Wedding Planning Guide 10 Things To Do Now You’re Engaged

Congratulations! You're engaged! Whether you were presented with a shiny new engagement ring or have yet to choose one, we urge you to make the most of this very special engagement bubble! Let your friends and family know the exciting news, and before you get swept away with all the wedding planning, take 5 minutes out to read our 10 things to do now you're engaged!

1. Take the time to soak up being engaged

Make the most of this special time and try to resist the temptation of hopping onto Pinterest and making your wedding mood board a reality. One of the first things you should do after getting engaged is celebrate! Why not throw yourselves an engagement party so you can revel in your exciting news with loved ones and flaunt that engagement ring? Talking of rings, don't forget to sort out engagement ring insurance during this time as well; it's better to be safe than sorry.

You'll no doubt be asked a tonne of questions about when and where your wedding might be, but resist the urge for wedding planning straight away and ride the wave of engagement joy!

2. Define your ideal wedding

Once the just-engaged joy has subsided (slightly!), now is the time to sit down with your partner and get a few ideas down on paper. What are your wedding must-haves or non-negotiables? What does your dream wedding look like? This is the time to try to align your ideas as much as possible so you're on the same page from the start. Getting these ideas down will be invaluable if you find yourself overwhelmed by wedding planning decisions down the line. This way, you can easily refer back to what you originally agreed on and what's important to you both.

3. Set a date

Before you start getting too excited and carried away with the wedding planning process, think about what wedding dates, or at least a time of year, you're both happy with. Does your chosen date give you enough time to save and plan? Think about the time of year you want to get married and how that may affect the style of wedding you want to ultimately have. Of course, you need the weather for an outdoor wedding, or if you want a destination wedding, you may need to consider the climate, taking into consideration public holidays, which could make travelling more tricky and expensive.

4. Set a wedding budget

It's not the most fun part, that's for sure, but having a wedding budget will make sure you stay on track with your spending. Again, sit down with your partner and have a chat about what your wedding budget will look like. It's really important that you both align with what you want to spend. Work out what you've got to play with vs. what you need to save and how you're going to reach your goal. Having a plan that's realistic and that you're both happy with will help reduce any stress in the run-up to the wedding.

Top tip! Remember to factor in a contingency fund, too. Typically, 10-20% of your overall budget should be enough to cover any unexpected or mounting costs, and if you don't spend it, you've got a lovely boost to your honeymoon fund, right?!

5. Hire a wedding planner

If it's within budget, of course! A professional wedding planner can help hugely and take a lot of the stress away during wedding planning. Take some time to research various wedding planning services that are out there so you get a good idea of the planner's style and personality and what they can offer you. Many popular wedding planners can be booked up to a year in advance, so make sure to contact your shortlist ASAP. However, make sure one of the first questions is whether they are free on your wedding date.

6. Start creating a wedding website

A wedding website can be started at any time, and you can keep adding and tweaking it as your wedding planning progresses. In fact, at [Say I do, we offer some really handy features to help with the planning process, such as a personalised checklist to keep you on track, digital save the dates, invites, and a fully customisable (pretty awesome looking) wedding website! There are SO many themes/templates to choose from; therefore, there's no risk of not finding one to match your wedding style.

7. Create a guest list

Of course, it is not set in stone, but at least with a first draft, you know how many guests you are collectively thinking of inviting to the wedding. This number will then help you define what sort of venues you can start viewing. There's no point in thinking you've found your dream wedding venue only to realise your guest list is too big to be accommodated! It may also be worthwhile running your guest list past your parents to see if you've missed off any family members or friends of your parents but don't forget, YOU should make the final call.

8. Define your wedding party

Take your time when deciding on your wedding party members. Your maid of honour and best man need to be reliable and trustworthy. No lost rings, thanks! Think carefully about the size of your bridal party; more isn't necessarily merrier when it comes to budgeting for dresses, bouquets, and general organising.

9. Start touring venues

The exciting bit! Hunting for your dream wedding venue! You should now hopefully have a date or at least a time of year and a rough guest list in mind, so go ahead and start compiling a list of venues. Once you know they have availability, are within budget, and can accommodate your numbers, go and visit them to get a feel for whether this is the venue for you. Meet the team, ask all the questions, and most importantly, consider whether it aligns with your ideal wedding that you defined at the beginning of wedding planning. Your venue may assign you a wedding coordinator who will be a fountain of knowledge when it comes to recommended trusted wedding vendors, so listen to them carefully. Remember, they are professionals, and this most certainly isn't their first rodeo!

10. Hire a wedding photographer

Not only because the best wedding photographers get booked up early, but also because if you book one ahead of time, you can arrange an engagement shoot as well. You may find the idea of this all a bit cringe-worthy, but it's great practice for the big day and a good chance to get to know your photographer, so you'll feel more at ease when it comes to posing on the wedding day itself.