5 Things To Do After Getting Engaged
The day you’ve dreamed of for years has finally happened - you’re engaged! Congrats! There’s a variety of emotions that come with an engagement; excitement, happiness, and even anxiousness. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed following your engagement, so here are a few tips to help your planning process go smoothly. There are a few tasks that should be first on your to-do list and we’re here to tell you what 5 things are most important to complete as soon as you have that pretty ring on your finger.
Set a Date
First things first, set a date for your wedding. You and your fiance have likely determined which season you want to host your wedding, so now is the time to choose a month. You don’t have to choose an exact date, and in some cases it’s better to be flexible with dates depending on your venue. It’s wise to have a couple dates in mind in the case that your dream venue isn’t available for your first choice.
Determine a Budget
The next thing to consider, and perhaps the most important of all, is determining the best budget for your big day. Whether you and your fiance are paying for the wedding out of pocket, or if you’re getting help from family members, it’s crucial that you’re all on the same page when it comes to money. The remainder of your planning process will be much easier once you know how much money you’re going to allocate for each part of your special day.
For more budgeting tips for planning your wedding, read the Budget Series created by our friend, Laney, of Design by Laney! This series features tips and tricks for planning the best day ever while sticking to a budget.
Photograph by Jessi Paige @jessipaigephotography
Insure and Size Your Ring
Another task on your list of first things to do involves your engagement ring. After getting engaged, you may need to have your ring resized so it fits comfortably. In addition to fitting your ring, you should have your ring insured in the case of it being lost or stolen. Most times, jewelers will give the necessary information when purchased that can be passed on to your insurance agent.
Book a Venue
One of the more exciting tasks you’ll need to accomplish during your first month of being engaged is finding and booking a venue. Whether you plan to have one or two venues for your ceremony and reception, it’s best if these are booked right away. Once you establish your budget, you can research what venue would be ideal for your wedding day. Some venues book quickly and sometimes years in advance, so make sure you’re prepared with a few dates in mind in the case that your dream day is already booked.
Start a Guest List
An exciting but also dreaded task that should be started shortly after your engagement is the guest list. This is likely one of the most difficult tasks in any wedding planning process. Once you’ve settled on a budget, you can begin compiling a list of guests to be included in your special day. You should also consider the number of guests that your venue can accommodate before finalizing your guest list. You and your fiance should sit down together when creating and narrowing down your guest list to make sure you’re on the same page.
Once you’ve solidified your guest list, you may wonder how to go about addressing your guests. Follow the link to our blog here with addressing variations and ideas: https://www.czinvitations.com/blog/guest-addressing-etiquette. This blog also offers a free download of our guest addressing template along with a sheet to help you keep track of those RSVPs!
If you need help gathering addresses, we’ve created a free template where you can add your guests addressing, track their RSVP, gifts, and more!
Planning a wedding isn’t always a smooth process, so it’s best to be well-organized and get things checked off your to-do list as soon as possible! Your to-do list may seem endless now, but keep in mind that you don't have to do everything at this very second. Make sure you prioritize what needs done right away and what can wait.
Whether you hire a wedding planner or not, getting a wedding binder to collect all your thoughts and ideas is a must. This FREE downloadable planner can help you get a head start and relieve some of your wedding planning burdens.
We created this free download to help brides like you get organized. It has tips and etiquette from years of experience in the wedding industry, as well as worksheets for you to get all your great ideas on paper. Did I mention it's free?