10 Things To Do After You Get Engaged! | Florida Wedding Photographer
Planning a wedding can be a daunting task! Where do you even start? Here is a list of the most important 10 things to complete on your to-do list first!
1: Get That Manicure
Take a moment to relax and enjoy the fact that you are engaged!!! Yay! Your ring finger is about to be the subject of a lot of photos and attention. You will hear "Ohh, let me see that ring!" anytime you are with friends, family, coworkers, etc. Make sure your nails are also ready for the presentation! So go get your professional manicure or do it yourself at home (not a skill that I have unfortunately) as soon as possible!
2: Insure Your Ring
Insure your engagement ring as soon as possible. The jeweler it was purchased from should refer you to a certified insurer.
3: Agree On A Budget
Sit down with everyone who will be contributing to the cost of your wedding and settle on a budget. Make sure everyone is on the same page!
4: Pick A Date!
This was probably my favorite park of planning a wedding! I was so excited to pick a date with my fiancé and start counting down the days until our wedding. As a wedding photographer, I love it when couples have a reason for choosing the date they are to get married. Couples have decided to get married on their grandparent's anniversary, the date they met, and many other special reasons. If you don't have a specific date in mind that's ok! But decide on a specific month or season and go from there. Knowing what month or season you wish to get married in will allow you to move forward with other important decisions such as picking a venue and finding a wedding dress. Make sure to send save the dates as soon as possible so your friends and families can plan accordingly.
5: Look On Pinterest
Gather inspiration by creating a Pinterest board! Find ideas and create a vision of what you want your day to look like. You can keep this to yourself for just organizational purposes but I highly recommend that you share it with your wedding planner and photographer.
6: Who Will Be In The Wedding Party?
How many bridesmaids or groomsmen does each of you want? Are you including your kids or perhaps pups in the wedding party? Are you ok with having odd numbers or is having an even number of each a must? Is that just me? Will you have a maid of honor or best man? And what expectations do you have for them on your wedding day?
7: Pick A Location
The location of your wedding is one of two (I will let you know what the second one is later) significant decisions you will make for your wedding! For me, I always knew I wanted to get married on the beach (even though I lived in Atlanta, GA at the time) so I started researching beach venues first. Consider your season, theme, budget, and overall vision for your wedding day and decide on a venue that fits all of those things best.
8: Find A Photographer
Finding a photographer is the second significant decision you will make for your wedding. You might be thinking "Really, a photographer?" and I have to say "Yes, your wedding photographer". Think about it, after your wedding day is over you will want those memories to look at and remember that day! You need a photographer that will not only capture your wedding day but who will curate all of your portraits into a beautiful album that will tell a story from start to finish! Don't just download your portraits and let them live on your computer and social media! I have been married for 7 years and I still occasionally look back at our wedding album and smile. I remember the excitement of marrying the man I wanted to start a family with, our beautiful venue that I absolutely loved, all of the small details that I worked so hard to perfect, and seeing all of our friends and family who traveled across the ocean to celebrate with us! We don't have the flowers, the food, the cake, the champagne, my dress (I donated it to a company that makes Angel Gowns), or the linens from our wedding. All we have to remember that day is our custom cake topper, a container of sand from the beach, and our treasured wedding album!
Don't just find a photographer, but find the perfect photographer for you! There are several things to consider when finding a photographer that's a good fit such as budget, style, experience, etc. The perfect photographer for you will be there to answer any questions during the planning process and be your best friend on your wedding day. I highly recommend that you not only find someone with beautiful work but also someone that offers albums and backs up all their digitals. This way, if life happens, you will be able to contact them and they will have all of your portraits on their hard drive. Also consider your venue when selecting your wedding photographer. Will your ceremony be outdoors in the afternoon when the sun is super high and bright in the sky? WiIl your wedding ceremony take place indoors with low light? Make sure you ask a perspective photographer if they have experience in those conditions. Don't be afraid to ask for examples because photographers don't include all of their work on their website.
9: Decide If You Need A Wedding Planner
Every bride no matter how organized and creative they are can benefit from having a wedding planner. I believe a wedding planner is essential if you are having a destination wedding because you will not be able to attend tastings, meet with other vendors in person, and you might not even be able to see your venue before your wedding day. If you don't think you need a planner, at least consider hiring a coordinator for the day-of to make sure everything runs smoothly and will make accommodations for any last-minute changes (something always comes up). Some venues have a wedding coordinator that will help you on your wedding day so make sure to ask! I have captured weddings with and without a wedding planner or coordinator and I think hiring one is 100% worth it! Many brides are rushed and stressed because they are working on decor for their wedding ceremony or reception. They get into the venue as soon as they are allowed and then have to rush to get everything done so they can go get their hair and makeup done. White they are sitting down getting their hair and make up done they are not able to take the time and relax before their ceremony and instead are checking with their wedding party and friends to find out what has been done and what hasn't. Everyone is confused because an important box or envelope is missing and someone doesn't know how something should be set up. A wedding planner will take care of all of this for you and make sure everyone is on schedule.
10: Relax!
I should really write this one in a bigger font because it is often forgotten about! Do something fun with your fiancé. Just the two of you! Wedding planning can be insanely stressful. Take some time to relax, reconnect, and remember why you're getting hitched in the first place.
Portraits are from Olivia and Joel's proposal and engagement session! It was such a joy to capture every beautiful moment they shared together at the St. Augustine boat marina in St. Augustine, FL. The images of them dancing on the dock are some of my favorites! And that proposal! How perfect was that?
