There is some very exciting news around here- I am engaged!! While I’m sure I will share details at some point in a separate post, I am know knee-deep in wedding planning and researching everything. Who knew how much work went into this??
When we got engaged, once we had called friends and family and settled down, I thought- now what? I had no clue where to start! So, for everyone else who may be in the same boat, I wanted to share what I’ve learned from my research, asking friends, and from my own experience.
- Call everyone. This made it difficult since we were out of the country, so we called as many people as possible and had our parents help with the rest! We waited a day to post anything so that no one who needed to know would find out over social media! You don’t need your best friends or family finding out from Instagram instead of a call or even text!
- Make your guest list. I know this seems early, but determining your guest list (or at least a rough idea) will help you figure out so many next steps, from the venue size to your budget.
- Determine your wedding party. Figure out who you want standing by your side on your special day, and get with your partner to see who they want. If you want to make sure your bridesmaids and groomsmen make an even number, start figuring that out!
- Start researching. I am not one of those girls who had my wedding all planned out. Sure, I had a Pinterest board, but it was full of random ideas. Start looking into photographers, venues in your particular location (or decide where you want to get married in the first place!), catering companies, florists, and dress shops to get started. I had NO idea how much things cost or what was out there, so it was a bit overwhelming when I first started looking. This will also help you to determine your budget, once you see what things cost and what will actually be important to you and your fiancé. You can never do too much research.
- Think about your date. If you have certain months when your work gets super busy, or you know you have a million other events at a particular time, start thinking about when you might want to get married. Take into account the weather in your location, holidays, and peak times for getting married. You may be set on a May/June wedding, but know that everything will be more expensive since it is peak wedding time! Or you may want an outdoor wedding, but have to think about scorching summers or snow in winter.
- Make a plan. Whether you are getting married in 6 months or 2 years, take some time to sit down and create a timeline. You don’t need to have your engagement photos taken, invitations sent out, and a website up all in the same weekend of your engagement. I 100% recommend giving yourself plenty of time to research, figure out what you like, and just enjoy being engaged!
There will be plenty more wedding content coming to the blog soon!
