If you’re recently engaged, you’re not alone—Wedding Wire says mid-December to early January is the most popular time to get engaged. And according to the Knot, the average length of an engagement is 14.5 months. So, assuming you’ve got a little over a year to plan your wedding, you don’t need to panic—you have plenty of time. (And even if you’re having a shorter engagement, you can still pull off a beautiful wedding.
During your first several months of engagement, here’s what you should focus on (in addition telling everyone the exciting news, of course).
Put first things first. You and your partner may have discussed these big-picture wedding questions before, but now it’s time to have some definitive conversations about some of the larger aspects of your day, such as:
- Location(s) and logistics. Indoors or outdoors? Local or destination? What day of the week will you get married on? What time of day?
- Guests. How many people are you imaging you’ll invite? Who are each of you considering for bridesmaids and groomsmen?
- Wedding planner. Are you going to hire one? Will you be enlisting help from friends and family?
- Budget. How much (approximately) are you planning to spend?
Pick a date and find your venue. Once you and your partner are on the same page, setting a date and locking down a venue (or venues, as it may be) should be priority number one. Decide if you have a date you’re set on and need to find a venue that can accommodate, or if you’re willing to be flexible in order to book a particular venue.
Start securing your vendors. Once you pick the time and location, everything else can fall into place. Spend a couple of months securing your:
- Photographer/videographer
- Caterer
- Florist
- Invitation Designer/Printer
- DJ/band
Compile your guest list. Your wedding size is something you and your partner should discuss early on in general terms (50 guests versus 300 guests), but now it’s time to get specific about your invitees. This process can take months, so start working on your list nine months out. We recommend working together with your partner first, then with both sets of parents. If you find your list has grown to out-of-control proportions, here are some tips for making cuts.
Send out save the dates. Mail these out six months before your date. We recommend starting the process eight months out to ensure ample design and printing time. Of course, if you’re having a shorter engagement, it may not make sense to mail save-the-dates, as your actual invitations should be mailed about two months before your date. If that’s the case, consider sending your actual invites three or four months out. Our packages can help you easily plan all your printing.
Once your save-the-dates are sent, it’s time to start focusing on the small stuff—but of course, you won’t need to sweat it knowing all the major planning has been handled. When you’re ready to tackle the details, like bridesmaids and groomsmen gifts, favors, day-of printing and decorations, we can lend a hand. Congratulations and happy planning!