First off, HUGE CONGRATULATIONS! This is probably one of the most exciting times in your life – I know it was for me!
The first few days and weeks after getting engaged are going to feel like a whirlwind. You’re going to have a million and one thoughts and everyone you know passing along their congrats and of course asking “Have you set a date yet?”
Before you let yourself get buried in a mountain of magazines and spending days binge watching episodes of Say Yes To The Dress, there are a few things you should do!
INSURE THE RING
Your engagement ring means a lot to you, right? Of course it does!
It’s the symbol of your future marriage, your life together. And chances are, it’s the most expensive piece of jewellery you own. It’s an investment after all.
Protect yourself, and your ring, INSURE IT! It doesn’t take long and it really is the best thing you can do.
If you have content or house insurance already, there is a good chance your ring is covered already. All it takes is a quick call to your insurance provider to find out exactly what your policy covers. When you call, you’re going to want to make sure that your policy covers “Mysterious Disappearance”. This is the most likely scenario you will need the insurance for – if the ring gets lost. Also, find out what your deductible is.
If you’re current policy doesn’t cover your ring, many will be able to add it on for a small fee.
START SAVING
If you haven’t already begun saving for your wedding – do it NOW! Haven’t figured out your budget yet? Doesn’t matter. No matter what your budget will be – you’re going to need money.
I recommend opening up a dedicated “Wedding Bank Account”. From there you can do all of your saving (and spending) for the wedding. It makes tracking exactly how much you have saved and how much you have spent & have left to spend!
DO SOME RESEARCH
Time to start seriously considering what kind of wedding you want to have. Outdoor country chic? Destination? Winter? Summer? Do you have the time & skill to take on DIY projects? Think long and hard about these things.
To avoid sticker shock, you’re going to want to start researching things BEFORE you set your budget. Yes, BEFORE! You should have at least an idea amount of how much you want to spend but don’t put a firm number down yet.
When you have an idea of what kind of wedding you want to have, start looking up venues/providers in your area and contact the ones that interest you about pricing. Once you have an idea about prices, you can really begin to narrow down what you can & can’t afford.
I don’t know about you, but I was totally naive about how much things wedding-related cost. I was completely blown away and frankly a little scared when I started out. I had a budget number in my mind, and it was destroyed in matter of minutes once I began getting quotes.
SET THE BUDGET
Now that you have an idea about how much things cost, you can get realistic about how much you can spend.
You are also going to have to take into consideration your monthly budget – how much money can you allocate to the wedding each month? Do you have money saved already? Are your families willing/able to contribute? How much? These aren’t necessarily easy or fun conversations to have with your future husband, in-laws and parents but you are going to need to take into account every Loonie!
Your wedding date is also going to impact your budget. Consider having a 2 year engagement. This gives you ample time to save, it gives you lots of time to collect items (including 2 of each season – think summer decor, Christmas lights, Valentine’s hearts etc) and it really allows you time to plan out the details and possibly tackle more tasks yourself instead of hiring out.
ONE THING TO NOT DO
You’re probably so excited to start wedding planning that you can’t wait to buy your very first wedding-related item! WAIT!
Do NOT buy anything for your wedding until you have your firm budget set and you have a clear vision of what you want for your big day.
If you start picking up small things here and there with out budgeting for it, those small purchases will add up quick. You also run the risk of buying things that end up not working with your theme or being needed.
