You got engaged! Congratulations!!
Ah there is so much to soak in about this amazing time!
There are the special moments that include calling the people who matter the most in your life, deciding on the best picture to share on instagram (don’t worry we’re sure we’ll have a whole post dedicated to that all important matter), and starting with all the fun, creative stuff- BUT there are some grown up things that need to be sorted out.
Here are some of the practical (perhaps less fun) things that you have to do!
Resize That Rock
Parting with that gorgeous symbol of love that your beloved so lovingly placed on your finger will seem like torture, but think of how much worse it would be if that gorgeous symbol slipped down a drain! Make sure it fits to perfection and if it does- make sure you’re keeping it safe! Is it insured? Do you have a safe place? DO YOU TAKE IT OFF WHEN YOU DO DISHES?! Very very important stuff.
Set a Date
Ahh it seems so daunting and final! BUT there will be no planning, no bookings and no wedding countdown without it setting a date! It’s good to be flexible- settle on a month, maybe a couple of weekends to pin down, but if you think about all of the things that need to be booked, a date is pretty essential.
Find and Book a Registrar
Some wedding venues will have a list of registrars that are available, and in other places you will be able to book a registrar via your local council/the council where you will be getting married. If you are planning on having a religious ceremony, and attend a congregation regularly, it’s likely that there will be a registrar who already serves the place you’ll be getting married. Ask around! There’ll be people around who can help you find the right person. It’s important to try and do this as soon as you have a date and location for the civil ceremony, as you’ll have to ensure that they are free for that time and location too. You can’t get married without one!
Register and Give Notice of your Marriage
You have up to 28 days before the wedding to get this sorted, but it’s something to think about and try to book in good time! You’ll have to make an appointment with the local register office for an interview (it’s all very Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds à la The Proposal), and your partner will have to do the same in their local registry office.
Michelle Farnsworth Photography
Plan to Plan!
Whether it’s an app, a binder, a wedding website, or the Notes section on your phone, you need to have a plan for the plan. It’s SO handy to have a place to put all of your thoughts and plans down! There are some great websites that will do countdowns, with a list suggesting what jobs to get done by certain dates! We’re not trying to say that you need to have everything sorted, but having an idea of the way that you want to organise things will stop you from having lots of information stored in different ways- which could lead to you missing something important!
Take It All In
There will be an absolute whirlwind of emotions, experiences and things to do during the wedding planning process. It is imperative that you take the time to take it all in. Think about the person that you love. Think about the journey and experiences that were taken to get you to this point, and enjoy it! You’re one step closer to forever with your best friend, so be prepared to make that a priority in the upcoming months!