You’re engaged! What next?

Firstly, YAY and huge congratulations! You just got engaged to your favourite person! I know you are probably feeling all the feelings, from excitement and joy to possibly also a hint of anxiety too? Don’t worry, this is all totally normal: you’ve gone from being a happy couple, to over the moon, engaged and about to embark on a new chapter of your life together in a few short seconds.

Ready to start planning? Here’s a few tips to help you if you just got engaged:

1.  Take time just to enjoy the moment

So, you’ve said “yes” – enjoy it! Take a little time, just the two of you to enjoy and celebrate what just happened. I know you want to tell everyone you’ve ever met right now, but you’ll enjoy the feeling so much more if you make sure you spend a little time, just the two of you, basking in what just happened. Yes, there’s lots to plan and a ring to post on Instagram, but enjoy that newly engaged feeling just the two of you and savour the moment, you’ll be so glad you did.

Photograph: Camilla J Hards Photography

2. Announce to family and close friends, then everyone else

Once you’ve spent a little time basking in that newlywed glow, now’s the time to tell your family and friends. Start with the people most important to you and do it in person if you can. If that’s not possible, call, don’t text. The people you’ll want to tell first will most likely be those in your immediate wedding party (if you’re not planning to elope!). Then, once all the important people know, pop a post on Instagram and Facebook. Expect your likes and comments to go bananas!

3. Pick your wedding party

You don’t need to immediately head into making lots of big decisions just after you’ve got engaged, but you may want to think about picking your wedding party. I’m imagining you already have a pretty good idea of who you’d want in your bridal or groom party, so it shouldn’t be too hard to know who you want to ask.

Photograph: Ami Robertson

You may also want to throw an engagement party at this point – it’s a great way to announce your engagement and bring everyone together, plus lots of people will want to celebrate with you!

4. Think about your wedding timeline

Firstly, go back to point 1. Remember to enjoy just being engaged. It’s a wonderful time in your life, and there is nothing that says you need to set a date immediately. However, it is worth discussing with your partner so you’re both on the same page, and you know whether you’re planning to get married within the next 12-18 months, or if you’d like a little longer to play with. Remember, there are no rules here, just what feels right for both of you.

That said, people will ask if you’ve set a date as it’s a natural part of the conversation. It’s perfectly ok to say “not yet”, but once you set a date and align on a timeline, the rest of the planning will naturally start to fall into place.

5. Seek inspiration!

This is the fun part! You don’t need to start planning in earnest until you are good and ready, but it’s a good idea (and a lot of fun) to start sourcing inspiration. I particularly love Pinterest and Instagram, plus wedding blogs and magazines to get the creativity rolling and help you zone in on a style or particular vibe that you like.

This part will also help you enormously as you get closer to booking your suppliers as you will have a clear idea of what you want, plus you’ll have had a chance to explore the (many) different options available to you. Enjoy!

Photograph: Rachel Takes Pictures

6. Set your date, a budget and start booking.

If you’ve completed the first five steps and you’re feeling ready to go, now is the perfect time to get to work: decide on a budget, visit some venues to assess their availability and suitability for your needs, send out those all-important “save the dates”, and book in your photographer. Your venue will dictate so much of your day, from style through to guest numbers, so I highly recommend starting there. If you are time-poor or planning a destination wedding, I always advise working with a planner as they can actually save you money, and are worth their weight in gold.

Photograph: Wolf & Co. Photography

Remember, the best venues and photographers will often be booked up a year in advance, and while it is tempting to do so, don’t blow all your budget on the venue. There’s clothing, food, flowers and stationery to consider, too!