You're Engaged! Now What? A Comprehensive Guide to the Next Steps After Saying Yes
Congratulations on saying yes to the most important question of your life! Whether you’re immediately planning a wedding or waiting to plan one until later, there are plenty of things you can do right away. There’s no time like now to start preparing and learning how to plan your own wedding.
You've been waiting for this moment. Holy moly, your engagement ring has arrived. A lifetime of watching wedding movies couldn't have prepared you for what's to come (trust me, it's totally different). There are some things you'll want to do as soon as possible, no matter how long you plan to be a fiancé. It is scary, amazing, and the best kind of stress to commit the rest of your life to the love of your life. In any case, it's an amazing milestone, and planning a wedding together is the cherry on top.
Tell your close family and friends
It’s not a secret anymore, you are getting married! You want to tell all your friends and family. These are people who will be there for you on the big day, so it is only right that they know first. Plus they might have some great advice for planning your special day! Start with close friends or family members. The best way to tell them is in person (or over the phone). These are people that deserve an I am engaged moment, not a text or Facebook post.
Start planning your engagement party
The first thing you need to do is figure out if you want an engagement party at all. If you're not sure, why not ask your loved ones for their thoughts? You might be surprised by how many people are interested in being a part of it.
When deciding whether to hold an engagement party, the first thing you should do is decide if you even want one. If you aren't sure, what do your loved ones think? You might be surprised at how many people are interested in joining.
Go out for a celebratory drink with some of your closest friends, or try a solo date night if that's more your style. You're engaged, and that's definitely worth toasting.
Even if you don't have an engagement party, there are some considerations: Would you like to plan it or let your parents handle it? Want to go low-key and have it at home or in a friend's garden? How about a catered dinner or drinks at your favourite bar? No matter what you decide, just make sure to do what feels right for you and your partner.
Start thinking about your wedding budget
The first step in planning your wedding is creating a budget. There are a lot of expenses associated with weddings, and it is important to know what you can afford. Setting a budget will also give you an idea of how much time and money you need to save up before your big day.
Take a Breather - Enjoy your Engagement
It's important to take a week or two to let the news fully sink in and to just enjoy the moment. Over the next 12 months (or so), you'll experience enough stress to last a lifetime!
When you've shared the news of your engagement, take some time to enjoy the moment. There's no need to jump into wedding planning right away - in fact, I encourage you to celebrate your engagement first. Of course, if you have a short engagement or a strict wedding timeline, you might not want to delay things too much. Be true to yourself and your partner, not what others think you should do.
Decide on your wedding date
Wedding dates and venues book up well in advance, so if you're planning to get married within the next year or two, start thinking about dates now. See what works for both families and if there are potential conflicts.
If it's a year or six years after the ring is on your finger, you can choose a date whenever you damn well please. If you are on a typical timeline (i.e., having your wedding 12 to 18 months after the proposal), you can begin the planning as soon as you're engaged. Work from a timeline ("I want a wedding on New Year's Eve! ", for example) and work from there.
Begin looking for wedding venues
Choosing a venue is an important step in planning your wedding. There are many factors to consider, such as the number of guests you plan on inviting, what type of reception you want, and your budget. The venue should reflect your style and personality in order for you and your fiancé to be happy with the decision.
Remember: You can't book your wedding date until you find the perfect venue! Get some information on pricing and availability online or by calling the place you already have in mind.
Get Inspired
You don't need to start your wedding planning with rigid decisions in mind, but it's always wise to start gathering information and look at websites and magazines for your big day.
With your partner, identify any design preferences that the both of you may have, make a Pinterest account (you'll thank me later!), and just keep looking for more ideas for now. The more time you spend exploring the industry, finding inspiration, and picking out your desired aspects for the wedding, the clearer the vision for the wedding becomes.
Attend Some Wedding Fairs
One way to start planning is by attending a wedding fair. You'll get information about all sorts of things, like wedding suppliers you might want for your special day, meet different photographers, think about different entertainment options, different styles of invitations and what you should wear.
Send Save-the-Dates
Once you’ve said yes, it’s time to put together Save-the-Dates! This is a formal invitation that lets your friends and family know when and where your wedding is. You can buy them from a variety of places or have them custom printed with your own design. There are lots of different options for paper, fonts, wording, and how many days in advance they are sent out.
Book your suppliers
Start by contacting your wedding venue to find out what they recommend in terms of suppliers. If you’re having a large wedding, you may need an outside caterer or marquee hire company. It’s worth getting their requirements in writing before booking. You’ll also need to book your photographer and videographer. Venues will often have a list of preferred suppliers that they work with regularly, so ask them for this information early on so you don’t miss out on anyone who could be perfect for your day.
Choose Your Bridal Party
Have you already decided who will be in your bridal party? If not, it’s time to start thinking about it. The number of people in your bridal party is up to you and will depend on whether or not you have a maid or matron of honour. Are you going for something traditional with a maid of honour and four bridesmaids, or do want something more modern and unconventional with three friends as your best women?
Regardless, choosing the members of your bridal party should be an exciting process that brings out all kinds of memories from the past. Make sure they know they are asked because they mean a lot to you, not just because they were around when you were planning this.
Think about your honeymoon
It’s also time to think about your honeymoon. You might want to start by picking a destination and researching travel options. If you can’t decide on a location, search for inspiration by looking at photos of different regions in the world.
Once you have an idea of where you want to go, start figuring out how you will get there. Will you fly, drive or take public transportation? Will you need passports or visas? Do you need any vaccinations before traveling? Research these things now so they don’t delay your big day. It's also important to figure out what type of accommodations are right for you. If all else fails, look into renting an Airbnb in a nearby city and make plans to visit more than one country during your trip--it's all about enjoying yourself with someone who matters most.
Enjoy Your Engagement!
Congratulations on your engagement! You’ve chosen to spend your life with someone who is perfect for you. It can be an exciting time as a single person, but it can also be a little scary knowing that soon you will have to make all these important decisions about marriage and family.
First, take some time off from social media and other sources of information about weddings, because it can get overwhelming very quickly.
Next, start thinking about what kind of wedding or commitment ceremony you want. This will help guide most of the next steps in planning your wedding day that will form such an important part of your future together.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dean Odell is a professional wedding magician, mind-reader and Your Magical Wedding Toastmaster.
I help wedding couples create unforgettable moments by providing unique entertainment with incredible close up magic & as Your Magical Wedding Toastmaster.
If you’d like to find out more about booking him for your wedding head to: https://www.deanodell.co.uk/weddings