If you’re a happy couple who recently got engaged, congratulations! We’re sure you’re incredibly excited…and probably uncertain about where to start. We want to give you a head start on your planning, so here are five things you need to know right now:
- Share the big news! Contact all of your closest friends and relatives and let them know about your engagement. Tell as many people as possible before you purchase an announcement in the paper or post it on social media. It’s much more personal to reach out directly.
- Purchase or hire a planner. If you’re a DIY bride, you’ll benefit immensely from helpful self-planning tools like Susan Southerland’s Perfect Wedding Guide Wedding Planning Workbook, which will guide you through every step of the planning process. If you’re someone without a lot of time or would benefit from a professional’s guidance, you should consider hiring a wedding planner to work with you. We’d love to help you! Whichever option you choose, stay organized and on a timeline to avoid unnecessary stress.
- Set your budget. When you’re chatting with your family, it’s a good idea to find out who intends to contribute to the wedding and how much they can contribute. It’s critical to get your budget set as soon as possible so you know how much you can afford to spend on each service.
- Firm up your guest list. This might not instinctively be one of the first things you think to do when you start planning, but it absolutely should be. Pare the list down, keeping in mind that the less guests you have, the more your budget will stretch.
- Find a venue. You may think that setting the date should come before finding a venue, but that’s generally not the best route. Being flexible on your wedding date will help if you find the venue of your dreams and you can book your wedding based on its availability. You may also find that the venue offers discounts on certain days of the week or times of the day, so being flexible will allow you to take advantage of those deals.
Once you’ve finished these steps, your wedding date will be set and you’ll be on your way to finding the perfect wedding vendors to work with you on your big day! Enjoy this special time of being engaged. It’s the next step on the path of a very happy life together!
