7 Things Newly Engaged Couples Should Do…

Your fiancé has popped the question and you’ve said yes!! Congratulations, this is the wondrous beginning of your life together! After the phone calls have been made, and the ring “selfie” posted, you may be wondering what to do now?? Here is a list of 7 things newly engaged couples should do next….

1. Enjoy the Moment

First things first, planning a wedding over the next year or so will prove to be stressful. Your relationship has just crossed into a new territory. Before all the planning hubbub begins, plan a quick getaway or date weekend to just take time to get used to your new titles and enjoy the simplicity of each other’s company!!

2. Talk About Stress

There’s no way around it, making big decisions is stressful no matter how calm of a person you are. Take some time to discuss how you both will manage anxious times as you draw closer to your wedding date. One way to diffuse tense talks is to set up “keywords” ahead of time. Choose a funny word like “bubbles” or something out of the ordinary to preface that you’re getting agitated. Inform your fiancé that when you say this keyword during a conversation, you’re more than likely working on a short fuse. These keywords help your honey to realize that it’s the situation, and not them personally, that is causing the tension to escalate. Upon hearing the keyword, this signals them to postpone the discussion for a later time when tensions have calmed. More often than not, just saying the word out loud in the moment breaks the tension into laughter, and helps to change the mood.

3. Decide What is Important

Over the next year there will be hundreds of decisions to make. Deciding on your priorities ahead of time will help alleviate unnecessary distractions down the line. Both of you should make a bucket list of wedding “must haves” and also the things you’d prefer to omit or avoid. Once you have each other’s lists, you can sit down and compare notes and begin to plan!

4. Set a Budget

Weddings are costly, and statistically 46% of weddings go over budget! I suggest you sit down and really make a realistic budget as one of your very first wedding decisions. Setting a budget BEFORE you make some of those big ticket decisions (selecting a venue, booking a photographer etc.) will help you to prioritize your “must haves”, and allow you to see a bigger picture of what you actually have to work with.

5. Be Yourselves

Personality and individualism are as important as a bouquet and a wedding cake in my opinion! I love a ceremony that takes on the life of it’s couple. Ask yourself how your uniqueness as individuals and your story together can both be represented in your special day? Do you love nature? Is your fiancé a cat person? Did you meet swing dancing? These details can all be incorporated into a tailor-made wedding just for the two of you. Your guests will appreciate the experience because it’s genuine, and your event will become more memorable when your guests can relate to a part of your story!

6. Hire a Wedding Planner

This may seem like a shameless plug, but hiring a wedding planner before you make your big decisions, just may save you some headaches (and likely even some money) in the long run. Experienced professionals know many of the ins and outs of planning weddings, it’s their job! Since they do plan weddings often, they may have some much-needed wisdom to share in the months to come. Here are a few ways their services may prove invaluable. They'll likely have suggestions on the pros/cons of your selected venue, know the best place to purchase décor, recommend the most professional vendors, have insightful design suggestions (they’ve seen LOTS of event themes), have access to discounts/deals, know when the best time to book is etc... They’re your best resource when it comes to planning and executing your event seamlessly. They also handle all of those details the day of the wedding like coordinating with vendors, setting up your décor, making an event timeline and seating plan, managing the wedding party, directing guests etc. Let them help you by doing what they do best....planning an amazing event!

7. Research your Venue/Vendors and Book Early

This may seem a bit premature but venues and vendors like florists, photographers and planners book a year in advance. Since most weddings occur on a weekend, there are only so many weekends in a year, and many venues/vendors book up quickly. Read reviews, take a tour and schedule some consultations to get a feel for your venue/vendors ahead of time. Ask lots of questions to make sure they are a good fit for you, but by all means...do it soon!