First Steps After Getting Engaged in 2024
Here are 3 steps you should do first after getting engaged in 2024!
Did you get engaged in 2024 and need to know what the first steps are toward your dream wedding? Or maybe you don’t even know what a dream wedding looks like for you and your partner? Don’t worry – we have narrowed it down to the first three things you need to do to get started.
Step #1 After Getting Engaged : Invest In Your Relationship
Grab a cup of coffee and settle in, it’s time for real-talk. We need to look a the big picture.
I can’t talk to you about wedding planning without talking about marriage, because marriage is so important to me. Josh and I have been married for almost 2 decades. When we got married, we were babies, ya’ll. We had no idea what we would be facing together, and in so many ways we weren’t prepared. That is why I want you to plan not only for your wedding day, but also for your marriage. I want your wedding day to be amazing, but I want your marriage to be even better. Why? because your wedding day is just that – one day. Marriage is day, after day, after day, and if you don’t invest in that, it will fall apart.
Here are Two Ways to Invest in Your Relationship After Getting Engaged:
- Find Your Support System: I said real-talk, right? So please hear me on this: Getting married won’t make your relationship problems go away. The best investment you can make for your marriage is pre-marital counseling. If you are members of a faith community, there are spiritual leaders that can help you. If you aren’t, there are professional counselors that want to help you start your marriage off on the right foot. Or, find an older couple with a strong marriage to mentor you. I promise you building a support system it is worth it!
2. Enjoy and Celebrate: Another important thing to do is to take some time to talk about other things besides the wedding day. Make time just for fun! Planning can get overwhelming, and you both need time to decompress. Taking time to enjoy each other’s company and celebrate the next steps in your journey should be high on your priority list.
Step #2 After Getting Engaged: Envision Your Day
Going along with this theme of big picture, you need to consider the big picture of your wedding day.
It is time to dream a little bit. What do you envision your wedding day to be like? If this question has you stumped, here are a few things to consider:
- When will your wedding take place? Narrow it down to at least a season
- Where will your wedding take place? Are you getting married locally or traveling?
- How many people do you want there? Will this be a huge party or an intimate gathering?
- Will this be a formal or informal event? This will help guide many other choices you have to make.
- What is your budget? This is one of the most important questions to ask.
Are you picturing it yet? Talking through these questions will help you both get on the same page about the rest of the wedding planning process and help build your vision. There are thousands of possibilities out there, but building a vision for your wedding day will help you both create the beautiful experience you are both dreaming of and say no to all of the stuff that can get in the way. (This is also a great marriage tip that was shared with us as well, what vision do you have for your marriage?)
Step #3 After Getting Engaged: Let’s Get Practical
There are 2 key questions you and your partner need to answer as part of your first steps after getting engaged. These 2 questions will determine everything else about your wedding planning journey:
- What is your wedding date?
- What is your wedding budget?
What is your wedding date? If you want to get married in 6 months, or 18 months, setting a date is going to give you a solid timeframe to work with. You may even want to pick a couple of dates around the same time so you can be a little flexible with your choice of venue.
What is your budget? You need to know how much money you have to work with. Who is contributing to this wedding fund? Whether you and your fiancé are paying for it yourself or you have family helping, you need to sit down and have a real conversation about how you are paying for the wedding.
A Few More Resources to Help You with Your Next Steps After Getting Engaged
Over the years I have developed some great resources to help you with your first steps after getting engaged. I really like these, but there are hundreds more out there, so choose what fits you. Don’t feel like you have to incorporate every single thing on these lists. Your wedding is about YOU, so some things may fit your vision and others may not.
- If you need help planning your ceremony, we’ve got you covered!
- Check out our suggestion about what the best wedding day timeline looks like!
- Like lists? We have a checklist to take you from ‘Yes!’ to ‘I Do!’
If the images from this shoot at the Rustic Barn at Half Moon in Jacksonville, North Carolina are inspiring, keep scrolling to see more and the list of awesome vendors that made it possible. You can also click HERE to see a stunning bridal session at the venue!
A HUGE Thank you to everyone that made this shoot possible!
Host: @adorncollectiveworkshops www.adorncollectiveworkshops.com
Styling: @taylor.hackett.johnson_
Venue: @therusticbarnathalfmoon
Floral Design: @perfectpalettefloral perfectpalettefloral.com
Invitation: @prettywrittenthings prettywrittenthings.com/insta
Rentals: @charmingandquaint https://www.instagram.com/charmingandquaint
Beauty: @makeupbymadieee m.facebook.com/MakeupbyMadie
Shoes: @bellabelleshoes www.bellabelleshoes.com/pages/wedding-shoes
Ring Box: @the_mrs_box themrsbox.com/collections/all
Bridal Editorial Model: @jessica.delovely
Couple: @lydiabest | @ryan_perry8
Him & Her Photography is a husband and wife photography team that serves the greater Greensboro and Winston-Salem area, the Carolinas and wherever love takes us!
