Yay!!! You and your life partner have decided to take the plunge!  So after you’ve called everyone from your mom to your 3rd cousin (twice removed), posted on Instagram, and enjoyed the rest of your engagement evening, what do you do next? Don’t get overwhelmed!  Here are my top 3 tips to tackle once the sparkle settles.

Tip #1:  Get a Planner… or at Least a Plan  

This isn’t just a shameless plug… seriously!  We live in a time when the wedding industry has grown into a multi-billion dollar industry, and with that comes a ton of selection.  Almost too much, one might say. So how do you make sense of it all? Why not consult with someone who plans weddings for a living to help sort things out.  Many Planners offer consultation services, so if you aren’t quite ready to make another serious commitment right after being freshly engaged, you can still have somewhat of a guiding hand at the very beginning.  This will help you organize your thoughts and keep you focused at the beginning of your journey. If you still aren’t convinced, my best advice would be to start a list of the must-haves for your wedding venue. Which brings me to my next tip…

Tip #2:  Choose Your Venue

Please do this first!  Before picking your colors… before thinking about your wedding dress…before thinking about which photographer will get your angles right… DO THIS FIRST.  The first reason is simply based on logistics. The average wedding venue, depending on location, will book 9 months to over a year in advance. If you are hosting your wedding in a popular destination location, some venues can be booked 2 years out!  Needless to say, the hustle is real. Figure out your wedding style, the atmosphere that you want to welcome your guests into, and what your venue deal breakers are. Then make yourself a spreadsheet and get yourself a good pair of walking shoes for all of your tours!  

The second reason to choose your venue first is purely emotional.  I guarantee that every decision that you make during your wedding planning process will more or less be intertwined with your venue.  How do you know which type of wedding dress is appropriate if you don’t know if your ceremony will take place in a garden or a ballroom?  What if the color palette that you have in mind gets washed out by the ballroom carpet? There are so many decisions that will ultimately be dictated by your venue.  First thing’s first… select the wedding venue of your dreams!

Tip #3:  Just Breathe

I saved the best for last!  It’s the most simple, but the most often forgotten thing that people forget to do…. Enjoy this time together!  Before getting sucked into the circus that attempting to create the perfect day often creates, just step back for a moment and enjoy the ride.  Bask in the 10 million “congratulations” that you’re going to receive. Reflect on the awesomeness of relationship that got you to this point, and think of the ways that you are going to make it last for the next 70 years.  Promise yourself (and me) that you won’t lose sight of the end goal of your wedding day. You’re marrying your best friend! You’re essentially planning for forever, so what’s the rush? Give yourself at least a month to just kick back and soak it all in before you bury yourself in Pinterest pins, bridal magazines, and cake… well, maybe you should still have lots of pre-planning cake.  You can thank us later!