Congratulations!!! Cue to confetti! YOU ARE ENGAGED!!!! Whether it was a complete surprise or you knew every detail before it happened- you just went through a major life event and it is time to celebrate! Being engaged can be a super exciting time, but it also comes alongside a lot of things to do. While there are several things you can do after he proposes, here is a list of 5 somewhat time-sensitive tasks that would be best done sooner than later.
1. Tell your family and closest friends
While this may seem obvious, before you start planning the perfect Instagram hashtag, it is super important to tell those closest to you (whether it is in person, over a Facetime chat, or phone call). Chances are, they would probably rather hear from you than a Facebook post that you are engaged! After you’ve told the people who are close to you, feel free to post away on Facebook or Instagram with the sappiest caption and best hashtag your heart could dream up!
2. Pick a date (or at least narrow down to a month)
Chances are the first question everyone is going to ask when they hear you are engaged is "when's the big day?". If you are planning a short engagement it is important to set a date so you can get vendors secured. If you are planning an extended engagement period (over a year) it is aright to just pick a season you would like to get married in!
Keep in mind the busier wedding seasons for your region. Here in North Georgia, fall is the busiest season for weddings, so if you get engaged in June and would like an October wedding, you may need to start sending out vendor inquiries quicker than if you wanted a winter wedding.
3. Draft a guest list
Probably one of the most daunting of the wedding tasks is creating a guest list. A rough guest count is important when looking at venues and talking to caterers, so it is important to have an idea of how many people are going to be invited. A great tip I've heard is to start by writing down an A-list: people you MUST have at your wedding. This list includes immediate family, the friends you’ve had since kindergarten, etc. Then write a B-list: people who you would LIKE to have at your wedding. This list usually consists of co-workers, the former-roommate, your parent’s friends, and so on. Send invites to the people from your A-list first. If 10 people from your A-list can’t attend, invite 10 people from your B-list in order of priority.
4. Set a budget
Also SUPER important as you start contacting vendors and venues. Are your parents or grandparents helping with any expenses? Have a conversation with them to get an idea if they are planning to help. Then sit down with your fiancé and look at the money you both have saved (or make a plan to save in the months leading up to the wedding). One piece of advice I would give is to not go in to debt over your wedding- it just isn't worth it. First, do your research. How much does your dream venue cost? How about your ideal photographer? Invest some time into gathering the right information so you can have a realistic idea of how much you plan to spend.
5. Contact your "MUST HAVE" vendors
I recommend starting with venues so that you have your date and location solidified before reaching out to your caterers, photographers, florists, etc. While some wedding professionals can book multiple weddings in one day, most only have dates open for one couple, so do not wait too late to reach out to your dream photographer and venue as they may be booked.
So you are getting married? I would love to hear more about your wedding plans and see if I would be a good fit to serve you on your wedding day for Photography and/or Videography.
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