Congratulations!

Congratulations on your engagement!

Ok, we know that every reader may not be engaged -- but 'tis the season of wonderful engagements so we know odds are in favor that you were recently engaged! Now that the excitement of your engagement day is over, you are probably wondering where to start. We hope this will give you some guidence on the wonderful world of wedding planning. Below are (what we believe to be) the most important and crucial first steps of planning your wedding.

1) Set a budget. A thorough budget. It's important to figure out in the grand scheme what you can and are willing to spend. It is also important to break that figure down into what you can spend on flowers, cakes, food, beverages, and so on.

2) Find a place. Some couples set the date first. We believe it's more important to find your ceremony/reception place that you love and find out what their availability is. When looking at your ceremony location, make sure the officiant/pastor/minister of your choice is available. Try to get an agreement with that person to make sure you have them.

3) Set a date. Once you know that both the ceremony location and reception location are available, lock in those dates! In some areas (especially in South Eastern Wisconsin) churches and reception venues can book up fast!

4) Start spreading the word! Get Save the Dates out so your guests can start planning ahead.

After those crucial steps you can relax a bit and focus in on the details. Try to get your vendors lined up right away, including DJs, photographers, videographers, florists, bakeries and caterers if needed. Hopefully once you get closer to the big day you'll only have last minute details to worry about.

Still feeling overwhelmed? There are TONS of resources out there to help keep your wedding organized. There are books, websites and many different ways to get it all straight! We highly recommend putting together a binder to keep all of your inspiration pictures, pamphlets and contracts together.

Regardless of where you are with your planning we wish you the best with your wedding festivities!