Engaged, now what?
Welcome to engagement season! That beautiful time of year between Thanksgiving and New Years whe
re couples say 'yes' to beautiful rings and a lifetime of forever.
swoon!
But once you show off that shiny new ring what's next?
Here is my quick guide of the first three months of planning a wedding.
1. The budget. This isn't at all the fun part but it's definitely necessary to know where to start. Figure out if parents are pitching in, how much time you have to save, and talking through how much you and your spouse want to spend on a wedding.
2. The guests. Next step is figuring out how large or small your wedding will be. All families are different so it's good to see what family is invited from both sides, are there additional friend's groups to include, and don't forget about plus-ones.
Side note: My recommendation for plus-ones is anyone over 21 gets a plus- one. For the most part many people won't bring a plus-one if they don't feel like they are far enough in their relationship, and if they do it's probably because they don't know a ton of people.
3. The location. Once you know the budget and the guest count it's time to determine where. This may be deciding you want a destination wedding or your hometown. But ultimately it includes researching venues and ceremony spaces.
4. The date. Now you are ready to book your wedding. When everything above is picked go forward and get your ceremony and reception spaces booked and claim your wedding date!
5. The other vendors. Once everything above is settled the rest will be easier. In the first three months of engagement I recommend booking a wedding coordinator, dj, photographer, caterer, and florist.
And then you are a wedding planner! Everything above is a starting point. There is more to it than just the few vendors listed above but this gets you a venue and wedding date to get started!
Happy planning!