Im Engaged: Now What? 10 Tips for Fresh Fiancés

Congrats on your engagement! After you exclaim YES, the whirlwind of wedding planning begins! You will cross hundreds of items off your checklist in the following months, but heres what you need to do right after you get engaged: Celebrate! Getting engaged is a HUGE milestone in you and your fiances lives take a moment to yourselves and truly savor it! Even if its as simple as popping a bottle of champagne and rehashing the nerves and excitement of the perfect moment. Share the love Decide on how youre going to announce your engagement to your friends and fam. In this day and age, its so easy to quickly post to Facebook and let your entire network know, but proper etiquette is to announce to your family and friends first. Call, Facetime and spread the joy! Get That Ring Insured Slightly less fun than popping champagne but WAY more important call your insurance agent and discuss coverage! Theyll be able to explain what will happen if your gem is ever damaged, lost or stolen. Protect that beauty at all costs! Envision The Big Picture Date, location, color palette all of these decisions will follow, but whats your ultimate idea of your wedding? Is it an intimate destination wedding or a large, casual backyard bash? Discuss the top 3 things you and your fiancé envision for your wedding and go from there! Set a Budget Once youve got those key details figured out, go ahead and set the budget with your fiancé and contributing family members. Its so important to come to an agreement on this before you start purchasing items! Venue Hunting Selected a theme? Check! Set the budget? Check! Next up: finding that perfect venue! Venues book up incredibly quickly, so dont wait too long to start reaching out to venue coordinators and asking for available dates. Consider the Guest List Once you have a few key venues in mind, reference the maximum guest count. From there, draft up your guest list. Start with your closest family members and friends, then move on to extended acquaintances. Dont go bankrupt trying to include everyone youve ever met! Having a hard time deciding on someone? Our golden rule: if you would invite them over for dinner, invite them to your wedding. If dinner would be awkward or they wouldnt attend, allow them to admire your big day from afar like, a few months later. On Facebook. Say Yes to the Dress Our FAVORITE part! Once your theme/color palette and budget is set, request an appointment. Go into your appointment with an idea of what type of silhouettes, fabrics and styles you love, but also be open minded! Your bridal stylist will help you find the perfect gown! Stay calm, enjoy the moment and soak up the celebration. Congrats from Michelle's Bridal and Tuxedo! Credit: Essense of Australia