Design Your Dream Wedding Planning Kit

So you're engaged...now what?! You've announced it to all of your friends and family, officially changed your Facebook status, and had a huge party to celebrate with all your loved ones, but what comes next? Thinking about a budget and the guest list and the venue and the catering and the cake and the invitations is starting make your head spin, am I right?!

DESIGN YOUR WEDDING DAY THE FREE-SPIRITED WAY!

This wedding planner printable is for newly engaged couples and/or brides ready to begin planning their wedding day with ease. It's a guide to help make planning the perfect wedding less stressful and more awesome!

"I just thought I'd gush a little about your planning checklist, our wedding is for July 2016 and we are very much in the beginner stages. We come from the beautiful but somewhat under developed (when it comes to weddings and wedding planning) Seychelles, there are no wedding planners to choose from and we have no choice but to plan the big day on our own. Your wedding checklist is a godsend, I had no idea where to start and considering I have been to few weddings I never knew what actually went into throwing one. You have been a massive help and the photos included in the planning guide serve as inspiration, thank you for being so thoughtful." — Francoise and Alan

What is the Design Your Dream Wedding Planning Kit?

Maybe you don't know exactly what you want to include or omit from your wedding day, and that's OK. These worksheets and planning pages can help you figure all that out.

There are a lot of details that can get glossed over because they aren't as fun as others, but it's up to you to prioritize what gets your attention so that forgotten tasks don't sneak up on you later and stress you out.

The "Design Your Dream Wedding" Planner is available to help you put an end to the overwhelm! And you can now get it for only 29.99. CLICK HERE TO BUY NOW!.

PLEASE NOTE: This is a downloadable PDF. You will not receive a physical product. 

Want to see a sneak peek before you buy the full kit?

You can immediately download the FREE 12-Month Wedding Planning Checklist (HERE) to help jump start your wedding planning process. It's my gift to you for subscribing to the Weekly Wander!

Wondering where to start with the planning process? 

This 49 page planner contains:

» 12-Month Wedding Planning Checklist with over 100 items [ FREE DOWNLOAD ]

      » 12 to 9 month wedding checklist with 35 items

      » 8 to 6 month wedding checklist with 21 items + 13 blank spaces

      » 5 to 4 month wedding checklist with 22 items + 13 blank spaces

      » 3 to 1 month wedding checklist with 21 items + 17 blank spaces

      » 1 week to go wedding checklist with 13 items + 31 blank spaces

» "Our Wedding Vision" Planning Guide + Worksheets

» Tips for Choosing Wedding Vendors

» 5 Ways to Jump Start Your Wedding Planning

» 7 Master Wedding Budget Worksheets

» Beautiful Wedding Photos to Inspire You

» Worksheets + Planners to Help Keep You on Track and Organized

     » Wedding Guest List

     » Wedding Party Planner

     » Wedding Attire Planner

     » Our Wedding Vendors List

     » Ceremony + Reception Planner

     » Ceremony Layout Page

     » Reception + Table Layout Page

     » Reception Seating Planner

     » Food & Drink Planner

     » Floral Planner

    » Decor Planner

    » Music Planner

   » Photo + Video Planner

   » Gift Log for Wedding / Showers / Bachelorette Party

   » Wedding Day Timeline Planners + Sample Timeline

   » Honeymoon Planner

   » Honeymoon Packing Planner

   » Wedding To-Do Planner - Blank

   » Daily, Weekly, and Monthly Planners

The "Design Your Dream Wedding" Planner is available to help make the wedding planning process less stressful and more awesome! Get it for only 29.99. CLICK HERE TO BUY NOW!.

Are you ready to START THE WEDDING PLANNING ADVENTURE?

The "Design Your Dream Wedding Planning Kit" is a road map that will help you throughout the wedding planning process so that you travel down the path of least resistance. If you can believe it, my wedding was planned in less than three weeks with a $1,000 budget for 75 guests!

Using my years of wedding photography experience, knowledge gained from planning our budget wedding, and my graphic design background, I wanted to create a helpful resource using beautiful imagery coupled with practical advice and easy-to-follow worksheets to streamline the process and make it less stressful and more awesome!

If you're not sure where to start with your wedding day planning or what to do next, this will be just what you're looking for! CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE.

DOWNLOAD 15 PAGES OF THE PLANNER NOW!

You can immediately download the FREE 12-Month Wedding Planning Checklist (HERE) to help jump start your wedding planning process. It's my gift to you for subscribing to the Weekly Wander! CLICK HERE TO BUY THE FULL PLANNER.

