First of all, CONGRATULATIONS on your engagement!! You’ve found the person you are going to spend the rest of your life with and that’s pretty darn exciting! But now what?

Right about now you probably want to shout it from the mountain tops, drink all the champagne, and dive deep into planning your dream wedding or elopement. But slow down my friend! There will be plenty of time for that. Before you begin planning all the things, here are ten things you should do right after you get engaged.

1. Savor the moment
Let it all sink in before rushing to tell everyone. Spend a little bit of time with your fiance to fully embrace yourselves in the fact that you are getting married! Take all the pictures, toast to the beginning of your engaged life and take it all in!

2. Tell your closest family and friends & celebrate
After you’ve taken a moment to come to the realization that you are now a fiance, go tell your family!! Family first, always! If you are able to tell them in person, make sure someone records it because you’ll want to remember how excited they are for you! You can even ask them not to share this new with anyone until you’ve had the chance to tell the people you’re closest with. Finding out on Facebook that your friend is engaged before she got the chance to tell you is kind of a bummer.

3. Get a manicure
“Let me see the ring!!” Is a phrase you are about to hear A TON! It’s the perfect time to head to the nail salon for a fresh manicure to accent your new piece of forever jewelry!

4. Insure your ring
When your finance bought your ring they may have already purchased insurance for it. However, if they didn’t, go get your ring insured ASAP! Your homeowners insurance should cover jewelry but it’s only up to a certain dollar amount. Talk to your insurance agent for assistance with this. Dropping your ring down your garbage disposal without having it insured is not going to be a happy time for you.

5. Figure out what’s important to both of you and solidify your non-negotiables
it down with your fiance and write out what your non-negotiables are for your wedding day. Is it a specific location where you have always wanted to get married? Are the photographs one of your most important things? Is having a religious ceremony something that’s a must? There are so many things to think about and if there are certain things that are a priority and/or non-negotiable, make those things clear from the beginning.

6. Set a budget
This is HUGE! Setting a budget before you even start to think about planning your wedding is essential. This will help you make decisions throughout the process and might even help narrow down your search for vendors, dresses, decor, etc. Once this budget is set, STICK TO IT! It’s so easy to get carried away with all the things. Remember to stop and think about the reason you are doing all of this in the first place. To marry your best friend!

7. Pick a location
One of the first things you’ll want to do is figure out where you want to be married. Cue venue tours and/or destination location research! If you’re planning to get married and have your reception at a venue, odds are they’re already booked on certain days. Check with them to see which dates they have available. However, if you are planning on eloping or having a destination wedding, research your heart out on where to go and what suits you best. Getting married on a mountain might be a little more flexible but comes with its own set of challenges and things to consider.

8. Set a date
Once you have locked in a venue or location to get married, it’s time to set a date! Think about the time of year and what occurs during that season. Weather is going to impact your day in ways you may not have even thought of. Springtime usually comes with rain. Summertime can get hot and humid. Autumn is typically the busiest time of year to get married and the weather fluctuates greatly, especially in Upstate New York. Winter comes with snow, cold weather and potentially impacted travel. Keep these things in mind when selecting a date to tie the knot. 

9. Hire a planner
Are you someone who is either busy, gets overwhelmed easily or just has no desire to plan your wedding? HIRE A PLANNER!! These people are basically fairy godmothers when it comes to wedding planning. Yes, it is another expense to consider but let me tell you, it’s worth it to relieve any stress you may be feeling about your day. They’ll take care of invitations, coordinating between vendors, decor and set up, etc. Seriously, wedding planners are the best and will also be there on your wedding day to do whatever you need them to! If you can’t afford a wedding planner, ask a friend or family member for help. Delegation is key to avoid stress and overwhelm!

10. Lock in your top 3 vendors (Venue, Photographer/Videographer, DJ/Band)
If you already have dream vendors in mind, book them ASAP! Venues, photographers/videographers, and Bands/DJs are the vendors that usually book well in advance. Another one to consider is hair and makeup. If you have your heart set on certain vendors, get in touch with them as soon as you can!