Congratulations your engaged! This is such a special time in your life! I remember when Ornan and I got engaged. He made sure my whole family was there and got down on one knee. It’s one of the only times I’ve seen my husband cry in almost 12 years of being together. The butterflies you get from that moment are the absolute best.

Immediately after I’m sure there is a flurry of questions from where do you start, to where do you look, to when do you start. To help you avoid confusion and overwhelm I’ve put together some tips to help you navigate these new exciting waters.

 

CELEBRATE!

What an amazing time to get dressed up, spritz on your favorite perfume and go somewhere special. If you need some ideas of fantastic local restaurants here are my top four favorite restaurants to celebrate your engagement.

OPEN A JOINT BANK ACCOUNT

Start saving for wedding related expenses. This will also  make it easy to keep track of contributions and expenses.

GET INSPIRED

Pinterest is amazing for getting those creative juices flowing. The beautiful thing about your wedding day is it is YOUR wedding day and you get to have the dream day you’ve always imagined. Follow us on Pinterest if you would love to get inspired by all of our wedding Pins.

If you are like me, most likely you will go into a Pin-frenzy and at some point realize you’ve pinned luxury French wedding styles and also super boho with a llama. That’s ok! The next step is to comb through everything you have pinned and narrow down to what you really love. Eventually you will get to your consistent style and that leads me to my next step for you.

FIGURE OUT YOUR BUDGET

This part is a breeze if you figure out what your top priorities are. For example my top priorities are photography, flowers and having a beautiful venue. I would suggest from there locating vendor options for what are your top priorities and getting an idea of the cost. After that it’s a matter of working the rest of your budget around those and landing on a price that is comfortable for you two. This is especially if your parents haven’t approached you about it yet.

HIRE A WEDDING PLANNER

It is an absolute must because you want to be focusing on enjoying your wedding and the days leading up to it. I promise you hiring a Wedding Planner will be one of the best decisions you make for your wedding.

HAVE A DATE NIGHT

It’s so important to remember that in the midst of planning this is about you two! Take a break and go on a nice date with your honey, leave all wedding details off the table for a week.

CHOOSE YOUR VENUE AND SET YOUR DATE

This is the time to really get into research mode for your venue and choose the one that you absolutely love. It’s important to book your venue early, as they book out far in advance. This will also be the time that you will need to choose your date and make sure it’s available. I include a list of our top favorite venues in California if you are a newsletter subscriber, you can sign up here.

HIRE YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER AND SCHEDULE YOUR ENGAGEMENT SESSION

This is the time to start researching the photographers you love or the photographers your Wedding Planner sends you. Most photographers book out 12-18 months in advance. If you have been eyeing a specific photographer, I would suggest reaching out to them before you book your venue or your planner and inquire about their available dates.

Finding the right photographer in the age of social media can be overwhelming, but take your time. It’s so important because once your wedding is over, your photographs are the only tangible thing you walk away with. I would suggest booking your engagement session with your wedding photographer because that interaction will help you be at ease on your wedding day. If you’d like to know if we are available for your date click here.

RESEARCH LOCATIONS FOR YOUR ENGAGEMENT SESSIONS

Your engagement session will give you beautiful photos to send your Save the Dates and also help you get to know your Photographer. We have a ton of tips for our engaged couples but a top one is to really research your location. It might feel easier to just pick something, but work with your photographer if you need recommendations. The best photographs come from being comfortable in front of the camera in beautiful locations.

BOOK YOUR OTHER VENDORS

Once your Planner, Venue and Wedding Photographer are booked you will want to focus on hiring the other vendors you will need for your wedding. This is something your Planner will help you do.

SIT BACK AND RELAX

Kudos to you, you’re engaged and you have a plan. You’ve hired a fantastic vendor team and know your numbers. Now sit back and enjoy because very soon you will be Mr. and Mrs. and that is SUCH an exciting thing!

 

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For a short time, we are offering a complimentary Photography Timeline so you can see exactly how we make time for those magazine ready wedding photos. You can get that here.