Know any friends or family that are getting married soon? Share this with them, they'll be glad you did!

Hi! My name is Jessica a.k.a. Wayfaring Wanderer and I reside in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains here in Boone, NC. I'm a free-spirited wedding, engagement, and lifestyle photographer who loves working with couples, families, and individuals who are committed to travel, adventure, and laid-back lifestyles. If you think we might be kindreds, I invite you to join the WW tribe by signing up [ HERE ] for weekly updates & get connected to the [ WW Facebook page ] to join the conversation! | Website www.wayfaringwanderer.com

10 Tips for First-Time Airbnb Renters

When we set off to go on adventures, Cody and I always look for unconventional places to sleep while we’re away from home. In the past, I’ve had experience using homeaway.com, hostels, campsites, and more to act as our temporary home base. While we’ve stayed many a nights in hotels and motels, it’s just not our favorite type of lodging when we have other options available.

I finally decided to give Airbnb a try for our Anniversary Adventure in Asheville, NC a couple weeks ago, and I learned a few tips and tricks for using Airbnb that I'll definitely keep in mind the next time we use the website to book cheap accommodations. I was thinking that my fellow adventurers would find these tips useful just in case you’d like to give it a whirl for your next getaway!

1. IT’S NOT A HOTEL - You’re paying for a place to stay, yes, but you’re also paying for an experience. Don't expect the same amenities. Pay close attention when reading the entire description of the listing to see exactly what the host is and isn’t offering. If you have a list of must-haves it’s up to you to ensure you’ll get exactly what you want.

2. DON’T ASSUME - Be sure to ask questions beforehand to avoid disappointment.Think about what you will need while you're away from home and make sure to inquire with the hosts to see if they can accommodate your needs. If not, you can make other arrangements (if possible) or choose another place to stay based on what suits you best.

3. SHOP CAREFULLY - Hunt with intention & use Airbnb’s filters to narrow down your lodging options based on what you’re looking for. Are the accommodations suitable for what you need? Is it an entire home that offers lots of privacy or is it a bedroom or an apartment attached to the hosts home? Maybe having your own space is important and then again, maybe it’s not. When you know what you’re looking for you have a better chance of finding exactly what you want!

4. KNOW THE RULES - Check the “house rules” in the description of the listing to see what the hosts expect of the guests that stay. Not all hosts have the same “house rules” so make sure you’re informed. Cancellation policy is a biggie to take notice of just in case your plans need to remain flexible.

5. BE OPEN MINDED - Staying in a private residence whether it’s lived in or used exclusively for rentals is a lot different than being in a bed and breakfast, hotel, lodge, etc. so embrace the experience even if it’s not exactly as you envisioned it. Get friendly with the hosts (if they are available) because they will, undoubtedly, have the inside scoop on the best places to eat & drink or popular things to do while you’re in town.

6. BE YOU - At Airbnb they attempt to create more transparency by connecting hosts with renters through an online profile that helps you get to know one another. This ensures that you will be a good fit for the property and vice versa. Be aware: Your hosts leave reviews just like you do, so mind your manners if you want to get 5 gold stars for being a good tenant! This will directly affect whether future hosts will accept you as a guest at their property.

7. THE FEES - In some instances, hosts charge a cleaning fee & a security deposit on top of the nightly/weekly rate. The one we stayed at had neither so you could get lucky there. The deposit is refundable, of course, as long as you leave the place intact and undamaged. Airbnb has a great policy regarding this process so don’t think that a host can claim damages without proper proof. Airbnb also charges a “service fee” to handle and monitor the transaction between parties. Keep this in mind when you are looking for the best deal and calculating rates.

8. READ REVIEWS - Don’t skip this part because it’s where you’ll find honest feedback about the property & hosts. This is a tricky tip, though, because you’ll need to trust your instincts.

9. COMMUNICATE W/ THE HOST - Contact them to ask any questions prior to putting in a request to book. Not all Airbnb listings will allow you to book immediately, so keep this in mind if you’re making last-minute arrangements. Hosts will, oftentimes, need to approve your stay before you can actually reserve the room or home.

10. WATCH YOUR EMAIL - This is where your communication will end up when you message the host, request to book, or reserve your stay. It’s also where you’ll receive your “Reservation Itinerary” after booking that will include all of the pertinent details about your stay in one place that can be printed for quick reference.

