You’re engaged! Congratulations! This is going to be one of the most amazing times of your life as you and your fiance begin planning a future together. And let’s not forget, you also get to start planning your dream wedding! Putting together a day that perfectly represents your love as a couple is so special and fun!
But, if we’re being honest, it can also be pretty overwhelming. You might not know where to begin or how to get started, but that’s what we’re here for!
We’ve put together a list of the top 10 things you should start doing and thinking about when you get engaged. So get reading, start taking the first few steps, and before you know it you’ll be standing in front of the love of your life on your wedding day saying, “I do.”
1. ENJOY THE MOMENT WHILE IT LASTS
The stage of life that you are in right now is so fleeting. It will literally be a blip on the radar of your entire life, but it demands importance. So, enjoy the time that you get to call you’re significant other your “fiance”, while also having nothing to do with wedding planning. Take a week or two to let the news really sink in. Flaunt that ring and just be engaged.
2. ALIGN YOUR OBJECTIVE & WEDDING PLAN
When both of you are ready for the wedding planning, the first thing you should do is communicate with one another. The best thing to do is to communicate with each other before discussing details with anyone else. Try being open-minded and asking each other questions; What is the most important thing about the wedding? Where? When? How big of a wedding do you want?
Remember, there is a wedding and there is a marriage. They are two very different things. Before you start the marriage, the conversation with your partner and family, about values, children and money should be already on the table. It will also be translated into your wedding plan.
3. CREATE A BUDGET
Before going into the details of the wedding planning, create a budget both of you are comfortable with. This is where the reality of the situation lies. The answer to the budget question may determine so many factors you will have to consider for your wedding day: venue, guest list, length of engagement, bridal party size, wedding dress, etc.
If you are not sure about this, read our article about Wedding Budget or get a wedding planner to help you customize your budget.
4. NARROW DOWN YOUR WEDDING DATE
Here in Singapore, for Chinese weddings, you may have an auspicious date where you prefer to get married. However, if not, try to narrow down your wedding date if your budget allows so. If your dream venue is outdoors during a rainy month, make sure there’s a rain plan.
5. CHOOSE A WEDDING VENUE
Here is the big one, choosing your wedding venue. Your wedding venue is ground zero for a lot of your wedding decisions. Is it indoor or outdoor or both? How many people can it hold? Where is it located? These are all things to consider. Now that you have your budget figured out, you can start looking for a place with all your needs and hopefully all of your wants.
Also, does the venue fit your vibe? Do you have a gut feeling about it? Site visits are a great way for you to see the possibilities for your decor. Is the venue naturally beautiful and therefore, would require less decor?
If you are looking for venues for your upcoming wedding, you can check our Venue Portfolio
6. GATHER WEDDING INSPIRATIONS
Think about how you have imagined it to be like when you walk down the aisle with your partner (now, fiance), does it have a specific colour scheme? Do you want your dress to be long or short?
Envision the type of wedding you both want. This is where you and your fiance’ sit down, talk again, and even ask each other some more open-ended questions, Once you have a rough draft, get on Pinterest and start specific boards for all of your inspiration: wedding dress, bouquets, aisle inspiration, tablescapes, and much more!
7. CHOOSE YOUR BRIDAL PARTY
From a professional wedding planner aspect, the selection of your bridal party has a big impact on your wedding day. I would recommend not reaching out to your bridal party immediately following your engagement. Take time to consider who will be up there with you. Because let’s be honest, weddings are stressful and adding certain people into a stressful situation is like adding gasoline to a fire. We don’t need that on your wedding day!
Therefore, we recommend that you think twice about who you invite, set honest expectations with them, and if you can, include your family members. In regards to your Maid of Honor, Matron of Honor, and Best Man just make sure that you choose someone who is responsible. We don’t need anyone losing wedding rings on that day itself.
8. DRAFT YOUR GUEST LIST
As for the guest list, Your budget is going to dictate a lot of this part. If parents are financially helping with the wedding, I would make it a courtesy to ask them who they would like to include at your wedding. Better yet, even if you’re paying for the wedding yourselves, it’s a good idea to get the families together and talk about the guest list so there are no surprises. Traditionally, the couple splits the guest list with each getting half.
We recommend choosing a number that’s smaller than your venue’s capacity. Later, if there’s room in the budget, you can add on at a later time (just don’t make it the day before the wedding). A general rule to remember, about 20% of the guest list will decline to attend. This is either due to circumstances surrounding pregnancies, illness, or travel. And out of those who RSVP “yes!” about 5% will end up not showing up. It just happens.
9. ENSEMBLE YOUR WEDDING TEAM
If your budget allows, consider hiring a professional to guide you through the way. It is many people’s first time to get married and many of times you might be lost. Might be you are considering your friends and family to plan your wedding for you, but you should always hire some professional and experienced wedding planner(like us!) because it’s a special day for them as well to enjoy.
Think about it, we all want our guests to be able to relax and have fun on our wedding day. So why not consider a professional wedding planner and coordinator to be there on your big day?
10. RELAX
Do something fun, just the two of you. Mini golf, bowling, ice-skating, a trip to the beach—whatever floats your boat and brings out the kid in you both. Wedding planning can be insanely stressful from the get-go, so try to find the humor in things and take some time to laugh, reconnect, and remember why you’re getting hitched in the first place.
Make sure, to check out all of our wedding services to make your special day more special and memorable for you and your family! find your dream team(Rosette’s Team) + start saving money! Here at Rosette Designs & Co. we love giving you tips, advice, and inspiration, but most importantly–we’re here to help you stay within your budget & make your marriage memorable.
If you wish to find out more about how we can help you to plan your Big Day, book a free consultation with us or drop us a text at 96694213.
We are looking forwards to make your big day happen!
