You might find other blog posts recommending that the first thing you need to do is decide on a budget or figure out your guest list… But we think that you actually enjoy your engagement for a while!
One of the first things you should do if you haven’t already is to take out insurance on your engagement ring and get it resized if necessary. We know it’s not exciting but you won’t regret it if you come to need it later on!
Now back to the fun stuff, unless you’re on a very short timescale for planning your wedding, take the time to enjoy being engaged for a while and make the most of this special time. That might mean planning a celebration, an engagement photo session, or that might mean just giving yourself the opportunity for it to sink in!
An engagement celebration is a great way for your friends and family who might not have met to get to know each other before your wedding. Treat it like a mini-wedding and get practise in before planning the real thing!
Depending on how you want to celebrate, you might have an intimate dinner with just close friends and family or a huge party with everyone you know – do it your way.
Once you’ve decided on your budget, stick to it the best you can. There will no doubt be valuable lessons learned here which will help you later on. Prioritise where to spend your money, the venue and food & drink, if you’re providing it, are likely to be the most important. Create a spreadsheet so you can keep track easily.
Work out your guest list – anyone you invite to your engagement party should also be invited to your wedding. Of course, things can change and that might not always be the case but you should consider it when choosing who to invite. The more people you have, the more expensive the total cost will be.
Create a gift list – people love to gift! It's best to give guidance on this than leave people wondering so if you would prefer not to receive gifts then make that clear on your invitations. If you expect people to want to bring gifts then why not start a list, it just makes it easier for everyone. You can also think about alternative options like charitable gifts or tree planting... Check out Ecologi (Use our referral link and we both get sparkly trees!)
Invite your people – whether you’re having drinks at your local pub or you’ve hired a venue, people need the details. You could create a quick invitation in Canva (it's free) send a simple Whatsapp message, or have them printed and post them out but keep your budget in mind. Make sure your guests know to RSVP so you can keep track of who's coming.
Set up the venue – this is another chance for you to figure out the kind of style you might like for your wedding if you’re not sure. The options are endless so get onto Pinterest and save some examples you like and go from there. Think about your personalities, take inspiration from nature, look to interior design - there are ideas everywhere!
The whole wedding planning process from here is one big celebration so while it can be stressful, try to enjoy the journey. If at any point you find yourself not enjoying yourselves then take a step back and have a break from wedmin! When you come back, hopefully, you’ll find you’re refreshed and ready to take on the next step. And if that’s not the case, then consider getting a planner to help you...