Congratulations! You're engaged! . . . now what?
Wedding planning can seem like a daunting task, especially when you're newly engaged and don't know where to start. Here are some tips and tricks to getting started on the right foot.
Enjoy it.
You just got engaged, so now is the time to enjoy it before jumping straight in to planning. It is a given that you will be asked when the big day is immediately after you announce your engagement, but put a hold on the stress for a couple days (or even a couple weeks!), so that you and your partner can enjoy newly-engaged bliss together.
Think of the big picture.
Before making wedding plans right away, start by thinking about the bigger picture. Talk with your partner about the vision you have for your wedding (is it a huge celebration or small and intimate? Rustic or elegant?), the general location of your wedding (local or destination?) and what time of year might work best for you. Getting an idea of what your wedding day looks like will help guide you through the planning process once you get there.
Venue and date.
When you actually do start planning, the two most important things to narrow down first are the venue and the date. The best place to start would be coming up with a list of venues in your desired location that you can research and visit. Often, wedding dates are determined by venue availability, so getting as much information on various venue availabilities early on with your ideal season in mind is a great way to the ball rolling.
Set up your checklist.
Once you finally have your date set, we highly recommend getting a wedding checklist in place to keep you on track throughout your wedding planning. One of our favorite free resources is The Knot's Wedding Checklist. Once you enter in your date, The Knot will customize a checklist and timeline for you. This will ensure that you are taking everything into consideration and are not falling behind in the process. You can also reference this checklist and use it as a continual guide and resource. Wedding planners are another great resource to help with checklists and timelines if you are feeling lost. (Looking for a planner? Click here to see how G&N Events might be able to help you!)
