I’m engaged! Now what?

He popped the question, and to no surprise, you said “YES!”

But now what do you do? You probably cry a little bit from excitement, but also because not only are you in college, working a full time job, or have a family to take care of, but now on top of ALL of that, YOU HAVE A WEDDING TO PLAN!

Congratulations, by the way!

#1 - PLAN

Of course you’ve got to plan your entire wedding, but it can’t happen in one day! There are some awesome wedding planner books out there that can help you split your time, and organize your planning into hours, days, weeks, or even months at a time! If you aren’t into the whole DIY planning, and your budget allows for it, go ahead and find a wedding planner to hire! Not only do wedding planners take care of the entire wedding on the actual day, but they will help you with your registry, cake tasting, and even dress shopping if you need them to! 

Here are some of our favorite wedding planners! 

Hoopes Events @hoopesevents  www.hoopesevents.com

Silver Summit Events @silversummitevents  www.silversummitutah.com 

Fuse Weddings and Events @fuseweddingsandevents  www.fuseweddingsandevents.com

#2 - BUDGET

Speaking of budgets, we’ve GOT to figure out what we want to spend! What size wedding does your budget allow? Make sure to set aside time at the beginning of your wedding planning to talk to your future spouse about what you can afford on your wedding day, or your parents, if they are taking care of everything! You want to make sure you still have enough cash left over to go honeymooning if you choose, or make sure you have enough money to put down a payment for a new house, or rent when you get back! So figuring out your budget as a whole, and then splitting it up in to what you are NEEDING/WANTING for your wedding day will save so much time, and so much stress! Prioritize what is most important to you, be it your modest wedding dress, your photographer, the food, or your decorations! 

#3 - FINDING A PHOTOGRAPHER 

Some photographers book out as far as two years, can you believe it?! Make sure when you are shopping for a photographer you look for the STYLE you like, not just the price. The last thing you would want is pictures you are unhappy with after the wedding, and something you are not proud of to hang on your wall. Wedding Photography is one of the biggest expenses when it comes to weddings! But why? Well… after the flowers have died and wilted away (assuming you didn’t buy fake ones), the cake has been eaten, family members have grown old, and your memory starts to fade… what is left from your wedding day besides your spouse and the ring on your finger? THE PHOTOS! 

Check out one of our favorite photographers here. Or follow her on Instagram! 

All that to say, make sure you get the ‘BIG’ things knocked out first! Whether for you, that be choosing a photographer or videographer that suits all your needs, or locking down a florist to decorate your venue with the flowers of your choice, or maybe even choosing the venue of your dreams! Just make sure you take everything one step at a time, and it is OKAY to say NO to vendors, that you don’t vibe with! Don’t feel bad, they probably sent your an automated message anyway! Just be sure you remember this is YOUR day, this is YOUR wedding, and YOU can cry if you want to!