You’re Engaged! Now What? | Red Deer Photographers |

5 THINGS TO DO RIGHT AFTER YOU GET ENGAGED

He did it! He asked! You said yes! How exciting…and maybe a little overwhelming too! Below are 5 things to do right after you get engaged!

TELL YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS

It’s really important to let those closest to you know about this HUGE moment in your lives! Make sure to announce your engagement to these people personally, NOT over social media. It’s one of the biggest moments in your life and your mama deserves to hear it from your mouth! Not when she’s scrolling through the Facebook 🙂 By all means, once those closest to you know the news , shout it from every outlet you can! You’re happy, let the world know…then just take a moment to bask in your happiness with your fiancé! You’re engaged!!!

DECIDE ON A BUDGET

Sit down with your fiancé and really discuss the elements of your wedding that are important to you. Knowing how much money you have to allocate to different parts of your dream wedding will really help you in the long run. If your parents are helping out with the cost of the day, factor that in too! Maybe having an outdoor ceremony and reception in a community hall is what your budget allows or you’ve decided as a couple to save money to put a down payment on your first home, maybe the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel is the place you’ve been dreaming of all you life and you NEED to get married there, perhaps a destination wedding is what you’ve always wanted! Just talk about it and make sure you’re both on the same page!

SET A WEDDING DATE AND VENUE

Decide on a date for your wedding! Have you always dreamt of getting married in the winter with snow-covered pine trees all around you? When you drive past a ripe wheat field do you see yourself wanting to have a fall harvest wedding?  Sometimes venue availability might influence this a little bit as well. Perhaps the venue you HAVE TO HAVE only has a few dates available.

BOOK THE IMPORTANT VENDORS

I can’t empathize this one more. We’re only just over a week into the new year and I’ve already had to turn away 6 brides for their weddings this year. Now that you’re engaged, make sure you contact the vendors you want as soon as you can! Here in Alberta, our nice weather wedding season is so short that those dates get snatched up so SO quickly. I advise that you contact the photographer you want 10- 12 months in advance. Click here to send me a note to see if I have your date available!! If you have a SUMMER wedding date chosen, you should contact them even further in advance! Same goes for that awesome DJ company that kept everyone on the dance floor at the wedding you went to last year! Florists too! They need to be able to contact suppliers and put in orders to make sure they have the flowers you’ve chosen to make your spectacular bouquet!!

GET INSPIRED

Start a Pinterest board with wedding inspiration! Maybe you’ve had a ‘secret’ one for quite awhile already…I don’t judge! Pin things you’re attracted to! Try to be specific in what you’ve envisioned for your wedding. Every so often, go through that board and delete the things you don’t LOVE anymore, that way you’ll stay a little more organized! Also, plantain a wedding seems to bring out everyone else’s opinions. Remember that your wedding is your wedding, it will be a  reflection of you and your fiancé!

Congratulations on your engagement and happy planning!

Are you recently engaged and planning a wedding? Raelene Schulmeister Photography is currently booking for a limited number of remaining 2017 and 2018 dates! She loves to travel so no matter where your wedding is taking place, if you love her style, give her a shout! She only takes a limited number of weddings each year to ensure she is giving each couple her utmost attention. If you would like to chat with her about possibly photographing your wedding, get in touch with Raelene here: CONTACT RAELENE