You’re engaged! You said “YES!!!!!!” CONGRATULATIONS!!!! Now what!?!?

Once you get past the flurry of telling all of your closest family and friends the big news, popping the bubbly, squealing with your girlfriends about it, and reliving the moment over and over again, it’s time to start thinking about the plans for your big day!

Regardless of whether you’re getting married 6 months after your engagement or 2 years after you get engaged here are some things that you should do before you start the planning process!

1. Nail down your budget.

There are a lot of decisions that have to be made after you get engaged when it comes to the budget of your wedding. Will you and your fiance be paying for everything? Will either set of parents or grandparents be contributing? If they’re contributing, how much/what percentage are they contributing? Sometimes these conversations can be tough to have, but it’s important to have them.

2. Figure out your top priorities!

Once you have a specific budget amount you can figure out what your priorities are for you big day. If photography is a huge deal to you, (it was top priority to me as a bride, and even more so as a photographer), now you know how much money you can allocate to it before you start looking at vendors. If florals are really important to you, you can decide what percentage of your budget can go there!

3. Decide on the style of your wedding.

There are so many options to choose from. Do you want a black tie affair? Or is a backyard wedding more your style? Are you picturing a huge party with everyone you’ve ever known, or an intimate affair with just close family and friends?? Is a snowy, Christmas wedding your dream?! Is fall a non-negotiable for your day? With so many possible avenues that you could go down it’s important to decide exactly what you want your day to look like so that you don’t get overwhelmed in the early stages of the planning process. Having your style picked out will help you decide on the vendors you want for your day!

4. Pick your date.

You might actually want to pick several potential dates to keep your options open when you start looking at venues. This especially applies to years that have really interesting dates. Last year, wildly popular dates such as 10/10/2020, 8/8/2020, 6/6/2020 got booked up very quickly and very far in advance! If you have a super specific date you want, book EARLY!!! Wedding days involve so many moving parts so it’s super important to make sure you stay flexible!

5. Pick a venue + book your dream team!

Now that you’ve got your budget set in stone and have a style for your wedding day nailed down, you’re ready to to start booking your vendors!! Finding a team of vendors that can bring the vision you have for your day to life is so important want for your day will help you pick a venue. Is the ceremony space the most important part to you?? Is dancing at your reception a huge priority?? Do you want all of your guests to stay onsite or close to the venue? Do you have a specific florist that you MUST HAVE!? Top priority is to choose people that you trust completely to make your day go perfectly!

BONUS: Take time to celebrate this season of your life!

I know there will be so many times that seem overwhelming and stressful during this planning but make sure to really take the time to enjoy this brief season in your love story! The season of being engaged flies by and it’s over before you even know it! Set time aside to pop some bubbly, go out on a date night, and really enjoy the person your going to be spending the rest of your life with! At the end of the day, regardless of how “pinterest-perfect” your wedding is, the main goal is to celebrate your union with the love of your life! Make sure you take time for that!

Some favorite vendors of ours:
Hair and Makeup: Alisha Nycole + Co
Florists: Bloom Flower Co., Winsome Floral,
Videographer: PGP Weddings

For other wedding planning and day of tips click here!