They say everything is bigger in Texas. And there is more than one Texas bride who has decided to apply this principle to her wedding. The fact is that if you want to have a grand wedding there is no better place than Texas. The outdoor locations and historic buildings available in the state of Texas are fantastic. That said, Texas isn’t just good for gigantic weddings. It’s a great place to have a smaller ceremony too. If you prefer something a little more intimate or casual, then you will find plenty of venues in Texas to fit your needs.
The single most important tip that many couples tend to forget is to remember to get a marriage license. They are typically issued by the county clerk in the county you’re getting married in. You can find the local office that is responsible for issuing and filing licenses at this Texas marriage records page. The person officiating the wedding will usually make sure that the marriage license is available on the day of the ceremony but sometimes this important detail can slip through the cracks.
The second most important thing to remember is to start planning as early as possible. A lot of people live in Texas so this can make getting certain venues during peak wedding season challenging. Try to lock down a venue for the ceremony and the reception first. Next, line up a caterer. Once those are reserved you will want to focus on making sure the person you want to officiate is available on the day of the wedding. Those are the biggies that you should put your energy into as soon as possible. The other details are important but they are much easier to manage from a scheduling standpoint.
Another piece of advice is to make sure you explore a broad range of wedding vendors. We’ve compiled a great list of wedding vendors in Texas to get you started, but we strongly suggest you explore multiple providers for each service. It’s a lot of fun to sample different wedding cakes made by local bakeries and check out the various options for gowns, flowers and photographers. But the big reason to try a lot of vendors is the amount you will save. Wedding services are expensive and there is typically a lot of room for negotiation. If you pit multiple service providers against each other you can save a lot of money while getting the service you like best. It pays to shop around.
Lastly, remember to breathe. Planning a wedding can be extremely stressful. Try to remember that it’s supposed to be fun for you and your spouse to be too.