We're Engaged - Now What?

You and your love are getting married – congratulations! Now comes a fun and exciting time of telling all of your friends and family (call your mom!), showing off your ring, and getting some initial wedding wants and needs out of the way.  We’ve put together a quick list of the immediate things you need to worry about so you aren’t sweating the small stuff (your dress will come later, don’t worry!).

Set a Date
After all of the congratulations and ring flashing, the first thing people will ask is when the wedding will be. It'll save you lots of headaches if the two of you come up with a vague-yet-specific answer, like "We're shooting for early 2021" or "We like the idea of next fall." Not only will it give you an idea of how long you have to plan everything but will likely set the tone for the type/style of wedding you want. Also keep in mind you will need to decide if you have a very specific date or are flexible when looking at venues and determining availability.

Determine the Type of Wedding
Get a basic idea of the type of wedding you want to throw. Will it be large and formal? Casual and rustic? A backyard soirée with only close family and friends? This basic determination will set the stage for the rest of your planning. Your wedding should fit into your style and personality, so choose something that really speaks to you as a couple. 

Decide on a Budget
Decide on a budget for the festivities so you have a starting point to guide you toward the next steps. Just like determining the type of wedding you want, having a basic budget of what you are willing to spend will affect all of the planning that you do. Discuss with your fiancé (and family if they are helping pay for the wedding) what you are comfortable with and go from there.

Create a Wedding Website
A fun part of the initial planning process is creating a wedding website that tells your story as a couple and will act as an information source for your family and friends. Get the bare bones up first; later on, you can get fancy with wedding details, hotel advice, maps, and whatever other wedding info you want to share. Send it around to those who ask but be prepared for the fact that your mom and your BFF may be the only ones who want to read it.

Hire The Perfect Shindig
Hire a wedding planner to get started on the more specific details of wedding planning. The Perfect Shindig will help you bring your vision to life while staying on budget and handle all of the heavy lifting for you so you can have the perfect day.

Take Your Time and Enjoy It!
Make sure you are taking the time to enjoy all that comes with being engaged and don’t rush the timeframe to plan. Time flies fast so relish in the beauty before the big day is here.