If you’re here, that means you just got engaged! Congratulations! Now you’re engaged, you can really start your wedding planning journey. There are so many details to take care of, big and small, but you’ve got this. Let’s start off with the things that need to get done first once you’re engaged.

Celebrate!

Taking the time to really celebrate and take a deep breath before the craziness begins is really important. You’re going to want to tell everyone immediately because it’s so exciting! But make sure you have a moment to just enjoy being engaged with your new fiance. Wedding planning is typically a marathon, not a sprint, so you’ll want to relax for a few moments. Then, you can start telling everyone and planning your next steps!

Insure your ring

This is such an important step that couples tend to forget! You’ll want to make sure your new bling is insured just in case. Oftentimes, you can add this to your existing renters or homeowners policy, but you can also set up a separate policy for jewelry. Review your policy carefully because you’ll want to know what happens if it’s stolen or damaged. Another important thing to consider is what happens if stones fall out and need to be replaced.

Have a conversation with your new fiance

The first step of wedding planning is sitting down with your fiance and having an honest talk about how you envision your wedding. Once you’re engaged, you need to determine your priorities and figure out how your visions mesh together. What’s important to you both? What are you willing to compromise on? It’s important to know immediately if someone’s been envisioning a ballroom wedding while the other wants an outdoor wedding. Wedding planning is about both people, which means you need a clear idea of what your fiance wants too. This is an important step to take before setting your budget. Speaking of which…

Set a budget

Creating a budget or simply determining how much you want to spend is the next step of wedding planning. Every decision you make is going to be based on your budget. So, you want to have a firm number in mind. If you’re paying for the wedding by yourself, go through your finances and find a number that’s comfortable for you. We don’t recommend going into debt for your wedding, so keep in mind what you can actually spend. If you’re getting parental help, have a frank conversation with them about how much money they’re willing to contribute or which items they’re willing to pay for. You need to understand what you’re working with before you start booking vendors.

Figure out a general date

Odds are, unless you want a really specific date, you won’t know your exact date until you’ve booked your venue. But you’ll want a general idea before you start looking. Are you hoping for a summer wedding? An October wedding? Do you really want to get married around Christmas? These are things you should know. The exception to this is if the specific venue is more important to you than the date. Sometimes couples are willing to take whatever date the venue has available.

Start putting together your guest list

Your guest list is another tricky item that you can do before or after you pick your venue. Regardless, you should have a general idea. Figure out the people you absolutely need to have at your wedding (parents, best friends, extended family, etc.), so you have a minimum number. That way, you won’t pick a venue that only sits thirty people when your minimum is fifty. Once you’ve booked your venue, you can start figuring out your actual guest list and decide who should be added. Keep plus ones and children in mind if you’re inviting them.

Next wedding planning steps

Now you’re engaged, and you’ve completed these steps, you can start looking for and booking vendors! You’ll want to determine your color scheme and overall theme, as well as figure out what items you’ll need to make your ideal day happen. A good wedding planner is always helpful, so consider booking one if you’re lost or just looking for help.

Have any questions? Comment below!