He proposed and you said “YES!” and you can’t stop smiling. You’re high on love and can’t stop looking at that brand-new bling (if he proposed with a ring, more on that later). This is a very exciting and emotional time, and it is okay to just sit back and soak in the moment or/and jump straight into sharing the news with family and friends. Now’s the time to start visiting wedding websites (hint hint) or buying wedding magazines and sharing the news with family and friends.
You may have a short or long engagement depending on your preference, whatever the case being prepared never hurt. To help you jump start your planning we have put together a few steps;
Step 1: Church, Mosque and/or Marriage Registry Requirements
If you’re having a religious and/or civil ceremony, it’s important to find out EXACTLY what the requirements are. Marriage classes, paperwork, affidavits…etc. This list can very easily get out of hand, so the quicker you know the requirement the more time you have to get everything in place. Some churches require as much as 6 months notice! (See details on getting married at the Ikoyi Registry)
Step 2: Work out a budget
Establishing a budget is the first most important thing to consider in planning your wedding. You certainly can’t make any decisions until you know approximately, how much money you are working with, the type of vendors you want to work with, what goes in to what and the likes. If you plan on using a wedding planner, now’s a great time to start shopping for one.
Step 3: Earmark what’s Important
Choose the first four things that are most vital to you at the wedding. Top of the list for me is; Venue, Food, Decor, Wedding Dress, your list may be different. Your guests are important though so let at least one of your top priorities be to escalates the guest experience. Use them as a guide on where to begin the planning process.
Step 4: Reserve Your Venue
You theoretically don’t have a fixed wedding date until your venue is reserved. Your vendors are more likely to want to know your wedding date before you book them; as such booking your venue should top for priority list.
Step 5: Delegate
With all the considerations and decisions to make, it is very easy to get overwhelmed. You know your family and friends best, there will unarguably be people who have skills that can really take loads of work off you. Suck up your pride and delegate. You always have the final decision, but someone else can always do a little leg work for/with you. Don’t be afraid to delegate tasks. You will be grateful later.
It may appear consuming and daunting, just remember to take deep breaths and take everything one step at a time. Attempting to focus on too many aspects of the planning process at one time is what makes planning a wedding overwhelming. Relax you will get through it.
Congratulations on your Engagement!
Source: Sugar weddings
