IF YOU'RE READING THIS, YOU MUST HAVE JUST PUT A RING ON THAT FINGER.
Oh hey, there — welcome to the world of being newly engaged!!! Whether you got engaged over the Christmas holidays (the cutest!) or have been rocking that #engagedlife for a little while, you’re about to step into your Wedding Era. And let me tell you — it’s going to be amazing.
I want to start by saying that it's okay not to know what to do next, where to start with planning a wedding, or knowing if you should even be planning your wedding yet. As a full-time wedding photographer, I have talked to more engaged couples and wedding vendors than I can count and there is a list of the first things you need to think about when you get engaged.
Step 1: Take a Breath
Before you dive into the big planning (and yes, there will be plenty), here’s your very first assignment: take a breath.
Seriously. Don’t grab every bridal magazine off the rack, don’t start color-coding spreadsheets, and definitely don’t panic. Instead, here’s what you should do:
Celebrate with your partner.
Soak up the excitement.
Look down at that sparkly ring and let yourself get all giddy about what’s ahead.
Dream about your future together.
Wedding planning is no small task, and trust me — it’ll come soon enough. For now, just savor the moment.
Step 2: Slowly Ease Into Planning
When you’re ready to dip your toes into the planning waters, start small.
Set a Budget
This might not be the most fun part, but it’s an essential first step. Sit down with your partner (and maybe your families) to figure out what you’re comfortable spending. Pro tip:
It’ll likely cost more than you expect, so plan accordingly.
Build in some breathing room for those unexpected expenses.
Book Your Venue
Your venue is the cornerstone of your wedding day. Once you’ve got this locked in, everything else — from the vendors to your aesthetic — can fall into place. Start dreaming up your ideal spaces, book some tours, and get ready to fall in love with the spot that feels like the one.
Book Your Planner, Photographer, and HMUA
The first vendors you should be looking at after you secure your venue is wedding planners, photographers (I'm biased on this one lol) / videographers, and your hair and makeup artists. These are vendors that tend to book sooner than later as well as tend to be larger priorities in couple's budgets.
Step 3: Start to get a feel for who you want to invite
This is not a list that you have to have set in stone after one night. Start with the most obvious people that are the closest and most important in you life. This could be people like your parents, your siblings, and/or your best friend you talk to multiple times a day. From there, start to think about other key people in your life. This might include aunts, uncles, other friends and so on. My advice is to start thinking about the key people for your guest list earlier on in the process so you have time to sleep on your list and make adjustments before it's crunch time on save the dates or invitations.
Step 4: Have Fun With It
Planning your wedding should be exciting, not overwhelming. Take it step by step, lean into the joy of this season, and don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it.
If you're in the step 2 stage of the process...
We need to talk. I would love to chat all the basic plans you have for your BIG DAY. Let's hit it off and get you the best photos possible so you can look back on the day for years to come. While I'm based in Southern Ontario, my bag is always packed to capture love near and far. Slide into my DMs by filling out my inquire form and let's get chatting!!!
תגובות