Just Got Engaged? The 6 Things You Need to Do First
After calling to let everyone know the big news and celebrating your engagement, it’s time to dive in the planning process! Things are getting so real that you’re planning your dream wedding, and the best part: you’re doing this together! While the excitement is there, here are 6 things to get you started with wedding planning:
1. Set a Budget: Prior to making any wedding decisions, you need to figure out the numbers because they will affect every decision about how you plan your wedding. Either you’re doing it on your own or with family’s help, get this done first so you can move forward to other wedding planning.
2. Set a Potential Wedding Date: “when’s the wedding?” is probably the most asked question, so having a potential date(s) in mind can save you lots of stress. It doesn’t have to be the exact yet but at least you have a direction to go for.
3. Find a Venue: The location will dictate a lot about the wedding theme and mood. Is it a sunny day on a beach or an intimate ceremony in the woods? As soon as you have a rough budget and some dates in mind, start researching for your dream venues because you can’t lock a date until you’ve booked a venue. Already have a vision of where you’re getting married? Book a tour asap!
4. Draft Your Guest List: Whether you’re going big or keeping it small, it’s never too soon for this. And it’s important that you both are on the same page about this. I’ve had insights from married couples that it’s not about a bigger group, it’s about the people who are truly there for you, and those who have been supporting you since day one. Also keep in mind that including more guests means higher prices because catering costs are generally per-head basis.
5. Consider a Wedding Planner or Coordinator: Having a wedding planner from the get-go or a day-of wedding coordinator can take lots of stress out of your shoulders. They will make sure everything runs smoothly on your big day, and might also have a list of vendors that you’re looking for. It’s always helpful to have an experienced one there so you can fully enjoy the day.
6. Book Priority Wedding Vendors: Whether it’s lavish decors, top-notch catering, or timeless wedding photos, figure out your wedding priorities and reach out asap because these wedding vendors are booked pretty far in advance. Also booking early will take advantage of their current pricing. Once you nail down the major vendors, everything else will naturally fall in place.
There you have it. I hope these 6 things will get things going. It can be stressful sometimes, don’t forget to take a step back and enjoy some down time with each! I have married couples saying that they really missed the planning process and all the excitement it built up. So, just enjoy it because marriage is such a wonderful blessing!
Happy planning!