Congrats on your engagement! After you exclaim “YES,” the whirlwind of wedding planning begins! You will cross hundreds of items off your checklist in the following months, but here’s what you need to do right after you get engaged:
Celebrate!
Getting engaged is a HUGE milestone in you and your fiance’s lives – take a moment to yourselves and truly savor it! Even if it’s as simple as popping a bottle of champagne and rehashing the nerves and excitement of the perfect moment.
Share the love
Decide on how you’re going to announce your engagement to your friends and fam. In this day and age, it’s so easy to quickly post to Facebook and let your entire network know, but proper etiquette is to announce to your family and friends first. Call, Facetime and spread the joy!
Get That Ring Insured
Slightly less fun than popping champagne but WAY more important – call your insurance agent and discuss coverage! They’ll be able to explain what will happen if your gem is ever damaged, lost or stolen. Protect that beauty at all costs!
Envision The Big Picture
Date, location, color palette – all of these decisions will follow, but what’s your ultimate idea of your wedding? Is it an intimate destination wedding or a large, casual backyard bash? Discuss the top 3 things you and your fiancé envision for your wedding and go from there!
Set a Budget
Once you’ve got those key details figured out, go ahead and set the budget with your fiancé and contributing family members. It’s so important to come to an agreement on this before you start purchasing items!
Venue Hunting
Selected a theme? Check! Set the budget? Check! Next up: finding that perfect venue! Venues book up incredibly quickly, so don’t wait too long to start reaching out to venue coordinators and asking for available dates.
Consider the Guest List
Once you have a few key venues in mind, reference the maximum guest count. From there, draft up your guest list. Start with your closest family members and friends, then move on to extended acquaintances. Don’t go bankrupt trying to include everyone you’ve ever met! Having a hard time deciding on someone? Our golden rule: if you would invite them over for dinner, invite them to your wedding. If dinner would be awkward or they wouldn’t attend, allow them to admire your big day from afar – like, a few months later. On Facebook.
Hire Some Help
You might want a professional to help you with every little detail of your big day – or, you may want someone to make sure things run smoothly on the actual wedding day; regardless, hiring a wedding planner is a HUGE help! Reach out to a few local planners and gather their prices as well as planning processes to help you choose.
Say Yes to the Dress
Our FAVORITE part! Once your theme/color palette and budget is set, request an appointment. Go into your appointment with an idea of what type of silhouettes, fabrics and styles you love, but also be open minded! Your bridal stylist will help you find the perfect gown. Oh – and be sure to pack accordingly!
Stay calm, enjoy the moment and soak up the celebration. Congrats – from the Pretty Happy Love team!
Originally written and posted by Essence of Australia.
