All sorts of emotions must be going through your head right now. You’re probably falling asleep every night whilst you stare at your sparkling new engagement ring – smiling (or was this just me?!)
Now breathe… It’s going to be OK!
You are going to plan one of the best days of your life and it’s going to be freakin’ amazing! Your friends and family are already sorting out their outfits for your big day!
Same with any good planning, it’s time to get those lists going! Enjoy every single moment!
Here’s my list of 7 things to do after you just got engaged
Plan An Engagement Session
This time will fly by and you want to remember it properly. One of the best ways to do so is to plan an engagement session with a professional photographer – your future wedding photographer.
Believe me, it will never be the same once you’ve said your vows! It’s also a great way to get to know your wedding photographer better.
To show you what that actually means and if it’s something you could skip, here’s some of our favorite engagement shoots we did and these couples absolutely loved their experience being photographed!
The photos could easily be used for wedding invites or save the dates, too! Win-win! If you’re not sure how to prepare for this, here are some thoughts on how to prepare for an engagement session.
Broadway Tower engagement session
Think About A Provisional Date
But be flexible in case your dream location has limited available dates. Not sure where to start with all this? We wrote an entire blog post about ideas on how to plan a simple wedding – maybe that’s your priority?
Discuss a Budget / Wedding Savings Account
You probably knew it was coming (or maybe it was a complete surprise) but now it’s time to add up those coins and see how much you’re willing to spend and how much your families can get involved to help.
Be prepared to go over your set budget with a bit if your dream vendor is out of your price range.
Gather Inspiration
Oh, Pinterest, dear Pinterest! Need I say more? If you’d like to stay in touch or even share ideas with us, here’s our Pinterest account.
It is a good idea to sit with your now fiancé for a chat (yes, it’s OK to call him that every 5 minutes). You can also check some wedding reception ideas we’ve gathered from all the fantastic weddings we shot to date. There are so many DIY wedding projects you could actually do yourself if you wanted to save up a bit.
For more wedding inspiration and swooning, you can visit Junebug Weddings, Magnolia Rouge, Love My Dress, Green Wedding Shoes to name only a few.
Draft a Guest List
Is it going to be a large wedding with all your long-lost cousins invited? Or is it maybe a more intimate event, with your dearest and closest ones witnessing? If it’s an intimate wedding or an elopement, please, can we be your wedding photographers??
Research High Priority Vendors
Did you know that wedding barns in England are booked up to 2 years in advance?? We are on a mission of photographing every Cotswolds wedding barn and we’ve already shot weddings at many places in the area. There are other options, too. A marquee or a tipi wedding is always more relaxed (not necessarily cheaper though).
Many venues would even offer the place for an outdoor wedding ceremony, if that’s what you always dreamed of, or you can scout for something more different maybe.
Over the years, we also worked with some star vendors that we are proud to recommend, so check our Vendors list on the website for more inspiration.
Just like wedding venues, good photographers and videographers are booked up pretty far in advance. Sometimes up to 2 years in advance, as well. No, you can not ask your uncle Bob to snap some photos of the day trying to save up on money!
Same with catering, florists, marquees, ceremony venue/church. Other vendors to consider are wedding bands (might take a while to find the right one), invitations and paper goods, bridesmaids’ dresses, and all the other details that make your wedding day.
Shop Wedding Dresses!
One very exciting moment when it suddenly hits you that you are actually getting married is trying on wedding dresses.
It’s a good time to see what suits your figure, what you love, and also some prices. Just make sure you are seated for this.
Keep in mind that most boutiques have Winter sales or end-of-the-season sales and there are also vintage shops for wedding dresses.
Or maybe you preferred a custom wedding dress but still unsure? We have 5 brides answering your questions on the blog, have a read!
In case you’re the non-traditional type, what about some alternative wedding dresses ideas?
Truly hope these few tips helped and feel free to get in touch if there’s anything else we could help with! We’ve also dedicated an entire page on our website filled with super helpful information for wedding planning!
This advice is purely personal, after working in the wedding industry for 8+ years. Feel free to do your research, what works for some may not work for everyone.
Our Wedding Planning Guide page is available to anyone!
