It happened. You got engaged! You’re getting married. Taking this love deeper and bonding your lives together in such a powerful and meaningful way. Equally, to plan the wedding of your dreams, you will want to enjoy the process as much as the wedding itself.
I believe that happiness is the joy we feel when striving for our potential. And the potential your wedding day holds is no different. Therefore, couples should not overlook the planning process itself. You shouldn’t rush just to get to the wedding. Rather, you should treasure, enjoy, savor, and cherish this time. And yes, you can do this. If intentional, purpose driven, and thoughtful, you will not just enjoy the planning process but find it to be transformative in the creation of your day. So, read this newly engaged checklist to get started. Take a look!
Start your planning journey. Here is my just engaged checklist:
1- Just engaged? Get intentional.
Before anything else, pause. Get clear on the reason for your wedding.
Purchase the book The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker to help define your intention. First, ask yourself why you’re bringing people together. Then, look at your guest list—who truly belongs in that room, and who does not?
Therefore, build your wedding from purpose, not pressure. When the intention is clear, every decision that follows becomes easier.
2- Newly engaged? Find your inspiration.
To begin, start following luxurious blogs and planning sources. I recommend: VOGUE Weddings, Brides, WedVibes, Over the Moon, The Knot, and Condé Nast Weddings.
Next, pay attention to what you’re consistently drawn to. Notice the colors, settings, lighting, and overall feeling of the images you save.
Then, begin collecting your inspiration in one place—Pinterest or a shared folder works well.
Lastly, look for patterns. This is where your aesthetic starts to take shape, giving your planner and creative team something clear to build from.
3.- Know your numbers.
Research and find an incredible planner and set up a budget meeting with them immediately. Create a separate wedding bank account, know what you have at your disposal, and write a plan to finance your wedding. Some of my favorites: Jennifer Wong Events and Elizabeth Hall Events.
4- Organize yourself.
Along with having a planner to manage all the details, you too will need a place to keep communication, contracts, and checklists. I recommend ClickUp– an incredible project management tool.
5- Find your place on the internet.
Create a wedding email account to easily house all of your wedding communication. And create a wedding website as a hub for all of the pertinent information for your guests. Read Vogue’s tips for creating yours here.
6- Celebrate!
Get your friends and family together to celebrate the start of this journey! Reward yourself for all the hard work you’re doing to create the wedding of your dreams! Here are 6 unique engagement party locations in NYC that the The Knot recommends: The Mailroom at 110 Wall, The Chelsea Industrial Lounge, Ramscale Studio, Creatures of All Kind, Ploume, and TwoFortyThirty.
7- Get planning.
Your full-service planner will take your vision and transform it into a cohesive concept, guiding the initial stages of vendor selection. From there, clarity becomes everything. Define your vision, then you can begin moving forward with intention.
At that point, it’s time to get to work. So, yes, the earlier, the better.
Timing matters if you want to secure your preferred date, venue, and creative team.Hence, you’ll want to align on your date with your planner and begin vendor referrals as soon as possible. Ultimately, early decisions open the door to the strongest options available.
Congratulations and enjoy the process!
I hope you enjoyed this newly engaged checklist. To schedule a call with me to hear more about how I can bring your wedding vision to life, tell me more about your plans here.
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