Just got engaged – what happens next?

Just got engaged? Congratulations on your recent engagement. Christmas time, New Year’s Eve, and Valentine’s Day are the most popular times for popping the questions. But any time of the year, after you say; I will slip that ring onto your finger, comes the inevitable question, what happens next?

For many couples, the feeling of overwhelming kicks in quite quickly. There’s lots of information to absorb, and the thought of organizing a wedding celebration can be quite terrifying. But, It doesn’t have to be. Just follow my steps for kickstarting your wedding planning, and you’ll be well on planning your perfect day.

1. Your wedding vision

Being just engaged is one of the best feelings you will ever experience, so make sure you enjoy them to your fullest and keep admiring your sparkly ring. 

You have shared your delightful news with your family, friends and the world. The postman is bringing you the first engagement cards and gifts.

Wedding Pro-Tip: Make sure you log the gifts in your notebook or on a spreadsheet to send them an up-lifting thank you card.  

Take a deep breath and relax. Get a nice bottle of wine for the weekend and set aside some time to chat about your wedding vision. It’s so important not to rush the whole process and head straight into your planning.  A wedding is all about you as a couple and your unique love story. To discover your wedding vision, discuss questions like :

• What kind of wedding would we like to have? (formal or laid back)
• What season would we like to get married?
• Would we like a destination wedding, elopement, or the big bash?
• What wedding style are we drawn to?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Now that you have your vision, it’s time to define your top 3 priorities:

• What represents you as a couple and is super important to you?
• Are you into abundant flowers and would like an arch? 
• Are you a foodie and really focus on the dining experience? 
• Do you need to have a 5-piece band to keep dancing all night? 
• Do you want to enjoy your favourite cocktails at your wedding reception?
• Would you like to get married outdoors? 

2. Research, Research, Research…⠀⠀⠀

Organizing the best day of your life can feel slightly overwhelming. If you don’t have experience organizing celebrations, get in touch with a professional wedding planner who can support you with this process. Most couples have busy lifestyles and commitments with their career, social life, and family. Organizing a wedding, it’s a large undertaking and will add to their endless to-do list. Planners are there to make the process less stressful and turn it into an inspiring experience.

As a wedding planner in Ireland, I would love to chat with you. Get in touch here.

If you always have dreamed of organizing your own wedding, read up on magazines and check out your favourite wedding blogs and publications to get a reliable framework together. 

3. Your Guest List

To kick off your wedding planning, your partner and yourself should sit down and get an idea of who you would like to invite to your wedding celebration. Your first draft list gives you an idea of where you are standing with the budget and helps with your venue research. Brain dump all the names and put them in categories like family, friends, bridal party, colleagues, and sports friends

If you have to cut down numbers, you know exactly where to start. Voilà, you have a magic number! 

3. All about your Budget

One of the most important decisions in the wedding planning process is to decide how much money you would like to spend on your celebration. Have a conversation about your budget and decide how much you can afford to spend on your big day.  Consider what you can save over a certain time frame and what you’re willing to contribute from your savings to your wedding. Being open and honest with one another when it comes to your budget.  

Planning your wedding should be enjoyable and not overshadowed by feelings of anxiety or overspending. 

4. Set up a wedding e-mail

I always recommend setting up a wedding email before you start reaching out to venues and wedding professionals. It will keep you super-organised and your inbox de-cluttered because all of your wedding communication is in one place.   The e-mail address can be easily deleted after your wedding.

Wedding Pro-Tip: Use Google Drive or Dropbox to have all your contracts, invoices, and concepts in one place.

5. Your diary, notebook, or wedding planner

To keep you on track with your appointments and payments, get a diary, wedding planner, or notebook to keep you organized. Being organized with your wedding planner helps you to feel confident.  Planners are often filled with helpful information, too.  

I recommend:

• The Irish Wedding Blog
• Annies Design

6. Venue Research

Once you’ve worked through the steps above, you’re ready to look for your venue.

The pre-work was necessary because your wedding vision, rough guest count and budget dictate your venue. 

Now it’s time to research venues, get brochures and speak directly to venues you’re interested in to narrow down your list to your top 3 venues.

If you’ve completed the 6 steps for kickstarting your wedding planning, congratulations!  You’re well on your way now to planning your dream day.  If you’re leading a busy lifestyle with career, family, and home, you may like to collaborate with a wedding planner in Ireland to assist with your planning. It gives you a stress-free and inspiring experience to bring your vision alive.

Contact me if you have any questions and would like to talk to a wedding professional to assist with your planning.