Here’s our best advice on what to do after getting Engaged
Congratulations on your engagement! This is a time of excitement and celebration, but it can also be the beginning of stress and anxiety with wedding planning. As a husband and wife wedding photography team we know all the emotions you might be experiencing soon after your engagement and leading up to your wedding planning. Here’s some things we did and recommend you follow, in order to make this a fun and exciting time, stress-free, and free of worry.
Celebrate
Put down your phones and celebrate your latest milestone. Enjoy each other’s company. Grab a bottle of champagne, go out to eat at your favorite restaurant, be really present in the moment. Whatever you enjoy doing together, do that. This is a magical time in your life, and big things are going to be happening soon in the future. Take the time now to really let things settle in, and celebrate.
Tell Family and Friends
Before jumping on social media and telling the world your exciting news, be sure to let your closest family and friends know. Call or even better visit your parents, grandparents, siblings, closest friends and any other family members close to you. The celebrations will continue and no one will be upset they heard the news first on Facebook.
Insurance
If you are now the proud owner of some new bling on your finger be sure to have it insured. (and if you don’t, it’s completely okay, we love non-traditional engagements) Most jewelers provide the necessary documents needed to give to your insurance agent. It’s usually an affordable add on to your home owners or rental policy. As much as we realize you’re not going to let that beauty out of your sight, accidents do happen. Let this be one worry off your plate and have your new ring fully insured.
Announce
Long gone are the days of announcing your engagement in the local newspapers. So, after Grandma and your BFF have given you their congratulations, now you can finally shout it from the rooftop. Post it to Facebook and change your status, tweet it to Twitter, and #justengaged #isaidyes #ringselfie to Instagram.
Get Inspired
Start to gather wedding ideas and begin planning. Treat yourself to a few wedding magazines, thumb through and start to imagine your dream day come to. Browse Pinterest for ideas, and pin to boards to reference later. Follow wedding topics on Instagram.
Start a Wedding Registry
It sounds like it is early days to start a wedding registry, but it really isn’t. You can begin to start to add things to it slowly, allowing you time to research items and really think about what you want to add to it. Plus, some of your friends and family might like to celebrate your engagement with a gift. This will give them some ideas on what you might like. You may even have an engagement party being planned on your behalf. Have fun with it! Each of you can grab a scanning gun and go to town! Who knows, someone might just purchase you that Kitchen Aid Mixer or wine fridge.
Get Organized
Having everything in one place to reference makes things easier and saves time. Even in a time when everything is digital, having something tangible we found worked best. Something that has pockets for receipts, fabric swatches, magazine pages, and something to take notes, jot ideas, make lists. It can be something as simple as a binder from your local office supply store or a fancy premade wedding planner available from a variety of companies. Choose whatever works best for you.
Set A Budget
Start discussing finances right away. Come up with a plan and try to stick to it as close as possible. Determine who is going to pay for the wedding, and how much each party is willing to contribute. Do research on what average weddings in your area cost, and what local vendors charge for their services. Then set each allowance based on your findings.
Prioritize Plans
As you begin planning you may come across venues or vendors that are not available. Prioritize what is important to you as a couple. If having your dream wedding at a popular rustic barn is high on your list, set your date based on their availability. If getting married on a particular weekend in the fall is a must, you might have to be flexible with the vendors or venue you choose. When we were planning our wedding, I knew immediately who I wanted to use for our florist. When we found out she wasn’t available on a date we had in mind, we quickly chose another date, knowing we didn’t want to use another florist.
Set A Date
Once your priority wedding plans are established, set your wedding date. Make sure there are no conflicting events on you and your families’ calendars. Here’s where things start to get official!
Hire Your Photographer
That’s where we come in! Having an engagement photo session provides beautiful images to share on social media, use on “Save the Dates” and your wedding website. It also gives you a chance to feel more comfortable in front of our cameras. Come time for your wedding day, you’ll be much more relaxed and your wedding photos will reflect that. Contact us to discuss your options!
Choose A Wedding Party
If you are going to have a wedding party small or large, asking your nearest and dearest friends and family members early on in planning is essential. It can be a large financial burden and time commitment to be part of a wedding party, so giving everyone enough time to plan and prepare is huge. Presenting a small gift or a handwritten note can add a personal touch to the process.
Research Vendors
Read reviews, ask friends, and look for other vendor recommendations. Those of us in the wedding network work close with other peers, so it is often we have lists of preferred wedding vendors. Just ask! Start booking vendors as early as possible, some book out as early as 1-2 years. Again, refer back to your top priorities, this will help you determine the urgency and where to begin your research.
Build A Wedding Website
Once your wedding details come together, a fun and easy way to give a preview to your guests is a website. You can post photos from your engagement session to show off. A link to your wedding registry can also be added. Lodging recommendations and things for out of town guest to do can be listed. There are several companies out there that offer wedding website hosting or you can build your own if you or your fiancé are tech savvy.
Have fun and relax!
Among all the planning set aside time as a couple to relax and talk things other than the wedding. This is an exciting time in your lives, but it can become quite stressful. Schedule a couple’s massage to release any tension. Have a day of binge watching your favorite shows while researching caterers. Enjoy regular date nights and continue to celebrate your engagement throughout the whole wedding planning process. Most importantly, have fun!
Contact us today to discuss your wedding photography options!