Congratulations!!! If you’re reading this post…it means you’re engaged (or maybe you’re going to be engaged soon)! My husband, Jeffrey, proposed to me in May of 2019, and man, I still get all excited just thinking about our engagement season. We planned our wedding in five and a half months, and let me just say—we learned so much about wedding planning in a short amount of time. Since you’re recently engaged, here are a few things I learned when it comes to planning your wedding.

First, take the time to celebrate. Go on a date (or go get take-out and bring it back to your apartment), FaceTime all of your friends, and definitely pop a bottle of champagne. Engagement season can be a bit stressful at times, so it’s important that you take the time to celebrate.

Second, start the planning process! Where to start? I have a whole freebie about this, but let’s cover the basics. The most important thing to do is create a budget for your wedding. All of the big things and small details can add up real fast, so it’s important to start by creating a budget. My friend, Cassidy, over at Peace and Pine events is incredible at budgeting, so definitely check Instagram out for some tips. 

After you’ve created your budget, I suggest thinking about the “vibe” of your wedding—what do you want it to physically look like? Pro tip: Pinterest is your best friend! Those boards that you’ve been creating since high school, yup, it’s finally time to use them. Once you’ve figured out the general mood of your wedding, it’s time to look at venues.

With the unknown of what the remainder of 2021 will look like (or 2022 for that matter), it’s key to not only find the perfect venue but also ensure that they have solid cancellation and postponement policies in place. I recommend looking at several venues and then also creating a plan B in case your venue cancels on you due to COVID. I shot over 5 backyard weddings this year, and let me tell you—they are still absolutely beautiful. 

Budget? Check. Vibe? Check. Venue? Check. Guess what, now it’s time to find your dream vendors and continue planning your wedding.

I hope these few tips are able to guide you as you start planning your wedding. Want more tips and tricks about how to start wedding planning? I highly recommend checking out my sweet friend Cassidy over at Peace and Pine for all things budgeting and planning.

Happy Wedding Planning!