You’re engaged – now what?
Firstly… Congratulations! Getting engaged is an exciting and special time in someone’s life. If you feel like you are floating on a cloud or living in a fairytale, it’s very normal. Treasure every second of it and enjoy the happiness that surrounds you. We know it can also be a very overwhelming time, with everyone asking questions that you haven’t even thought about yet. You probably have so many ideas floating around in your head (or on your Pinterest board), so where do you start?
We’d recommend that the first thing you do is sit down with your fiancé (yes we just said Fiancé) and decide on a budget. Your budget will determine all your next steps. We’d highly recommend hiring a wedding planner to assist you with all your preparations (and we’d be very happy to help) or whether you would like to do it yourself. Should you decide to hire someone then it is time for you to sit back, drink some champagne and relax.
However, should you decide to do it yourself then it is time to get into action and get all those ideas floating around in your head into a plan. Take some time to sit down and decide on 3 things that are most important to you about your day, whether they are emotions or material items. Keep your list handy to refer to whenever you are making decisions. This is also the time where you will need to decide on a guest list (see our previous blog for help on this).
Once you have an estimated number it’s time to decide the “where” and “when”. Wedding venues are booked out far in advance, so don’t be surprised to hear if your dream venue isn’t available within the next year. There is a vast choice of venues throughout South Africa, so don’t be disheartened. Take your time and enjoy visiting different venues and imagining your big day together. Don’t rush it. When deciding on a date, consider overseas guests and flying costs, and if you are on a tighter budget, consider a winter wedding – they can be so magical.
Once you have a venue and a date, you can then start sourcing all the suppliers you need. Make sure you hire ones that have a good reputation and ones that fit in with your style.
Planning a wedding and being engaged should be one of the best times in your life so our best advice for you would be to enjoy it. Live in the moment and make sure you do not let small problems ruin this experience!
XOXO