You just got engaged! Now what?
What to do immediately after your engagement all the way to the wedding day, in just a few steps 🙂

So my brother in law got engaged December 22nd and wants to get married in six months. I was talking to him over the phone and he asked us what his next steps were — I realized how much information we really have about all of this, so let us, the experts help you out!

1- most important, you need to sit down with anyone who will be paying for your wedding and determine a budget. 

2- next, it’s time to pull out your Pinterest board. When we worked at Disney, this was called blue sky time. Talk a walk with your future maid of honor or go on a date with your spouse and just talk. What have you seen that you love? How could that work in your budget? What’s most important to you – the party, the decor? What colors do you like for the time of your you’re into? How could a theme work to tell your story throughout the day? Anything that genuinely makes you excited (a surprise dance with the girls in the reception, a flower wall, a custom lounge area, an amazing dress) and gives you butterflies, prioritize that! 

3- once you have a theme and budget, it’s time to look at venues and wedding planners! Venue and catering is the most important because these are both a must. Can’t have a party without a place and typically certain caterers are required for upscale venues. If you’re planning to have a planner, it’s best to have them help you organize and break down your budget before you book your venue. 

4- this is when I would create an account on wedding wire, Zola, or the knot. These wedding websites made organization so much easier, especially because we did not hire a planner to handle the details. These sites can host your personal website to send people to RSVP and your registry links. They are super fun to create!! You can then start searching for local vendors through their sites as well as insta. 
5- next, time to book your wedding photographer and choose your bridal party! It’s always best to let your friends know you’ve chosen a date and location early so you’re not disappointed when they have already booked an important trip on your day!! As you’re creating your cute Etsy boxes to send out, start looking at what photo styles you’ve saved on Pinterest or photogs you follow on insta. Are they more moody, more timeless/natural, more bright and airy? Keeping in mind your wedding theme and colors, you can start inquiring with your photographers through the contact form on their sites. Try to give them as much detail as possible when messaging them. At the very least, a time and a place is required. Putting down a concrete budget range is soooo helpful as well. Anything you’re really wanting out of the ordinary or planning a surprise for someone? We want to know the juicy things, it makes us excited for your day!
​
6- so now that you’ve booked your planner, venue, caterer, created your wedding website, and photographer, the next vendors can be really all mixed together on your timeline. Here’s a checklist: 

• Florist 
• Baker 
• Calligrapher for those stunning custom invites or place tags 
• Videographer 
• DJ 
• Event rentals for a more custom look (a cool lounge area or custom ceremony backdrop) 
• Honeymoon 
• Officiant 
• Hair and makeup 
• Transportation 
• Wedding bands 

You’re off to a great start if you’ve read this far! Don’t let yourself get too stressed, try to keep your love on top of mind. It’s not every day you get to marry the person of your dreams 🙂