you’re engaged! now what?!

If you’re newly engaged, the world of wedding planning can seem overwhelming. With Pinterest, Etsy, Instagram, and so many wedding blogs where do you even start? I’ve worked with hundreds of couples during their wedding planning (and I’ve gone through it myself) so I put together a wedding planning guide with all my best advice. But, before we get into that, here’s a list of six things to do before you officially start your wedding planning.

Tell your family and close friends – in person if possible

We don’t get many chances to share such exciting, life-altering news with our loved ones. Before you post that ring pic on Instagram, call your parents. If you live close, stop by and surprise them. FaceTime your siblings. Get drinks with your bestie. But remind them not to spill the beans before you share the news publicly.

Celebrate

The post-proposal time can feel like a whirlwind, so don’t forget to take some time to enjoy your engagement. You’ll be deep into wedding planning soon enough, but give it a few weeks. Get together with your friends and family for celebratory drinks. There are no rules when it comes to wedding planning and you don’t have to start tackling the to-do list on day one. People will, inevitably, ask “have you set a date” as soon as they find out your engaged. Just tell them you haven’t had time to even think about that stuff yet.

Size and insure the ring

If you’ve already got a perfect-fitting, insured ring on your finger consider yourself extra lucky. If not, take a time-out right now and make sure your new bling is covered from loss, theft and damage. Don’t stress if you have to give the ring to the jeweler for a few extra days, it’s a perfect time to schedule a manicure. Because once the news is out, everyone will be asking to see the ring.

Get an email address that’s just for wedding stuff

Once you start inquiring with vendors, you’ll want a way to keep wedding emails from overflowing your inbox. Something simple like SmithBrownWedding2022@gmail.com is perfect. Any time you fill out a form or sign up for something wedding-related, use the email. You’ll be able to keep wedding stuff organized in one place that you both have access to. Remember: wedding emails have a way of finding your spam folder, so MAKE SURE that you check spam folder regularly.

Collaborate

Marriage is about two people coming together to form a team. Wedding planning should be a collaborative and exciting thing that you do as a couple. Every partnership is different, and you can take on whatever roles you want. Don’t be afraid to assign tasks (divide & conquer) but going through the process together and sharing the decision-making is the fun part!

Start Drafting the Guest List

It’s natural to start diving into wedding blogs and bridal magazines immediately. But before you get in too deep, remember that almost every planning decision starts with the guest list. You can’t really choose your venue, (and therefore a date) until you know how many people you’re inviting. You can read my tips for creating your guest list here.