You’re engaged, now what?
So he's proposed and you've said yes? Congratulations! You're at such an exciting time in life and about to start planning an incredible event that you'll remember for the rest of your life. By now, you have probably already posted a gorgeous ring selfie on Instagram and Facebook, with hash-tags like #shesaidyes #ido #imgettingmarried, and so much more! But, make sure you pick up the phone! Talk to your family, parents, best friends about how it happened! As you are telling everyone this, take a moment to write it down. Journal this moment, remember all of the details, so one day, you can relive this story with your children and grandchildren!
This is the beginning of an exciting journey and you want to enjoy it and whilst doing so, document it as much as you can. So to begin with, remember that no matter whether you’re planning a wedding in Northern Ireland and looking for a documentary wedding photographer in Northern Ireland, Scotland or Tokyo with a Japan wedding photographer, these points apply and are relevant. Once you’re engaged, it’s super important that you document this stage of your lives and so you could plan an engagement shoot with your potential wedding photographer, get to know each other a little bit and work towards your big day! If you're wondering why you should have an engagement shoot, then be sure you check out this article.
Get your ring sized
You have this gorgeous stunner on your ring finger! Please make sure it fits! I have heard such horror stories in the wedding industry of women losing their rings down the drain, at the park, at the gym, because their ring didn’t fit!! Don’t let this happen to you!
Get your ring insured
Speaking of the unexpected? Get your ring insured! A few pounds a month can save you so much headache (and money in case of an accident). You can also get warranties.
Enjoy the moment
Enjoy this moment! Perhaps you want to spend months just being engaged and not thinking about your wedding, and guess what, that's okay! Just be ready for people to constantly ask you, “When’s the wedding?” Take a night out with your fiance, and enjoy this moment and document it as much as you can! It’s such a special moment in your life! Remember this is YOUR time, and make sure you do things according to what YOU want, not what others want to see!
Decide on the basics
You know the next step of your journey is to start thinking about your wedding plans and maybe you may not want to do this straightaway - and that's perfectly fine! But when you're ready to start thinking about your wedding plans, you can begin by compiling your guest list, discussing your plans with your family, setting a budget and thinking about a place where you’d like to get married. If you want some help and resources, here are 9 essential tips for making your guest list.
Pick your venue and set the date
Started thinking about your wedding plans? You’re probably overwhelmed with the number of suppliers involved in a wedding and which one to book first! This is the one thing that couples often ask and having an order is important. Usually, the venue is the starting point as you'll need to have a date in mind to reach out to photographers, videographers and other suppliers. Without a confirmed date, all the work you do looking for photographers and videographers can potentially go into waste if they're not available on your date. So you'll want to start with your venue and ensure they have availability on the date you have in mind.
Pick your Photographer and Videographer
Remember your special day for years to come with a wedding photographer. Someone who can not only capture the bridal and groom details through their product photography talent but also those special moments and take you back to that special day every time you look through your album. Wondering why you should hire a professional wedding photographer? Here are 6 reasons why you should hire a professional wedding photographer.
Don't forget, some wedding photographers (like us) offer all-inclusive photo and video packages, saving you the hassle of having to go through two suppliers, two different consultations, two different invoices and contracts. You'll save yourself a lot of time (and money) by hiring one supplier that can offer both photo and video.
Start looking at wedding dresses
Obviously you don’t need to make a final decision on what you'd like to wear on your wedding day right now, but it may take you a while to find your dream wedding dress. It makes sense to start your research early and look through as many resources as possible i.e. magazines, Instagram and Pinterest and mark any dresses that catch your eye, then begin to narrow down your choices.
Once you’ve got a better idea of what you want, you can start making appointments to try on different styles. Think about how you would describe your ideal wedding dress – one of the first things the bridal consultant will ask is “what do you have in mind?” Having an idea of the most common shapes – princess, fishtail, column, mermaid or A-line – so you can better explain your vision. Allow yourself plenty of time to find the right one; you don’t want to be rushed into making the wrong decision.
Hire your important vendors
Good make-up artists, wedding cart providers that can do sweet cones perhaps, DJs, bands, party rentals such as party rental Santa Monica and wedding singers are normally completely booked during popular wedding seasons. To ensure your top choice of pros, be sure to inquire at least 9-12 months ahead of your date.