Just engaged, what next!
You have just engaged, so what next?
My suggestion is Nothing!Try not to jump into wedding planning straight away. Take some time to bask in that "just got engaged" feeling.Before you know it, all too soon you will be fully immersed in the wedding planning. Making decisions on invitations and food choices. And at times it may feel overwhelming. So don't rush into it too quickly.This is an exciting time in your life - so just enjoy it. Your family and friends will want to share in your excitement too.I realise that had someone offered me advice when I got engaged... and had I actually taken it, here are some of the things that may be worth remembering.
Planning
You will find that the first question many people will ask is "when is the big day?". Don't feel pressured into having an answer. It's only natural that you will want to start planning. However, take some time to reflect on what are the important aspects about the day. This is the fun part. Take some time, to think what type of wedding you want? Have a think about the weddings you have been to and if there was anything you enjoyed/didn't like?
Are the any aspects of tradition that are important to you? Or are you happy to throw tradition out the window. Don't let tradition decide how your day should go.
Photo credit - Rick Liston All of these questions are important to think about as it will help you decide the look and feel of your wedding day. This can really help with narrowing down the search for a venue. After checking out a few venues and deciding which one you like best, it is a matter of checking their availability and locking in a date. I may be a little biased but I think booking in your celebrant is up there with locking in a date. If you have chosen to get married on a Saturday afternoon, there are only 52 Saturdays in a year therefore the sooner you book the celebrant, the more chance you will have of finding that the one you really like is available. Its always good to remember that without the celebrant, a wedding is really just a big party.The wedding photographer is another important supplier to book. Lots of photographers have many different styles, and they offer different packages for different budgets. Once you have created a shortlist and make some enquires on their availability and pricing.
Advice
My advice is not to make your decision on the suppliers you like based on price alone. Surround yourself with suppliers that you gel with, who you think will help set the atmosphere for celebrating. Of course budgets are important, but you will want your wedding to be remembered for all the right reasons.Fiona Garrivan Celebrant