You're Engaged! Now What?!?

Holy Happiness!  You're engaged!!! 
Your engagement may be long-awaited or you may be in total shock but one thing is for sure - you've got some serious planning to do!
Here are a few tips to help you get started...

1. Soak it in: 
Take a few days, maybe even weeks, just to let it soak in and enjoy the excitement of the engagement! Enjoy getting together and sharing the news with your family and friends. This will be one of the most exciting times of your life so bask in it, enjoy it and let yourself relax before you go into full-on planning mode!

2. Set a Budget: 
You might be inclined to jump right in and start setting a date, looking for venues, and vendors... However, determining an amount you are comfortable with spending for the wedding and where that money will come from {bride's parents, groom's parents or from both} has to be determined before you can get started. It will be important to look at a typical wedding budget to see how it generally breaks down so you know how money will be spent in the planning process. Whether you are paying for the wedding yourselves or with the help of parents, it is important to set a budget you're comfortable with for the wedding and to do your best to stick with it! 

3. Determine Your Guest Count:
Just like setting a budget, getting an idea of your guest count will help determine which venues will work best and must be determined before you can start meeting with vendors for catering, cakes, etc.  Those vendors will need to know what your estimated guest count will be before they can provide proposals.  The best way to accomplish this is to have the engaged couple create their list, have the bride's parents create their list and have the groom's parents create their list. You can then take all three lists and merge them. If the list is too many to fit within the budget, you can create a "Must Invite" list and a list of those that you would like to invite if you are able depending on venue space and overall budget. One of the best ways to keep costs down is to keep close tabs on the guest list - the more guests invited means more money spent on catering, tables, chairs, centerpieces, cake, alcohol, invitations, etc. 

4. Review a Wedding Planning Checklist:
Find a wedding planing checklist online or confer with a wedding planner early in the planning process so that you are covering all of your bases. This is a big day with lots of time and money spent so make sure you are organized and on track from the very beginning! 

5. Set a Date: 
This is where the fun begins! Take some time to think about the feel you would like to have for your wedding - what is the weather like, what type of dress are you wearing, what colors do you see for your flowers and bridesmaid dresses? These things will help you determine what time of year your wedding should be! If you see bright colors, you should consider a spring/summer wedding. If you see yourself in a sleeved gown with a dark bouquet of flowers, you may consider a fall/winter wedding. 

A wedding date can also be set based on special times in your life. Maybe you want to get married on the same day you went on your first date or some other significant date in your lives. Whatever it is, your date must be {pretty well} set before you can begin booking your venue and wedding professionals so it must be done before the real planning begins!

6. Book Your Venue:
Once you have your budget amount set, guest count estimate and date set, you can move on to your venue selection! Are you planning to marry outdoors, in a swanky hotel or have you always dreamed of being married in the church you grew up in? Whatever you decide, booking your venue will be one of the first things to be done. Your guest count and budget will play a big role in venue selection and a wedding planner can help you find venues that will work for your guest count and fit within your budget. If your date is booked for the venue you have your heart set on, don't be discouraged! Consider a Friday or Sunday wedding or perhaps moving the date up or back a weekend or two to make it work. 

7. Begin Booking Vendors:
Wedding planners/coordinators, photographers/videotographers, caterers, cake bakers, bands/DJs, ceremony musicians, florists, stationers, dress makers, rental suppliers - you will have to meet with and book all or most of these professionals for your big day. This can be an overwhelming and daunting task for a planning couple.... Begin by talking to your family and friends {especially those recently married in your area} and see what wedding professionals they suggest and recommend. A wedding planner can help save time and money with vendor selection by narrowing down the choices based on your budget and style. Meeting with vendors who are out of your price range or don't have a style that fits what you are looking for is a waste of your time and of the vendor. The key here is to find professionals that mesh well with your personalities and style as you will be working closely with them for the next few months. Take your time, do your research, and find the best fit for you!

{Photo via Ashley Monogue Photography from an ATP Wedding for Suzanne + Morgan!}

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Congratulations on your engagement!