I’m Engaged, Now What?
Congratulations on your engagement! This may be quite surreal or be something that you have been waiting for. Getting engaged is such a big milestone in any relationship. The days and weeks following your proposal are guaranteed to be a bit of a whirlwind.
There’s lots to do, so many people to contact and lots to start organizing. Before you start to stress, don’t worry as you’re in the right place and I’m here to help. From wedding Pinterest boards, to wedding magazines and searching for the perfect venue, planning a wedding is a timely process and one that is usually a big undertaking. You don’t need to start making every decision the second you say ‘yes’ to your significant other.
You may be wondering where to begin as you start to think about planning your big day. Here are the top five things engaged couples should do first.
1 - Share the news!
One of the first steps after you’re engaged is to share your happy news. Take as much, or as little time as you’d like! Some couples want to tell everyone as soon as possible and have the Instagram announcement posted right away while others may like to keep it a secret to be enjoyed only by a few close friends and family for a little longer. When you are ready to tell the world, make sure you’ve told immediate family and friends before posting to social media. Once your immediate family and closest friends are in on the news – you can go public and change your relationship status on Facebook. If you are planning on posting a ring selfie be sure to get a manicure or at least make sure your nails are cleaned and shaped – you don’t want anything to distract from that gorgeous ring!
2 - Enjoy being engaged.
Round up some of your best friends and family and go out for a celebratory drink or meal. You could also have a special date night with your fiancé if that’s more your style. You’re engaged, and it’s definitely worth celebrating. Once you have shared the news of your engagement you can now take as long as you’d like to just enjoy the experience with your fiancé. Relax, don’t jump straight into planning and just enjoy this new relationship status for a little while. You may decide to have a party or arrange an engagement photo shoot to mark the occasion. If you are planning on having a shorter engagement or you just want to get straight into the planning then you won’t want to delay the planning for too long – do whatever feels right for the two of you.
3 - Have an open discussion with your partner about key wedding planning decisions.
When you are ready to start the planning process, the first step is to sit down as a couple and have a conversation about three key wedding planning topics. First, establish who is involved in the decision-making process. Throughout the wedding planning journey, you will be faced with countless decisions. Where will the wedding take place? How many people will be invited? What is the overall vibe of the day? As you begin to think of all the initial considerations, you’ll also want to establish your overall budget. Talk with any key stakeholders to gather the information needed to set your maximum wedding budget. Knowing your budget is crucial to booking your wedding vendors. Lastly, talk with your fiancé about each of your top priorities for your wedding day. Perhaps your top priorities are the food or maybe it’s having a live band. No matter what, it’s important to keep in mind each of your must-haves as you begin to work through your budget and plan your wedding day.
4 - Hire a wedding planner.
Your wedding day is one of the most important days of your life and you should be able to enjoy it! Like your engagement, your wedding day happens once, and it will be over in the blink of an eye! So why not hire someone who will allow the planning process to be stress free and enjoyable? A wedding planner guides you in the decision-making process based on your priorities and budget. Planners help you mediate between different opinions throughout the process. Plus, they allow you to enjoy the days leading up to your wedding and be fully present on your wedding day!
5 - Determine your VIPs and ensure they can attend on your ideal wedding date at your preferred location.
Another important thing to do after getting engaged is to determine your VIPs - your loved ones you can’t imagine your wedding day without. Check with them to ensure they can attend on your ideal wedding date at your preferred location! Being transparent with your inner circle is a great step towards ensuring they’re all able to make it to your wedding day.
All in all, enjoy this amazing time of being engaged! Wedding planning tasks can quickly pick up, but I encourage you to take a step back and a moment to breathe before diving in too deeply. Booking a wedding planner will save you time and stress when getting started, so reach out if you’d like to work together to plan your dream wedding day! You can also check out my Full Planning package to see how I can help!