If you just got engaged, you are probably floating on cloud nine. After your feet return to the ground, you might find yourself overwhelmed with a mix of emotions over planning your wedding day. While planning the wedding is the goal, there are a few important tasks that should be accomplished during your engagement. Follow this engagement to do list to plan the details.
Announcing Your Engagement
If you are following tradition, your father said yes before you did. Your perfect engagement might have occurred a little differently. If your parents are out of the loop, you can get creative with a fun way to surprise them with the news. Before you exert too much energy on thinking that plan through completely, take time to enjoy the moment and each other. When you are ready to make the announcement, avoid social media and tell your parents and grandparents first. Tell your siblings next, followed by family and close friends. Telling a few important people first makes them feel important.
Engagement Photo Shoot
You probably snapped a few intimate and emotional selfies during or shortly after the proposal. These social media worthy photographs will likely be part of an online announcement, but this special occasion demands a professional engagement photo shoot. And why wouldn’t you take the opportunity to document the moment properly? Most photographers include a free engagement shoot in their wedding package. Wedding planning costs money; therefore, take advantage of any available savings whenever possible. Professional engagement photography gives you professional images for your save the dates and formal engagement announcements. It also provides a critical practice run with the photographer to see how your personalities mesh and to sample their work.
Capture the Experience
An engagement photo shoot creates a unique experience. You should think about the location that will serve as the backdrop. The location could be a dreamy hillside or a romantic beach with crashing waves. Think about the shoot and how you want to capture the experience. You will probably have several posed images. You should also plan activities that will determine the style of the shoot, such as biking, hiking or boating. You might choose to play in water together or dance in the sand. Get creative with the ways you add the element of action and emotion to your images.
Styled Engagement Photography
Engagement photos are made formal by the planning that is obvious in the intentional shot, coordinated attire, color scheme, backdrop and foreground. Coordinate your style for your images. Think about whether you will be wearing a formal gown in a garden or pants on a sailboat. Coordinate your colors with each other and the other background colors that will be picked up in the image. Your photographer will give you a consultation prior to your engagement shoot to help you plan the details of your look. It is a good idea to plan your hair and makeup with a professional stylist. This will help you create a flawless look in your images and give you an opportunity to determine how certain makeup styles look on camera.
Formal Engagement Announcements
The world has gone digital, but formal engagement announcements never go out of style. Engagement photography provides quality images for the formal announcement. Only announce your engagement to those you plan on inviting to your wedding. Once you have a wedding date, you can send out save the dates with your professional photography.
Size the Ring
Engagements are usually an unexpected surprise, when done correctly. The ring is usually purchased without your knowledge and participation; therefore, the size relies on a good guess. If your ring isn’t a perfect fit, now is the time to visit a jeweler. The jeweler that sold the ring will usually size it free of charge. Do not take a chance of losing a ring that does not fit properly. It is also a good time to consider insuring the ring.
The Engagement Party
Traditionally, the bride’s parents host an engagement party with cocktails and dinner in their home. However, more and more couples are throwing their own engagement party. This celebration is intended to bring family and close friends together to announce and celebrate the engagement. This special event can be an informal backyard garden affair or take place at a formal venue. Toasting is a significant part of the engagement party. The father of the bride makes a very special toast, followed by the mother of the bride. It is proper for the bride and groom to make a small toast to the hosts and guests. If your parents or someone else is hosting the party, you should give them a small gift to demonstrate gratitude. Thank you notes should be sent to your guests, and a special thank you note should be given to anyone that brought a gift.
Start Counting
As soon as you announce your engagement, you will probably have pressure from family and friends to build your wedding party. It is easier to invite members to become part of your wedding party than it is to be faced with the awkwardness of rescinding the invitation. To avoid this friendship straining issue, hesitate to pick the wedding party until after you book your venue. There are factors related to location, budget and size that might sway your decision. While it might be too early to calculate the size of your wedding party, you should definitely count your guests. At this point, it does not need to be an exact number, but you will need an estimate to book the venue and plan the catering. The guest count is usually divided equally between the bride and the groom.
Plan an Engagement Timeline
Successful planning requires a timeline. Most couples start planning about one year prior to their wedding date. Save your magical date and plan a timeline of special events that will occur between now and then, such as choosing a venue, proposing to your wedding party, shopping for the dress, choosing your vendors, the bridal shower and the rehearsal dinner.
Crystal Ballroom Charlotte
Crystal Ballroom Charlotte is an all-inclusive wedding venue that bundles the venue, furnishings, décor, staff services and a professional wedding design team. Step inside of the design studio and choose your linens, chinaware, floral arrangements and elegant décor from exclusive Crystal Ballroom designs. Design your venue with the assistance of the floral design team and professional wedding designers. The vendor policy allows you to book outside vendors or plan with a list of preferred vendors. Bring imagination and plan your magical moments in a wedding venue designed just for you.
