Our production assistant, Patrice, is recently engaged and taking you along on her wedding planning journey. Check back every other Monday for more real-life wedding planning insights.
As a recently engaged Apple Brides writer, if there’s one thing I’ve learned over the past few weeks, it’s that getting engaged is an absolute whirlwind! There are so many emotions and to do’s that immediately start swirling as soon as you say ‘yes,’ it is so exciting and overwhelming all at once! The good thing? You don’t have to go it alone. As I go through the process of planning my wedding, I will be detailing everything right here on Apple Brides. From choosing vendors to picking colors to setting a timeline, you can follow along on our journey and I hope that it helps make yours a bit easier! Starting here – with what you need to do right after you get engaged.
1. Celebrate!
Whether it’s just you two or you’re surrounding by loved ones, take a moment to soak it all in. There are few moments in your lifetime as blissfully happy as the moment you get engaged! Plus, the next year or so is going to be so crazy busy with wedding planning, trust me, you’ll be glad you took some time to enjoy it. So pop some bubbly and celebrate!
2. Call Your Family and Friends
I called my parents in the middle of the night to tell them and spent almost the entire next day on the phone. While it was overwhelming, I am SO glad we did it this way! Everyone else’s excitement only added to ours. It was really important to us that we told all of the important people before they found out on social media, which brings us to…
3. Share It On Social Media
People can say what they want about social media – but it is a great way to share good news! We couldn’t believe the outpouring of love and support we received on social friends new and old. Your loved ones want to share in your life highlights and of course – everyone loves a good love story!
4. Start Exploring
Now comes the fun part. There’s no need to jump head first into planning every detail of your wedding, but you CAN start small – and local! The Apple Brides Vendors page is a great place to explore all that the Inland Northwest has to offer for weddings. We recommend starting with venues. Your venue will set the whole tone of your wedding and will make planning everything much easier!
5. Pin Away!
Don’t shy away from Pinterest at this point in your engagement! It can be a great start for inspiration – color schemes, settings, details… just don’t get carried away. Pinterest should inspire your wedding, not define it! (Click here for more tips on using Pinterest to plan your wedding)
6. Get Organized
This is where I’m at right now. I have a lot of ideas floating around, I just need to commit and get organized! Stay tuned for a post on what I’m putting together to keep all of my inspiration, contracts, and planning docs in order.
