First and foremost… Congratulations! This is such an exiting time but once that excitement wears off you may be feeling a bit stressed. Before you head off to the dress shop, let us help with some of that stress. Here are some things you need to know and do once you are engaged.
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Shout It From The Rooftops!
That’s right. Tell your friends and family, even those family members that you don’t talk to often. They all want to hear it from your own lips. That means no status updates or tweets until you call them all and personally tell them yourself. It’s so tempting to just send it out en masse via social media but both you and they deserve to relish in the moment a bit more than that.
You Are Going to Need Some Insurance on That!
You insure your house, your car, and any other major purchase so be sure to call up your agent and get your ring insured. Many jewelers offer guarantees and other lifetime coverages but most will not cover the loss or damage of your center stone or if you ring is lost or stolen. These things have been known to happen so make sure that you are fully covered.
“When’s The Wedding?”
This is one of the first questions people will ask as soon as you say you are engaged. Chat with your sweet fiancé and come up with a date even if it isn’t exact. If you already have an answer it’s a whole lot easier to just say, “We are thinking spring of 2012,” rather than stumbling through an answer.
Publish The Process
Set up a wedding page or even a blog to keep everyone who wants every detail updated. You can create free wedding sites all over the web and there are many blogging platforms that are easy to use and free as well.
Get Inspired!
Bookmark our site and any others you find helpful and inspiring. There are so many sources of inspiration on the interweb these days and figuring out what you like will help narrow down ceremony and reception locations once you start looking. 
Get a Planner
Not a real wedding planner, at least, not yet. You will want a planner with a binder or a filing system to keep up with ideas, business cards, and other information. If you are tech savvy you might even download an app for your phone or ipad.
Now Talk to a Real Planner
Think long and hard on this one ladies. Many newly wed brides we talk to wish they had gotten some assistance from a pro at least on the day of or even a month out. Going it alone is hard work and if you are organized and well prepared for the stress you can totally pull it off but remember this is your big day and you and your fiancé should enjoy it, not worry about cocktail napkins or where the officiant should stand.
Talk Budget
No matter who’s paying, it is very important to decide how much you can spend on your total wedding. You may not know what things cost and that’s where a good planner or planning studio can help steer you in the right direction. You need a good idea of what you are spending before you book any of your vendors. Once you have a number in mind you will know what you can and cannot afford and it will make planning much easier.
List it
Once you know how much you can spend you will be able to figure out how many people you can invite accordingly. Having a guest list helps you to know how many people you need to fit in the ceremony and wedding location, how much food and alcohol you will need, and will help with your stationery budget too.
A Few Other Helpful Hints
Make an appointment. Whether you are heading out to try on dresses or to look at some beautiful invitations be sure to call ahead and make an appointment. This time of year is crazy busy for the wedding industry and we all want to give you our full attention.
Visit a planning studio like Wedding 101. If you are just starting the planning process, if you have some vendors selected, or if you just need advice on etiquette we can help. Our services are always free. We love everything wedding related and want to help in any way we can.
Do you have any questions or suggestions for new brides? Comment below!