Hey girl, hey! We see you staring at that new sparkle on your finger! The love of your life got down on one knee and, boom, your life is changed forever! YOU’RE ENGAGED!

We can hear you shouting “I’m engaged!” from the rooftops, Monica style from Friends! You are dreaming about the perfect wedding dress and can’t seem to get “goin’ to the chapel and we’re gonna get ma-a-arried” out of your head! While you’re Pinterest-ing the best ways to ask your girls to be in your bride tribe, you’re wondering how you’ll possibly get everything done in a year!

We know it can seem so thrilling and daunting all at the same time! We feel ya, girl! But don’t worry! This is one of the greatest times of your lives! Take a deep breath, soak it all in and just love on each other through the whole process. Listen to what the other wants and don’t forget to compromise. After all, it’s good practice for marriage! Here are our top 5 things to do as soon as you get engaged!

5 Things To Do As Soon As You Get Engaged:

1. Take the Perfect Bling Selfie & Pick Up Southern Weddings Magazine

This is the fun part! Your honey worked extra hard to make sure that ring is everything you ever wanted. So make sure to show it off! How perfect is this sweet Cotton bride, Jenny (the creative genius behind A Fine Flourish), with her perfect “I’m engaged” selfie? You can read their full proposal story featured over here.

Don’t forget to load up on the fun wedding magazines! Southern Weddings and Modern Luxury Brides Houston are two of our absolute faves!

2. Start Making Your Guest List

This was one of the very first things Kellan and I did as soon as we were headed home from our proposal weekend in Fredericksburg! To be honest, I was “that girl” that already had a list going long before the proposal but it was nice to do some of it together on the car ride home.

Having the guest count nailed down early made finding the venue so much easier. We knew we wanted to invite at least 150 friends and family. From there, we knew to only look at venues that could accommodate over 100 guests. Don’t forget to consult the parents too! Quite often, they have their lists too.

3. Set Up a Wedding Email Address

This is a must these days with the number of emails that land in our inboxes! You’ll probably sign up for a million things at bridal shows so it’s nice having that go to a special email. Also, between DJ’s, florists, venues, planners, you’ll send more inquiries to potential vendors than you thought possible.

So, trust us when we say it’s nice having it all in one place. Gmail is quick and easy to set up. Don’t forget to add a cute photo of the two of you!

4. Think About the Season You Want to Tie the Knot In

Consider the season you want to be the setting for your big day. Do you want a winter wedding with your bridal party in deep, rich colors?

Or is a spring/summer wedding more up your alley? Perfectly paired with those yummy southern cocktails!

Or maybe the fall, October wedding is calling your name! There’s a reason it’s the most popular month to get married in Houston. It’s practically a shoe-in for a beautiful sunny day!

Quite often, the season is chosen based on graduation or school schedules as well, which makes January and June weddings popular too.

Also, think about the time of day you want to tie the knot. In the winter, you will be dealing with 5 pm sunsets and much earlier ceremony times. If you can’t imagine having the wedding over by 9 or 10 pm, we’d recommend a late spring, summer or early fall wedding since the sun sets much later.

5. Contact a Planner ASAP

This might be the most important step you can take! Most couples don’t realize the importance of a planner until after the wedding. They’re either thrilled saying “Oh, thank goodness we hired a wedding planner” or filled with regret wishing they had because of how many things didn’t go as planned on the wedding day!

Trust us, this is one regret you don’t want to have! Pictured above is Lindsay from Lean On Me Events with our bride Rachel helping carry her dress on her rainy wedding day. We love that the Lean On Me girls, Spell Events, and Love Detailed Events always take such good care of our Cotton couples! But no matter who you choose, make sure you see eye to eye with them and trust them to carry out your vision.

Alright bridal babe, squeeze your fiance extra tight, soak it all in and conquer this engagement with confidence! Just remember to keep it fun, love on each other, and feel free to reach out to us if you need any help at all! We are always happy to send out our list of amazing vendors to help with your day.

Now go ahead and keep screaming “I’m engaged!” from the rooftops! Hope these little tips help you get started planning the wedding of your dreams! Congrats, bride-to-be!

 

XO,
Michelle