How to start wedding planning when recently engaged
Just Got Engaged? What to do now.
First up, Congrats!
“Are you newly engaged? Mixed with your excitement you may feel a bit overwhelmed about what to do next. Don’ts stress, I’ll give you the first ‘just got hitched’ steps you need to know.”
Engagements last up to eighteen months on average.
The average engagement length is between twelve to eighteen months which is tons of time, don’t worry, you’ve got this.
Wedding planning is done in an order that naturally flows one after the other. It’s not expected to be done all at once.
Eight things you need to do first.
Enjoy the moment of being newly engaged.
Before you jump into expos, spreadsheets and extra hours on Insta, remember to celebrate this amazing moment together and with your mates.
This moment is just as special as your wedding, so enjoy the exhilarating feeling of love-drunkness after your partner popped the question and you said “hell yes!”.
Make your announcements to family first and then all those amazing special friends.
Hold off announcing on Instagram until you have shared this big life moment with your mum. Family comes first, so give them a call or even better pop around. Your parents are going to love this and be so excited.
Next up start letting your besties know your news, the ones that you’d love to be in your bridal party.
Then you can post a “we are engaged!!” social media post and await all of the awesome likes and comments.
Ring shopping & please insure it!
If your fiancé gave you your engagement ring and it’s a perfect fit then wow! Amazing work mate. If not, it’s cool, just get down to the jeweller and have it resized. If it’s loose please down’t risk loosing it, better to wait till it’s perfect and you can start flashing it about.
Insurance is a fantastic option to give you that peace of mind if something drastic did happen.
Engagement party planning.
This is a great time to team up with your mates to plan your engagement party. They may already be dead certs for your bridal party or they may be in the not sure basket. At least by planning your engagement together you will soon see who is buzzing about it and wanting to help.
Choosing your wedding date.
Don’t feel pressured to rush into choosing you wedding date. The moment that ring slides on your finger you could choose a date in a year or five years time ion that suits you.
Everyone will ask “have you picked a date yet?” just after saying congrats! That’s just the thing you say, so don’t feel stressed by not knowing yet.
You may want to get it all happening soon and set a one year from now date or you may prefer a couple of years to get sorted.
One thing to consider is choosing a Friday wedding that falls on a long weekend, this is awesome if you have guests that have travelled far and wide to be at your wedding. It gives you longer to celebrate together.
Wedding inspiration is everywhere!
Everyone loves shopping and who doesn't love planning a big party. You can start gathering ideas and wedding inspo on social media. Follow people you like on Instagram and create a Pinterest so you can save anything you like. This will be like creating a style scrapbook.
Check out Wedding Fairs and Blogs to get an idea of the popular styles and themes
The more ideas you consume the clearer your personal vision will become and by the time you need to start locking things in you will have a preferred never shortlist.
Choosing your wedding photographer.
I’d advise not reading what the photographer tells you their photos are and see for yourself. Now, if you want more natural wedding photos, not staged and awkward, have a look at the facial expressions. They will tell you all you need to know.
Who you choose will dramatically effect your experience on your wedding day. You need someone that is great at building a rapport with people so they are relaxed and comfortable around them.
This will dramatically effect the quality of the memories created, whether they are amazing moments captured or not.
Start by booking your wedding venue.
Once you have set your date and you have visited some of your preferred venues you can choose your favourite and secure your wedding date.
Mark the date on your calendars and you start booking things in. Once you have booked your venue the next on your list is your photographer. The best ones book early and they are worth their weight in gold because they decide the memories that you will have to live with or enjoy forever.