I just got engaged! Now what do I do?

I recently sat down for lunch with a close friend who is newly engaged. During our meal she said she was overwhelmed with the hundreds of decisions she has to make in the upcoming year. It got me thinking about how hard it must be for a “newly engaged” couple to plan a wedding if they have never planned an event before.

In our day and age there are so many different ways of gathering information. Before our lunch meeting my friend hit the news stand to buy every wedding magazine she could find. National and local wedding magazines are a great way to get ideas and find information on different vendors in the industry. From the editor’s depiction of the latest trends, to pictures and suggestions from local experts, a bride-to-be can get ideas for every aspect of her wedding.

The web is also a great source for wedding planning information. Not only can a bride-to-be find information about the latest trends, hot spots and ways to save, she can also chat with other brides-to-be and past brides on websites like TheKnot.com, WeddingChannel.com and MyWedding.com. Unfiltered e-information can not only help the bride-to-be decide what she does want at her wedding, but perhaps more importantly, it can also help her figure out what she does not want.

I personally believe that the best way to gather information about different vendors is to ask everyone and anyone about their experiences with them. Wedding planners, such as Perfect Weddings, The Queen of Hearts Wedding Planners and Proud to Plan, can offer a great wealth of knowledge about specific vendors or just planning in general that can help alleviate some of the stress. Reception sites also work with new vendors every week, ask them who they work with regularly and who they recommend. A solid recommendation is just as good, if not better, than any advertising a company can do.

Overall the best way to save yourself stress in planning your wedding is to start early. Give yourself plenty of time to shop around. Meet with different vendors, ask them all of your questions and make sure you’re comfortable with them and the quality of service they can provide. All the time spent in planning is carried out within a 7 hour period (ceremony & reception). The magic happens when it all comes together and the only thing left for you to do is show up,look beautiful, and have fun.

Good luck with the planning!
-Matt