(image credit: Huffington Post)
He asked, you said yes! Congratulations on your engagement. Right now you’re excited, in love, and perhaps feeling a bit daunted. Know that the task of planning your wedding can be extremely fun and rewarding, so don’t let stress overshadow the good stuff.
Ease into the role of bride-to-be with this engagement checklist. It’s a great starting point to help you get organized.
Breaking The News
Reach out to friends and family, even the ones you don’t speak to often. Set some time aside to hack through that list as a couple. Everyone loves a personal phone call/text/email when it comes to such momentous news, as it’s not a pretty picture when close friends and family find out you’re engaged via Facebook.
So He Put A Ring On it
Wow, your once naked finger now houses a glamorous, meaningful, and expensive piece of jewelry. Take care of your new treasure. Get the ring sized and insured immediately.
Set A Sort Of Date
We know, you just got engaged! There’s too much to think about and you’re not ready to commit to an exact date yet! No worries. Just set a sort of date. A general time-frame will help you to plan and organize all other details better. It will also better prepare you to answer the inevitable “when’s the big day?” questions coming your way.
Inspiration Boards
There are so many options out there nowadays for future brides to draw on inspiration. Start looking now to get a clear idea of what type of wedding you’ll want. Flip through magazines to create an inspiration binder, read through wedding blogs, peruse Pinterest boards. Get ready for non-stop wedding eye candy!
Finances
This is good time to start a savings account solely for the wedding. Decide what amount you and your fiancé can contribute monthly and stick to it. Also, start tracking quotes and expected spend amounts for each wedding related task. If you organize and plan early, the wedding expenses won’t blind side you in the end.
It’s My Party, I’ll Invite Who I Want To
Start a preliminary guest list to get a better scope of wedding size. Ask your parents (the both of you) of their expected number of guests, assuring them there will still be time in the future to adjust as necessary.
Seek Professional Help
Look into hiring a wedding planner. There are many options; some plan everything from the engagement all the way to the nuptials. Others are available to consult as needed. Professional wedding planners may seem like an added cost, but they actually can help you to avoid some costly mistakes.