Are you currently tackling your post-engagement to-do list? Feeling a little lost, overwhelmed, and uninspired by the never-ending tasks necessary for creating the spectacular wedding day you’ve got your heart set on? I’ve been there, and so have many of my clients. Engagement season 2023 is in full swing, and you’re not alone if you have questions surrounding reaching that final I-do day.
To help you get there in as smooth and stress-free a way as possible, I’ve put together this ultimate guide of what you need to do post-engagement. I hope it brings you peace, reassurance, and excitement during this busy period!
Celebrate and share the news
Before getting carried away with venue choices and finding the perfect planner, take some time to enjoy this moment. What you need to do after getting engaged can wait a little while! After all, you’re engaged and about to embark on the most magical journey with your one true love— that deserves a champagne toast or two, doesn’t it? I think so!
I encourage you to spend a few days (or weeks) enjoying your lost-in-the-moment engagement bliss.
I’ll be here, virtually toasting you and this new chapter!
Your post-engagement to-do list
I know engagement season can be an overwhelming time. Between calling your loved ones and posting adorable selfies on Instagram, you can get lost in the buzz of it all and forget to commemorate this once-in-a-lifetime experience. Here are a few ways you can make your engagement equally Pinterest-worthy, meaningful and memorable:
1. Have an engagement party
Bring your loved ones together for a pre-wedding celebration with an engagement party. I personally love an engagement party– another opportunity to bring everyone together, catch-up, mingle and hit the dance floor. Yes, please!
Plus, an engagement party gives you a taste of the planning experience and potential local vendors. These connections will help prepare for your wedding day, and are totally not just an excuse to let your hair down and party… Maybe a bit of both?…
2. Have an engagement session with a local photographer
If an all-out party isn’t your style, you can commemorate your engagement with an intimate photoshoot just for the two of you. Reach out to a local photographer (another potential wedding connection) and inquire about their availability for engagement seasons in 2023.
An engagement shoot will be high up on many couples’ engagement to-do lists, so I advise reaching out sooner rather than later.
3. Get your nails done and have some me-time
Emotions are high, and you feel like you haven’t had a moment to yourself to soak it all in. Spend time catching your breath and indulging in some self-care. Visit the nail salon and have a manicure that highlights your glistening new engagement ring making itself at home on your finger!
Discuss wedding planning logistics with your fiancé(e)
The ring picture has been posted, and you’ve told everyone your exciting news. Now your post-engagement to-do list can begin.
Here is what to do after you get engaged (the super important, serious bits):
Make a list of your priorities
Before getting lost in a sea of Austin, Texas, wedding planners and vendors, you need to establish your priorities. You and your partner will value certain elements of your wedding more than others. Establishing these early on will enable you to plan a wedding within your budget that fulfills both of your desires.
Grab a cup of coffee, and a notebook, and openly discuss your wedding ‘must-haves’ and potential compromises. Questions to consider during this stage include:
What’s more important to you, your guest count or venue location?
Are there any vendors you already know you definitely want to work with?
Is hiring a local wedding planner the right choice for you?
Will you have an open bar?
Expect to spend at least one hour discussing logistics. It might feel tedious at first, but I promise it will make the planning process and your budget so much more rewarding in the long run.
Decide on your wedding budget
During this discussion, you’ll also want to establish your wedding budget. How much money do you have in savings dedicated to your wedding? Will either of your families be assisting with financial costs? Do you want to postpone your wedding to increase your savings?
Be realistic about your wedding budget. You don’t want to map out a fairy tale wedding but not have the fairy dust to bring your special day to life.
Wedding planner tip: Hiring a wedding planner can help you decrease costs and stay on budget (ironic I’m saying this to you, but it’s 100% true!) You can learn more about this in this post on why you should hire a wedding planner for your Austin, Texas wedding. (link to 5
reasons why you should hire an Austin, Texas wedding planner post)
Pick a season
Have you always dreamt of a winter wedding with speckles of snow dancing down the aisle next to you? (Pretty tough as an Austin, Texas wedding planner, but I’ll do everything I can to make your wedding vision a reality). Or perhaps you’re obsessed with rustic fall soirées in converted barns that are just big enough for your closest family and friends.
Whatever your season, decide on this soon after getting engaged. Knowing the time of year you’ll wed will narrow down everything; from date choices to vendor curation, your wedding planning journey just got a whole lot easier.
Reach out to potential wedding planners
It’s my time to shine! Maybe. But seriously, engagement season is an incredibly busy period for all wedding planners. Although this decision shouldn’t be rushed, prioritize picking your potential planners and reaching out to them asap.
If you do one thing solo after getting engaged, spend time researching local wedding planners!
Wedding planner tip: ask friends and family if they have any recommendations, and always read through testimonials before inquiring.
Decide on your guest list and bridal party
The good news is, you no longer have to tackle this task as a twosome; you have an expert wedding planner onboard. The following points your wedding planner will bring up, but it’s always good to have a head start and time to think over these questions before they arise.
It’s time to decide on your guest list and bridal party. Couples can get carried away with the ‘should invite‘ list rather than the ‘want to invite‘ list. Your planner will help you remain focused on people who bring you joy and support your love story. But this is a reminder that you don’t need to invite everyone to your wedding. Remember, more guests equals a larger budget, and you might prefer spending this money elsewhere.
Choose your wedding venue
It’s time to pick the perfect venue. From traditional church to modern beach views, the options are endless for where you say I do.
Local venues will already be preparing for engagement season 2023. They’ll have regular tours, brochures, and smiling faces ready to meet you at the door. Similar to your overall wedding features, I recommend creating a priority list that will enable you to narrow down your venue selection.
Your wedding planner will correspond with venues and inform you of all the need-to-knows while they cover the trickier logistics.
You can even hire this Texan wedding planner to oversee venue selection with my new venue-finding service. Click here to learn more about this offer.
Decide on your wedding day vendors
Before your planner transforms your wedding choices into a timeline of events for the big day, you need to decide on the perfect wedding vendors. Your wedding planner will have a list of tried, tested, reputable wedding vendors they’ll recommend. But you’re always open to choosing your own.
With your planner, you’ll decide on these top-choice vendors, and they’ll correspond with them over availability and on-the-day logistics—this means you don’t have to do the tricky stuff and can look forward to your wedding day vision being brought to life!
Work with In Ink Weddings + Events for your wedding day
Preparing for your wedding can feel like a never-ending task. But breaking it up into smaller tasks and enlisting the help of a wedding planner will make your ‘what to do after I’m engaged’ to-do list much more manageable. Instead of ticking boxes, you’ll be taking steps toward the best day of your life.
If you’re still searching for that fairy godmother planner to bring everything to life (and make you feel less stress-headed about it all), you can learn more about me and In Ink Weddings + Events here. And if you need more guidance on being wedding-day ready, and the madness of engagement season in 2023, you can read more blog posts like this one here.
