Just Got Engaged? What’s Next?

A euphoric feeling of love is in the air when you first engaged; the excitement, the joy, it is unmatched. Then a week or a month goes by, and it hits you. Now I need to start planning my big day and I have no idea where to start. Here at EventJoy, it is our goal to help individuals plan their next big event. Whether that is collaborating with us, or if you just stopped by to get some inspiration or tips; we want to help you gather as much information as possible to make your wedding one to remember.

In this article we review three major categories that will help you start your wedding planning process. We should note that some couples come to us with a vision of their wedding, and others don’t know where to start. We help couples no matter what stage you are in. Including providing guidance on a theme, colors, and décor to help your dream day come to life.

The First Three Areas to Nail Down

1. Date or Time of Year. It’s important to be flexible. When looking at the calendar remember to think of the external factors (such as holidays or other events) that might occur during your ideal date. Being flexible will allow you to work with venues and vendors on the best dates possible so you won’t feel constrained when trying to book your event.

Things to consider: Is my venue less expensive on Friday or Saturday? Will my wedding colors look good in spring vs. fall? Are there certain restrictions like outdoors in the winter?

2. ‍Budget. Most people will tell you the budget is one of the most important things when planning your wedding. The budget is the compass for your wedding decisions. It will guide you to understand what you can afford for the venue, floral, décor, food and beverage, and so much more. A great way to say on track is to create a list of what is most important for you and your partner. Then compare that against your budget to help you stay on track and determine what you can afford to spend your money on.

A couple good rules of thumb:

- Typically, majority of the budget will go to food and beverage.

- You may consider keeping 10% back as a safety stock just in case there is an unexpected cost that arises.

3. ‍Guest List. The guest list does not have to be finalized at this stage. However, sitting down with your partner to discuss the bridal party and an estimate of your guest list is important. Certain wedding, reception, and rehearsal dinner venues will be limited on the number of guests. If you are working with a planner they will help guide you to locations that will fit your needs. You will also be able to refer back to this number when vendors give you pricing so you can calculate the per head cost. Overall, the guest list is a good tool for you to fully picture where your budget is going.  

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These three things will help get you started on your event and will provide good guidance when looking at venues, finalizing the details of your event, and ensuring that you meet your budget. Once these three things are complete, you can move on to the additional details that help pull your event together.

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