Our brand new podcast, Wedding Wednesdays with weddingsonline, is out now! The first episode is called “I’m Engaged! What Do I Do First?” and we go through everything you need to do (and the things you don’t need to do) right away.
You can also enjoy the podcast on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon.
Episode breakdown
There are so many decisions you need to make when you get engaged that it can feel impossible to know where to begin! In this 14 minute episode, you will leave feeling empowered, knowing what to do, and at ease, knowing just how to do it! Forget about the hundreds of decisions you need to make, because this is what you need to focus on:
Announce your news
Yup, get started by sharing your news that you are engaged! It’s big and you should tell everyone when you’re ready.
Our expert tip: Tell your inner circle first!
Don’t rush into the planning
We’re serious! Take a moment to just enjoy being engaged. Take a little trip away, go on some dates together or host an engagement party. There’s no need to rush into the planning right away. Just soak it all up!
Get organised
Really, you’ll thank us later. If you are organised before you start making decisions, you’ll feel so on top of things throughout your wedding planning journey.
Use a wedding planning checklist
We really can’t stress this one enough! Use a checklist so you know what to do and when to do it. We’ve even created one just for you…
>> Your Free Wedding Planning Checklist <<
Join the community
Why plan your wedding alone when you can have the help, support, encouragement and recommendations of a group of over 61,000 people like you!?
>> Join our Facebook community <<
Choose what type of wedding you want
Because how can you book a venue, decide on decor or create Save The Dates if you don’t know what type of wedding you want? Here are some questions that’ll help you decide:
- Do we want a big wedding or something more intimate?
- Are we going for something traditional or a little bit different?
- What type of ceremony do we want?
- Are we paying using savings or taking out a loan, or are we expecting contributions from friends or family?
- Are we set on a weekend wedding or are we open to something different?
Familiarise yourself with the legal requirements
Your wedding ceremony will be some time from now, but it is one of the most important elements of your day. Getting legally married in Ireland can be a little confusing and at times, overwhelming.
In the weeks to come, we will talk more about getting married legally in Ireland, but in the meantime you can read this post about registering intent to marry and how this process works.
Set a date and start planning
Here are some things to consider:
- The time of year you want to get married
- How long you want to be engaged for
- Any dates that are special to you (such as your anniversary)
- Your venue (you could set a date and then find a venue that’s available, or find your dream venue and see which dates they have)
Find your wedding supplier dream team
Our guest wedding expert, Caroline Dunne, from the Help! I’m Getting Married Facebook community says that so many couples ask this question:
We’re going to look at our venue – what questions should we be asking?
Here’s what she said:
- Is there a minimum number of guests you can invite?
- How many rooms are there?
- What extras are included in the contract?
- Is there a bar?
- What are their Day Two options?
Caroline recommends taking a notebook and going through your contract in detail before paying a deposit. Keep your options open and don’t forget about off-peak wedding days!
Other suppliers to book early on:
- Ceremony venue (if this is different to your reception venue)
- Photographer and videographer
- Band and DJ
- Wedding planner
