10 Things To Do After You Get Engaged

Congrats!!! You just got engaged!!!! You’ve been dreaming about this for what only feels like f o r e v e r— but now what?! Amidst the excitement and celebration, it can be a little overwhelming thinking about what to tackle first in terms of wedding planning. Keep reading for my 10 tips regarding the most important things to do following your engagement!

1. First of all, congratulations!!!!!!!!!

Take time to CELEBRATE

This is such an exciting time that truly flies by. Soak in those first few days and weeks with your new fiancé and really enjoy this season. It may sound silly, but it’s so important to take time to be together and surround yourself with family and friends who are eager to celebrate with you before getting into the nitty gritty of all the planning details. Soak it alllll in!!!!!!!

2. Let’s talk vendors

What are your biggest priorities of the day?

Now that you’ve taken some time to enjoy being engaged, it’s time to sit down and determine which vendors are the most important to you so that you can book them first. Is it crucial for you to have that dream wedding venue you’ve loved since you were little? Or have you been obsessing over a specific photographer’s work and can’t imagine your big day being documented by anyone else? Is there a wedding planner that you couldn’t imagine planning your wedding without? Determine which is the most important and start there. Many venues and photographers book weddings more than 12 months in advance, sometimes even sooner, depending on demand. Once you’ve figured out your priorities, reach out to those vendors and start chatting about all the dreams you have for your day!

3. Determine your wedding budget

Figure out who is going to contribute what + where your priorities are

Sit down with the people who will be contributing to paying for the wedding and determine how much it is you want to spend. This also goes back to deciding which vendors are the most important. When you define your budget you can decide which vendors you want to “splurge” on a bit, and where you can get creative and save some money. When you’ve defined your overall budget, the categories within that can move around to better accommodate splurges in your most important categories! 

4. Start to brainstorm your guest list

Who is most important to be there to celebrate alongside you?

Do you want to have a smaller, intimate wedding or a huge celebration with all of your favorite people? Start to get an idea of who all you want to celebrate alongside of you as this will influence your venue choice as well as much of your planning! Websites such as ZOLA and the Knot allow you to create guest lists, or you could even opt for something as simple as an excel spreadsheet. Just get to brainstorming and keep it organized!

5. Determine when + where you want to get married

Summer, fall, winter, spring? 

Do you want to have a shorter or longer engagement? A destination wedding or stay closer to home? Each of these things are important to consider when beginning to think through the big day! Once you have an idea for season/time of year, you can begin checking with your top venues to see what their availability looks like during those times.

6. Get your ring insured

This is easy to forget in the rush of things, but SO important!

This is a VERY important detail that can sometimes be overlooked in the excitement of everything that is happening as you start your season of engagement. Check with your fiancé to see if it’s already insured, but if not, definitely make that one of the first things you do during this time! It’s precious and you want to take every precaution.

7. Make a moodboard

Get inspired on Pinterest and see your vision come together!

Pinterest is such an incredible tool for planning weddings and there is so much useful information out there! PRO TIP: In planning my own wedding, I created a board and within that board included different boards for various things such as the dress, hair and makeup, ceremony, reception, florals, cake, etc. This helps keep you organized while still keeping your ideas all in one place. You can also share this with your vendors so they can get a really clear idea of your vision!

8. Start to think about your wedding party

Who do you want standing by your side on your big day?

What friends have been supportive of your relationship and always been someone you can count on? Do you want to keep it intimate, or include all your best friends? Who will your maid of honor be? Do you want the same amount of bridesmaids and groomsmen? You definitely don’t have to finalize this right away, but begin to get an idea of who you want standing beside you on your big day!

9. Send thank you cards

Don’t forget to thank the people who made your proposal so special!

This might not be one of the things you initially think of doing, but it’s super important to thank all of the people who played a part  in making your engagement so special! Did your friends travel and come surprise you? Did your parents take you out to a celebratory dinner? Have people sent engagement gifts? Regardless of who it might be, take time to thank the people who took the time to celebrate this exciting time in your life. It will truly seriously mean SO much to them!

10. Prepare for not only the wedding, but the marriage.

Remember the reason for all the planning: you’re promising forever to your best friend!

In the craziness of wedding planning, it can be easy to forget the real reason you’re stressing over all these little details. You’re about to join your life with another person, forever!!! We spend so much time preparing for one singular day, and not enough time preparing for the relationship that will last the rest of our lives. Take time to do some research regarding premarital counseling and if that’s something you guys want to pursue. There are lots of great books out there that are incredible to read while engaged (blog post on this to come— stay tuned!) and so many resources out there to help you on this journey! Seek wisdom and advice from couples who have gone before you, and never be afraid to ask for help along the way.

Again, congratulations. This is such a special season and I hope you take the time to enjoy it.  You’re marrying your best friend, and that’s something to celebrate! Cheers to forever together!