Hey there soon-to-be brides! He finally put a ring on it, you posted the proposal story and pictures on Facebook and Instagram, and you celebrated with your friends and family. Now the stress hits and the reality sinks in that you have SO MUCH to do in so little time, and how is it all going to get done?!
As a wedding photographer, I work closely with brides all the time, so I’ve learned from many, what the top five best things are to do immediately after getting engaged, and I’m here to reveal those five.
1. Book your date. This is vital. I have seen too many brides take months to finally come up with a wedding date, and by that time many vendors, and especially the vendors you were hoping for, are booked up. So make sure that setting your date is your number one priority. The sooner you book your date, the more time you have to wedding plan, and the sooner you can book your vendors, and the less stress you will be under.
2. Determine your budget. This conversation isn’t a fun one to have, however it’s necessary before moving forward in any of the wedding plans. Whether it be just between you and your future spouse, or discussed with parents, it’s important to get a budget set, in order to know which venues can be booked, and how many guests can be invited.
3. Determine your wedding size. Getting a rough estimate of how many guests you will invite to your wedding is very important before moving forward. This determines what type of venue you should book, how many each can seat, and how much is in your budget for other things.
4. Book your venue. This would be the first vendor to book. You can’t have a wedding unless you have somewhere to get married and somewhere to seat your guests, so I would book your venue first. Ceremony and reception spaces are also the two that book up the fastest, so I would start calling immediately.
5. Book your photographer. I may be biased, but booking your photographer is vital in my opinion. This is the person that is going to capture your day from beginning until end, and the way that you will hold on to your memories for the rest of your life. Photographers book up very quickly, so make sure to get ahold of your photographer as soon as you have the above set, if you want your day to be remembered and treasured forever.
So there you have it! Your top five things to get a head start, for all you newly engaged couples. There are obviously many other important vendors to book and things to do, but those will come at a later time. Until then, let’s get these five things done for a great jumpstart for what’s sure to be one of the most important days of your life.
