our amazing community of Aisle Planners to ask for their most treasured pieces of planning advice—and we've rounded up their oh-so helpful wedding planning tips below. Read on, and get ready for some seriously powerful (and empowering) planning knowledge.

Wedding Planning Tips from Our Community of Pros:

 

“Discuss the budget candidly before doing anything! Who is paying? Parents, the couple? And decipher exact amounts. This makes planning easy and eliminates any gray area or misunderstandings.” —Erin Velander of Blomma Designs

 

“Don’t forget to plan and prepare for your marriage.” —Brittany Nelson of Simply Gypsy

 

“Try your DIY project wayyyy before you think you should. There is a whole site devoted to Pinterest fails for a reason! Make one of those centerpieces and live with it on your dining room table—you never know when additional inspiration will strike!” —Kaitlin Briggs Stammetti of Rowan Lane Events

 

"Procrastination is your worst enemy! Making decisions early in your planning process is the best way to ensure you will get the best vendors for your style and budget without compromise! It also allows you to have some time to relax leading up to the wedding rather than feeling like your to-do list is still unchecked! " —Briar Johnson of Epic Events

 

"Wedding time is different than regular time. You may have 12 months to plan your event, but in reality it's less. You have to plan your wedding while working or going to school, living your life and so much more. If your wedding is D.I.Y., allow yourself even more time. I advise my clients to start counting back from 1 month before their wedding. You don't want to be making any decisions at that point. Too stressful!" —Tanya Gaud Paye of RSVP Weddings & Events

 

"Start the seating chart early! It is more stressful than most couples realize. It’s an art within itself." —Brittney Marbley of Events By Brittney

 

"Make sure you know who the important voices are as you are planning—maybe that's your planner, your mom, your best friend. Whoever it is, make your list and stick to it (and put yourself at the top!). So many couples try to gather extensive information and inspiration, seeking out friends of friends and Facebook groups. You can quickly become overwhelmed by opinions! Facts are great, but an overwhelming amount of opinions can keep you from remembering your own opinions and thoughts when it comes to your day!" —Megan Scurlock of Locklane Weddings & Events

 

"Prepare or order a picnic hamper for the bridal party to enjoy while they’re having photos taken with you. These usually are taken between your ceremony and reception, so your bridal party often misses cocktail hour (especially if you go off-site for pics), and by this part of the day everyone is hungry" —Emma Watts of Sparrow Weddings

 

"Start with your values. A short list of your and your fiance's values in-hand will help you filter through all your decisions with more ease and joy. If you want to minimize stress on your wedding day, be sure to communicate effectively. Set clear expectations for bridal party and vendors and be clear in your wedding day/week itinerary. Good communication will minimize the chances of your expectations being broken. Also, feed for vendors. Take care of them. They are taking care of you." —Celia Duncan of Unions with Celia

 

"On your RSVP cards, number each card so that if someone forgets to write their name(s) on the card, you can match it up to your list. I use Excel and number each guest as I address the envelopes so that...Guest Number 10 is Mr. & Mrs. Smith, but they didn't write their names, but I have 10 on the RSVP card, so I know exactly who it is!" —Lori J. Osborne of TLC Events and Weddings

Hero Photo Courtesy of Vancouver wedding photographers Shari+Mike