wedding rings stacked before NC wedding

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Kevyn Dixon
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10 things you should do after getting engaged

For Brides

March 2, 2021

Getting engaged is such a special time in any couple’s lives. There’s so much to do, lots of decisions to make, and even more to celebrate! As a recent bride-to-be, I know how stressful it can feel when you get engaged… especially when all of the questions start coming! Today, I’m sharing the TEN things you should do after getting engaged. Make sure you read them all – you might be surprised!

groom lifts bride up on bridge during Freedom Park engagement photos

#1: Determine the size of your wedding day.

The number one thing I think couples should do after getting engaged is determine how any people you’re planning to invite. Sit down and make a guest list with your soon-to-be-spouse. This may not be the final list, but it gives you an idea of how many people you’re inviting. This number is going to inform all of the decisions you make around your big day. And your budget will help determine if this number is realistic!

#2: Create your overall budget.

Almost as soon as you make your guest list, you and your fiancé need to sit down and determine your budget. I recommend determining how much you and your partner can contribute and then find out what anyone else involved is planning to, as well. That might be your parents or other family. Once you know the number, make a list of your priorities and dreams for the day. Is photography most important? Or the food you eat? What about a wedding videographer or your bouquet? There’s lots of decisions but knowing your priority will help!

engaged couple poses in front of bell tower at UNC Chapel Hill

#3: Select a date, but be flexible.

If 2020 showed us anything, it’s that we have to be flexible. Best laid plans and all that… When it comes to choosing your wedding day, I recommend picking a few dates you’d be okay with. Find out what your ideal venue has available (or your other top vendor, like photographer) and book it! Keep in mind that for many popular vendors, like venues and photographers, dates go VERY fast.

#4: Lock in your venue.

This tip goes hand in hand with selecting your date. Choose your venue early in the process. The venue is going to be one of the places that dates go fastest, but your venue will also determine much of the feel of your entire day. Without a venue, you can’t finish choosing colors, flowers, or much else!

#5: Select and lock in your photo and/or videography team.

Photographers are notorious for being booked a year (or more) in advance. When you know your wedding date, make sure to reach out to your dream photographers as soon as possible to meet with them. Remember, your photographer (and video team) will be with you most of your wedding day. Sometimes even more than you’re with your spouse (or it feels like it, anyway!) so make sure you choose a team that you love and mesh well with!

bride's diamond ring sits on veil

#6: Inquire with other vendors like your florist, entertainment, beauty, and bakery. Hire them in the order of importance to you!

When it comes to the rest of your wedding team, begin to inquire and hire them in the order that makes sense to you. This list will look different for everyone, but focus on your priorities and book them first! You want to make sure you get to take care of whatever you’re most excited about on your list. Also, for some of these vendors (like florists), they can often take more than one event per day, depending on their team, so it’s less time sensitive to book them.

#7: Gather inspiration on Pinterest.

Creating a space (like a Pinterest board) for you to collect ideas and inspiration for your dream wedding day is always a lot of fun! Create a board you can share with your vendors and design your wedding day from. A pro-tip: look for local weddings by other vendors, especially the ones you’re hiring, so you get a good feel of what’s possible in the spaces you’re working with! It makes it way easier than falling in love with a multi-million dollar floral arrangement that won’t work for the historic home you’ve chosen for your wedding.

bride and groom laugh during Camp North End engagement session

#8: Choose your wedding party.

Sit down with your partner and determine who you want to have in your wedding party! This is a really fun step in wedding planning! Your’e deciding who is going to be with you and taking care of you during your wedding day. Once you’ve made your lists, you can plan out fun ways to ask them to be a part of your wedding day. 

#9: Build a wedding website.

This is a great chance to show off your relationship a little bit – and those new engagement photos! Plus, it’s so nice to be able to direct all the family and friends asking questions to a site with all the answers. You can easily lists where you’re planning hotel blocks, who’s in the wedding party, and your schedule for the weekend.

engagement session in Boone NC on Moses Cone Manor

#10: Celebrate!

When you get engaged, it’s easy to jump head first into planning all of the details. But, don’t miss the chance to CELEBRATE such an exciting moment with your soon-to-be partner for life! Go out and enjoy each other. Get excited about the future – not just your wedding day – but your MARRIAGE. This is the person you’re going to be with for the rest of your life. Enjoy this special time together as much as possible! 

What to do after you get engaged shared by NC wedding photographer Kevyn Dixon Photography

Need some inspiration? Check out recent weddings at Byron’s South End and a classic Southern wedding day!

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