3 Things to Do When You Get Engaged
Congratulations, you’re engaged! Wondering where to begin with planning a wedding? We’ve got your back!
They got down on one knee, you said yes, champagne was poured… now what? There are a few things you MUST do before you can even begin to plan anything. You need to tell everyone - but in the right order! Tell the most important people in your life first: it could be your parents, your favorite cousin, that friend who introduced you to your future spouse. Then share the news with them! Once they’re all done crying and asking you a million questions, you can tell the world. Post a ring selfie to social media. Put an announcement in the paper. Shout it from the rooftops if you want. This is your moment - enjoy it!
Now that you’ve told everyone you know, it’s time to get into those nitty gritty details! Planning your wedding doesn’t have to be stressful, you just need to take it one step at a time. We can help with that! Read on for the first 3 things to do when you get engaged.
Set a wedding budget you can actually stick to.
Before you can plan your dream wedding, you have to set a realistic budget. Sit down with your betrothed and figure out how much you’re comfortable spending as a couple. This will be great practice for when you’re married!
One way to set a realistic budget is to learn the average cost of weddings in your area. We recommend looking at 2019 as a reference because, let’s face it, 2020 and 2021 were NOT normal years for weddings. According to The Knot, the average cost of a wedding in the US in 2019 was $28,000. The average cost of a wedding in Minnesota in 2019 was $28,800. At Availed, we find that the majority of our couples are spending $30k-80k depending on venue, guest count, and design style.
The next thing you need to determine is whether or not your family will contribute to the wedding - and how much. This is a critical conversation that can be really tough to have! However, it is important to understand up front how much your loved ones will contribute, and if they would like to allocate their contribution to a specific part of your wedding day.
PRO TIP: When you work with an Availed wedding planner, we walk through each line item of your budget with you and give you a reference point to what we typically see spent in the industry. This knowledge will be helpful during those conversations with family!
Finally, remember to save room for miscellaneous charges. We recommend setting aside 1-5% of your overall budget to pay for unexpected fees, vendor tips, and emergencies. This could be the decision you make at the beginning that saves you from overspending!
Create a guest list that aligns with your budget.
Your guest count will drive every decision you make while planning your wedding. Knowing this number will help you answer so many questions; How big of a venue will you need to book? How many appetizers, meals, drinks, and desserts will you need to order? How many chairs and tables will you need to rent? At almost every step of your wedding planning process, someone will be asking you for that magic number.
Sit down with your partner and discuss what size you want your wedding to be. It could be as small as the two of you and a couple of witnesses, or a massive event with 300+ of your closest family and friends. Make a list of everyone you want to share your special day with. Then, ask your parents (or financial contributors) to give a list for each side of the family. If the final guest count is higher than anticipated, begin paring it down until it reaches a realistic number.
PRO TIP: When our clients are struggling to shrink their guest list, we recommend they sort the guests into A, B, and C lists. This prioritizes your guest list should you need to cut anyone due to venue or budget (or global pandemic) constraints.
Your guest list will also affect your budget. Simply put, the more guests you have, the larger budget you’ll need. If you can keep your guest list on the smaller side, you’ll have more room in the budget for things you might not be able to afford with a larger crowd. This of course can vary by couple, but it’s a good rule of thumb for most. Just keep in mind that if you want to give every guest a luxury experience on your wedding day, you’ll either need a bigger budget or a smaller guest list.
Hire a wedding planner to help with everything else!
Once you have your budget and guest count nailed down, the real fun begins - hiring your wedding vendor dream team! The first vendor you should book is your wedding planner. At Availed, we love when our Complete Coordination clients book us right away. Not only will we give you a comprehensive wedding planning checklist, we can also help you find the rest of your vendors. We know the local pros like the back of our hands - and sometimes we can even get you discounts!
When you book an Availed wedding planner, you’ll start with a free consultation, then sign the contract and pay the deposit to lock in your date. Then we will sit down with you and go through all the tools you have at your disposal as an Availed client. We’ll walk through your budget line by line, talk about your wedding priorities, and ultimately start to dig into the venue aesthetic you are looking for (if you haven’t already booked one).
PRO TIP: When you book your 2023 wedding with Availed by December 31, 2021, you can get $100 off any of our planning services! Did someone say more money for cake?
From there, we’ll guide you through venue tours, vendor selection, event design, and all those tough questions along the way. Then we will create your wedding day timeline and plan all the day-of vendor logistics. Finally, our incredible team of lead planners and assistants will manage your wedding day effortlessly!
BONUS: The first 3 wedding vendors you should book.
After you hire your Availed wedding planner, the first 3 priority vendors we’ll tackle together are your venue, caterer/bartender, and photographer. We make sure to book these vendors first because your venue and caterer/bartender will make up the biggest part of your overall budget, typically 40-50%. You can learn about some venues we love here!
We help you hire a photographer next because choosing a photographer is a very personal decision for most couples. We not only want to make sure you get your top choice, but we also want to find a photographer who meshes well with your personality and style. This also helps get your engagement photoshoot booked sooner than later so we can start designing your save the dates!
I hope this post has helped you figure out the first 3 things to do when you get engaged. Need more planning advice? Comment below and let us know what questions you have so we can answer them in a future blog post!
If you’re ready to get started on #3 and find someone to help you plan the perfect wedding day, send us an inquiry here. All 2023 Availed weddings booked by December 31, 2021 will get $100 off any of our planning services!
Thanks for reading and happy planning! - Lexie
PLANNING | Availed Wedding + Event Planning
PHOTOGRAPHY | Empiria Studios
VENUE | The Hutton House
FLORAL | Tulips and a Kiss
DECOR | Linen Effects
ATTIRE | The White Room + Suit Supply
HAIR + MAKEUP | Styled by Abbi
STATIONERY | Minted
CATERING | Surdyk’s Catering + Farina Baking Company
VIDEOGRAPHY | Harvest Wedding Films
STRING MUSIC | Roma Duo