Congratulations - You're Engaged! What now?
So you've just become engaged... what do you do now?
Firstly - CELEBRATE! Have a glass of champagne, tell your nearest and dearest and a then start to think about how you would like your wedding day to unfold!
If you're one of those people that have had this moment planned out since you were 5, then this will come easy to you...if you are not, and in my experience that is most of us, here's how to break it down plain and simple.
There is a way to make life easier by hiring a wedding planner who will make your vision come to life and take care of everything for you. Not everyone can afford this option though so the first thing to do is...
1. Decide on a date and ceremony venue
Where you would like to be married, what time of the year and how many people you are expecting all come into this decision. Make it easy for yourself by narrowing your options and taking a look at a couple of places. Do you want a beach wedding, a winery, indoors or something different? Do you want your reception to be at the same site as your ceremony? What date have you decided on? Visit the venue and book this in once you've made your decision.
2. Book in your celebrant
Once you have your ceremony venue and date, book your celebrant! I know a good one if you need some help with this ;-) Your Celebrant will then arrange to meet with you and get started on the paperwork so they will take care of all of the legal stuff. You can then have a chat about your ceremony and make some more decisions here on how you would like to day to go. A lot of Celebrants are booked in advance so it's a good idea to get yours locked away.
3. Cost and the Celebration
Decide on a budget. Stick to it. How you choose to celebrate your marriage after your ceremony can vary from a small gathering in a restaurant or to a large function centre with hundreds of guests. You should have an idea by now of how many people you will be catering for so now's the time to book in your reception. Most function centres will be able to help you with this planning but it can be complicated if you need to bring in your decorations, food and drink and furniture. Do your research. Typically, the reception is the most expensive part of your day depending on how you go about feeding and watering your guests! Work on catering per head and if you are having a sit down dining experience or canapés and drinks. There are a lot of beautiful reception venues around Perth but you can also make it just as special with catering a backyard party atmosphere. There are also loads of companies that offer cost effect reception packages that include decorations and the set up that will definitely make your life easy on the day.
4. Your People
Once you have booked in the date, ceremony and reception venues along with your Celebrant you know you are definitely ready to get married!
Make sure you ask the people that are to make up your bridal party or that are to play an important role on the day (ie. reception MC) well and truly ahead of time. You don't want to have to worry about this down the track. Plus, your bridal party can help you with decisions and organising of events to come.
5. What to wear
Choosing your dress and what your bridal party is to wear is a different experience for everyone. My only advice it that once you LOVE something, STOP looking at anything else and STOP trying on any more dresses. Don't second guess yourself as it can become very overwhelming with so many options available to you.
6. The Other Stuff
Now you need to look at a Photographer, Videographer and Florist and anything else additional that may add personalisation to your day. Who you choose will depend on your own personal style to take the time to browse some instagram posts and check out what these vendors are capable of.
You can then send out invitations and start collecting your RSVPs. This is a good thing to do ahead of time so that you can finalise numbers for catering etc.
Keep all of your documentation, invoices, payment receipts and ideas in one place. Get a folder and organise yourself. If you plan things out right and create your checklist from the start, it will help alleviate a lot of stress. Some people also like to create a wedding blog or website to gather their ideas and put information for guests. It's something to consider.
7. Relax...
Lastly, just RELAX... try and put away time for you and your fiancé to spend alone time together just appreciating each other and the process. Make sure you look after yourself and slow it down every now and then to enjoy all that is happening!