We're Engaged! Now What?

You're engaged…CONGRATULATIONS!! This is a very exciting time in your life, but newly engaged couples often are not for sure what their next few steps should be to get the wedding planning process started. We compiled this list to assist you and your fiancé with the beginning steps to get you going in the right direction.

1. Enjoy the process! Your lives are about to take a journey that you will never do again, so have fun and savor the planning process. Show off your ring, look through bridal magazines, try on dresses, have lunches with your bridesmaids and enjoy all of the fun events that will happen while you are planning your big day!

2. Tell your family and friends the big news! Decide how you both want to go about telling everyone and then begin with the people closest to you. Usually couples tell any children they have first, if there are any, followed by the bride and groom’s parents, grandparents, siblings, other relatives and close friends. Couples usually make the announcement to these family and friends in a more personal manner such as in person or over the phone, depending on distance.

3. Tell the rest of the world the big news! Couple’s have a few options when deciding how they want to let everyone else know about their upcoming nuptials. You can put the announcement of your engagement in the newspaper and/or send out formal announcements. Having an engagement party is another nice option that gives the most important people in your life an opportunity to get to know your soon-to-be spouse and their family better. A large percentage of couple’s have started creating a wedding website to announce their engagement and then continue to update it to keep guests informed.

4. Get the planning process started. Your first major set of wedding decisions that you will need to make as a newly engaged couple is to determine your date, wedding budget and bridal party. Sit down as a couple with your parents to decide the best date, who will contribute what amount to your wedding budget, and who will be a part of your bridal party. Also, begin researching different wedding trends and styles to see what you both like.

5. Begin interviewing wedding planners. Start a fact-finding mission to determine what planner will be right for your wedding needs. Take time to research different planners to find out their accreditations, services offered, view their previous work and read over reviews of their company. Make sure you find the planner that is best for your personality and needs because you will be spending a lot of time with them. At Black Tie Events, we firmly believe that a positive client/planner relationship is essential to a successful outcome when the big day arrives to ensure your dream is complete.

We hope that this article has helped you get started planning your unique wedding day. Best wishes as you begin your planning journey!

Warm Wedding Wishes,
Sara & Lisa