Hooray!

Your engaged! Now what? The love of your life dropped down on one knee and asked you the most important question of your life? Will you Marry Me? YES! YES! Here are my Top Nine tips on what to do next!

Top Nine Tips:

 1. Start spreading the news!

The first thing you’ll want to do after he pops the question is tell people about it! Start with your VIPs (think parents, siblings, and grandparents), either sharing the news in person or getting on the phone to tell them. Then, once your inner circle is up to date, you can head to with the perfect engagement post.

2. Get Insurance!

Romantic and dreamy? No. Totally necessary? Yes. Whether a stone gets loose or your ring falls down the garbage disposal, having it properly protected is so important. He may have already looked into ring insurance with the jeweler, but if he hasn’t yet purchased a policy, you’ll want to do that right away.

3. Enjoy the moment!

It’s hard to resist the urge to start planning, but try to take a few days—or a few weeks—to simply be engaged. Embrace the romance with regular date nights and an engagement party. Celebrate this new stage and enjoy the moment. Introduce him as your fiancé, and enjoy all of the congratulations you’ll get!

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4. Dream Big!

The details are coming, but before you get into them, give yourselves time to dream. Write down what you’d love to have at your wedding, whether it’s a barefoot ceremony in the sand or a chocolate bar at the reception, and start putting together a Pinterest board with your vision. Notice common themes that you are drawn to, this will help you narrow things down later, and start to define your biggest priorities for your wedding day!

5. Talk numbers.

I told you it was coming! Don’t start booking vendors before you know how much you’ll have to spend on your wedding. Talk to your parents about what they might be contributing, and start setting aside savings if you’ll be paying for the event yourselves. Another number to consider? Your guest list! Create a draft to get an idea of how many guests you’ll have, this will play a major role in how far your budget can go and which venues you can look at!

6. Set a date!

Before you tour venues or interview majors vendors (like your planner or photographer), you’ll want to have a couple dates or season in mind. Think about what you’re envisioning for your celebration, from a garden wedding in the spring to a winder wonderland, then look to your calendars to see when you’re both free. Don’t forget to check in with your VIPs to make sure they’re available, too!

7. Book the big things!

If you are going to work with a planner secure them first so they can help! Then look for your venue! (If you have your heart set on a specific photographer/ videographer/ DJ check their dates, but they typically will not book without the venue/ date set!) The space you choose will influence everything from your guest count to the color palette to the design of your dress, so get this locked in early.

8. Continue booking.

After your planner and venue, your next big bookings should be the photographer, videographer, and DJ/ band—those professionals who can only take on one event per date. The best might get scooped up quickly, so send out inquiries early! Find the time to browse portfolios, read reviews and conduct interviews to help you find exactly what you’re looking for!

9. Stay organized.

Look into different online planning tools, a printed wedding binder, documents from your wedding planner, or templates from Google Drive, keeping on top of the details is key to keeping you sane! Work with your vendors to create a timeline, track your budget, and keep all of your contracts and receipts in one place.

Congratulations on your engagement! I am dancing for you! Enjoy every moment of planning the wedding of your dream!