So you’re engaged? What happens next? | Kentucky Engagement Photographer | Kentucky Weddings
If you are engaged, I am so excited for you! Congratulations on this special time for you and the love of your life. The engagement season can be one of the happiest and most daunting all in one. So what do you do now? Where do you even start? I’ve been in the wedding industry for almost four years now and being a past bride myself I’ve come up with a few tips to dive in!
Take a step back
PAUSE BABE. Your to-do list is there and it will be growing longer with each thought. I know you feel the pressure to do everything under the sun right away. But honestly, please take a few days to just be present in this moment. Just enjoy it because your going to miss this freshly engaged moments. You know how the way you decide to you start your morning has such a large an impact on your day, I believe the very same about the wedding process! The entire reason you’re doing this in the first place is to plan a celebration because you’re marrying your soul mate. Let that sink in because it’s the most important. I think it’s crucial to slow down and to be present in this process because it’s likely only going to happen once. The in-between seasons are just as important as the next destination. When my husband Wes and I got engaged, we took a week before we started diving into the planning. During that time we just reveled in the newness, each other, and the fact that we were taking a big, wonderful next step. I really think it helped us put into perspective that this was about each other and not just fall into all of the details. To this day it’s one of my favorite decisions we made in that season!
2. Make a Top Three" List
Unless you have an unlimited budget not every single aspect of your wedding can be a priority and you know what, that’s okay. The first thing I did when planning my own wedding was write down the top three things that we’re important to us. Everything after that was a bonus. My husband and I paid for our whole wedding ourselves so this helped narrow the focus for us! For us it was photography, a relaxed outdoor venue that could hold everyone we wanted to invite and investing our honeymoon. We had a pretty low-key wedding and that was exactly our style. Are you foodies who want to give your guests an awesome culinary experience? Are big, incredible bouquets your jam? Is live music non negotiable? Your favorite hair and makeup artist? That list looks a bit different for everyone so you really need to focus on what’s important to you as a couple!
3. Book Those Vendors
Now after you’ve relaxed a little, created your top priorities list, and ready to finally jump in to planning your dream wedding, let’s do this thing. You’ll find timelines all over the internet about when to book what vendor because the order really matters. After you do some research on what you want I would go ahead and start reaching out to the five vendors who tend to book up the fastest!
Being the Venue! Your wedding date and venue go hand in hand. It helps set the day officially in stone and the type of vibe you want for your wedding. Whether you’re going for a more industrial vibe, in the woods, or a beautiful barn- this really creates a framework for everything else. Plus, it can be so exciting to know where you’re going to celebrate with all your family and friends!
Next is the Photographer: I know this might sound a little biased but most photographers’ usually book up 10-14+ months in ADVANCE when it comes to weddings. I have to plan my off time a year ahead! Your photographer is one of the vendors you should have the most contact with during the planning process and what you will have to remember the entire day by. So make sure to do your research and email the vendors you really jive with and love their work. But most importantly, make sure your personalities click and that you will get along perfectly.
3. The Videographer: One of the biggest regrets I’ve heard after a wedding (myself included!) was not having a wedding film. A professional one at that. Having someone record your day is one of the sweetest tangibles you can have. The words, little grins, and your uncle’s weird dancing is priceless to catch on film. It offers a totally different emotional perspective of your day. I love watching videos from weddings, especially the ones that I have got to photography, and seeing their take on the day in comparison to mine. It’s incredible!
4. Florist: These floral artist are magical. I think florists have one of the most complicated jobs. I really do. Between ordering your blooms in the right season, executing your vision and dealing with such dainty details, transporting- it’s a lot of work! And hard work takes time to get right. This is one big vendor you don’t want to wait last minute for because there are so many moving parts.
I think that is all I will be touching on today’s topic. Remember to take a deep breath. and remember that you’ve got this. & If you book through me, I promise to be there to help you through every step of the way!!! <3 Happy Planning Friends.
