You just said yes! Or perhaps popped the question! What to do after you finishing jumping up and down!!
It is exciting times for sure and even though you may think you have had this planned out since you were 5 there may be things that get over looked.
Maybe you haven't thought at all about being married until you found yourself saying YES! And wiping away happy tears.
So we will chat a bit about what a few next steps may be to ensure your wedding planning goes smoothly :)
Let's get started.
1. CALL EVERY PERSON YOU KNOW AND TAKE AMAZING SELFIES TO POST ON SOCIAL
Self explanatory.....
2. INSURE YOUR RING
Clearly there are more important and fun things to worry about vs. all the nitty gritty legal stuff but boy-oh-boy will you be happy if something ever happens to that beauty your sporting on your lefty. Rest easy knowing your jewels are safe and secure with the proper insurance. (no this is not a commercial)
3. DECIDE ON A BUDGET
This is a big one and will determine the type of wedding you will be having.
There is no budget too big or too small but they are costly no matter how you try to split it up. Determining what you are willing to spend will help you stay within that budget and create a better flow for your wedding planning.
Not a glamorous part of the planning but it needs to be discussed. Who is footing the bill? Bride’s parents? a family member ? The Bride and Groom themselves? That sort of thing.
Venue & Decor, Food & Beverages, Florist, Photographer and perhaps the Dress will be your most expensive items.
Don't forget about your Honeymoon, Wedding Coordinator, rehearsal dinner etc. sometimes these get overlooked when budgeting.
Then add 3% for things you didn't plan for! This is almost a give in! We will get more into that another day so stay tuned.
4. CREATE A WEDDING BINDER!
This is fun part! Get those scissors out for clipping papers and those pointer fingers ready to pin things to your vision boards because this is a great place to keep all your ideas, dreams, bookings, vendor lists, receipts and to-do lists conveniently in one place. Remember no decision is final until it is, so clip and save all sorts of ideas and then weed out what works and what doesn't along the way. You may end up in an entirely different direction than when you started!
4. FIND A VENUE
Venues book years in advance. Try to secure your venue as soon as you can so there is no disappointment when booking for your big day. Sometimes weddings are booked around Venue availability so the sooner you pick a place and a date the easier everything else falls into place. Your guest list will determine where you get married also. Some venues are intimate, some can house 500.
How do you picture your day? How do you want your guests to feel?
Are you looking for outdoor or indoor? Church ceremony? Traditional vs downtown chic vibe? Industrial or ballroom? These are all things to take into consideration when choosing a location.
You will also want to find out what each venue has to offer. Some have the chairs, linens and table settings included or an additional cost but onsite. Arbours or other ceremony decor? Some you will have to bring in. luckily there are some really great rental places who offer all sorts of items. We have a small one over at Velvet Fox Events there are more super fun items coming this fall also!
5. START RESEARCHING YOUR OTHER VENDORS
Go to wedding shows (lots in and around January and then again later in the year) follow vendors you like on Social, ask around, read google or yelp reviews if you are unsure and then set up meetings with that person. Make sure you both vibe well because you may love someone’s work but if the spark isn't there you may end up not being happy with the process...
I would say the next big one would be your photographer to book. Oh and Cake. Yes Cake top of the list of course!
6. CHOOSE YOUR WEDDING PARTY
This may have already been done in sync with step one but if it hasn't get asking! There are so many fun ways to ask your besties to stand with you on your special day.
7. PLAN TOGETHER
Getting engaged is such a special time in your lives. If I could offer one piece of advice it is to PLAN TOGETHER. Wedding planning can be overwhelming at times but if you have each other to bounce ideas and thoughts off of, guaranteed you will have an experience that represents both of you and one you will cherish for years to come xo
Now get crackin'.
