Once you're engaged, the prospect of planning the perfect wedding can seem daunting. However, if you break down the initial planning phase into steps, you'll find the process much more manageable.

Step 1: Choose your wedding style.

Sitting down with your fiance and discussing the type of wedding you want is the first and most important step of planning a wedding. You need to exchange thoughts and ideas on the size of the wedding, the season in which it will take place, the level of formality, the time of day and any themes you may be interested in.

Step 2: Create the guest list.

It is vital that you know approximately how many guests you intend to host before you can begin thinking about a location for your wedding. Even if you've agreed that you want to "keep it small," you'd be shocked at how many names add up when you actually start putting them on paper - especially after both sets of parents have been consulted. It is helpful to set a target number and then enlist rules for trimming the list if you have a surplus. Limiting the list to immediate family and then branching out in layers - aunts, uncles, close friends, first cousins - is a fair way to bring the number down.

Step 3: Set a spending limit.

Most people think they need to create their entire wedding budget from the get-go; however, at this early stage you merely need to decide how much you're going to spend and worry about divvying up the money a little later. If you know what you have to work with, you can choose to put more money toward those areas of the wedding that are most important to you by assigning a percentage amount for each category.

Step 4: Select a wedding date.

If you've already settled on the time of year you want your wedding to take place, this task is much easier to accomplish. Choose two tentative dates, and check your local city guide to ensure there won't be any major events that day that could make it difficult to find guest accommodations or reliable vendors.

Step 5: Research locations.

Armed with your two tentative wedding dates, your guest count and your ideal wedding style, start researching locations that will fit your needs. You can view prospective ceremony and reception sites on the WeddingChannel.com local vendor directory, then start setting appointments to visit your favorites in person. You can also tap your friends and family for recommendations, and check the Weddingchannel.com message boards for suggestions from other brides. Locating a spot that is large enough for all your guests, works within your budget and is charming enough to make you want to marry there isn't easy, so if you find something that fits 80 percent of your requirements, book it. Most locations will allow you a courtesy two-week "pencil hold" while you make your final decision.