11. BONUS TIP:  RATE YOUR STAY - Leave a quick but thoughtful review because the hosts rely on feedback to continue booking their listing(s). As a renter, it’s also really useful to read reviews that were left by others, so think about taking a moment to leave feedback after you return home.

Do you have any tips for using Airbnb based on your past experience? Or have you thought about using the site to book lodging? I'd love to hear from you in the comments!

Hi! My name is Jessica a.k.a. Wayfaring Wanderer and I reside in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains here in Boone, NC. I'm a free-spirited wedding, engagement, and lifestyle photographer who loves working with couples, families, and individuals who are committed to travel, adventure, and laid-back lifestyles. If you think we might be kindreds, I invite you to join the WW tribe by signing up [ HERE ] for weekly updates & get connected to the [ WW Facebook page ] to join the conversation! | Website www.wayfaringwanderer.com

Blue Ridge Mountain Engagement Photo Adventure on Tanawha Trail

The majesty of the Blue Ridge Mountains captivate a lot of people and these two are no exception. Jess and Mike are both transplants that found their way to the High Country—and haven't wanted to leave—like so many other folks in this region that permanently relocate. This is where they've been building their lives together and it's where they plan to remain for many more years.

It made perfect sense to select an engagement photo location that highlights what they love about living here. Jess and Mike don't have as much time to go on adventures as often as they would like because their home and work lives are so full, which is why we revisited one of their favorite hiking spots to photograph their engagement pictures while also enjoying the second day of summer.

The location for the engagement session that they chose was a section of the Tanawha Trail that's in Foscoe, about a 30 minute drive from the Boone, NC area. After making my way up a windy gravel road, I reached the parking area at the trail head. You used to park on the side of the road but now there's a whole area available that can accommodate a handful of vehicles, it's a great improvement!

As I waited for Jess and Mike to arrive, I chatted up sweat-drenched, red-faced hikers catching their breath in the parking lot. It happened to be one of the hottest days we've had so far here in the mountains, but it still beats being in Florida! A hot summer day in the Blue Ridge Mountains is far different from the sweltering heat experienced further south. They're deal with triple digits down there while we're protesting temperatures that climb to the high 80's! (Mountain folk are spoiled.)

These two enjoy the simple things in life and they share a deep passion for food. Whether they're growing it, cooking it, or eating it, it's an important of Jess and Mike's relationship. When they aren't working at Artisnal—a beautiful, upscale restaurant with five-star food in Banner, Elk—getting their hands dirty in their home garden and greenhouse with their three dogs running around the yard is how they like to spend their downtime.

For the first part of our session, I took them through the hardwood forest so we would have some shade until the sun went down a little more. After hiking for a bit we broke out of the woods into a sun-soaked pasture where the couple cuddled with a blanket of delicate wild daisies surrounding them.

We navigated all of natures wonders with a deep sense of gratitude. I really appreciated the fact that these two didn't mind the bugs swirling around them or the brambles we trekked through or the cow pattie landmines waiting to be squashed under our footsteps. Jess + Mike are a daring pair and they're always up for having an adventure! Definitely my kind of peeps!

It was a lot of fun observing and capturing the playful dynamic they have with one another. The joy they emanate was evident a mile away. I'm so glad we were finally able to get their engagement pictures done because the weather wasn't cooperating with us at first. It was a blast getting to know these two kindred spirits and I am so looking forward to photographing their wedding this August at Camp Sky Ranch.

CONGRATULATIONS to Jess + Mike on your engagement and upcoming marriage! I know you two will have epic adventures, and I hope that your relationship and connection will grow stronger as you continue this journey together! Thank you so much for choosing me to capture your adventurous engagement photos on the Tanawha Trail. I hope you enjoy this sneak peek while I finish up your full gallery.

Are you newly engaged or in the process of planning a wedding? Download a FREE copy of the 12-Month Wedding Planning Checklist to jump start your planning!

It's a free gift when you sign up for weekly emails from me (your adventurous ally). If you are already part of the tribe and subscribed to the Weekly Wander, you should have already received a download link in a previous newsletter. Let me know if you didn't receive it!

Hi! My name is Jessica a.k.a. Wayfaring Wanderer and I reside in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains here in Boone, NC. I'm a free-spirited wedding, engagement, and lifestyle photographer who loves working with couples, families, and individuals who are committed to travel, adventure, and laid-back lifestyles. If you think we might be kindreds, I invite you to join the WW tribe by signing up [ HERE ] for weekly updates & get connected to the [ WW Facebook page ] to join the conversation! | Website www.wayfaringwanderer.com

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