Photo Credit: Elevate Photography
1. Broadcasting the News Right Away
You may want to shout from the rooftops when you get engaged, but take a deep breath and enjoy those first few moments with your fiancé — and only your fiancé. There’s nothing like planning a wedding to dredge up old family drama, so take a few minutes (or even a few days) to reconnect as a couple and remember what it’s all about.
2. Immediately Posting Your Bling on Social Media
Before you start sharing ring selfies, think about who you’re going to tell and how you’re going to tell them. Newlyweds Becky Mastin and Louis Weil purposely avoided social media when they got engaged. “We wanted to make sure that the people who meant the most to us could celebrate with us in person, or over the phone at least. After we told our immediate families, we had a gathering to tell close friends in person. It really got us even more excited about starting this journey together.”
Photo courtesy of @kristylimbs via Instagram
3. Prematurely Choosing a Color Scheme
Many couples make the mistake of selecting their color scheme before they select their venue. But if you settle on a color scheme too soon, you may realize that it completely clashes with your ballroom. And it’s easier to change your invitations and your bridesmaids’ dresses than it is to change the carpeting or the curtains.
4. Getting Your Heart Set on a Particular Date
Most wedding planners recommend setting your date before proceeding with all other elements of your wedding. After all, you can’t book your vendors until you know when you’re going to need them, and you can’t design your invitations if you don’t know your date. But getting locked into a date too soon can seriously limit your chances of finding the perfect venue. This is particularly true if you’re looking to have a spring wedding; to ensure you get your first choice, put together a short list of potential dates, and run these by important friends and family members before you book.
5. Booking Vendors in the Wrong Order
With so many decisions to make, it’s difficult to know where to start, but selecting your venue is one of the first steps you should take — so determine your budget, set up a few appointments, and nail it down. Once you select your venue, you can move onto the fun stuff, like choosing your color scheme and designing your centerpieces.
As a newly-engaged couple, you and your fiancé may feel pressured to secure your dream venue, your favorite DJ, or that to-die-for photographer with a hefty deposit. But before you open your wallet, make sure you are completely, 100% comfortable with your decisions and the terms of the contract. “Ask someone to help you look over the terms and check on cancellation policies, too,” advises CPA (and groom-to-be) Mike Montenegro advises. “An awkward conversation now will save you a headache (and potentially a significant amount of money) later.”
