Congratulations! You’re engaged! This is such an exciting time that I am sure you have dreamed about for a long time! You’ve found the perfect partner and can’t wait to start your life together. It is certainly a time of celebration and joy! While jumping into wedding planning is exciting, it can suddenly feel overwhelming and leave you wondering - what exactly do we do next?!

There is so much information out there about wedding planning. As an experienced Boston and New England wedding planner I am here to share my best tips and advice for what to do after getting engaged so you can enjoy the moment while preparing for what is ahead.

Photo by: Lauren Dobish Photography — Photo by Lauren Dobish Photography | Flowers by Flou(e)r

Be Present and Enjoy Being Engaged

Breathe! There will be plenty of time for wedding planning. For now, take some time to savor the moment, enjoy your engagement, and show off your new ring! Drink the champagne, get your nails done, have an engagement party, and celebrate your fiance. We all tend to worry about what is coming next but try to just slow down and take a few weeks to enjoy each other. This is such a fleeting moment in your life!

The First Thing To Do After Getting Engaged

While you may be eager to dive right into booking vendors and planning your dream wedding, it is VERY important to have a conversation first about your budget and guest list.⁠ ⁠I know that these aren't exciting or sexy topics, but they are the first thing you need to do to book vendors and make any plans. You may fall in love with a venue, but learn only holds 100 guests and you later realize you need to invite 125. Aligning the size and cost of your wedding will set the guardrails for all the rest of your planning decisions.

What to do after you get engaged — Photo by: Julia Jane Photography

Discuss Your Wedding Priorities

Unless you have an unlimited budget, you are going to need to prioritize how you want to spend your money on your wedding. What is most important to you and your partner? The DJ? Photos? Food? Have you always dreamed of having a ballroom wedding with five-star food? Or do you want to mark the day by dancing the night away with a live band and a raging after-party? Or do you dream of in-season tulips for your bouquet?

Your wedding does not need to be cookie-cutter! Prioritizing things that feel authentic to you and your relationship will make your day fun and less stressful! Your wedding should be about what is most important to you and your partner. Spend some time dreaming about how you envision your day and what is most important to you. This will allow you to make decisions about what will be more of a splurge and where you can save. From there you can set a time of year, location, and all of your other vendors.

It's also important to consider the experience you want for your guests. Are they traveling for a full wedding weekend, or are you keeping things local? Is there convenient lodging near your venue? Do you picture everyone spending the night on the dance floor, or would you prefer an extended cocktail hour? Thinking through these details will make it easier to narrow down venues and locations that align with your priorities.

Consider Hiring a Wedding Planner

Working with a professional wedding planner is not only an investment in your wedding, but it is an investment in YOU! Imagine being stress-free throughout the entire wedding planning process and being able to focus on your relationship, job, hobbies, and passions. You get to simply enjoy being engaged and have help every step of the way! A wedding planner will help inquire with vendors, read contracts, make a budget, and help with the overall design and aesthetic of the day. A wedding planner will also make sure your day goes off without a hitch by managing the entire day and timeline!

At the end of the day, what’s most important is you and your partner. You deserve to have the wedding of your dreams - no matter what that may be! Remember to take care of yourselves and each other without letting the stress of wedding planning take over.