First Six Steps to Take After Getting Engaged

Congratulations! As the excitement of your engagement picks up full steam, it’s time to consider things like venues, caterers, cake flavors and décor.  There are many moving pieces with wedding planning, but start off on the right foot with these first 6 steps to take after getting engaged.

1 Announce it!

Of course you’ll want to tell everyone your life-changing news, especially the fun details like when it happened and where, how the question was asked and, naturally, loved ones will gush over the ring as well. If you want to throw an engagement party to celebrate the occasion, start now!

2 Pick a date or two or three…

The most desirable wedding dates can often be booked far in advance, sometimes a year out! Once you get engaged, start thinking about when you want to get married. If you have a very specific date in mind, you’ll want to begin your venue search soon to ensure it’s available. Once you narrow down the time frame, decide on a few dates so when you visit venues if one date it booked, you have a back up to choose from.

3 Create a guest list.

As much as every couple hopes, it can be hard to invite everyone you know to celebrate your wedding. In most cases, budgets are a large constraint. It’s important to take time to draft a preliminary guest list before visiting venues and speaking with caterers. One of the first questions that you’ll be asked is how many guests you expect.

4 Draft a budget.

Discussing financials is the least glamorous part of wedding planning, but it’s one of the most crucial. Other than determining who will pay for the wedding (like parents or the couple), it’s also a time to determine what are the most important parts of your wedding and where you intend to spend. Figuring out what you need in your wedding will help you allocate your money towards these items better during planning with your event specialist.

5 Fall in love with your venue.

Once you are able to start searching for a venue, the real fun will begin! One of the biggest checks on the planning to-do list will be finding a venue. After setting a budget and guest list, your options for venues will be narrowed down. Thinking of venue must-haves is the next element – such as whether or not you want an indoor or outdoor ceremony, if you need space on-site to get ready, and amenities like parking or linens.

6 Enjoy the engagement!

When you start wedding planning, remember to set some time aside for yourselves where you continue to do things you love. It’s easy to get wrapped up in the planning process to the point where it can consume your life, but as you make decisions about who to work with, rely on your professional vendor team to help guide you.