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That's it, he/she has proposed, or you've decided to get married. You've been eagerly awaiting this moment, without really thinking about everything that goes into planning a wedding.
However, this is when things get complicated. You probably feel a little lost, which is perfectly normal if you have never been married before.
In this very first section from "The World of Weddings," we will detail the very first steps to take once you have gotten past the engagement ring stage, even before you start planning your wedding.
SUMMARY:
- Enjoy these moments
- Take care of your ring
- Get an idea of the wedding you want
- Be inspired
- Make a draft of your guest list
- Set an approximate date
- Calculate your budget
- Spread the good news
- Continue living normally
- Find out about the assistance available to help you organize
Make the most of these intense moments
The marriage proposal was truly an emotional moment that you will remember for the rest of your lives, so why not prolong the euphoria and enjoy these pleasant moments together before the news becomes public?
You can even take the opportunity to jot down notes and recount the story of the proposal in a journal, including all the details that made the moment so special.
Write down what happened, what he said, how you felt—these memories will be invaluable when writing your speeches or planning your ceremony.
You can also take this opportunity to hire a photographer for an engagement photo shoot with your brand new, sparkling ring.
An engagement session is a photo shoot for couples before their wedding to immortalize their engagement. It is called an "engagement" session because it comes from the English term "engagement," which means betrothal.
Take care of the symbol of your love
You adore your ring. It is magnificent. You cannot take your eyes off your hand. You never tire of it... It is much more than a piece of jewelry; it is the symbol of your commitment, so take special care of this precious treasure! It would be unfortunate if you lost or damaged it.
First, make sure it fits your finger perfectly. A professional jeweler can resize your ring to fit your finger size. Be present so that your finger size can be measured with a ring sizer.
Also, clean it regularly with a soft cloth and soapy water to restore its shine.
To learn more about how to care for your ring, you can consult our guide How to care for your engagement ring
Imagine your dream wedding
Whether you want to organize your wedding on your own or hire a professional to help you, it is necessary to think a little about what you want for your wedding.
There are a few questions to ask yourself, such as: Do you dream of an intimate celebration or a large gathering? What type of ceremony do you want? A civil ceremony only? Or combined with a church wedding? Or perhaps a secular ceremony? Do you want to get married close to home or in another region or country? Every detail counts.
To get a clearer idea of how to proceed and all the questions you need to ask yourself, check out our article: Defining the type of wedding you want.
Immerse yourself in the world of weddings
Dive into wedding blogs, social media, and Pinterest and immerse yourself in the world of weddings! Look for wedding dresses, hairstyle ideas, and decoration ideas. Create folders that reflect your preferences. This will surely be very useful for your wedding planner, wedding designer, or florist when you need to explain your vision for your wedding. The goal is to make every element of your wedding an expression of your vision and your couple's personality.
For more information on how to find inspiration, see the special feature: " How to find inspiration for your wedding? "
Carefully draft your guest list
When you start thinking about the type of wedding you want, you will need to consider your estimated number of guests. So how do you draw up your guest list?
You can choose from several approaches. The simplest of all is to each make two guest lists and then combine them, removing any duplicates.
You can then categorize your guests into groups in order to sort them and evaluate the importance of their presence at your wedding.
The first group will consist of your immediate family, the second of your close friends, the third of your extended family, and the fourth of your circle of acquaintances. It is obviously for this fourth group that you will need to sort through and determine whether the presence of these people is essential for you to be surrounded by those who are dear to you.
We have put together a list of more detailed tips specifically on this topic to help you draw up your guest list: How to draw up your wedding guest list?
Choose a date that makes sense
Obviously, when you start planning your wedding and telling your friends and family about it, the first question they will ask you is when you are getting married.
This question is not so simple because there are a lot of factors to consider, such as the season, the weather, the availability of the reception venue, the constraints of the ceremony venues, and the availability of the guests, in order to make your choice, and it is often advisable to remain flexible about the date.
In our article: How to choose a date for your wedding? we explain all the subtleties so that you can make your choice with ease.
Set a realistic budget
Unless you have been closely involved in planning your sister's or best friend's big day, you may be surprised by the cost of a wedding.
Once you have decided on the number of guests, your vision for your wedding, and agreed on a date or period, you can start thinking about the budget you can allocate to your wedding, to avoid a lot of stress in the future.
It is obviously up to you to choose, but it may depend on several factors such as: your wedding date, the region where the wedding will take place, the number of guests, and the level of professional support you would like to help you organize the wedding.
It is therefore important to carefully assess your current financial resources, any family contributions, and your future income until the wedding.
We know that you are new to weddings and that it is therefore not easy to know how much a wedding can cost. We have therefore prepared several additional resources to help you organize your budget.
To learn more about the main expenses associated with celebrating a wedding, and how to set your wedding budget, click here.
To get a more accurate idea of the cost of your wedding so you can prepare your budget, ourwedding budget simulator will help you see things more clearly.
Announce your engagement with enthusiasm
Once you have found answers to all these questions and have a clearer picture of your wedding, you can announce it to the whole world!
Call your parents first or go see them to tell them the news.
You can organize an engagement party to make your announcement or a gathering to tell all your friends.
In short, however you choose to announce it, enjoy the pleasure and being the center of attention!
Our article Announcing your engagement to your friends and familywill give you some tips on how to announce your engagement.
Lead a balanced life during preparations
The period ahead is sure to be quite disruptive and may cause you a lot of stress, so prioritize your well-being.
Continue to exercise if that's what you enjoy, eat well, stay hydrated, prioritize rest, and get quality sleep. The last thing you need is unnecessary pressure.
Explore the support and tools available to help you
After all that, it will be time to start organizing your wedding! If the idea of planning a small event like a birthday party already gives you cold sweats and the word "organization" makes you think of drudgery or panic, consider working with a wedding planner.
A wedding planner will guide and advise you throughout the entire wedding planning process. Like an orchestra conductor, she will save you precious time, prevent stress from overwhelming you, and help you stay calm on the big day. Finding vendors, managing the budget, and coordinating the entire day—she knows all the ins and outs of these tasks.
We offer our wedding planning services throughout France and abroad to help you make your dream come true.
You can discover our organizational services and, if you wish, make an appointment to discuss your project or contact us directly by email, we will be delighted to discuss your project with you.
If you want to remain independent, there are also tools available to help you in your quest. Our special article " Help and tools for organizing your wedding " will provide you with more detailed information on all the options available to you.
XOXO,
Vanessa
