Congratulations! You said, “YES!”
That’s huge! The numerous details involved in organizing the wedding of your dreams may soon overwhelm you in the excitement and rush of emotions that follow a proposal.
- Where are we going to live?
- Who will officiate the wedding?
- Who are our bridesmaids and groomsmen?
- When will we get married?
- Is it a big wedding or an intimate one?
Questions like these are normal and very common. But it doesn’t mean you can’t get organized and take action to avoid a lot of unnecessary stress in the coming months. In fact, being proactive can make a significant difference in your experience. As a wedding planner, I see many anxious couples before they get married, which can lead to even more challenges.
You may be tempted to think you have time, but it will fly! Before you know it, your engagement will be over, and the wedding day you have dreamed of is just around the corner.
So here are FIVE things I suggest you do after you say “YES!”
NO 1: PRAY AND FAST
Prayer is the most privileged form of communication we can have with our Heavenly Father. Fasting allows for clarity in our minds, bodies, and souls. When you approach God this way, you have Heaven’s ears opened to your requests while receiving instructions from Him.
There will be tests and trials before you make your way to the altar. Job 22:27 says, “You will pray to Him, and He will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows to Him.” Take this time to fast and pray to God before making any wedding plans. During this fast, silence the noise by cutting off your phones, breaking from social media, turning off any form of entertainment, and abstaining from food from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., or whatever time you and your fiancé prefer. When you fast, replace daily pleasures with reading the Bible, praying in the spirit, meditating on the Word, and worshipping together and separately. In the Bible, Esther, understanding the grave need to intervene for the Israelites, fasted for three days with no food or water to receive strength to do what could cost her life. With God working on her behalf, she stopped genocide from occurring and saved the Jews.
**If you are considering fasting, please consult your physician.**
Suggested Scriptures to Study
- Genesis 2:18-25
- Esther 1-10
- Isaiah 58:1-12
- Matthew 19:3-12
- Ephesians 5:21—33
NO 2: ANNOUNCE AND CELEBRATE YOUR ENGAGEMENT
You have dreamed of this day, and so have your loved ones! You can announce your engagement intimately by calling family and friends individually over FaceTime. If you really want to take it to another level, I recommend hosting a big gathering so everyone can share in your surprise. What better way to celebrate your future marriage than having an engagement party or engagement brunch? This is an excellent time for the two families to meet before the wedding festivities. Great food, games, and family introductions are fun ways to get the party started before planning your dream wedding. Sealed With A Covenant (SWAC) Weddings offers engagement party planning, including theme ideas, design layout, venue sourcing, vendor sourcing, and engagement party management.
Are you interested in celebrating your engagement? Check out our Engagement Party Planning Client Guide and contact Kree when you’re ready!
NO 3: START A WEDDING PINTEREST BOARD
With growing excitement and too many ideas to gather, Pinterest can be a good start. Pinterest is a great platform where “a picture is worth a thousand words.” It is the ideal platform for discovering wedding themes, styles, colors, and overall ambiance for your wedding day.
Even SWAC has a few inspirational boards!
NO 4: ESTABLISH A WEDDING BUDGET
According to The Knot, 2021 couples spent, on average, $34,000 on their weddings. In Orange County, California, the average cost of a wedding is closer to $37,000. It is vital to sit down with your fiancé to discuss how you will invest in your wedding. In western society, tradition has it that the bride’s parents. However, in other cultures, the parents of the groom, pay for the wedding. In modern times, most couples are footing the bill themselves without any financial help from their parents.
When budgeting, I encourage couples to take into account:
- the cost of the venue(s) and vendors
- Wedding day attire
- overall ambiance depending on their wedding style and theme.
Write down wedding must-haves and deal-breakers.
Sealed With A Covenant (SWAC) Weddings offers a wedding budget breakdown with our Full-Service Wedding Planning Package.
NO 5: HIRE A WEDDING PLANNER
A wedding planner is an event planner who saves engaged couples time and money when planning the logistics of their wedding. Wedding planners manage all correspondence, budget management, venue management, vendor management, wedding design layout, timeline, and wedding day management. Wedding Planners take the stress off of couples by planning details and taking on the responsibility to fulfill the couple’s dream wedding. Wedding planners also act as mediators and problem solvers when issues arise. The advantage of hiring a wedding planner is that you have the freedom to enjoy your engagement season, which gives you more time to plan your future with your fiancé.
Sealed With A Covenant (SWAC) Weddings is a professional, faith-based, full-service wedding planning company. What sets us apart from other wedding planners is that we bring Jesus into the planning of your big day. Hiring SWAC is a must-have investment for all engaged couples.
Takeaway:
I want to say congratulations on your engagement! By taking these steps, there won’t be a doubt in your mind that you are entering into this next phase of life in God’s will.
My prayer is not only for this time of planning to be smooth sailing, but also that it will be what God wants. I pray that all the details are taken care of so the two of you can focus on enjoying this time together before Christ and all your family and friends. Remember to keep the Holy Spirit with you as these preparations are made. Say yes and expect the best!
Sealed with a Covenant
Kree Evans, Principal Wedding Planner
“Let God write your love story, leave the planning to us.”