Yay! I can imagine how excited you are right now, with a new beautiful sparkling ring, a man who loves you and dreams of your walk down the aisle. You’ve probably told all your friends and family, picked your bridesmaids, and imagined yourself in that dress. After all, You have been waiting for this day your whole life. But, what is the next step? How do you get there? Here’s everything you need to know about what to do after you’re engaged!

You’re Engaged, Now What?

You want your wedding to be the best day of your life and full of joy! The key to making that happen is no stress! You have no idea what to do to start, who to talk to, when to begin, and Google has so many options. Which one is right?

First Thing’s First

Before you do anything, the first thing of what to do after you’re engaged, you have to do the obvious…pick a date. You may need to be slightly flexible if there is a venue that you really want, but go into the search with a date in mind. This day is about you, so pick a date that the two of you agree on.

Next on the List

Now that you have your date down, you must make up a guest list. I know this is not the fun part. Like I can’t help you plan without a date, I can’t help you without a number. You want to make sure you pick a venue that works for your crowd. What if the venue you like only seats 75, and you have 150? You get the point. So, as soon as you have the date, sit down and make up that guest list, or at least have an idea of how many guests you want to attend your wedding. Remember that it’s your day, so the guest list needs to reflect you two.

Budget

Okay, now that that’s done, the next boring part is the budget. This is as important as the previous two. You have to know your max budget and what you want to aim for. What does your budget include? Is it just the wedding day, does it include your dress, hair, makeup? Make sure you are clear on what is included in that number. Some brides have a separate budget for their dress, hair, and makeup, while others include the overall price. An average wedding can be budgeted around $250-$350 per person. You can spend much less or way more, but this is average.

Venue

Pick your venue. Now that you know how many guests you want to plan for and your budget, you can find a venue that matches those items. Think about what features you want for your wedding. Do you want indoor-only, outdoor-only, or indoor and outdoor options? Do you want a venue that offers in-house catering, or do you want to be able to bring in your own caterer? These are some questions to think through as you are searching for your venue.

Pick your wedding planner

You need to decide if you want a full-service planner to help you design your dream day, or do you want a wedding manager to come in to take care of details? Your planner or coordinator will help you find the rest of your vendor, keep you on track, and make sure everything else gets done. 

Now on to all of the fun! Remember, don’t stress, you will be beautiful and your day will be fabulous!