She said YES!

“The heart of marriage is memories.” – Bill Cosby

My good friend E got engaged over the weekend and I could not be more excited!! Last night we got together and everyone wanted to know “when and where”.  I was so eager and ecstatic that I almost forgot that it’s only been 2 days and plans are not made that fast.  I remember the week I got engaged very vividly (as I watched it from cloud nine) and I was very overwhelmed by those questions.  There are many things to consider before even scratching the surface of picking a date and venue.

My best advice for any newly engaged lovely ladies out there is to take a deep breath and realize it will not stay this overwhelming the entire time.  Once the main decisions are made, things will calm down quickly.  Try not to get bogged down by every detail just yet because you will have lots of time for the fun stuff.  For now, concentrate on the fact that you just got engaged to the love of your life and you get to plan a wedding! And you have a fancy, sparkly diamond to stare at!

Once the excitement settles in and you are ready to go, be sure to prioritize.  That is the key! Sit down with both sets of parents with a list of yours (and your Mr.’s) top 5 things that you want discussed right away. 

In my opinion the top 5 things to discuss are;

1. Dates - I suggest one of you brings out a calendar soon

2. Venue - have at least a handful picked out and book tours at all of them

3. Your dream wedding – try to imagine the type of wedding you want

4. Budget – this needs to be clear from the beginning (and constantly revisited)

5. Entertainment/Photography – these were the most important decisions to me so I suggest discussing vendors and booking them as soon as possible

Moreover, when you look at your top 5 decide which is the most important to you.  You might choose your dream venue and then find out it is not available on your desired date, or discover that the photographer you’ve been pining over is only available one weekend that month.  Prioritizing your top 5 will help avoid disappointment.  Deep down you know what you want and don’t ever be afraid to make it happen – this is your day!

Once your “when and where” are picked out, the rest will fall into place.  I found finding a venue very frustrating but as soon as we chose, the planning became so easy and exciting.  The dress shopping and cake tastings will be here before you know it, so enjoy the ride (because it’s the best ride ever!!).

Congrats again to the happy couple and best of luck in your plans. 

Yours truly,

A