I’m part of some amazing local FB wedding groups and one of the questions that I see all the time is – I’ve just gotten engaged!!!! What do I do now?
I’m Brandy Blackford, an award-winning wedding planner with Sweet I Do’s and the producer of the Arizona Online Wedding Show. You’re in the right place if you’re ready to plan your wedding!
Let’s get started!
Intro
You’ve gotten engaged!! Yay! How exciting! But now what?
First, tell your VIP’s. Try to do this in person if possible, via face time if you can’t. Don’t change your status until you’ve let all those important people know. Nothing is worse than finding out someone you love is getting married via social media (unless you’re a tik tok junky). Plus, you’ll want to find out if there are any months those people you can’t imagine not being there aren’t available.
Next, it’s time to talk about money. I know, not a sexy topic. But this one will totally determine what you do next. Have a super serious discussion about how much you are comfortable spending yourselves and then, if you want, you can approach your family and ask them if they were planning to help out.
Just be prepared that anyone that contributes money will also feel like they have a say in what that money is spent on. I always advise couples that are getting help to get that money in advance, so they don’t have to play the ask and wait to receive game complete with the gotta get permission to buy that first discussion.
A word of caution here, do not go into debt for your wedding. Let me say that again. Do not go into debt for your wedding. If all you can afford is the marriage license, then consider a courthouse wedding or a longer engagement to save more money. The average cost of a wedding in Arizona for 100 guests is $32,000. I’ve put together an amazing budget guide for Arizona weddings. Use the link below.
So, you’ve told your family, you’ve changed your status and you have an idea as to how much money you want to spend on your wedding. What’s left? Well, a lot actually but the last 2 are tied very closely to your budget.
You need to set a date and have an estimated guest list. I know, I know. You just got engaged, you have no idea when or who you want at your wedding. But, securing your venue (one of the first steps you take next), is going to be dependent on your date and the number of people you want to celebrate with you.
A few tips when selecting your date – unless you have a date in mind and can’t be flexible (remember that discussion you had with your family about availability) one of the ways to save money is to pick an off-season month or day of the week. In Arizona, off-season months are typically the middle of May through the middle of September (for good reason, soooo hot!!!) and off-season days of the week are Monday through Thursday. Also, a morning or brunch wedding may save you some money as well.
As for estimating your guest count, figure out who those people are that you just wouldn’t get married if they weren’t there – family & friends. Then, have a separate running list of those you would like to invite, but would be okay if they couldn’t make it. Having those 2 numbers will allow you to choose a venue that is the right size and make catering and bar selections that fit your budget.
Easy peasy, lemon squeezy as my littles like to say. There are a ton of steps and decisions to make after this, but for now, enjoy being engaged and I’ll see you next week!
Hit the red subscribe button and the bell icon to be the first to know when I publish a new video!