Congratulations! This is the beginning of a new and exciting phase in your life! Yes, you’re officially engaged… and you’re actually feeling totally clueless. You have no idea where to start and you’re beginning to panic. Calm down, we’re here to help ease you into wedding planning mode. So without further delay, here are the 10 first steps for every bride-to-be.
(1) Soak it all in.
This is a monumental moment in your life. Before you dive into wedding planning, take everything in! Relish in the feeling of becoming a bride-to-be. Things are just about to get extra exciting!
(2) Celebrate!
Go out and with your close family and friends. For sure, they’re all very happy and excited for you and your new hubby-to-be. They’ll want to share this joyous occasion with you and show their love and support.
(3) Announce your engagement.
Announce your engagement to everyone else when you feel the time is right. Take note, you don’t need to announce your engagement right away. Share the good news in your own way and at the right time.
(4) Select your wedding date.
Now it’s time to mark THE date on the calendar. Don’t forget to check the availability of both sides of the family when choosing a date. You want to make sure all the special people in your lives can make it!
(5) Start looking for a wedding theme.
You can start getting ideas and pegs from Pinterest. You can also start looking at themes and color style inspiration to see how these combine into great wedding themes. Start working on your mood board, too. We have an easy, step-by-step guide here.
(6) Agree on your non-negotiable details.
When you get into the nitty gritty of wedding planning, the unending choices can be overwhelming. It helps if you and your partner decide which wedding details are non-negotiable for you both early on. For example, you both really, really want a garden wedding. Hence, a garden wedding venue is a non-negotiable and a clear must have.
(7) Start discussing your budget.
This is probably the top wedding detail that needs to be set from the start. Set a clear and realistic budget and decide to stick to it from the very beginning.
(8) Start scanning possible venues.
There are many places–city locations, out-of-town resorts, and overseas destination spots–to choose from. Start canvassing venues that you think will go well with your chosen theme. Also, don’t forget to take into consideration logistics and weather conditions when choosing a venue.
You may check links below to get ideas and inspiration.
- 17 Outdoor Garden wedding Venues in Hong Kong
- Gorgeous Outdoor Garden Wedding Venues, Part 2
- 17 Intimate Wedding Venues All Around Hong Kong
- Intimate Wedding Venues in Hong Kong, Part 2
- 6 Unique Event Spaces in Hong Kong That You Can Dress Up For Your Wedding
- 8 Hong Kong Restaurants That Can Turn Into Unique Wedding Venues
- Have Your Wedding at One Of These 9 Restaurants with Delicious Menus and Stylish Interiors
- 6 Yachts and Boats You Can Rent for Your Wedding Venue
Looking for other venue options? Click here for more.
(9) Start preparing your wedding timeline and checklists.
From here, you will need start meeting with the rest of the other vendors. How do you begin? Have a wedding timeline and checklists that you can refer to for guidance and your progress. You don’t want to start panicking when your wedding day draws closer. Timelines and checklists will help you keep your sanity and keep you on track throughout the planning process, so it’s best to have a way to organize all the things you have to do.
Here are some wedding planning guides and checklists you can start with.
- Wedding Planning Countdown Guide for Every Bride
- Checklist of Important Materials to Pack for the Wedding Day
- Every Bride’s Must-Have Wedding Decor and Details Checklist
- Checklist for Betrothal Ceremony
(10) Enjoy every step towards becoming a Mrs!
Finally, enjoy every forward step you take from the day you got engaged. This is special time and in your life and you deserve to feel the best feelings during your journey towards married life. Yes, it may get crazy along the way. But it’s all part of the process and the beautiful chaos of wedding planning is what makes becoming a bride-to-be a one-of-a-kind experience from start to end!
