They finally popped the question and you said yes! Yay! You're engaged! A rush of emotions comes over you as you slowly begin to realize you'll be spending the next 6 - 12 months planning, shopping, price checking, and taste testing.  It can seem pretty daunting but with a pinch of help and a bit of organization, you can fly right past all that pre-wedding stress and get right to the good stuff! It’s not too complicated, but there are a few key things that you need to focus on.

NOTIFY THE MASSES!

Share the awesome news! I don't recommend going straight to social media as many of your friends and family would much rather hear it from you than seeing it on their feed. After you personally make those connections, THEN you can post it on social media.  You'll never hear the end of it if your family and friends only hear of your impending nuptials on Facebook. 
 

MANAGE THE ROCK!

Sometimes your fiance knows your ring size and sometimes they don't. If they don't, no worries, take it in and get it sized! It's not uncommon and the associates as the jewelry store know just what to do. In addition, if your fiance hasn't gotten your ring insured, do that. Sometimes rings get damaged or stolen and although insurance won't get you your ring back, it will at least provide you with the funds to replace it. 

DATE THAT BABY!

This is one of the most important parts as it's one of the first things you'll be asked.  You don't necessarily have to have an exact date but it's best to have a general idea of when you're going to celebrate. You'll need to start checking out venues for availability and budgetary purposes. 

CREATE A WEDDING BINDER / FOLDER!

I'm a very detail oriented (OCD level) person and almost every aspect of my life is tailored to a day planner. Staying organized throughout the entire planning process is essential.  You may feel stressed but you'll have a reference to look at when you aren't 100% sure on what to do next.  Booked a venue? PERFECT! Mark that sucker off the list! 

START SAVING!

As everyone probably already knows, any type of event can be expensive, but weddings seem to always top the cake in the expense department.  No matter how many times you say you want a low-key wedding, you'll come across more expenses than you expected and who wants to start off a life of merriment with a ton of wedding debt. Venue's, photographers, catering, attire, and even small things like alterations can affect your wedding budget.  Both you and your fiance need to sit down and figure out how much you can afford. 

GUESTS & GUEST ADD-ONS

When considering things like the venue and catering, you're going to need a realistic number of guests.  At the Chamber, we give a head count for all events the Friday before so that the venue knows just what to plan for. A lot of Venue's in Casper will do a 5% overage for buffets, but it's best to ask to ensure if you have any last minute guests show up, you'll have enough food.  Both you and your fiance should ask your parents to draw up a list of the people they want there.  They may want your Aunt May that you've only ever met once to attend.  That being said, it is YOUR wedding so take their request into consideration, but don’t let it deter from your ideal wedding. 

DO I NEED A PEOPLE PLANNER?

Now that you've begun planning your budget, you're going to have a better idea of how much of the planning you can handle on your own.  Wedding planners can be a great asset if you want to be able to have someone else handle all the stress that comes with organizing your special day.  

Now get to planning! You've got this! 

Be married my friends!