You’re Engaged—Now What? A Wedding Planner’s Guide To After You Get Engaged

Congratulations, you’re engaged! This is one of the most exciting moments of your life, and before we dive headfirst into the wedding planning world, it’s time to pause and soak it all in. You’re about to embark on an unforgettable journey, but before you get bombarded with questions like, “When’s the wedding?” or “Where’s the venue?”, remember that it’s perfectly okay to say, “We’re taking our time to enjoy the moment!” You don’t need to start signing contracts and paying deposits immediately after you get engaged. (I promise. I know the pressure is on- I do.)

So, what comes after that magical “Yes!” moment? Today, we’re going to break down the first steps to help you create a wedding that’s everything you dreamed of and more.

Photo Credit: Meghan Baskin Photography

Take Time to Celebrate Your Engagement After You Get Engaged

First and foremost, take a breather and celebrate this incredible milestone. Whether it’s a quiet evening together or a full-blown engagement party, enjoy the start of your journey into married life. This time being engaged is fleeting. This is your moment to bask in the love and joy that surrounds you.

It’s normal to feel overwhelmed by the flood of questions that follow an engagement. Remember: you don’t have to have all the answers right away. We’ve already mentioned it, but when people ask about dates, locations, or guest lists, it’s completely okay to say, “We’re still figuring it out” or “We’re just trying to enjoy this moment first.”

Photo Credit: Modernmade Weddings

Picture What You Want Your Wedding to Be Like

When you’re ready, wedding planning can begin! Before you dive into the logistics, take some time to envision what you want your wedding day (or wedding weekend!) to feel like. Ask yourselves: Do we want a big celebration with all our family and friends? Maybe you’re dreaming of a beachside bonfire with s’mores, or early morning yoga sessions followed by a deep-sea fishing trip. Or, would you prefer something more intimate, like a destination wedding that doubles as a family vacation, with lots of quality time together?

PRO DESIGNER TIP:

Top wedding designers start with words about how an event feels, not an inspiration picture of another wedding design. They search for images that evoke a sense of place, or time. Think: Sunset over the water, a field of tulips or sand dunes with wavy shapes. Yes, this approach to design will 100% stretch your imagination and could seem too hard at first. However, it’s the one approach that will ensure your wedding weekend has your own DNA, and not just another trending search term.

That’s why this step is crucial. This is the one place where slowing down to be intentional before the gears start turning, can help drive you to a wedding that feels magical and made only for you.

The key here is to set the tone for your wedding early on. Once you know how you want it to feel, everything else—guest list, venue, budget—will start to fall into place. This end goal will serve as your guiding compass, helping you navigate the many decisions that lie ahead.

Make Your Guest List: A, B, and C Guests

Once you’ve got a clear(er) picture of your dream wedding, it’s time to start thinking about the guest list. It’s often not the most exciting task, but it really does influence so many of the other wedding details. It’s important to have at least a general idea of your guest count before you move on to anything else.

Here’s a handy way to categorize your guests (especially if it starts to feel overwhelming):

• A List: These are the must-have people you know you can’t imagine your day without. They’ll be there, no matter what. Keep in mind this list could be surprisingly short. Most couples feel like the A List is everyone they would like to invite, and it’s not. It’s your must-have, no matter what people.
• B List: This group includes those you would love to invite, but might not have space for depending on your venue or budget.
• C List: These are the folks you’d love to include if everything falls perfectly into place—extra seats, a larger venue, or more budget.

Being honest and organized about your guest list early on will save you tons of stress later.

Photography Credit: Jessie Barksdale Photography

Forget the Conventional Advice—Start with a Wedding Planner

The typical advice you’ll see on The Knot or Wedding Wire tells you to set your budget and book a venue right away. But hear us out—there’s a better approach. Instead of rushing into major decisions, focus on finding the right wedding planner first. A great wedding planner can help you shape your vision, offer venue suggestions you hadn’t even considered, prevent you from blowing your budget on the earlier decisions, and ultimately make the whole process feel much more manageable.

When you connect with the right planner, you’ll know. You’ll suddenly feel like you can breathe again, like the pressure has lifted. You’ll realize you have more options than you initially thought, and before you know it, you might even start to have fun planning your big day! If you’re planning to get married in Florida (or a dreamy destination wedding location), we’d love to be considered.

Photography Credit: Jessie Barksdale Photography

Let Your Wedding Planner Guide the Budget & Venue Search

If you have a strict budget in mind, great—share it with your planner. If not, that’s okay too! A wedding planner can help you define a realistic budget based on your vision and guest count. Often, we draft “back-of-the-envelope” budgets that will give you a sense of what’s possible at different price points.

Once the budget is clear, your planner will work with you on finding the perfect venue. Whether you’re looking for a beachside ceremony or a stunning villa retreat, your planner will have insider knowledge to guide you toward the ideal location that fits your vision and your budget.

Photo Credit: Modernmade Weddings

Talk to Any Contributing Parties Early On

Don’t procrastinate on this. It’s essential to have open conversations with anyone contributing financially to your wedding early in the process. Discuss how much they’re willing to contribute and whether there are any conditions related to their contributions. Transparency here will help you avoid any misunderstandings later down the line.

Photo Credit: Modernmade Weddings

Working with a Wedding Planner

After you get engaged, it can feel like there are a million decisions to make. It’s also an exciting time to make them! Some couples worry that working with a wedding planner means they won’t have control over the design or creative aspects of their day. So not true! With the right planner, you’ll get to enjoy all the fun parts of wedding planning—choosing colors, designing invites, tasting cake—without the stress of handling logistics.

In fact, most planners (like us!) use tools like Aisle Planner and Calendly, which streamline the entire process, making it easy for you to stay on top of everything. We even offer design decks to help you visualize every detail of your big day.

Photography Credit: Jessie Barksdale Photography

Ready to Get Started?

Instead of rushing into booking venues or setting budgets, take the time to consider what you truly want. After you get engaged, finding a wedding planner who understands your vision, offers expert advice, and guides you through every step of the journey will make all the difference. You’ll feel supported, inspired, and ready to enjoy the process.

When you’re ready to talk to a planner, take a look at our portfolio of real weddings for inspiration or reach out directly. We’d love to help bring your dream wedding to life!