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1. Take a ring selfie.

Let your extended family and friends know you’ve just gotten engaged by announcing it on social media with a picture of the beautiful ring. #engaged

2. Set your budget.

It’s time to speak with your fiance about how much you are both willing to spend on a wedding. If your families are planning on pitching in, it’s a good idea to get an estimate on how much so you can plan accordingly. Find out if families are willing to take over paying for specific aspects of the wedding. For instance, tradition states that the groom’s family often pays for the rehearsal dinner. Some families pitch in to pay for an entire honeymoon! Being able to cross off something from your list can help alleviate your budget woes. Whatever your budget, don’t worry! Because a good planner can create your dream wedding from just about anything! Which brings us to your next task…

3. Find a great planner.

As much as you may think you can handle the whole wedding planning yourself, you probably won’t be prepared for the added stress to your life (and relationships), unexpected expenses that creep in, or dealing with flaky vendors. Enter your wedding planner! They will do it all! Manage your budget, help you find and communicate with vendors, deal with unexpected dilemmas, make sure you cover all your bases, and even provide emotional support.  You won’t have to worry about your dwindling budget because the cost of a planner will be covered by the money they’ll save you with advice and vendor relationships.

N-joy Weddings + Events has walked a multitude of brides through the wedding planning process and down the aisle, so we know what you’re going through. We can provide help for every process along the way.  Plus, we’ve worked with hundreds of different local vendors around the state and have relationships with great vendors.

4. Get inspiration.

Your planner (and other vendors) will want to know your vision for your wedding when you start working together. There are so many different wedding styles, and one person’s “shabby chic country wedding” may be different than another’s “vintage farm wedding”. You’ll have to be able to let them know exactly what you want. The best way to do this is through pictures, lots and lots of pictures. Start scouring Pinterest, wedding magazines, your friends’ wedding pictures, and wedding websites for inspiration. And if you can’t find your dream wedding ideas, make them! Paste pictures together or sketch your ideas!

Save them on your iPad, computer, or phone or print them out and make an inspiration binder. Either way, have them together and organize your ideas into categories (flowers, decor, dresses). Put all those beautiful cake photos together, so you’ll be ready to meet with your cake designer. Now you’re ready to take on vendors!

5. Attend local bridal shows.

Get ideas for your wedding style, meet local vendors, see their work in person, and win some great door prizes that could save you money! Check out upcoming local Baton Rouge bridal shows to get you started.

And don’t miss out on the largest show in Baton Rouge, the Baton Rouge Bridal Show on January 24, 2016 at the Baton Rouge River Center from 1-4 pm.

6. Set a date.

It’s a must before booking your vendors, as they’ll need to know if they are already booked on your wedding date. It’s usually a good idea to begin with some reception venues you are interested in as well as your ceremony venue (church or otherwise). These book up the quickest. You’ll be able to plan around the dates they have available. Once you book your venue and set a date, it’s time to…

7. Meet with your favorite vendors.

You may have been secretly planning your wedding for a while now, or you may have a crush on a particular vendor (photographer or caterer for instance). Meet with that vendor as soon as possible to ensure they’re available for your wedding date. Become aware of their pricing, and be sure to add that to your budget. It is okay to splurge a little on one area of your wedding, if you’re in love with a particular vendor. (Just be sure to save on other aspects.)

It can be a little overwhelming to begin the planning process, but have no fear! Take your time, follow these steps, and you’ll be on the track to your wedding day in no time!