This summer, I am interning for an event planning and design company that specializes in weddings. I got a taste of what goes into a wedding when my sister got married, but I did not realize all that truly goes into it, which is months of coordinating with others to design and plan a day that will make the client happy.

Most girls have been planning their wedding day since they were little, not knowing the wedding planning process can be quite overwhelming. From guest counts to the dinner menu, it is a struggle to even know where to start. When the love of your life finally pops the question, that means it is time to start planning the day that is all about you and your fiancé. Here is a list of things to think of when coming up with a theme for your wedding.

1. What kind of theme do you want your wedding to be? Typical themes include modern, classic, romantic, vintage, glam and rustic.

2. What kind of vibe or tone do you want it to have? Do you want your wedding to be fancy or casual?

3. What are your favorite colors? Pick two or three of your favorite colors that are complimentary of each other or pick a few colors that are next to each other on the color wheel. These colors can help set the tone and keep the theme consistent.

4. Do you want a fall, winter, spring or summer wedding? Depending on the season, indoors or outdoors? If you and your fiancé cannot stand bugs and summer humidity, then don’t have a wedding outside. An indoor wedding has less maintenance.

5. Where do you want the ceremony and reception to be? Think about a meaningful location for the ceremony, whether you want to be married in a church, a park you and your fiancé used to spend a lot of time at, or a restaurant you both love.

6. Create a virtual or physical idea board. Collect inspiration from various sources, such as Pinterest, wedding magazines, blogs or books. This will help you create a theme and find elements you may want to use or draw inspiration from.

7. What sort of hobbies or interests do you and your fiancé have together? Keep these things in mind when crafting the elements for your wedding so it can best represent you and your fiancé.

8. Create a unifying element. You can do this with a motif, which is a symbol, logo, or could even be a flower. It can be seen in various places at your wedding, but not an overwhelming amount.

9. Finally, keep the cost in mind, but don’t feel limited or intimidated about how much everything is going to cost. There are inexpensive ways to make almost everything happen.

At the end of the day, go with what feels right to you. Your personality and passion should ring throughout. Although the planning process may seem long and arduous, the day is about you and your fiancé — nothing else matters.