Ohhh snap....I'm Engaged!

He asked... and without hesitation you half cried and half blurted out the word YES! A thousand times yes, as doves flew by, fireworks lit up the sky and people cheered around you.. Oh wait, was that a scene from Crazy Rich Asians? (ps. I LOVE that movie)

He put a ring on it, and now you're exhausted from carrying around that ROCK all day, but there's a lot of work ahead of you. It's time to start the planning for your dream wedding with your forever soulmate. Happy tears!!!

What's your first move? Where should you begin? Panic...

Don't you worry your pretty little engaged head... I've broken it down for you. I did my homework and did some reading from the man himself, DAVID TUTERA! In his book, The Big White Book of Weddings, he talks about some tips our newly engaged couples can use to start their planning. 

Tip #1
ENJOY YOUR ENGAGEMENT!

Tell your parents, tell your friends, tell you neighbour and shout it from the rooftop! It's your special day so take some time to enjoy it with your fiancé (ouuuu that has a ring to it doesn't it?) and your nearest and dearest! Take those ring selfies, and get you a new coffee mug that says "Does this ring make me look engaged?"... because you're gonna need a lot of coffee in the upcoming months.

Tip #2
BRAINSTORM

Sit with your fiancé and brainstorm some ideas. It's a good idea NOT to get family and friends involved from the beginning. This will allow you and your partner to have some alone time to figure out just what you want without having any outsider input right away. 

Social media can be overwhelming when it comes to wedding ideas, one minute you want to get married in a massive ballroom Phantom of the Opera style and the next you want a small garden wedding in Switzerland. Make a mood board on Pinterest or Instagram and put some ideas together, this will also be helpful when meeting with decorators since they will be able to have a visual representation of your thoughts and ideas. Save pictures of decor, food, flowers...you name it. Don't be afraid to DREAM BIG since even the craziest ideas can be a form of inspiration.

Tip #3
DO YOUR RESEARCH

One of the biggest mistakes we make is jumping into the details, planning and purchasing before thinking about the big picture. Just because the votive candles with your initials are on sale does not mean you have to buy it! This is a walk before you run a marathon situation. Ahem, speaking from experience here... Hey if Kim Kardashian said it's good it must be right?

Take some time to research your vendors to ensure that they are the right fit for you. Check out their social media, arrange meetings and ask past clients for their feedback.

Tip #4
BALLIN' ON A BUDGET

It might be an uncomfortable topic but it's super important. Chat with your fiancé, your parents and whoever else is going to be chipping in for the wedding. Setting a budget does not mean it's carved in stone. It gives you a general idea of how much you're willing to spend and will influence a lot of purchasing decisions. Also, shop around and get an idea of how much things cost.

Pro Tip: Make a list of non-negotiable, negotiable and neutral items. What must you have at the wedding? What are you willing to forgo? What isn't that important to you?

Tip#5
CHANNEL YOUR INNER MONICA GELLER

Thats right, time to get the wedding binder out!

Keep notes and ideas and have it readily available. The binder will help you to be organized and keep the inner bridezilla cool, calm and collected. It's also a great idea to keep track of all vendor conversations, contracts and paperwork for ease of reference as well!

I sure hope this post calms some nerves and gets your planning off on the right foot. Let us know if you have any tips for newly engaged couples.

With love,
Tulle & Tuxedo