FIRST 5 THINGS YOU SHOULD DO AFTER YOU GET ENGAGED – NEWLY ENGAGED CHECKLIST
Congratulations! You’re Engaged!
Celebrate and enjoy this exciting time in your lives.
Once the initial excitement dies down and you’re diving into wedding planning, you’re probably feeling overwhelmed about where to even start in the process—which is normal! You’ve never done this before so it only makes sense that you are feeling a bit lost. But no worries, I have you covered.
Take a look at these first five steps to take after you get engaged to start planning your wedding.
1- DETERMINE YOUR BUDGET.
Depending on the type of wedding you want to have, there could be a wide range in how much you’re willing to spend. And that all comes down to what are priorities to you and your future spouse. Some couples want a luxurious venue with all-inclusive packages, while others would rather get married at a National Park (which also can save you tons on cost). Or you may not care about a wedding video but care deeply about the memories that are captured through photographs. Determining your priorities and how much you are willing to spend on your venues, vendors, and extras to add to the experience of your guests will be your outline for the rest of your wedding planning.
2- MAKE A LIST OF YOUR DREAM VENUES.
Once you have your budget nailed down, your venue search can begin! This can be such a fun part of your wedding planning journey. Determine what style of venue you want (luxurious, rustic, woodland, barn, oceanside, etc.) and begin your Google search! I would recommend creating a list of your top 5 to start, maybe with a pros and cons list for each, and then reaching out to them to set up tours. PRO TIP: Create a list of questions you will want to ask the venues when you tour.
You can also check out my list of favorite New England Wedding Venues here.
3- TOUR THE VENUES AND PICK YOUR DATE.
Another exciting part of the process! (Let’s be real, this whole journey is exciting). I would recommend having your ideal date in mind beforehand or at least the season you’d like to get married in so you can confirm if the venues you’re touring have your ideal date available. This is also your time to ask any questions you have for planning purposes and to make sure the venue is the right fit for you two.
4- HIRE YOUR WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER.
Once you book your date, you’re good to start booking your vendors! The reason why I say to hire your photographer first is because wedding photographers book up quickly and far in advance. So if you have been dreaming of working with a specific person or business, it is never too early to reach out. And typically, most wedding photographers, especially if you are not hiring a wedding planner will recommend other vendors to you to create a well-oiled machine of a team that you can trust. Not to mention that your day will run a lot smoother with vendors that have worked with each other before because they create this shorthand.
5- BOOK YOUR WEDDING VENDORS.
As I said above, typically your wedding photographer will be your resource for other vendor recommendations. They work with a variety of different vendors for every wedding they have photographed from DJs and caterers to florists and bakers. Booking vendors that have a relationship with your photographer will also ensure that the vision for your day comes to life and the details that are designed will be photographed exactly how you pictured it!
IF YOU FOLLOW THESE STEPS, YOU’LL BE GOLDEN FOR YOUR BIG DAY!
IF YOU HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS TOPIC OR ANY OTHER WEDDING PLANNING ADVICE, FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT BELOW!
I’D LOVE TO ANSWER ANY OF YOUR QUESTIONS.
