3 things to do first after you get engaged

‘I’m getting married’! That must have been the full-hearted squeal you blurted out to your friends after you got engaged. Congratulations! Has it fully sunk in for you yet or do you still catch yourself taking glimpses at your engagement ring when you think no one is looking? I’m a big believer in enjoying the moment, so go ahead and enjoy getting engaged, bask in it. It’s such an exciting time, isn’t it? Then, when you are ready to start wedding planning, ease yourself gently into it (there’s no need to get engaged and then rush headlong into wedding planning in my book, take some time (but not too long!) to enjoy getting engaged.)

Once the excitement after you get engaged starts to ebb a bit, the thought sinks in that yes, you really are getting married and your thoughts start to turn to your wedding plans.  To decide on where to start with your plans can be a tough call as there are myriads of advice out there (both from your nearest and dearest to online forums) each with well-meaning advice on what to do now that you’re engaged. You’ve probably also started scouring online storyboards like Pinterest, Instagram and wedding blogs, for wedding inspiration that fits your style and before you know it, a casual browse on any of these platforms could turn into hours! (On the other hand, some folks do the opposite and shut down completely as it can all get a bit too overwhelming)

My top tip is to keep it simple and don’t overdo it. Get the basics right and everything else will flow from that, from your venue to your wedding design, stationery etc and so in the spirit of keeping it simple and getting the basics right, I have listed out the top 3 things to do first after you get engaged that will really help you to set the course of your wedding planning.

Here are 3 things to do after you get engaged.

Decide your guest numbers:

How many guests from both sides would you like to invite to your wedding? It’s important the two of you decide this upfront. You don’t need exact figures at this stage in your planning but a rough guide will be good to get you started. Deciding your guest numbers upfront helps you when it comes to finding your dream wedding venue as you will have an idea of the capacity you’re looking for.

Decide your wedding style:

What style of wedding do you want to have? Classic elegance or city chic? Traditional or modern contemporary? How do you want your day to feel? What kind of ambience do you want to create for you and your guests? What feelings do you want to evoke? What’s important to you as a couple? The answers to some of these questions will really help you to know the type of wedding you want and will come in especially useful when you start your venue search (e.g. you will start to look for country house wedding venues if you want more of a traditionally classic type of wedding). It will be a complete waste of your time if you start your venue search prior to deciding on these.

Decide on your overall budget

How much do you intend to spend on your wedding? Sit down with your beloved and work this out (whether you’re paying for it yourselves or getting contributions from Mum and Dad) You don’t need exact figures here but a rough idea will help to focus your excited minds.

You will waste a lot of your valuable time if you start to venue search or contact suppliers before you decide on these aforementioned points as they all tie in together. You don’t want to have found your dream venue only to realise that your budget won’t cover it or that they have limited capacity which won’t be great for you or your guests (if you didn’t decide your guest numbers upfront). So, try to contain your excitement and work out the above points. You will start your wedding planning off on the right footing once you do.

Get a copy of how to find your dream wedding venue, full of practical tips and questions to ask to help you navigate through your venue search after you get engaged. I also provide full wedding planning services where I help you to tackle the points above in greater detail; from managing your budget to helping you find the venue that ticks the right boxes for you to designing your day and seeing the vision come to life as planned. Get in touch here to find out more about how I can help.