Wedding planning guide · 10 min read
The 12 Essential Wedding Planning Steps
A high-end wedding is built through decisions made in the right order. This guide turns the project into twelve clear phases, from the first brief to final closure.
The complete roadmap
01
A sequence, not a rigid calendar
The order of decisions matters more than a universal month-by-month rule. A destination wedding, a private villa, a chateau and a winter mountain celebration require different lead times.
Complete planning roadmap
Define the service scope before starting
Depending on the agreement, Mira Decor Studio may support full wedding planning or a selected scope centred on creative direction, floral scenography and decor production. Responsibilities must be written down before work begins.
18–24 months
Define the vision and priorities
Clarify what the wedding should feel like, which moments matter most, what is non-negotiable and who takes part in decisions. A precise brief prevents aesthetic, budget and family expectations from pulling in different directions.
Expected outcome
Shared project brief
Application in Paris
In Paris, the initial brief must align palace or private-mansion timing, international expectations and the desired level of discretion.
Explore this destination · Paris
18–22 months
Set the budget and decision framework
Build an overall envelope with reserves, payment dates and priority categories. Decide who validates expenditure and how scope changes are approved so later choices remain fast and traceable.
Expected outcome
Budget framework and approval rules
Application in Lyon
In Lyon, the budget framework helps arbitrate reception, gastronomy, floral design, transport and technical production without losing the project’s priorities.
Explore this destination · Lyon
16–20 months
Choose the format, destination and date
Compare one-day and multi-day formats, season, travel access, climate and guest availability. The destination and date must work together before the venue search becomes serious.
Expected outcome
Format and date shortlist
Application in Nice
In Nice, the format and date are assessed against high season, coastal light, heat, weather alternatives and access for travelling guests.
Explore this destination · Nice
14–18 months
Select and secure the venue
Assess capacity, rain plan, curfews, accommodation, catering rules, access, power and installation windows, not only photographs. The contract should reflect the real event format and technical needs.
Expected outcome
Signed venue and technical factsheet
Application in Provence
In Provence, venue selection verifies shade, heat, wind, sound limits, guest accommodation and a credible rain plan before signing.
Explore this destination · Provence
12–16 months
Build the core partner team
Prioritise the partners that define availability and structure: planning, photography, film, catering, music, technical production and creative direction. Compare scope, references, contracts and working method rather than price alone.
Expected outcome
Signed core team and responsibility map
Application in Cannes
In Cannes, the partner team must coordinate hotel access, peak-period availability, security rules and often narrow technical installation windows.
Explore this destination · Cannes
10–14 months
Create the artistic direction
Translate the couple’s story and venue into a palette, materials, typography, floral language, lighting and dress code. The objective is a system that guides every visual decision, not a collection of unrelated inspiration images.
Expected outcome
Approved creative direction
Application in Châteaux in France
In a French château, the artistic direction must respect heritage architecture, sightlines and authorised installations while creating a contemporary identity.
Explore this destination · Châteaux in France
8–12 months
Design the guest journey
Plan save-the-dates, invitations, accommodation, transport, welcome, multilingual information and accessibility. Guests should understand where to be, when and how, without the couple becoming the help desk.
Expected outcome
Guest communication and logistics plan
Application in Bordeaux
Around Bordeaux, the guest journey connects stations or airports, wine estates, accommodation and the sequence of a multi-day celebration.
Explore this destination · Bordeaux
6–10 months
Write the ceremony and reception sequence
Structure entrances, speeches, rituals, transitions, dinner pacing, first dance and evening moments. The sequence must respect emotion, service constraints, photography, music and the energy of guests.
Expected outcome
Validated experience sequence
Application in Saint-Tropez
In Saint-Tropez, the ceremony and reception sequence accounts for transfers, outdoor light, sound, heat and the transition into dinner and evening.
Explore this destination · Saint-Tropez5–8 months
Confirm hospitality, music and technical needs
Refine menus, drinks, seating logic, service level, sound, lighting, entertainment and power requirements. These decisions affect both the atmosphere and the floor plan, so they cannot be treated independently.
Expected outcome
Hospitality and technical programme
Application in Loire Valley
In the Loire Valley, hospitality and technical planning coordinate heritage spaces, dinner service, lighting, sound and guest comfort without burdening the venue.
Explore this destination · Loire Valley
3–6 months
Develop decor, flowers and production
Turn the artistic direction into plans, quantities, prototypes, sourcing, fabrication, floral recipes, lighting positions and installation schedules. Every creative choice must now have dimensions, ownership and a feasible execution method.
Expected outcome
Approved production file
Application in Megève
In Megève, decor and floral production anticipate cold, altitude, delivery access, storage, installation time and the behaviour of materials.
Explore this destination · Megève
1–3 months
Coordinate the final plan and contingencies
Consolidate all contacts, arrival times, deliveries, floor plans, guest list, dietary needs, weather decisions, emergency contacts and approval deadlines. One master document becomes the shared reference for every partner.
Expected outcome
Master schedule and contingency plan
Application in Courchevel
In Courchevel, the master plan includes snow, weather decisions, restricted delivery windows, guest transfers and a clearly assigned fallback scenario.
Explore this destination · Courchevel
Wedding week and after
Execute, coordinate and close
Confirm the venue, brief teams, supervise deliveries and installation, protect the couple from operational questions and manage transitions on the day. Afterwards, organise returns, final invoices, image permissions and a project review.
Expected outcome
Controlled wedding day and project closure
Application in Chamonix
In Chamonix, day-of coordination centralises mountain weather, site access, team movements, guest safety and post-event returns.
Explore this destination · Chamonix
Mira Decor Studio
Build your planning scope
Share the destination, estimated date, guest count and the support already in place. The first response can then distinguish full planning, creative direction and decor production.