So he *finally* proposed. Congratulations!
Getting engaged can be such an exciting and overwhelming process. You go from "YES" to receiving a million questions about the wedding that you haven't even had time to sit and think about. You start to think about planning and don't even know where to start! Sit back, grab a cup of tea, and relax for a few minutes before you start running in circles like a chicken with your head cut off. This guide will help you have a starting point when it comes to planning your wedding.
1. BRAINSTORM
First, think about your wedding day, what do you picture when you think about you and your fiancé on your special day? Where do you think you'd want to get married? Do you have a specific date in mind? Some people are picky about the date, wanting their anniversary or for the numbers to be matching/correlating in some way. If that is something that you care about, maybe setting a date should be first. Others will choose a location first, and pick whatever is available.
Jump on Pinterest and look at wedding ideas from colors to decor to dresses. This will help you figure out a theme and to visualize the things you want and don't want for your wedding day. Lastly, get yourself a notebook or a wedding planner to help you keep all of the details organized in one place. In this process, you will want to schedule a time to sit with your fiancé and write out a guest list. When you go to research vendors and venues, one of the first questions asked is "how many guests are you inviting?"

Draw out your budget
Start by setting the highest amount that you're willing to pay for your wedding. Do you have help from friends/family, or are you guys paying yourself? How long do you have to save up this amount of money? Is it a realistic price point? As you go, you will start to find ways to save on less important details and splurge on the things that you care more about.
One thing that I wish I had seen when I started was the budget chart. This is obviously going to change here and there as you go along the planning process. This is not something that you have to stick to, it's just to use as a general guideline to help breakdown an idea of what your budget should look like for your wedding. Below are a few examples found online to help you get started. Obviously, everybody's chart would look different based on your priorities.


Priorities
Ask yourself: What is most important? For example, I'm a photographer. I had my photographer booked before I even had a venue picked out. It helps to create a list of vendors in order from most important to least important. Once you decide what the most important vendor is, you can book them for your date, if you've decided on that already. A lot of venues have inclusive packages that already have your vendors, so you don't have to do your research on every vendor yet.
Research Some Venues
From my experience, choosing a venue is the most stressful part. There are a lot of factors that go into picking a venue. Start googling some venues in the area that you are wanting to get married. There are so many different venues that will match the vibe of your wedding. Are you wanting something rustic, like a barn? Or are you wanting something that gives a classy, black tie vibe? Look on the venues websites, scroll through their gallery so that you can see photos of the venue. Some venues will have an "inspiration" page where they show you different themed weddings so that you can visualize your dream day at that location. Check if their prices, and inclusions are on board with your budget. If everything looks amazing so far, reach out to the venue and book a tour! I cannot stress enough how important it is to go see your venue in person. Pictures vs actually being there are very different experiences. I recommend trying to book a time that they are having an open house so that you can see the venue "live" (plus, they typically have special deals exclusive to those that attend open house). I have curated a list of questions to ask your venue here.

Book your vendors
Now that you have a clear idea of what you want, you have your venue and you are pretty much in the home stretch. Now, it's time to refer back to that list of vendors from most - least important. Go down the list and start researching those services in your area. Check out their pages (website, socials, REVIEWS) and see if you think they would be a good fit for you. Reach out to them and try to get on the phone with them, or take it a step further and meet up with them for coffee. It is so important to meet you vendors or chat with them over the phone or zoom because you can get a feel of their vibe, connect and get to know them a little more. If you want to know a general timeline of when everything should be done by, see here.
finalize details & Sit back, relax
As you're nearing your big day, everything is set, and you are in the home stretch. Get all of the "boring" things done and out of the way so that you can FINALLY relax and enjoy your time with your fiancé, family and friends. Make sure that throughout this process you are taking time to yourself and prioritize your relationship. It can get very overwhelming very quickly, and you're easily lost in the sauce. To avoid that, make sure that you and your fiancé are communicating with each other ALWAYS and that you prioritize each other during this time. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out. Happy planning!
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