Recently Engaged! Here's What To Do Next

Congratulations lovely! You’ve recently gotten engaged, how exciting! I bet your brain is already filled with lots of ideas and maybe even a bit of dread at what to do next. So, let me help you get started by sharing some tips of what to do now…

Bride and groom embrace in front of the Georgian House at Hyde House in the Cotswolds. Image credit – Scott Stockwell Photography

1. Get clear on your budget

First off, it’s a great idea to get an idea of your finances and how much you have to spend from now until your wedding. You’ll want to start having a think about what year you want to get married and how many months you have to save.

Once you have an idea of this figure you can start searching for your team of suppliers with more confidence.

2. Work out your guest numbers

You will need to create a rough list of your day and evening guest numbers. This way you can start searching for venues who can accommodate these numbers rather than viewing venues widely under or over your capacity.

Your time as well as the venues is precious, so don’t waste it looking at ones who can’t accommodate your numbers.

3. Decide where you want to get married

This will play a big role in helping you choose your venue and may even dictate what time of year you get married.

4. Identify your must haves

These are the 3-5 things you just can’t imagine your wedding without. They are your loves, the suppliers and details which will make your day unique to you as a couple.

Your must haves will vary from other couples so don’t worry if you end up doing things differently to someone else. These must haves are the areas you are going to want to focus on booking first and you may even look at allocating more of your budget to them too.

5. Decide on your ceremony

It’s important you consider the style of ceremony you’ll be having. This may dictate what type of venue you choose as not all have a wedding license or will be near a church or religious building.

If your ceremony is in a different location to your reception take some time to consider how long you would be happy to travel between venues. Will you be putting on transport to make it easier for guests or will they need to make their own way?

Once you’ve considered these 5 things then you’re on your way to being ready to go out and visit some gorgeous venues. I know it feels like there is a lot to get in order but try to enjoy the early stages of your planning as much possible. If you’re wanting more planning tips and a little help to get you started then sign up to my LET’S TALK DETAILS mailing list. No spam just wedding planning goodness sent straight to your inbox every Sunday.