The Basics in Planning a Wedding

He popped the question. You said yes. Hooray!

So what are you supposed to do now?

Answer: Stare at your ring for the rest of your life! Kidding!

Now that you have a ring on your finger what should be the first thing you do? I’ll be quite honest, I believe the direction you go is dependent on each couple.

But I have here a guide on what to do next (you know, right after you call your mom and inform the VIPs in your life):


* Sit Down with your Fiancé

Before you pick a date, venue, or even set your budget, talk with each other about what is important to you and where your priorities lie. Once you and your finance are on the same page, sit and chat with all money contributing parties. Like it or not, if parents are paying for part/all of the wedding, their opinion matters.

* Set a Date (Even If It’s Not the Date)

After  “congratulations” and “let me see your ring,” here’s the first thing people will ask: “When’s the wedding?” It’ll save you lots of headaches if the two of you come up with a vague-yet-specific answer, like “We’re shooting for early 2016” or “We like the idea of a summer wedding.” People appreciate feeling like they’re in the loop, and they’ll also put the event into their mental datebooks. Plus, it’ll give you and your guy a little direction as you start planning. Also, in the long run, have 2-3 dates in mind that you would like to get married. Make sure they work with the key players in your family, especially those who might be travelling. Consider high traffic travel dates for out of town guests and hotel availability.

* Create a Wedding Blog

Now that you’ve told everyone the good news, set up a wedding site or blog to keep everyone apprised of your nuptial news. Post photos, write your “how we met” story, and have a guestbook (make it as personal and interactive as you want). Get the bare bones up first. Later on, you can get fancy with wedding details, hotel advice, maps, quizzes, daily thoughts and whatever other wedding whimsies you want to share. Send it around to those who ask, but be prepared for the fact that your mom and your BFF may be the only ones who want to read it.

Sharing with you our wedsite, #WaldzLovesMymy

* Daydream (a Lot)

Get a bunch of wedding magazines, watch romantic wedding movies for feel-good tears, look at maps for honeymoon ideas, blog-stalk engagement sites. Give yourself permission to let your brain turn into its own wedding channel. If you haven’t been planning your wedding since you turned five, that’s OK. Now’s a good time to collect ideas that inspire you and to learn what you want—and-don’t-want in your wedding.

* Plan a Night Out With Just Your Fiancé

Until the celebrations and parties and wedding are finally over, there’s not going to be much “just the two of you” moments. Get in some good face time with each other now and make it a point not to talk wedding details. Yes, there’s a ton to do, but for now, it’s perfectly OK to hit the town and celebrate --- just you and him.

* Get a Wedding Planner

No, not a wedding planner person, at least not yet. Get an iPhone app, a datebook, a calendar or some other kind of keep-organized device to help you create a timeline for major wedding-related tasks. While you’re at it, pick up a wedding-planning binder to keep all those inspirational ideas you find.

* Think About Whether You Want a Wedding Coordinator or Want to Go It Alone

Review the elements of your wedding that’ll take a little planning (negotiating with bakers and caterers for the best prices, finding the ideal venue, organizing party favors) and figure out if those are tasks you want to tackle alone or if you’d rather hire a wedding planner (Stress reduction and a little time-saving sounds nice, right?). Keep in mind that a wedding coordinator will cost extra money, so make sure the option fits into your budget before you give it serious consideration.

* Start a Wedding Savings Account

Remember that even a simple, small wedding costs money (and sometimes a lot more money than you would ever imagine). A wedding savings account is an easy way to keep cash accumulating for the big day, so you don’t have to rely on plastic to bear the brunt later on. Open a basic savings account at any bank (or look online for higher interest) and set amount every paycheck that’ll go toward wedding-related expenses only.

* Ask Your Parents (and His) for Their Ideal Guest Lists

Before you start putting a number on how many guests you want, it’s time to ask both your parents about whom they’d most want to invite. Be sure to tell them this is just a preliminary list and things might change. After you have their “dream” lists, you can add and edit and trim. This will be essential for finding the perfect venue and setting your budget.

* Choose Your Venue (Church and Reception)

If location is important to you, choose your venue before approaching wedding professionals. One of the first things wedding pros ask is date and location. When choosing your location, make sure to take a list of questions to ask at your walk through. (Some of the most important things to ask are: What is the max capacity? Do they have in house catering? What is included in the price?)

* Choose Your Wedding Professionals

Once you are at this point start booking your wedding pro’s in priority order. Dates can fill up fast, especially in the busy wedding season. Don’t wait to connect with a photographer, caterer, or florist you really want. If you hold off, they might be gone by the time you are ready to book.

* Chill Out and Have Fun!

Take time to relax. Get a massage, sleep in when you can. This is a once-in-a-lifetime event purely about you and your fiancé. You are allowed to enjoy it!