You’re Engaged… Now What?

First of all… CONGRATULATIONS! Take a nice, big, deep breath and soak in this moment. Tell everyone closest to you, shout it from the rooftops, and celebrate another milestone in your love story!
Now, thinking about planning a wedding and where to start is probably overwhelming. Buckle up! We’re in for a ride! Here are some steps to get you on the path to your “True North” wedding.

Photography: Molly Jo Photo

Pick a date!

While very obvious, there are 52 weekends in a year for you to pick from! There are two main ways to pick a date for your wedding: organically or by booking your first vendor.

In both options, you start by picking a year and season, then looking at your obligations around that time, such as another wedding, a vacation, an anniversary of a family member, etc. After that, you…

1) You organically choose your date.

A date within this time could be of sentimental value. Maybe the first date you went on with your partner was the 16th of the month, your anniversary is the 7th, or your lucky number is 23!

2) You book a vendor.

There might be a photographer you’ve had your eye on for a while or a venue with one open spot in the month you want to get married. Booking that first vendor (typically a photographer or venue since those fill up first) solidifies your wedding date.
Photography: Marissa Murdy
Venue: Kitchi Gammi Club

Create Your Vision!

Start by doing a quick exercise: Think of how you want your day to feel. Warm, intimate, and cozy? Lighthearted, fun, airy? Classic, elegant, timeless? There are endless options.

Then, think of a few weddings that you’ve been a guest at.

What do you remember about them?
What did you like about that wedding?
What made you think “this will NOT happen at my wedding”?
Could you tell if the couple was stressed?

This exercise helps center your mind to focus on what vibe you want and some things you might try to avoid.

Around the time you get engaged, it’s common to start looking up other people’s weddings and gathering inspiration for your own. This is great! Take what is currently inspiring you and organize it! Take all the screenshots, all the Pinterest pins, and all the bookmarked things on Instagram, and separate them into portions of the day. Ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception are the three main areas of focus.

Make a vision board for each section and find commonalities. See a lot of photos with candles in them? Consider them for your centerpieces! See a lot of arches with floral? Consider putting that as your backdrop for the ceremony! Don’t be afraid to do something unique!

Photography: Rachel Lynn Photography Photography: Kellie Rae Photography

Rentals: The Vault Floral: Superior Blooms

One note for you: keep an open mind! Sometimes, when you’re gathering inspiration, it’s over a year before your wedding. Visions change, trends come and go, and inspiration occurs; it’s all natural!

Find Your Vendor Team!

Once you have a vision you’re happy with, start looking into vendors who can make it a reality! Research decor rental companies, florists, dessert, etc. options. Don’t be afraid to look companies up on social media, browse their website, and read their reviews! Only book the vendors that you feel confident in!

From here, it’s a matter of details! Do you want to DIY some portions of your wedding? If there are multiple locations, do you want a party bus to drive you and your wedding party? Is there transportation for guests at the end of the night? What kind of dessert do you want?

The list of questions can feel like it goes on forever! This is where your vendor team comes to help! With professional and experienced vendors, they know the questions to ask to get all the right information!
Photography: Angela Jo Photography

Some Things to Remember:

Wedding planning comes in waves. Couples tell me that they haven’t done anything for their wedding for three weeks, and sometimes that’s necessary. Don’t burn yourself out! Taking breaks is important!

Don’t let the stress of a wedding weigh you down! Your engagement should be a time to enjoy the buildup, excitement, and anticipation of your wedding day! Take time to go on a date with your partner, enjoy a movie together, and keep having fun experiences!

Photography: Culture Studios

Assign someone to be in charge of the day. On your wedding day, you and your partner should feel like the guests of honor. You are not the host. If people don’t know what to do or where to go, lost their tie, wrecked their boutonniere, or noticed a bathroom stall doesn’t have toilet paper, THAT’S NOT YOUR RESPONSIBILITY! Assigning someone else this role creates a separation that allows you and your partner to enjoy your wedding day to the fullest!

Above all else, your wedding day is for you and your partner to enjoy and celebrate a milestone in your love story! Now, get started on that wedding!

If you want to hear more about wedding planning, hop over to the True North Weddings Podcast! In this episode, Mariah does a live wedding planning session with Melanie and David, a True North couple!

Talk to you soon!