CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR ENGAGEMENT!!

Whether you are recently engaged or well into planning for your big day, it is undoubtedly an exciting time in the life of you and your fiancé and a lot will happen between “Will You Marry Me” and “I Do”.  With each glimpse of your ring finger your settle more and more into the promise of forever.  But, what next?

1. Breathe. Deeply inhale through your nose….now exhale through your mouth….good, now you’re ready!
2. Tell your parents.  Give them the honor of hearing the news first.
3. Tell everyone else.  Before you update your relationship status or instatweet your happy news, be certain you’ve PERSONALLY announced it to everyone who should hear it from you.
4. Schedule a manicure.  Your hands will be the new focal point as friends and family “oooh” and “ahhh” over the new sparkly adornment so keep that weekly appointment on the calendar.
5. Guesstimate your guest list.  Before you even begin the venue search, nail down this magic number. Planners want to how many people you’re inviting so they can pair you with spaces (ballrooms, tents, etc.) that can accommodate head count. Banquet packages are also priced in ranges based on guest minimums, so this will help you with the next step: budgeting.
6. Set a realistic budget and start saving.  It’s easy to get carried away planning for the happiest day of your life, but it is never a good idea to incur exorbitant amounts of debt in order to have the wedding you’ve always dreamed of.   Once you find out who’s going to help you pay for the wedding, decide on an amount that you and your Fiancé can comfortably contribute and STICK TO THAT NUMBER!
7. Location is everything!  Deciding where you are going to hold your ceremony and reception is a big decision that may require several venues before finding the perfect one.  Creating organizational systems, such as spreadsheets to keep tabs on the venues you visit and their pros and cons, will help you stay calm along the way.
8. Find inspiration. Having an idea of the type of wedding you want will prove useful in helping finalize decisions.  Sign up for Pinterest to track and pin pictures that excite you.  Attend bridal shows…read bridal magazines…scour the web.  Inspiration is everywhere!  But be careful, the Internet can be an overwhelming place.  Allow yourself a certain amount of time each day to get lost in cyberspace but remain realistic about what your budget will allow.
9. Relax. Between family, friends, and decisions, this may seem like a tall order but you must do your best to avoid any unnecessary stress.  Planning for your wedding will be no different than planning for any other monumental life event.  The truth is some days will feel completely overwhelming and when this happens, make time to getaway – get a massage, sleep in, read a (non-wedding related) book.  Don’t hesitate to reset and allow time for you and Fiancé to just focus on yourselves.
10. Ask for help. The average wedding can require as many as 250 decisions and demand over 150 hours of your time.  With this in mind, it is important to consider whether you can plan the entire wedding by yourself (or with limited help)?  If you’re the type of person who’d rather not stress over the details, you may want to consider hiring a wedding planner. You may find there are some areas of your wedding where you require some planning assistance—negotiating with bakers and caterers for the best prices, finding the ideal venue, organizing party favors?  If those are tasks you don’t want to tackle alone and don’t have the assistance of your mom or bridesmaids, you definitely want hire a wedding planner.  Keep in mind that a wedding coordinator will cost money, so make sure the option to hire one comfortably fits into your budget before you give it consideration.

If you’ve decided that a planner is necessary, your decision to place someone in charge of pulling all of the elements and details together on your wedding day is a good one.  After all, you’re the bride and you should be carrying a bouquet, not a clipboard!

If you have not yet settled on a planner to assist with these details, I invite you to learn more about SocialBFly.  We are a comprehensive and stylish special events lifestyle marketing boutique that is comprised of three studios – each offering a unique and inspiring assortment of concierge, imaging, and special event planning services.  We provide an array of wedding packages that are designed to assist couples in any stage of the planning process and are guaranteed to take the pressure of planning and wedding day worry off of you and your Fiancé.  All of our wedding packages are 100% customizable and can be modified based on the full scope of your needs.

All of our planning services begin with a 1-hour details meeting with you and your Fiancé to discuss your vision and expectations for your big day and can easily be scheduled by completing our online event request form.

Happy Planning!