6 Top Tips for the Newly Engaged Couple

You might have already noticed, but newly engaged couples can find the wedding planning journey quite an overwhelming experience. You've got the announcement to make and endless questions to answer, and that's even before the actual wedding planning has begun! Fear not; everything can and will fall into place. It's important to try and enjoy the wedding planning process wherever possible and not get too weighed down by the all-consuming admin. Follow our tips for newly engaged couples to feel ready to take on the next step and plan your entire wedding day with ease.

1. Have the big conversations early on

Difficult conversations with your future spouse might make you feel a bit uncomfortable at first, but if you don’t tackle the budget, guest list, and wedding location early on, you may experience more obstacles later down the line. The engagement period should be an enjoyable one, but if you each have your own personal priorities and you don't air them, you can forget about date night for the foreseeable! One big tip for newly engaged couples is to consider hiring a wedding planner. These industry professionals can ultimately save you time, money (and your relationship) during what can be quite a stressful time. Wedding planners are immediately on the same page, working with you to ensure your wedding day is absolute perfection. They can help you source the best wedding photographer and other reliable vendors, research wedding-related goods and take control of the day so that you can spend time with your close friends and family members to create memories. Plus, these wedding experts love spreadsheets! Whilst we can’t say you won't have fallings out with your nearest and dearest (reality check: you probably will), if you have the awkward but honest conversations early on, at least you can be aware of where each other (and your families) stand. Honesty and openness are key here.

2. Communicate freely

Leading on from the first point, your fiancé is the person you’ve chosen to spend the rest of your life with, so you must be able to communicate quite well by now! This is a brand new journey for both of you; newly engaged couples don't often know what to do when it comes to wedding plans, but as we mentioned earlier, don't be scared of the big conversations and always have each other's back - you're a team after all. There’s a big misconception that men aren’t interested in weddings. Well, we’re here to tell you that that’s not true. Of course, some men might not be that enthusiastic, but unless you share details and plans freely between you (it works both ways, folks), someone might end up feeling left out. An engagement session is actually a really great way for engaged couples to get in the wedding mood, feel close to each other, and of course, come away with some beautiful engagement photos that you'll also cherish for years to come.

3. Get organised

Unless you start out with systems and tools in place, you could end up in a bit of a wedmin blackhole. So before you start designing wedding mood boards and pinning with abandon, spend some time setting up Google Sheets and Trello boards and, of course, create your own personalised wedding website. As well as being an indispensable tool for sharing wedding details with your guests, Say I do curates and organises your digital RSVPs, there’s a free personalised wedding planning checklist, AND you can customise the site to incorporate your overall wedding vibe/theme! Regardless of your wedding size, this exciting time is perfect for putting these plans in place in order for you to stay organized throughout the wedding planning process. Alternatively, you could hire a wedding planner to do this for you - but that's entirely up to you. What we’re really trying to avoid is any last-minute planning - these tips for newly engaged couples are here to help you get your ducks in a row as early on as possible.

4. Set a realistic budget (including a contingency)

Weddings are expensive. Well, they can be. And that’s why it’s so important to have those early conversations about working out how much money you have in savings, how much you are going to be gifted and how much you can afford to allocate to the wedding fund in the weeks and months ahead. Everyone has different priorities when it comes to most wedding-related goods; maybe you want to go all out on the décor but are happy with digital wedding invitations. Or maybe you have bought your dream dress for less than expected, freeing up cash for a live band instead of a DJ. Wedding vendors can be some of the best investments you'll make when it comes to your wedding day but don't feel pressured to book the first vendors that appear when you start planning Keep track of your spending (there are loads of great apps/websites for this), and don’t forget to put 10% of your overall budget aside for unexpected wedding expenses.

5. Don’t get overwhelmed by all the ‘advice’ you’ll be given!

As soon as you announce your engagement, amongst all of the well-wishes, there are likely to be quite a few seemingly helpful people who will want to have their say and offer you advice. Of course, they will be friendly and keen to help, but the best thing to do here is to simply smile and cherry-pick what you really want to take on board. We are all unique, and so are our weddings, so stick to the only rule; stay true to yourself and remain confident in your carefully made plans.

6. Also, don’t get overwhelmed by all the wedding inspiration out there

Our lives are so highly visual these days. We’re bombarded with images, videos, and ads countless times a day without even realising. Plus, the algorithm is such a clever beast; it will probably know you’re getting married before you even tell anyone you're a newly engaged couple! Whilst cleverly placed ads can be helpful and inspiring, try not to get overwhelmed by all the incredible wedding inspiration out there, and there is a LOT! We hope these tips for newly engaged people have been helpful. Wedding planning can be a bit of a rollercoaster but keep the joy of your upcoming big day in mind at all times. It will be worth it, we promise! Stay in your lane, remember what you and your partner agreed on, and don’t compare your wedding to anyone else’s.