Engaged? Now What…?

He just asked you that question you have dying for him to ask you, but now what do you do? Of course start planning every little detail but we know that can be very overwhelming and might have you confused on where to begin? Here are the first 8 things you should do first after you get engaged.

 

Enjoy this moment and share the news with your family and friends! Something that couples can forget to to do is take time for themselves. Jumping right into wedding planning is tempting and exciting but slow down a little and really reflect of this moment and celebrate together and with your close friends and family. This could also be the perfect opportunity to create some healthy habits as a couple, maybe do pre-marital counseling, and keep dating each other!

Set a budget and create a wedding email and website. Setting a budget from the very beginning is an important first step for your upcoming wedding! Setting a budget will assist you in your decision making from the beginning to the end. With that, determine what are the most important aspects of your day. Is it about the party at the end of the night so you are going to make that a big portion of your budget. Maybe the overall atmosphere and feel of the venue helps make it an easy decision to spend a little more on the venue. It could even be the photography that you will have for years and years after you wedding day and the sentimental value really determines your choice to invest. When you start reaching out to vendors for your wedding, a wedding email and website is something to consider, not only to have all the information in one place and to keep you organized, but to also share important information with your guests.

TIP: Start a wedding savings account just incase something comes up later on such as adding a second photographer or forgot about a detail you want to include.

 

Choose a planner! Planners bring so much to you wedding day and the planning process. They are a great resource when it comes to recommending vendors, bring your vision to life and also orchestrating the day of as an organizer and point of contact. Planners can also be a really big stress reliever and one way I have seen this play out is on the wedding day. It is inevitable that something will not go as planned on the day of your wedding. Planners can usually come up with a solution without you even knowing something was wrong!

Choose a wedding theme and or color(s). Planners are a great resource for assisting you with the over all theme, feel or focus of your wedding day. Think about what you want your wedding day to feel like for you and your significant other along with what you want your guests experience to be.

 

Pick a venue and a date. Making these two big decisions go hand in hand and here is why. If you choose a date first your venue may or may not have that date available. If you choose the venue first you are at the mercy of their availability during the time of year you desire to get married. To make this process easier, try choosing a season or month you would like to get married  and see what openings the venue has available within that time.

Decide on your wedding party and draft a guest list. When you begin writing out all your friends and family that you would like to invite to your wedding, you may be surprised at the number of guests you want to attend. Going back to the budget conversation, the more guest you have, the more expensive your wedding day will be. Catering a wedding is a big ticket item especially if you are having a sit down plated dinner. You also have to consider wedding favors and thank you cards you will be sending out. You will also want to ask your venue how many guests they can accommodate.

 

Say “Yes” to the dress. One of the most exciting and desired parts of wedding planning is dress shopping. Consider what will flatter your figure, keep your budget in mind and what details do you love in a wedding dress? With these in mind, I recommend going to about three bridal boutiques so you get to see a variety of dresses and see what options are out there. Why is this one of the first things I recommend you do soon after you get engaged? You will need time to order your dress and have enough time for any alterations you may need. Plus it’s just exciting and fun!

 

Choose a photographer and set a date for engagement photos. Another vendor that books out quickly are wedding photographers. Many wedding photographers include an engagement session into their wedding collections or offer engagement sessions separately. Once you choose a photographer, consider these few points before choosing a date for your engagement photos. What time of year or season do you want to have engagement photos taken and also when do you need to send out save the dates to your guests.

There are numerous components when it comes to planning a wedding but I hope these 8 steps give you a good start! Remember to take in each moment of the wedding planning process and enjoy each step. This is a once in a life time experience so do not rush and remember it’s about the marriage not the wedding!