Congratulations! Being newly engaged is a wonderfully memorable time in your life, a time for wedding dreams, celebration and lots of happy cheer. But, once the corks have popped and the excitement dust has settled, it might leave you wondering what to do next. Well we are here to help! Here are our top 5 tips to get you started.
1. Get your engagement ring insured.
Yes, insured! While it’s hopeful to think that nothing will happen to your lovely emerald cut heirloom, it’s better to be safe than sorry; this will also help cover the cost of any unexpected repairs or replacements! This can generally be purchased as a rider on your rental or home insurance policy. Once you get this out of the way, it’s time to focus on the fun!
2. Consider what you are looking for in a wedding.
Have you been dreaming of an intimate elopement or a grand black tie affair? Now is the time to make a game plan! Once you know the feel that you are going for it will be much easier to move forward. Begin to think about what month or season seems perfect for your wedding; is there a date that jumps out at you? Start creating an inspiration board or peruse Instagram for ideas you’d love to incorporate into your special day.
3. Determine a realistic budget.
This is a huge challenge for newly engaged couples and is one of the most frequent questions we get asked as wedding planners; “What is a realistic number?!” The best way to go about this is to do a little local research; there are articles upon articles about the average cost of a wedding in your state. While helpful, those numbers should be used a reference guide only; it’s best to understand that every wedding is different and what you have envisioned may not match the average wedding cost. Oh, and remember that insurance thing we mentioned earlier? Now’s not a bad time to look into wedding and event insurance.
4. Hire a wedding planner.
Weddings, once simple and small have grown into much, much more. Now is the time to bring a professional planner onto your team, not only will their expertise deliver a much more enjoyable and stress-free wedding planning experience, but they will work with you to create the day of your dreams. They have the experience to pair you up with your perfect vendors and venues, all while working within your wedding vision and budget.
5. Start prioritizing your vendors.
Once you have your budget in place, work with your planner to prioritize your vendors; this will help maximize your budget. Figure out which vendors to focus on first; we recommend booking your venue first and foremost, followed by your photographer- two of the vendors your wedding can’t live without. From there you can assess how much of your remaining budget you can allocate toward catering, flowers, videography, music, etc. By working this way, it will be much easier to keep on track and keep your budget happy.
We hope these 5 tips have been helpful! Newly engaged and ready to get started on your planning journey? Contact us here to learn how we can help!
xoxo,
-Linnie
Photography via Becca B. Photography