You’re Engaged! Now What?

It finally happened. After waiting for what seems like forever, you finally have a skating rink on a very important finger. (10 points for you if you know what movie this is from!)

But now what?

My hubby proposed to me on top of a mountain, and it was perfect. Being that we had a 4 mile hike back to the car, I started spouting out everything I hoped our wedding would be, and Trev started making mental notes. I can honestly say, we had a general idea of everything we wanted in that two hours back down the mountain. As soon as we reached our car (and cell service!) we called our families and our very best friends. We spent the rest of our vacation enjoying ourselves, getting used to calling each other “fiancé/fiancée” and posting ring pictures all over social media. But when we got home, it was time to get into wedding mode. Here are the first ten things to do after you say Yes!

Call your loved ones! Better yet, FaceTime them or tell them in person. You’re going to be SO excited, a little shocked, and maybe even a little bit nervous. (I was the entire morning. Trev had been acting weird, and I just had a feeling he was going to propose. It took a while after for the nerves to ware off!) I can promise you, your loved ones will want to see your excitement for themselves. Once those closest to you are notified, go ahead and post about it all over social media… you know you’re dying to!
Celebrate! In a time where everything is going to seem a bit like a blur, be sure to take some time to take it all in, and remember the moments with your fiancé. Pop open some champagne, go to dinner, and don’t feel bad about constantly staring at your new favorite accessory!
Take care of your new baby. Yes. I called your engagement ring your baby. Yourfiancé spent countless hours picking it out for you, and probably spent a small fortune on it. You don’t want to lose it. Take it to get resized if needed. Be sure to take it to someone you trust. It will probably only be gone a day or two, but it will feel like a lifetime! And if you are anything like me, you’ll worry about it. (I know, I’m crazy.) Next, get it insured. Take it to be appraised first, then talk to an insurance agent to be sure your ring is covered whether you are missing a gem, or your ring has been lost. Chances are, you can add your jewelry to your existing home owners insurance. This is what we did, and it was honestly a piece of cake!
Make a wedding binder. I promise you, it will save your butt time and time again throughout the wedding planning process. I chose this one from The Knot and I absolutely loved it. It was worth every penny. Everything is laid out perfectly and it had me organized before I even started planning. You can also make your own wedding binder with printables and tutorials that you can find all over Pinterest.
Speaking of Pinterest… IT IS FINALLY TIME TO START WEEDING THROUGH THAT WEDDING BOARD! Personally, the first board I ever made when I signed up for Pinterest was a “Someday” board. With years and years of wedding pins, I realized most were nothing that I wanted anymore. So, I started looking for inspiration from celebrity weddings and wedding magazines, and then searching these things on Pinterest. This way, I could create a new board, and fill it with all the ideas I loved from the past (I repinned everything I still loved) , and the ideas I loved from now.
Talk Budget. Are you paying for your wedding? Are your parents? It might be weird to talk about, but it needs to be done. Find a number you are comfortable at, and try to stick to it. I know I’m not the first to say this… but weddings aren’t cheap. Be sure your finances are in place and your budget is set, before you fall in love with a venue, photographer, caterer, etc. Just like on Say Yes To The Dress, you don’t want to look at something over budget, because everything else will pale in comparison, and you won’t be happy.
Think about your guest list. Do you want a big, splashy wedding, with all of your family and friends? Or do you want something a little more intimate? It’s always good to have a ball park number before you start searching for your venue. Which leads to…
Finding your venue! For me, this was easy. I’d always dreamed of getting married at The Homestead in Northern Michigan. But, I knew it’s the kind of place that gets booked years in advance. I wanted a June wedding, so I was taking my chances going to see them in July (just short of one year before my wedding). Luckily, I wasn’t opposed to getting married on a Friday, so I was able to book June 17th! So if your dream venue is a popular wedding location, be sure to book an appointment right away to ensure you get the date you are hoping for.
Set your date. The second you get engaged, it will seem like LITERALLY (I hope you just read that like Chris Traeger, all you Parks and Rec fans!) everyone wants to know your date. Once you have your date set, its time to start planning.
Let the fun begin! It’s officially time to start planning your big day.

Is your head spinning yet? I hope not! Starting the wedding planning process can be stressful, but I promise it will all be worth it in the end! If things are getting too stressful, take a step back, snuggle up with your honey, and just relax. I promise, your wedding will be perfect in the end. Don’t let the little things bother you on your way to the aisle!

Xx.
Savannah