HECK YES! You’re engaged + that is so dang exciting. But, for many, I know, that can also be overwhelming.

Here are a few steps I would encourage you to consider doing in this special time in your lives.

First things first, try to enjoy this season you’re in. Whether you decide on a long or short engagement, soak it up. Seriously it’ll FLY by!
After that obvious statement, I want to encourage you + your person to talk through all you want and desire when it comes to how you see your big day. Decide what is most important to y’all as couple. I encourage my couples to pick the three most important wants/desires for their day and allocate most of their time and money to those three things.
For Justin and I, that meant deciding we wanted a small, intimate ceremony in our back pasture with only a few people there. For you, that may look totally different BUT make sure ya’ll are on the same page for your vision of the big day. You’re going to be getting A LOT, like A LOT, of advice from friends, family and strangers. Take it with a grain of salt + remember what y’all want the most.
After you have your top three things identified, start working toward those. This means budgeting and setting your priorities. For example, if one of those things is a venue, email your desired venue ASAP asking about dates, prices, and options. Same goes for if it’s a photographer, caterer or DJ you’re specifically wanting. Dates fill up quickly, especially for spring + fall dates!
Some couples choose their date based on a special day or meaning, but some pick their date based on vendor or venue availability. Keep that in mind if y’all have a special day. The more info you can provide your wedding vendors, the easier it will be for them to chat with you + help make your vision come to life. This is where the money and planning and stress can start to take over. Again, I want to remind you to ENJOY THIS SEASON.
Let’s talk in terms of what you should specifically do now when inquiring with photographers/choosing the photographer for your day. There are so many reasons to seek out a professional wedding photographer, which I covered recently here. The best advice I can give you is DO YOUR RESEARCH. Every photographer does things differently so keep that in mind. Price is based on a lot of things like cost of doing business, cost of living, etc., and that looks different for everyone as well.
Before inquiring, look at websites and social media accounts. Read blogs posts and look for work with substance, not just pretty pictures. When inquiring, ask to see full galleries as this will give you an idea of what an entire day will look like. Ask your photographer or vendors about payment plans + options to help streamline the process for you guys. If you’re wondering what questions to ask your photographer, check out this blog I wrote on questions to ask a potential wedding photographer.
After you have your team of vendors or vendor hired, the weight of the process is taken off your shoulders. I want to remind you once more to enjoy the darn season despite the stress and chaos that comes with it because it is a major season in your life. If you’re looking for a little extra advice, check out these pieces of advice from past BC brides.

In summary -

Enjoy the season you’re in!
As a couple, pick the top three most important things/vendors/aspects of your day + work toward them.
Set a budget and ask vendors about payment plan options.
When inquiring with any vendor, provide as much information as possible
When inquiring with photographers, remember everyone’s prices look different because they are based on so many different moving parts.
Ask the photographers ask to see full galleries so you know what a full day can look like.

I hope you found some little nuggets of wisdom here that you can apply to your wedding planning process. If you have any other questions, comments or concerns, shoot me a comment or email and I would be so happy to chat with ya. Best wishes and remember to have fun! - BC