You’re newly engaged and ready to dive into wedding planning—until you realize you and your partner have very different visions. Maybe one of you is dreaming of a black-tie affair while the other wants food trucks and a backyard vibe. Or maybe you’re not even sure what your style is, but you know you’re not quite aligned. When your wedding day wish lists start to clash, it’s easy to feel stuck, overwhelmed, or worried you won’t land on something that feels like “you.” That’s where the right wedding planning tips come in.
As an Austin wedding planner, I’ve worked with dozens of couples who didn’t see eye to eye on every detail from the start. It’s more common than you think—and it doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong. My job is to help you feel supported, make confident decisions, and create a day that honors your relationship.
If you’re navigating different wedding styles, don’t stress. In this post, I’m sharing my best wedding planning tips to help you find your shared vision. From identifying what matters most to dividing responsibilities in a way that feels fair, you’ll walk away with tools to bring both your ideas together—without compromising what makes you both feel excited.
Start with What Matters Most (What Kind of Experience Do You Want)
Before you talk about colors or venues, take a step back and talk about the kind of experience you want. Forget the visuals for a moment. Ask each other: How do we want our wedding to feel? Do you want something laid-back and intimate? A high-energy celebration? A weekend-long event with all your favorite people?
When couples focus too early on what the wedding should look like, they can miss the deeper conversation about why they’re doing it in the first place. Starting with the vibe or emotional tone helps you anchor your decisions in shared values—not surface-level preferences.
Maybe one of you wants a formal affair and the other wants tacos and yard games. Those can feel like total opposites. But, if you both want guests to feel relaxed and connected, that’s a shared value you can build on.
This approach also makes every other decision easier. When you’re clear on what kind of experience you’re creating, it’s easier to say yes to ideas that support that and no to the ones that don’t.
Share Your “Dream Day” Vision Separately—Then Compare Notes
Once you’ve talked about how you want your wedding to feel, take some time to dream individually. Write out or voice note your version of the perfect wedding day—without worrying about what your partner will think. Don’t hold back! Include the moments, traditions, foods, or design ideas you’d love to see.
When you’re both finished, sit down and share your notes. This exercise isn’t about agreeing right away—it’s about listening, getting curious, and understanding where your partner is coming from.
You might be surprised by how much you align, even if the aesthetics are different. Maybe one of you dreams of a mountaintop ceremony while the other imagines an urban rooftop party. What do those both have in common? A love for epic views and an open-air feel.
The goal here isn’t to combine every idea into one chaotic wedding. It’s to notice shared priorities and get clarity on what matters most to each of you. From there, you can start building a day that blends both visions in a way that feels intentional and true to you both.
Identify Where You Can Blend
Now that you’ve shared your individual dream day visions, it’s time to find your middle ground. This step is where the real collaboration happens—and where your wedding starts to take shape as a true reflection of both of you.
Look for themes or values that show up in both of your ideas. Maybe you both want a relaxed vibe, even if one of you leans toward a beach setting and the other prefers a backyard celebration. Or maybe you both care about food and music more than flowers and decor. These shared priorities are gold.
From there, consider where your styles can complement each other. A boho-inspired ceremony with a sleek, modern reception? Absolutely. Classic attire paired with a fun, colorful cake? Why not?
One of the most helpful wedding planning tips I can offer is this: You don’t have to agree on everything—you just need to find a flow that feels right for you both. Blending styles is often where the magic happens, because that’s where your personalities really start to shine.
When done well, a blended wedding design doesn’t feel like a compromise—it feels intentional, thoughtful, and completely unique to your love story.
Let Each of You Own a Piece
Here’s one of my favorite wedding planning tips—when your styles are totally different, try giving each person full creative control over one part of the day.
Maybe one of you plans the music and entertainment, while the other curates the food and drink experience. Or one of you handles ceremony aesthetics, while the other brings the reception vision to life. You’d be surprised how freeing it can feel to say, “I trust you—run with it.”
This doesn’t mean abandoning the shared vision. You’re still working within the same framework and values. But giving each person space to be fully seen and heard creates a deeper sense of ownership and excitement about the day.
Plus, your guests will notice and appreciate the range of personal details. Your wedding should feel personal and layered—less Pinterest board, more like something only the two of you could create.
You’re a team, and your wedding should reflect that. By owning each piece, you both get to contribute ceratively and meaningfully to the day.
Bring in a Planner Who Can Translate Both Styles
Sometimes, the best way to bridge differing visions is to bring in a third party with a fresh perspective. A wedding planner can help you step back from the details, find common ground, and turn both ideas into one cohesive vision.
An experienced planner won’t take sides. Instead, they help you understand each other’s priorities and merge your styles with intention. From vendor referrals to timeline planning and design, their job is to make the process easier for both of you.
If you’re planning a wedding in Austin, that’s where I come in. I specialize in helping couples blend their personalities, aesthetics, and values into events that feel effortless and unique. I’ll work behind the scenes to ease tension, balance ideas, and create a day that feels like you—not a compromise.
Because the best weddings aren’t perfectly matched. They’re layered with meaning, full of heart, and rooted in what matters most.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to wedding planning tips, the most important one might just be this: your wedding should reflect both of you. It’s totally normal to have different ideas at the start—but with honest conversations, a little creativity, and the right support, you can build something even more beautiful than you imagined.
Whether you’re blending bold color palettes with timeless style or mixing a backyard vibe with a modern venue, there’s no “wrong” way to plan your day. What matters most is that it feels authentic, balanced, and joy-filled from beginning to end.
As an Austin wedding planner, I love helping couples navigate these conversations and bring their shared vision to life—without the stress. If you’re ready to create a wedding that celebrates both of your styles (and personalities), reach out here and let’s make it happen.
And for more inspiration, behind-the-scenes planning tips, and a peek at real weddings I’ve helped bring to life, come hang with me on Instagram.
Let’s make wedding planning feel a little less overwhelming—and a whole lot more you.
