For those who have just gotten engaged, you may already be feeling overwhelmed by all the details of wedding planning. While there are some things you should do right away, there are many details you can hold off on planning. Immediately after getting engaged it is a good idea to get ring insurance if your fiance hasn’t already done so. You should also consider picking a wedding date and booking your ceremony site and reception venue, especially if you have your heart set on a particular date or time of year. If you’re flexible, you can hold off a bit on setting your date. The other big to-do items you should think about in the month or so following your engagement is your budget and guest list.
Here are some wedding planning to-do list items you can hold off on doing for a little bit when it comes to wedding planning:
Picking a Wedding Party
So you’re engaged, now what? When it comes to choosing a bridal party unless you already had your wedding party decided prior to getting engaged, there’s no need to rush into deciding on and asking people to be in your bridal party. It’s easy to get swept up in the excitement of your new engagement and want to ask more and more friends, which is why unless you’re really sure it’s a better idea to wait until the excitement has died down a bit and you see who is still ready to partake in wedding planning with you.
Buying Your Wedding Gown
This one might seem surprising to you, but unless you’re having a custom gown designed there’s no reason you have to go and make your wedding dress purchase immediately. Instead, move this down on your bridal to-do list a bit and take some time to shop online, looking at magazines and wedding websites and try to narrow down styles or designers that you like. This way when you do go shopping, you’ll already have an idea of what you like and will feel less overwhelmed by the selection.
Picking Out Bridesmaid Dresses
Similar to waiting to go wedding dress shopping, there’s no need to immediately go out to pick our a bridesmaid dress. Instead, you should wait until you have decided on a color scheme for your wedding and selected your bridal party. Armed with this information you’ll be able to make a better decision because you know what color dress to look for and what body types and sizes you are shopping for.
Creating a Seating Chart
While this is one of the more important things you need to do for your wedding The seating chart is actually one of the last things you’ll be doing in wedding planning since there are many other to-do list items that have to be completed first. Not only do you need to first set a date, book your venue, create your guest list and buy invitations – but you have to see who actually RSVP’s “yes” to your wedding celebration. This is why this item can move way down on your to-do list.
Choosing Songs for the Special Dances
Again, unless you already had a song in mind for your first dance as a newlywed couple there’s no reason to rush into deciding one immediately after getting engaged. The same goes for songs for your entrance, father-daughter or mother-son dance and your cake cutting song. These are all a part of the little details you can focus on once the major items of your to-do list are completed.
Planning Your Honeymoon
The honeymoon should be among the later details after you’ve booked your reception hall, vendors and created a budget. While you should book your honeymoon at least six months ahead of time to get a good rate, you do not need to rush to book your tickets the moment you get engaged.
Deciding on the Little Details
There are dozens upon dozens of little details you will have to deal with when it comes to wedding planning. What your guests will throw after your ceremony, what color table linens, whether you want mood lighting, favors, guest bags, escort cards, and table settings are just a few things you’ll have to decide on. Instead of stressing yourself out and forcing yourself to make all of these decisions at once, separate everything into priorities and go from there.
Taking Care of Legal Stuff
Also on the list of wedding to-dos are all the things you need to legally complete. You’ll need to apply for a marriage license for one, and if you plan to change your name you’ll need to legally change it on your social security card, credit cards, bank accounts and on any other work-related documents or forms. You’ll also need to combine bank accounts and update your tax forms. Nearly everything on this list except for the marriage license can actually wait until after the wedding, so save it for then!
