Your big moment has arrived! You are officially engaged! It’s incredibly exhilarating as you share the news with friends and family, and you imagine your future together. It is certainly a joyful time, and soon, your thoughts will turn to planning your wedding. What time of year? Where will it be held? Large or intimate? The bridal party, the flowers, the music; there are so many details to think about.
You’re engaged! Now what do you do?
While wedding planning can be an overwhelming process for many, the professionals at JRE are here to help. This article will outline some of the primary steps on what to do after getting engaged. Also, how to best strategize and pace your efforts so that you can enjoy every step along the way!
Step One: Begin Thinking About your Guest List
The size of your guest list will be a guiding beacon from which all of your subsequent wedding decisions will follow. It’s impossible to make informed choices about the wedding date, venue, and budget without having the approximate number of guests determined. While this may feel like you are limiting yourself from the start, narrowing your options down is a GOOD thing.
If you envision a large wedding, you’ll want to be mindful of COVID restrictions and when they are likely to be lifted for large gatherings. A more intimate or micro wedding can occur at any time, but you may look to warmer weather if your preference is for an outdoor event.
Once you determine your guest list, your parameters are set for making your next wedding planning decisions.
Step Two: Discuss the Budget
Wedding budgets are unique to each couple depending on any number of factors. Starting with a clear understanding of your budget will help guide the many decisions you will face. You’ll find that costs will vary significantly whether you are planning an elaborate micro wedding in Boston or a more casual but full-service wedding for several hundred people on the North Shore.
Many couples struggle with budgeting, whether determining how much to spend in total or how to prioritize the money they have. What is the appropriate amount to spend on catering, on music, on florals, even on a wedding gown? This is where an experienced professional wedding planner can help, giving you confidence that your dream wedding is possible within the budget you have determined and that you are spending your money wisely.
Do You Love Learning About Wedding Traditions? Read Our Blog! Something Borrowed Something Blue: The Origin of Your Favorite Wedding Traditions
Step Three: Envision your Wedding, Together
Now that the size of your guest list and budget have been determined, you and your partner can start having some real creative fun! When you close your eyes, what do you envision as your perfect wedding day? What sights, sounds, and smells do you imagine? How do you picture your guests? What themes and colors inspire you and represent the qualities that are uniquely you as a couple?
Once these questions have been collectively answered, you can begin piecing the scene together. You’ll be able to visit venues and hotels, determine whether your wedding would be better suited for indoors or outdoors, and envision what the big day will feel like for both of you.
Step Four: Choose the Season/Date
Undoubtedly, when you first think to yourself, “I’m engaged! Now what?” a flurry of images come to mind. The possibilities, details, scenarios, and what-ifs seem endless. When it all settles down, most brides-to-be are left with a sizeable lingering question, “When will this wedding day happen!?”
Choosing the season is the first consideration when juggling wedding dates. Do you want to be married with the backdrop of a warm hazy August afternoon by the shore? Or, would you prefer the fall foliage of early October setting the stage? Is the seasonal setting absolutely critical, or are you willing to make some concessions if you gain some value from the venue or location? Discuss with your partner in advance how flexible you can be. Some of the most stunning weddings we have planned have taken place at less traditional times of the year.
Step Five: Embrace the Process!
We understand how stressful it can be to know what to do after getting engaged. But you’re not alone! Your friends, your family, and your partner are there to help you take it step-by-step and enjoy the process!
If you need help, wedding professionals like wedding event planners, intimate wedding planners, and wedding coordinators are at your disposal to help you sort out all of the details, from beginning to end.
You’re engaged to the love of your life! It’s a wonderful feeling! Don’t let the stress of wedding planning interfere with this joyful time of your life.
If you have any questions about post-engagement planning, please reach out to us. We’d love to hear from you!
