6 things to do the week after you get engaged
He knelt on one knee, you felt the world spin around you, and your heart exploded with happiness as you said “YES! YES! OF COURSE!” Congratulations, you’re engaged!! You call your parents and share the happy news, and fall asleep in absolute bliss. The next morning you wake up and wonder if it’s a dream, but no… there’s a gorgeous ring on your finger! It’s real. And now it’s time to start planning your wedding.
But where do you start? Here are 6 things you can do the week after you get engaged.
Six Things To Do the Week After You Get Engaged.
1. Get a manicure.
Because everyone will want to look at your stunning new bling, and you’ll want to make sure your hands are a lovely backdrop. Go for a fun color, a classic soft pink, or bright red, or something seasonal— just make sure your nails are clean, trimmed, and polished, and your hands well-moisturized. A few minutes of care and attention go a long way.
2. Sit down with your fiancé and write out your priorities.
I think this is more important than picking a date, because your priorities will inform so much of your budget.
What does your ideal wedding day look like? Do you want warm weather or cold? Summer or Fall? Do you want to get married outdoors, in a church, with an iconic backdrop, or have all events at the same location? City or country? Wild party or quiet celebration? Band or DJ? Huge guest list or an intimate group of friends?
Decide what feeling you want for your wedding day, and make sure that you and your fiancé are on the same page.
3. Pick an ideal date
Talk to your fiancé about ideal time frames, decide on an ideal date, and then talk to your parents and pertinent family members to make sure there aren’t any major conflicts.Make sure to keep an open mind— your date likely can’t be set in stone until you nail down ceremony & reception venues, but you can start by having some preferred dates in place.
4. Start your budget.
It’s not the most romantic to-do-list item, but you can’t decide on venues, wedding gown, flowers, photography, catering, or anything else until you know your budget.
A few great resources for establishing a great wedding day budget:
- Martha Stewart Weddings on how to divvy up your budget.
- The Knot’s Wedding Budget Calculator.
- A Practical Wedding’s Budget Breakdown.
- Cost of a Wedding Estimator.
5. Consider hiring a Wedding Planner
Speaking from nearly 9 years of wedding-world experience, a wedding planner makes all the difference on your wedding day. Hiring a good planner reduces stress, eases decision-making, and saves your budget! Seriously!
Most brides think of hiring a wedding planner as handing-over the reigns of their vision and day to someone else, but the best wedding planners customize their packages and their client experience to each individual bride. Whether you want a hands-off planning experience or you want to be deeply involved in the process, it’s worth the investment to hire a professional to help you plan the perfect day.
If you prefer to find vendors, create mood boards (helllloooooo, Pinterest!), and manage your budget on your own, you might want to consider partial planning or month-of coordination. If nothing else, bring on a day-of coordinator so that you, your bridesmaids, and your parents can all relax and enjoy the wedding weekend without worrying about taking home decorations or running a ceremony rehearsal on your own.
6. Take the time to celebrate.
Pop some champagne, look into the eyes of that perfect someone who has your heart, and make sure you just enjoy this feeling. Engagement is such a short season of life, and it’s so easy to spend it stressed about the planning process. Remember that preparing for marriage is more important than planning for the wedding, and the ceremony (aka, actually getting married) is more important than all the details that go into the day. Some of the best engagement advice we were given— make one night a week a “no wedding talk” night. Don’t forget to date each other throughout engagement. Keep cultivating your relationship. And if you’re looking for some great DC date night ideas, check out this blog post from the archives!
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