You said YES, so what’s next?!? Take the time to soak it all in and enjoy the moment! Celebrate with your fiancé enjoy a nice dinner or snuggle on the couch while watching a movie. When you are ready to make the announcement make sure to let your family and close friends know prior to making it public on social media websites. There’s nothing more stressful in the first few days than family drama because you didn’t inform them personally. 

You and your fiancé need to discuss a budget, when you have finalized your budget then you need to consider hiring a wedding planner. If you want to be a DIY bride that’s great, in that case you would really only need to consider a “Day of Coordinator” to relieve some of the stress and pressure in the last few weeks leading up to your big day. If you want to be a relaxed bride that’s great also, hire a wedding planner for the full event. Most wedding planners offer a variety of services to meet any bride’s needs and budget.

Who will stand with you? When choosing your Maid/Matron of Honor, Bridesmaids, Groomsmen as well as other members of your wedding party, there are so many ways to ask them to be involved in your special day. (My advice to any new bride and groom is to make sure whomever you choose knows what is expected of them, I’ve unfortunately had too many brides that were disappointed by a non attentive wedding party.) So have fun and do the proposals and enjoy it!

Let the fun begin, the next thing to do is start thinking about a date and a venue. If you have a particular venue that you fell in love with and just have to have your wedding there, then find out which dates they have available and put your deposit down to guarantee you will be married there. If the date is more important than the venue, start looking at venues that have your date available and tour them to see which one is the perfect match for you and your fiancé. It’s helpful to have decided what type of venue you are looking for such as formal, rustic, beach, etc. If you have hired a full service wedding planner, they will be extremely helpful in this process.

Now let’s talk about the guest list! Sit down and discuss who will be invited to your wedding, keep in mind your budget and how many guests your venue can accommodate. Do you want your wedding to be “Adults Only”, “Intimate” or “Everyone is Welcome”? Keep track of families to save you time later when you are ordering your invitations.

You’re doing great! Let’s talk about your vendors! Depending on what your vibe is for your wedding day, you need to start researching vendors (most wedding planners have a preferred vendor list available to their clients). When looking for florists, bakers, caterers, photographers, dj’s, etc. it’s important to read reviews as well as check their Instagram and Facebook. Make a list of your top 4 or 5 and reach out to them to see if they have your wedding date available. If your date is available meet with them in person, or by zoom and ask any questions you may have. Make the time to taste the cakes, touch the flowers and look through portfolios. This is your special day! Take the time to enjoy every aspect of it!

Let’s talk about dresses, make the appointments and take the time to try on all styles. You may have an idea of a perfect dress already picked out but you never actually know until you try on several styles to see what compliments your body. Many brides are choosing the color for their parties and allowing them to pick the style ensuring they are more comfortable with the dress and their specific figure. If that’s not the way you are going, then remember to make sure your wedding party is comfortable in the style of dress you have chosen and don’t get offended if they do say no thank you. So enjoy the time while you and your girls try on as many as you want! I didn’t forget about the groom and groomsmen, depending on your wedding style, will he or they be in a jacket with or without tails, vest, nice jeans etc. Have them try on different styles so you and they know what they are comfortable with, it’s his day too!

“Say Cheese!” If your wedding is going to be a year away then consider sending “Save the Date” cards. It’s best to let your guests know when the wedding will be in advance so they can plan their vacations and other family events around your wedding day. Most photographers will capture your engagement photos at a discounted rate if you use the same photographer for the wedding. Enjoy capturing these moments and picking the best pictures that represent your love story!

Names! The discussion of last names has changed a lot in the past few years. Do I keep mine, do I change it, or do I hyphenate? This is a serious discussion that needs to be had, so don’t dismiss one another’s feelings about this topic. Also check with your local county and or state in regards to your marriage license. The last thing you want to do is forget the marriage license!

Consider creating a wedding website and registries, it’s a fun way to get your family and friends involved in your special day! There are many websites to assist you with this as well as your wedding planner! Start planning your engagement parties, bachelor and bachelorette parties, bridal showers etc. and most importantly Enjoy Being Engaged! It can be overwhelming, but it’s also an exciting time!