They asked, you said yes, and now you’re ready to start bringing the wedding day to life! For most, this is the first time you’ll be planning a wedding, and it can feel overwhelming to start. That’s totally normal! As an NYC wedding planner, I’m here to help guide you through the first steps you should take after getting engaged. Take a look below at your just engaged checklist:

Insure Your Ring

If your partner proposed with a ring, it’s so important to get it insured! This is likely an expensive piece of jewelry, and you want to be covered in case anything happens. You can sometimes get your ring insured through renter’s insurance, but I recommend getting a plan through a jewelry insurance company to be extra safe. A few of my favorites include Gemshield, Jewelers Mutual, or BriteCo. They all have quick, easy sign ups and you can get your policy started online in a matter of clicks. The peace of mind is worth it!

Have the Budget Talk

I know, I know- this part isn’t the most fun. But it is extremely important before you do anything regarding to wedding planning! As an NYC wedding planner, I’ve seen just about everything when it comes to who is paying for the wedding. Talk to your partner about who is going to be paying for the wedding. Are the two of you paying for it? Are you getting help from parents or family? If you have an outside source helping, talk to them about their realistic contribution. Once you have a rough number in mind, you’ll be able to start determining what your wedding day will actually look like.

Write Out Your Guest List

Whether you are talking to venues, planners, or even photographers, you’re going to be asked “what is your guest count?”. So it’s best to sort that out from the beginning! Of course you won’t know a final count until you send out invitations, but write out everyone you would like to have and get a general number together. Your guest count highly impacts the type of venue you have, the budget, and even the overall experience of the day. Weddings under 80 guests tend to feel more intimate. Guest counts between 100-150 are the most common for a “traditional” wedding. Whereas guest counts over 200 will usually lead to a more “hype” crowd. In NYC, most venues can accommodate up to 120, so anything over that you will be looking at a more expensive day to accommodate for a larger venue.

Hire a Wedding Planner

If you’re thinking about using a full service wedding planner, now is the time to bring them on! It’s best to hire your wedding planner before you book a venue so that they can help in the search. We can take your guest count, budget, and style and help you find the perfect venue. A lot of times, we have great connections and can even help find a way to lower costs from the beginning! Having a good foundation is key to planning a great wedding- so why not bring in a professional from the get go? If you need one, I happen to know of a great NYC wedding planner 😉

Remember to Focus on You Two

When planning a wedding, it can be easy to get sucked into the “shoulds”.

“You should get married at this place, my cousin did!”

“In my opinion, you should definitely wait til the aisle to see each other, it’s tradition!”

“You should use white flowers, it’s so timeless.”

There are a LOT of opinions that come up. Many of them are unsolicited. No one knows your relationship better than the two of you, so keep that at the core. Do whatever feels right for you, not what you see online or at other weddings. Keeping your relationship at the center will make your wedding truly unique, and not just a cookie cutter event.

Whether you just got engaged today or you are already headfirst into wedding planning, I hope this just engaged checklist is helpful on your journey to the altar. If you have any questions, feel free to send me an email and I’d be happy to assist. See you next time!