What You Should Do Immediately after Getting Engaged

Congrats....you’re engaged!! We have worked with hundreds of newly engaged couples and their families over the years and would love to share what we feel are the first critical steps to making your planning process a smooth experience. But before you rush to Pinterest or start appointing bridesmaids, it’s important to first enjoy this feeling. An engagement is such a special time to reconnect and dream about the adventures to come together. Enjoy some champagne with your closest loved ones and truly reflect on this milestone before you dive head first into the world of planning.

First, a quick note on etiquette. Your closest friends and family will appreciate the opportunity to congratulate you privately ahead of time. Once the news is out - enjoy engaged life. Don’t feel the need to dive into checklists just yet. Take an ‘engagement-moon’ to have some quality alone time, then when you're back - insure your ring, and give us a call!

GET DOWN TO BRASS TACKS: BUDGET

It’s vital to know your budget pretty soon after getting engaged because chances are, you already have a few ideal vendors, or maybe a designer dress in mind. Knowing your budget range as well as your key contributors will help you visualize where those resources will be spent so that they align with your personal priorities. and help determine what’s most important for you to include. So, as uncomfortable as it may be, having a clear and gracious discussion with your partner and the key contributors before you start searching for venues or building a guest list is critical. If you want even more insight into the importance of budgeting, check out our recent blog post where we provide a deeper dive into allocating wedding finances.

FILL THE SEATS

We know you may already have a mock guest-list saved in the notes of your iPhone but this is where pre-planning can start to pick up pace. Once you’ve shared the news and determined the budget, you can begin to envision who will fill the ceremony seats and rush the dance floor. If you’re on the fence about someone, our rule of thumb is to consider an imaginative dinner party - would they be on the list? Or maybe easier - do they receive a Christmas card? If not - it’s probably okay to pass. It is always helpful to have a Plan A (non-negotiable friends and family) and a Plan B list (which may include small, concentric circles of connections).

VISUALIZE THE EXPERIENCE

Oftentimes, your venue will be the anchor of your wedding - it sets a tone for the formality of the celebration but also what your guests will experience both on site and off. So, it’s really important to have a discussion about what kind of place feels right before you book yourself for back to back tours. Do you want an ultra private, perhaps remote setting with the possibility of hosting multiple events? Would you prefer a place that is more centrally located to the area so that guests can explore on their own time? Are you envisioning a big tented celebration or one inside a grand museum? Be open to all the possibilities and then be clear about *why* those things matter to you. Communicating all of those dreams to a planner will help them find the perfect spot to call yours.

Of course, these are just a few things to consider after your engagement and there’s plenty more where that came from. We’re so excited for you. If you’re curious about what a planning partner can bring to the process, we’d love to speak with you and yours as you start your engagement journey.