You’re engaged! First things first… CONGRATULATIONS are in order! Now the fun can begin, but sometimes couples wonder where to even start the wedding planning process…
Good news – I’m here to help! As a wedding photographer having photographed well over 15o weddings, it’s a joy to share advice, tips, and tricks I’ve learned over the years of working with our couples. Here’s a little jumpstart list for wedding planning because… You’re engaged, what’s next?!
Tell your family, friends, and loved ones that you’re engaged!
Share the amazing news when you’re ready. Celebrate and soak in these happy moments.
Set your wedding date!
Once you set your wedding date, that usually means that you are securing a venue, too!
Start reaching out and choosing your wedding vendors!
After setting your date and locking in your venue, the photographer and videographer (oh hey!) are usually the first vendors that couples book. Most photographers and videographers book 12-18 months or more in advance so don’t wait to reach out. And that goes with any of your vendors, too! If there is a vendor you LOVE, reach out early and lock them in!
Determine your wedding style and start thinking about paper goods!
The overall style/vibe of your wedding day brings all the other elements together. Start to determine your wedding style early on because it helps you make other wedding planning decisions along the way.
Start preparing your wedding guest list!
My biggest advice? Trust your gut when it comes to your guest list. I always like to consider – would you plan an evening out and buy that guest dinner on a normal day? It’s a good rule of thumb and something to really think about while planning!
Go wedding attire shopping!
Whether you’re shopping for dresses, suits, or outfits for wedding festivities, this is one of the super fun parts (at least it was for me!) of wedding planning. Once you start to narrow down some of the wedding attire, it helps all the other elements start to fall into place.
Plan your engagement photos + send save the dates!
I would say that this is when the fun REALLY begins and everything starts to feel a little more real… Your engagement photos should celebrate and reflect you as a couple! Choose locations that are meaningful and always trust your photographer (that’s me!) to help with outfits, posing, and location ideas, too! Once your engagement photos are ready, you can prepare to send save the dates to officially share your wedding date with loved ones, too!
And there you have it! Hopefully, this blog post and jumpstart checklist for wedding planning are helpful to guide you after you get engaged. Cheers and happy wedding planning!
P.S. – Want more wedding planning advice + encouragement? Read more 
