10 Must Do’s After The Engagement

You’re engaged. Congrats!!!! But now what? Planning your wedding can be an overwhelming enterprise which is why we’ve compiled a list of 10 simple but essential steps to take before you make your way down the aisle including an exciting opportunity from Squarespace, the makers of the most beautiful wedding websites who are now offering 10% off your first purchase to all newly engaged couples creating websites. Just use the code RWC at checkout. Click here to start your free 14-day trial today!

1 – Find a season not a date

As much as the brides I interact with would love to circle a specific date immediately after getting engaged, in my experience it is a better option to first select a season which allows you to keep your options open after you have had a chance to talk to your family, wedding party and all the possible venues that may or may not have your perfect date available. Being flexible to different dates within your season will not only help you find the best venue but it will also provide context when talking with your florist about flowers, catering about food and possible transportation options.

2- Build a budget

The number doesn’t need to be exact but you should have a ballpark budget in mind as you begin planning otherwise you run the risk of misallocating valuable resources. The simplest way to create a budget is to sit down with all contributing parties (parents, other relatives, etc…) and have an open and honest conversation so that everyone is aware of the financial framework that you are working with. For couples opting to pay for their wedding themselves, make sure you have a firm handle on what and how you are willing to spend (savings, credit card and so on). Whatever the case, a wedding budget comes down to not how much you spend but rather how you spend it. I have seen weddings planned on $10,000 that are absolute showstoppers so never feel that a limited budget is limiting in any way!

3 – Select your wedding party

Selecting your wedding party can be both a fun and stressful activity full of high hopes and hurt feelings. Now I’m not going to lecture you on who you should or shouldn’t include but I can say with total confidence that the earlier you can determine the composition of your wedding party the easier it is to budget for often overlooked items like bridesmaids bouquets and how many hair and beauty team you will need to book. After you’ve checked in with all members of the party to make sure that they are available on the dates you are considering, you should be upfront with each of them regarding their specific duties and, as a nice nod to your friendship, consider budgeting enough for their trip and attire.

4 – Have your ring sized and insured

The moment you get to slip on your engagement ring is also the moment you start to worry about it. For this reason you should make sure that you properly size the ring, a complimentary service offered by many jewelers. Next you’ll want to have the ring insured. I know many brides-to-be who skip this step because they either think it will be a hassle or too costly. But the reality is that insuring your engagement ring can save you a ton of money and time. The average engagement ring can cost as little as $50 a year to insure which means if it is lost, stolen or damaged you are covered. Small price to pay for a large piece of mind.

5 – Craft the perfect wedding website

Creating a wedding website is an extremely important detail that ensures your guests and others will have all of the important wedding details at their disposal. There are lots and lots of wedding website builders out there nowadays but none better and more accessible than Squarespace. The beauty of Squarespace is that it combines stunningly beautiful wedding website design options with an all-in-one platform that alleviates many of the headaches of installing software or dealing with bandwidth and storage limitations. Squarespace allows couples to captivate and inform their guests with essential wedding details such as travel and hotel accommodations, general event details and your wedding registry. With 24/7 customer care Squarespace is committed to ensuring that couples can always reach out and receive much needed support to help maintain a truly one-of-a-kind wedding website.

It gets better, Squarespace is now offering 10% off your first purchase to all Rustic Wedding Chic readers. Just use the code ‘RWC’ at checkout. Click here to start your 14 day free trial today.

6 – Create a Pinterest board for ideas and inspiration

Quick show of hands, how many brides and brides-to-be had a secret wedding Pinterest board up and going before the engagement was made official? It’s ok, this is a judge free zone. The point is a well planned bride is a happy bride and Pinterest can be a great tool to help you visualize your perfect wedding. Once you set up an account it’s important to create several different boards – one for just you to pin to, one each to share with bridesmaids and one to collaborate with a wedding planner/venue. The Pinterest board you share with your bridesmaids is a great way to get your wedding party involved and solicit advice and opinions on dresses, shoes, accessories, etc….

7 – Get the guest list

Whether it’s 30 or 300, knowing how many people will be invited gives you an estimated head count that you can share with prospective venues to determine whether or not they will be able to accommodate your wedding. Creating a guest list early on in the wedding planning process helps you erase much of the potential guesswork within your budget – invitations, catering, etc..- and will alleviate much of the last minute stress that can develop over time when you have postponed or prolonged difficult conversations with your fiance and family regarding who you’d like to invite.

8 – Find a style & look

Like snowflakes, no two weddings are the same and thank goodness for that. The earlier you nail down a style and look for your wedding – Country Elegance, Southern Charm or, dare I say, Rustic Chic – you will be able to find suitable venues and vendors who are comfortable and capable of working within your specific vision. To make things easier, head on over to our Rustic Wedding Guide which showcases over 5,000 and venues vendors serving as a comprehensive wedding planning resource.

9 – Interview wedding planners

If you are thinking of having a wedding planner or coordinator, certainly not a requirement but in many cases a very helpful resource, it is best to start the process of interviewing candidates early. When you meet with a wedding planner you should know the date, size, location and budget of your wedding. The wedding planner or coordinator will base their fee off all of these factors so come prepared with that information and have specific questions in mind to ensure that you can work together effectively.

10 – Stay fit and stress free

Every bride wants to look their best on their wedding day and it all starts with, surprise surprise, creating a fitness routine. Health & Fitness Coach, Nicole Butterfield says to treat the daily 30 minute workout like an “appointment” while making sure to touch on all aspects of fitness in your weekly plan like “cardio, strength training and flexibility”. Nicole also suggests a healthy diet and the incorporation of “dense, high quality nutrition” to help avoid nighttime cravings so your body can focus on “recharging and repairing itself overnight”.

This post was sponsored by Squarespace who are now offering 10% off your first purchase to all newly engaged couples creating websites. Just use the code RWC at checkout. Click here to start your 14-day free trial today.