You’re engaged!! First of all, CONGRATULATIONS! You are about to enter the “married couple” club! It’s a wild ride, but can be such a blessing.

Now that he has popped the question, what’s next? Feeling a little overwhelmed? What are some of the first things you should do when getting engaged? Here are just a few things to consider doing within the first few weeks.

1. TRULY ENJOY THE MOMENT

Let’s start with the obvious, ENJOY IT!! Soak it all in, give yourself a few days, or even a couple of weeks to just sit back and enjoy the fact that you just committed to loving the same person forever! You’ll have a lot of emotions along the way, but for now, just take some time to feel and enjoy the moment. Go ahead, stare at that ring all you want. You may get lots of hand cramps, don’t say I didn’t warn you. Don’t forget to post a ring selfie!

2. HAVE AN ENGAGEMENT PARTY

What a great way to share the news right away with your closest friends and family! Celebrate with a gathering at a local restaurant. Some of my favorite local places are FINCH, Nightengale,Public House Murrieta, and Gourmet Italia for dinner and drinks and for Bruch/daytime options Corkfire Kitchen, Miramonte, Ponte, and Avensole

3. DETERMINE THE SIZE

Determining the size of your wedding is a huge factor in the planning process. Most venues have a minimum guest count requirement so going on your venue tours with this in mind you will really get a good idea on what you can afford and what locations will be a good fit. Saturdays tend to be more expensive days at most venues so if you are looking to save a little, consider choosing a Friday or Sunday.

4. SET A DATE

This may not feel like an important task but depending on where you are getting married this can be a huge consideration. The summer months in So Cal are HOT but also the most desirable dates. October in the biggest wedding month of the year because the weather has cooled down a bit and everything is still in bloom.

5. ENGAGEMENT PHOTOS ARE A MUST

This may be something that you could easily overlook in the planning process but having an engagement session is another fun way to celebrate the two of you! If you are sending out save the dates then this is another great way to introduce your new status. It will also give you the opportunity to bond with your wedding photographer by getting to know one another and feel more comfortable in front of the camera. On your wedding day, it will make it a whole lot easier for you both than having a stranger with you for 8 hours plus on your wedding day.

6. HIRE YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER AND OTHER VENDORS

Once you book your venue it is a good idea to start looking for your dream wedding photographer. Most seasoned professionals book 12-18 months in advance so if you have someone in mind, start your process as soon as possible. This will help guarantee you get the one you want. A good tip, follow your venue’s hashtag. Chances are the vendors that work there often and the ones that are on their vendor list will be showing up on a regular basis.

7. GET INSPIRED

We all know that Pinterest is one amazing platform to search for wedding ideas. Start an inspiration board and create subcategories to neatly organize your pins. If you don’t have a theme or color palette just yet, You will start to see one emerging by the pins you pin. Also, Pinterest now has a new feature starting Oct 2019 that allows you to create notes within a board and share with others. This is a great way for you to communicate with future vendors. Oh and don’t forget to follow along on my Pinterest page for some beautiful inspiration as well!

Have more great ideas? Share in the comments below!