 Photo Credit: Stacey Hedman You said yes! You have a beautiful, sparkling new ring, you can’t get the smile off of your face, so now what? Here is a list of the first 5 things to do once you get engaged. (After jumping for joy and changing your facebook status of course)
Make your guest list One of the most important things to do once you get engaged is to put together your guest list. Without the list you cannot discuss your budget or start thinking about where it will happen. The guest list may change depending on your budget though and could even change if you find the perfect location that can accommodate more or less. But starting with this list will give you a good idea of where you can start looking. Discuss your budget Sit down with your fiance and discuss finances. Who will be paying for the wedding? Will it be the both of you? Your parents? His parents? Think about what you can save and how long you will need in order to be able to save it. Keep in mind that the average cost of a wedding is around $25-$35k. This may also help you to determine if you need to cut back on your list at all. And depending on how long you will need to save, will help you to pick a date. Discuss where you would like it to take place Start a list of locations you would love. Not necessarily venues per se, but more of cities, states, etc. If you are looking at a destination wedding, think about what things that location can offer different times of years. Consider travel, hotel rates, etc. Lots of things to consider when having this discussion, so be sure to take notes and even consider a pros and cons list to help you make the best decision. What time of year? Your answer above will really guide you to the time of year that will work best for you. For example, if you want to have a Cape Cod wedding, and want to have a beach ceremony, you would not choose to get married on the Cape in December. Announce it! Contact your local newspaper, hometown newspaper, or both, and announce your engagement! You can do most of this online nowadays, but be sure to have a super cute pic of you and your fiance that you want to submit along with it. You can always just update your status on facebook too, sociall media does wonders for getting the word out!
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 Photo Credit: Stacey Hedman You’re engaged! Yay! The ring is sparkling, you can’t get the grin of your face and you have updated your facebook status.....now what? We have put together a list for you to get on your way to planning your perfect Cape Cod wedding after you have said yes!
1. Get a manicure Funny, but true - you don’t want that sparkly new bobble to be overshadowed by some ugly nails! Go out and treat yourself to a manicure to show off your diamond! You can also find some pretty cheap, and awesome, press on french manicures now a days as well that will last longer! 2. Make your guest list Open up an excel doc, word doc, Google doc, or whatever your preference is for being somewhat organized and start that guest list. Think of close family, friends, ask your parents about who they will want to invite, and make sure you have everyone that you would want to be there. Now go back and look at your list again. Are there guests that should be on the B list instead? Make sure your numbers are manageable. And remember, if you are having a true destination wedding, an average of 20% of your guests will not attend. There are also guests that you have to invite, but you know will not be able to make it. 3. Figure out your budget Sit down with your fiance and start talking dollars. How much will each of you be putting into the budget? What about parents? Will they be helping with half, certain items like the dress and dinner or the rehearsal dinner? It may be helpful for you to check out lists online that show you traditional ways that the costs are split - here is a quick list from Real Simple. Once you have your budget, you will have to compare that to how many people you are planning to invite. Do the numbers make sense with your budget? Do you have to cut back on the guest list to ensure you have the wedding of your dreams? 4. Find a venue & set a date Fair warning: Unless you have had your heart set on a location on Cape Cod since you were 8 years old and you have an unlimited budget, this part of the process can be the most stressful. But rest assured, that once you have the date and venue set it gets easier from here on out. It is always good to reach out to any and all venues that you think would fall into your budget. Check their availability and ask for their pricing. This may be another good time to get out an excel doc to start comparing your options. Every venue works differently, so it is not as easy as comparing apples to apples. Stay tuned for another post regarding what to ask venues before you book! But also check out this past post about how to choose your reception location. 5. Hire a planner I have to do it and say that one of the best things you can do once you get engaged is hire a wedding planner. Wedding planners have connections on the Cape and can save you hours and hours of time in finding locations that fit your budget and your guest count. They can then go on to save you money and stress throughout the planning process. I am not just saying this because I am a planner, but when you come across other posts on the web regarding what to do after you get engaged, almost all of them say to do this! It is totally worth looking into!  Did you know that 40% of marriage proposals happen between Thanksgiving and Valentine's Day?!?! Crazy right? There are so many beautiful places to propose on Cape Cod - why not bring her home for the holidays and pop the question somewhere special on the Cape?
Or what about the ring? Do you need something outside of the typical solitaire ring - like the ring below from Ross Coppleman jewelers? Or how about finding the perfect ring made on Cape Cod? There are so many great Cape Cod jewelers on the Cape that can create for you the most perfect ring that will match her style. Need some ideas on locations to pop the question? You have come to the right place! Cape Cod Celebrations now offers proposal planning services on the Cape because we know that not every girl wants the typical proposal on the beach, at Chatham Bars Inn or under the Christmas tree. Contact us for original ideas based on your relationship, locations that no one has ever found and ideas on fun vendors to make your day even more special. We will also get to know you as well as your history on Cape Cod to be sure she knows you planned everything to reflect your relationship. What are you waiting for! Our packages start at $99 and we can always have a complimentary consultation to be sure that our services work for you! |
Plan. Relax. Enjoy.At Cape Cod Celebrations, your vision is our brand. Learn more about how we can help you pull together your beautiful Cape Cod Wedding. Archives
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