You’re Engaged! Now what?

So, you just got engaged? Congrats! Now what? After the initial shock wears off, it’s important to do some major things for your upcoming wedding. Don’t stress yourself out; take our tips to get your planning started sans stress.

Tell your friends and family

This seems like a no-brainer, but you want to make sure you tell ALL your immediate family members and close friends about your engagement before posting it on social media. No one wants to feel like they were left in the dust with the general population (especially if you’re close).

Come up with a timeline

You don’t have to have a specific date set just yet (that comes after you book the venue), but you’ll receive an endless amount of, “So, when’s the date?” questions. To ease the minds of those asking (and your own), come up with a time you’re thinking of setting the date. “We’re planning on fall of 2018,” or, “A June or July wedding is what we’re aiming for,” are great ways to give people an idea without having to commit to a specific date. Make sure to keep in mind any big events that may be coming up. This will also help you as you’re looking for a venue.

Set a budget

This is probably the most important (but least fun) thing to do. You can’t do anything at all until you have a budget figured out. Sit down with your families to see who will be contributing what (like we said, not fun). Make sure you take everything into account like your dress, the venue, photographer, DJ, food, etc. Also, will you be hiring a wedding planner? Once you have this all settled, you can start doing the more concrete planning. It will also save you a lot of frustration later if you know how much you’ll be able to spend along the way.

Insure your engagement ring

No matter how careful you think you are, insurance on your ring will give you peace of mind. This way if something does ever happen, you’ll get the money back. You can do this through your homeowner’s or renter’s insurance, or through a company that specializes in jewelry insurance.

Get inspired

Now the fun begins.  Before you start shopping around for decorations, dresses, venues, etc., spend some time dreaming up what you want your wedding to look like. Do you want a romantic ceremony and reception or something more glamorous? Do you want it outside or inside? Do you want a small ceremony or the bigger, the better? This is also when you should utilize resources like Pinterest, magazines, photos, movies, ANYTHING to get you in the wedding planning mood.