YAY, you’re engaged! 🎉 If you’re wondering “I just got engaged, what do I do?”—don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. While it might feel like a whirlwind, taking the first steps after getting engaged in an organized way will make everything smoother (and way less stressful!). I’ve put together the first things to do after getting engaged so you can enjoy this exciting time without feeling overwhelmed. Let’s get started!
Want more tips? Join my email list to get more must-know steps for what to do when you first get engaged! Grab your free guide here ‘The First Steps After Getting Engaged!‘
1. CELEBRATE!!!!
The most important first step? Celebrate your big milestone! You’ve just taken an exciting leap in your relationship, so soak it all in and enjoy every second together. Plan a fancy dinner date, throw an engagement party, or call up your crew and share the news—you deserve all the happy dances and champagne toasts! This is your time to shine, so make the most of it because your engagement will fly by in the blink of an eye.
2. SET A DATE + BUDGET
Before booking vendors, the first thing to do after getting engaged is to set a date and budget. When I was planning my wedding, I had a few dates in mind and knew that being flexible would help me secure my dream venue and photographer. For your budget, consider who might be helping out. Having these conversations upfront is crucial since costs add up fast. Knowing your financial boundaries will help you prioritize what matters most.
Ask yourself:
- Do I want a short or long engagement?
- How many guests am I envisioning? 75? 150? 300?
- What are my must-haves vs nice-to-haves?
- Am I dreaming of a destination wedding or something closer to home?
- Which seasons do I gravitate towards the most?
- Which venue style am I vibing with the most? Ballroom, Estate, Garden, etc.
- What is my overall max budget? What is my max budget for each vendor?
Answering these questions will help you create a plan that feels authentic to you and your partner. They’ll also guide you in identifying vendors who align with your vision so you can start getting an idea on the next step…
3. CREATE A NEW EMAIL
With all the vendor emails, inspiration accounts, wedding websites, and registries coming your way, do yourself a favor—set up a separate wedding email to keep everything organized! This will save you so much time and stress in the long run.
4. GET INSPIRED
You’ve been dreaming of this day, so make it truly unforgettable! Start by following wedding inspiration accounts to get a feel for the style and vibe that speaks to you. This also challenges you to step out of the box and make your day uniquely yours.
My favorite accounts for wedding inspiration:
5. FIND + BOOK A PLANNER
If you want a stress-free planning experience, hiring a wedding planner is one of the best decisions you can make! They’ll help you find the perfect venue, vendors, and rentals within your budget while making sure your vision comes to life.
A great planner will also bring creativity and organization to the table, making sure your wedding day is smooth, seamless, and everything you imagined!
WANT MORE STEPS? GRAB THE FREE GUIDE ‘THE FIRST STEPS AFTER GETTING ENGAGED’
Yay! I’m so excited for you! I hope these steps help you feel motivated and ready to dive into wedding planning. If you’re looking for a wedding photographer who captures every moment beautifully, reach out to schedule a discovery call—let’s bring your dream wedding to life together! Connect with Hayley Moore Photography
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5 Tips For Newly Engaged Couples
Wonderful blog post for newly engaged couples. Well done!
Winter, thank you for your kind words 🙂
Love how informative this is! And love seeing photographers working to help educate their clients❤️
Joanna, thank you so much! It’s so important to have all of this info!
This is such great information for a new planning couple! It can be so overwhelming and you sharing this info is so helpful and gives a peace to a planning mind when you don’t know where to begin! Thank you for sharing.
Love this! The beginning stages of planning a wedding can be overwhelming. Always nice to see things broken down into manageable tasks
Arli, of course! There are so many planning tasks and by breaking it up into little chunks, it makes it so much easier!
Jordyn, right?! It makes it soo much easier and manageable!
This post is so brilliant! The information is so good and the pictures are absolutely stunning!
This is great content that will really benefit newly engaged brides! I talk to so many brides that are overwhelmed with where to start, your tips help take away some of that stress =)
Such great advice! I love how you listed your top Instagram accounts for wedding inspo!
Josefin, thank you so much! I appreciate your kind words 🙂
Chris, thank you!! My goal is to help out brides as much as possible! 🙂
Brooke, thank you! Yes!! I love those accounts and they bring so much inspo to the table, gotta love em.
Love this! Such good tips!
Neely, thank you so much!