Congratulations! You said yes to forever with your special person.<\/p>\n
Yay! *Throws confetti around*<\/p>\n
I remembered when M proposed, I was definitely surprised that I asked him “Are you serious?”.<\/p>\n
Yup, that actually happened. Please tell me your proposal story below in the comments.<\/p>\n
Whether you got engaged during the holidays or a while ago, it can be an overwhelming yet exciting time. A ton of questions will come your way, from “How the proposal went” to “When is the wedding?”. People mean well, but they also come with a lot of “You shoulds”, just like parenting (for those of you who are parents as well).<\/p>\n
Engaged, Now what?<\/p>\n
Contents<\/p>
Just take the time that you need to enjoy being engaged. Appreciate the effort your fiance took to plan the proposal. Yes, you can take in what might be the most romantic event or moment that led to you saying yes to forever.<\/p>\n
If it was a surprise, ask how he pulled it off. How he managed to surprise you (because you have super spidey senses and know if he’s up to something, usually).<\/p>\n
Refer to each other as fiance\u00a0before you get married. It’s like the calm before the storm of wedding planning.<\/p>\n
Don’t let others rush you into wedding planning unless it is what you want to do of course.<\/p>\n
Stare at your ring as long as you want. Enjoy your moment.<\/p>\n
When you are ready and want to, tell others that you’re engaged. You might want to tell certain people in person or on the phone before changing your status on social media.<\/p>\n
You can be so creative with how you tell people. From taking a picture of your ring to putting your face in a wanted poster (I saw this on someone’s Facebook and thought that it was very clever), you can go on Pinterest to find creative ways to announce your engagement.<\/p>\n
If you are not following me on Pinterest, you can check out my Pinterest page here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Some people might be very excited for you (I was saying “Oh my gosh, I’m so happy for you” to my friend on the phone so high pitched that M figured out who it was and what was happening).<\/p>\n Yes, I’m that friend.<\/p>\n Some people might say “It’s about time” if you’ve been together for a really long time.<\/p>\n Whenever you are ready (online and offline), share this wonderful news with the people that you love.<\/p>\n Why did I put this right after telling everyone? It’s because we can get so caught up with all the frills and might be disappointed after finding out the price.<\/p>\n It’s a bummer to fall in love with a dress or a venue, only to find out that it is not in your budget. It might be better to know what your options are and to choose the one that you liked best. Unless you don’t have a budget, then choose away.<\/p>\n Once you set your budget with the amount that you are comfortable with, then start wedding planning.<\/p>\n I know it’s a once in a lifetime event but at the end of the day, it’s about you and marrying the one you love. And having some savings for your future together.<\/p>\n *Disclaimer: You don’t need to do all these things. They are suggestions for events that you might want to set a budget for.<\/p>\n The list goes on.<\/p>\n Related:<\/strong><\/p>\n Here is the fun part! Or at least, for people who love to shop for deals and bargains.<\/p>\n A few places to do your research:<\/p>\n That’s obvious, right?<\/p>\n Pinterest<\/strong> is a great way to look for ideas, but it can be overwhelming if you do not know what you’re looking for. The best way to search is if you have a theme of what you like. Keywords such as colours or adjectives to describe the feeling you want to create with your wedding would help narrow down your search.<\/p>\n Wedding websites<\/strong> such as Brides, Weddingbee, The Budget Savvy Bride, or another site would help you see how others envision their wedding and the details they include to execute their dream wedding. You can also read the forums to learn the challenges and situations other brides face (which might be similar to yours, or not) and participate to be a part of the bridal community.<\/p>\n Google<\/strong> is very useful in your online research as well, but you already knew that.<\/p>\n Instagram<\/strong> is another social media platform that you can do your research with the different hashtags. You can find your photographer or even inspiration from what others post on their public Instagram pictures.<\/p>\n Bridal Shows<\/strong> are a great way to see what is out there and you can talk to the professionals directly if you have any questions. They also give out discounts and samples at the bridal shows. One way to remember who you like is to bring two bags for the flyers or pamphlets you receive. One for the ones you’re interested in and the other for the ones you’re not interested in.<\/p>\n Magazines<\/strong> are another way to get inspiration. You can read them at the bookstore or buy them to cut them out to create your dream wedding mood board.<\/p>\n Family and friends<\/strong> who have been married are a great resource to you (if you want to ask them for ideas). The recently married ones can offer up tips on deals and what to avoid. Be prepared for opinions, only take ideas that you find apply to you.<\/p>\n Try both online and offline ideas for your research.<\/p>\n If you have a specific date to commemorate your dating or engagement date (or another reason), then good for you. If you do not, have a rough date.<\/p>\n Why not just decide on a date?<\/p>\n It’s because your venue might not have availability on the date that you have chosen.<\/p>\n M and I wanted to have our wedding in the fall. We were thinking either September or October. After considering all the factors and also with the restaurant, we were able to decide on early October.<\/p>\n Having the flexibility in your date can help you get the\u00a0venue, photographer, or another professional you want to have as a part of your wedding. You can also think about having your wedding on a Friday or Sunday, which might be more cost effective.<\/p>\n This would be a good time to tell you that I have created these FREE printables that can help you in your wedding planning from organizing the seating arrangements to having a checklist for family\u00a0members who are attending your wedding. Please sign up to get the access code for these FREE printables.<\/p>\n3. Set your budget<\/span><\/h3>\n
What do you need to set your budget for?<\/span><\/h4>\n
\n
\n
4. Do your research<\/span><\/h3>\n
\n
Online<\/span><\/h4>\n
Offline<\/span><\/h4>\n
5. Find a rough or flexible date<\/span><\/h3>\n