Congratulations! You're Engaged...!
...and about to embark on the exciting journey and often overwhelming process of planning a wedding! Your wedding celebration will most likely be the biggest and most important 'party' you have ever put together. So, take a deep breath, and follow our list of what to do next!
Number One (and most importantly) - Enjoy being engaged! Say 'I Love You' to each other a million times and then shout from the rooftops "We're engaged!" Make sure you take plenty of pictures of yourselves with the engagement ring, they will make great shots for you to use when you start planning your engagement announcements, wedding stationary and invites later on.
Tell your parents and family - If they don't already know, make sure the first people you tell are your parents and those close to you so that they too can share in your excitement. It will be great for them to see how happy you are and to help you with the beginnings of your great adventure and planning your big day.
Announce Your Engagement - Tell everyone the good news! There are so many ways of doing this and the best way will be by announcing your engagement party! Put your heads together and practice for the big day by organising a gathering of your family and friends to celebrate!
You can design your own invitations with a picture of you both looking extremely happy! Or use images of you and the ring, colours for the theme of the party and much more - the possibilities are endless.
Set the Date - One of the most important decisions you will make as you plan your wedding is the date itself. This may be a year from the day of your engagement or another date that is special to you. Once you have decided on the date you can start the planning...
Send Save the Dates - Wedding Save the Dates are generally sent out six to twelve months before the wedding date, and are usually followed by a formal Wedding Invitation. You can create so many stylish designs and there are hundreds of themes to choose from including, floral, cartoon, woodland rustic, garden, beach, location and formal designs. Save the Dates are a modern keepsake that your guests can cherish and not throw away, there are some truly unique ways to announce your wedding or event to family and friends and make sure that they keep your big day free in their diary months ahead of receiving their official invite. If you were feeling clever and looking to save a little money on stamps you could always combine the invites to your engagement party and your save the date all in one hit!
Engagement Party Ideas!
Anyone invited to your engagement party should ultimately be invited to your wedding, so the size of your celebration may be dependent upon your wedding numbers. Whether you have only a select few that you would like to celebrate with or if you fancy a full-on party... here are a few ideas that may help you on your way to the perfect engagement celebration!
Up, up and away... Why not do something completely out of the ordinary and book yourself and your close family & friends onto a Balloon ride. Make sure you go for the champagne special for a real treat, take along a picnic and a few extra drinks too!
Top up anyone...? Gather your closest group of friends and book onto a wine tour! There are so many fantastic wineries in Australia that you will be spoilt for choice. I am sure that there will be a spot nearby for a day trip or you could even go interstate for a weekend away! Whichever you choose, make sure that you tag on a couple of breweries too!
Shake things up... With a wild cocktail party, this would work for both a small group with some homemade concoctions or if you fancied something bigger at a swanky bar in town. Either way, make sure that your party has a cocktail theme to suit your venue and some funky decorations!
Grab your ice box... For a Casual BBQ or Beach Party celebration call up your family and friends and get everyone to bring some meat and beer on ice! Let everyone know the time and place so that you can rendezvous at your favourite beach side barbeque. Be sure to pack plenty of sunscreen for the ultimate beach engagement.
Something Formal... Looking for something a little more formal, then why not book a swanky restaurant or your favourite eatery for your family and friends. If you have large numbers coming then you could consider a gift on the tables that is a combined place card so that everyone knows where they are sitting?
Once you have picked your theme for your party the only thing left to do is enjoy yourselves...! oh and prepare for the next steps to planning your wedding...
The After Party; Steps to planning your wedding...
Now that you have organised your engagement party, set a date and sent your 'save the dates' you can get stuck into the planning of your big day! Here are a few more pointers for what comes next!
Choose Your Bridesmaids - Bridesmaid choice will be different for everyone, some will have one special friend or sister and others will have a bunch of best mates, you could even choose a 'Man of Honor' if you had a close male friend or brother that you wanted to get involved! You are of course the best person to make the choice, you know who will be excited to get stuck into the wedding planning alongside you and who would have a better time as a guest.
Buying Your Dress - If you have enough time between your engagement and your wedding the recommendation is to buy your wedding dress six to eight months before the big day. That way you will have no drama close the wedding! The dress will be a personal choice and there are so many different styles, colours and tastes to choose from - consider your wedding theme when you select the dress, perhaps you have a black and white theme in mind and can tailor your outfit to match.
Choosing the Bridesmaid Dresses - It is more than likely that your theme or colours will be based around your bridesmaid dresses, so once you have decided on a final look and feel for your wedding you can start looking for the perfect dresses. Trends worn by celebrities on the red carpet is a great place to start for what's hot and what's not! Whether you go for bold and striking colours or subtle taupe or champagne, I am sure you will find the perfect dress for each of your girls!
Your Seating Chart - Depending on the number of guests you have coming, the venue, and how you have planned your big day will depend on whether you will need to organise a seating plan. If you do have a formal dinner arranged then you may like to consider how you will display your guest names, will they be dotted on the tables as a combined gift or bomboniere idea?!
Choosing Your Flowers - Book your florist early and check for the latest trends in flower types, bouquets and colours to help you decide on what will be best for your wedding, make sure that the flowers and colours you choose will be available at the time of year you plan to get married.
The First Dance - Choosing Your Song! - You may already know what song you will choose, perhaps it is the song that was playing when you got engaged or the first track that you danced to together?! Whatever song you choose will be special to you.. you can even consider subtly using the words somewhere in your wedding decorations or invitations as a running theme for the day!
Planning Your Honeymoon - It once was traditional to leave for your honeymoon straight after the reception or the day after your wedding, lots of couples are now waiting until a few weeks or even months after to give a little more time to save for their dream holiday! Your honeymoon should be a place that is magical and special to you both so that you can embark on a fabulous trip and a lifelong journey together!
About the Author, Gemma Barritt is Marketing Manager at Coolaz Stubby Holders.
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