Yay!!! You’re engaged to your favourite person in the world!
After your partner pops the question, once the ring hits your knuckle and the tears have cleared, you may be feeling tons of feelings, primarily excitement but very likely a hint of anxiety underlying it all, too. If you do get a kick of panic as soon as reality sets in, don’t worry—, it just means going from just-dating to just-got-engaged, wedding-planning, bride – or groom-to-be in a matter of seconds is a shock to the system! And that’s ok, I felt those things too! That’s where this list can help! After you’ve take some days to enjoy this huge step the two of you are taking, you’ll be eager to begin the process of planning your wedding. I want your wedding to be magical and memorable – so I’ve made a list of the first five things to do after you get engaged (once you feel like you’re ready after the proposal!). Hint: choosing a date isn’t how I’d start the list!
Contents
1. Tell your family, friends that are like family, and then the rest of your world
Yes, you want to post that ring on Facebook and Instagram and shout about your everlasting love from the rooftops of wherever you are. But hold back—there’s an order to this! You wouldn’t want your seventh grade science fair partner to find out about this major life milestone before your mom or dad, would you? (Your parents wouldn’t want this, trust me! As soon as you’re ready to start telling anyone, family comes first. Call them up (this is not the time for a text!) or pay a visit if you’re not too far away. Next up, your best friends—think, the people you’ll end up asking to be in the wedding party. Finally, when all the VIPs know and have showered you with love, it’s time for the “we just got engaged!!!” social media post. Oh, and, once it’s posted, get ready for a ton of likes.
2. Just be together
That electric moment of sheer, adrenaline-fueled, dopey love you feel after your partner says “Will you? and you say “Yes”? That moment is one you can never reproduce. So soak in that “just got engaged” feeling for as long as you can, just the two of you. Don’t feel pressured to start calling people or making decisions right away—everything can wait. Instead, cry together, laugh together, do your favourite puzzle, watch your favourite movie… whatever! Just close yourselves up into your engagement bubble for as long as you want to and revel in the beauty of the moment. You’ll be glad you did.
3. Get inspired
Then, when you’re ready, start dreaming together! Dedicate an evening or two, go out for a date, and dream about your wedding! What are your big wants, and what don’t you want to happen at your wedding? Think about the style you’d like, whether it’s a beach bash, a sit-down dinner in a ballroom or a ceremony on a mountaintop. No talk of money. Yet.
4. Find the perfect date for your wedding
Now it’s time to find venues that fit the style of wedding you’ve been daydreaming about! Ask friends, go online and do some research in your local area, visit Pinterest. Spend some time figuring out what kind of venue you want for your wedding, and then ask them for what availability they might have! It’s time to think of what time of year you two want to tie the knot! Keep in mind family dates, holidays, and, if your guests will have to travel, it’s considerate if you choose a cost-efficient time to travel. People will start asking you WHEN your wedding date is as soon as you get engaged, so be patient and tell them you’re still deciding. Try and be flexible. If you aren’t in a rush, giving yourself a general timeframe will give you more flexibility in choosing a venue. It’s not uncommon to have to book a venue a year in advance, so having flexible dates can work to your advantage here. If you have a special date in mind that is important to you, you’ll need to do research on venues available for those dates specifically. Whether you’re in a church, on a farm, at a resort, or on beach somewhere, nailing down the venue and date crosses two items off your to-do list! Some couples prefer to set the date first, then find venues, others really want their wedding at a particular venue, so are more flexible. Do whatever feels more right to you!
5. Find your wedding photographer and get engagement photos
This is honestly my favourite part, but probably because I am that wedding photographer you might be looking for! This can be the hardest part sometimes, as there are so many out there, but take your time, ask close friends who you trust if they know of anyone. Went to a wedding recently? Ask that couple how the experience with their wedding photographer was! To That photographer will be with you on your wedding day, so it’s important to get comfortable with them.
One of the best ways to do this is to get engagement photos taken by them! I include an engagement session in each of my wedding packages just for this reason…it’s helps me get to know you two as a couple, and you learn how comfortable I can make you feel in front of the camera, even if you’ve never done that before! We’ll find a favourite place of yours to hang out in, dress up a bit, and just explore. I’ll gently guide you as we walk and talk, but it’s nothing to be scared of. once a few minutes pass, you’ll be super confident, and I’ll make sure to get your best side in all the photos! A few weeks later, I’ll send you an online gallery filled with your amazing photos, and now you get to share them with your friends and family, or get some printed beautifully for yourselves! I understand how intimidating being in front of a camera can be and I’ll guide you through each step to create images you love!
Booking a photographer early is smart because the best ones are worth every penny, and their most popular months book up over a year in advance, usually. Make sure you’re a good fit, that you can trust them, and you feel like they learn what your priorities are for your big day, and you’ll be all set! On your wedding day, your photographer is the dress-fluffer, tissue handler, hair flipper, main navigator, weather forecaster, timeline coordinator, and the most cheerful person! I absolutely love what I get to do!
“We found Andrew through one of the Wedding buy/sell facebook groups, and are so excited to have booked him to be our engagement and wedding photographer! He was so personable and professional that we felt comfortable with booking him after just a telephone call, and not surprisingly our positive feelings were confirmed when we did meet him over coffee for us for our in-person consultation. Andrew was attentive to our ideas, and walked us through the whole process so we felt well-prepared for our engagement shoot in mid-October at Ambleside and Whytecliffe Parks. During our session, he was fun but professional, made us feel comfortable at all times, and was able to capture many natural candid and posed shots for us. After the shoot, Andrew was very efficient and timely in getting our photos edited and uploaded for us, and we are so thrilled with the results! We definitely recommend Andrew for anyone looking for a great photographer who is truly passionate about his work. We cannot wait to have him photograph our wedding next year!”