Getting on top of your wedding admin is key to big day planning, and your initial engagement timeline is where it all begins.
You’re engaged! This is huge! Congrats! We’re so happy for you! And you are both going to have an incredible time planning your wedding day over the next 12 or so months. From choosing the prettiest bouquets and cake, to picking your dream dress and bridesmaids – it’s going to be a whirlwind! So, it’s important that from 2024 you stay on track, and keep an engagement timeline. Otherwise, your best intentions could go flying out the window!
An Engagement Timeline For You & Your Bridesmaids
To help your big day plans go as smoothly as possible, we thought we’d share our top tips for newly engaged couples. Bite-size pieces of wedding planning cake that will help to make the process more manageable, and more fun for you and your bridesmaids.
Check Your Nails
How are most people going to hear about your engagement? Social media. And how will you tell people that you’re engaged? By showing your engagement ring! Now, how’s it going to look if you share an image of your ring finger with cracked nail polish, or chipped ends? It’s going to look awful. Even if you don’t think so now, trust us, in 5–10 years time you’ll wish you’d got a manicure.
Post an Engagement Ring Selfie
This engagement ring selfie is probably going to be the biggest thing you’ve posted on Instagram to date. So make sure it’s precisely how you want it. A relaxed, loving shot of you and your partner is what we’re going for.
Once you’ve shared it with your adoring fans, WhatsApp it to Mum, so she can share it with the rest of the family!
Plan an Engagement Party
We said this was an engagement timeline, and the party is one of the most exciting parts! There are of course many things that need to be decided and prepared for following a proposal, but we’re not focusing on those today! We’re worried about having fun, relaxing, and enjoying being engaged!
Do you want to plan it all yourself? Or would you rather your friends throw you a surprise? Do you want it casual, or extravagant? Decide on the vibe early, discuss it with your future bridesmaids and then plan something that feels right for you, and your relationship.
Choose Your Bridesmaids
This should probably come before the engagement party, but who knows when parties will be taken away from us again, so we moved them up a bit! But this stage is critical, and you should decide early on how many bridesmaids or groomsmen you want by your side. Because they’ll play a key part in your wedding and engagement planning.
Do you want strict even numbers of grooms and maids on both sides? Or are you happy with an odd number? Will you have just friends? Or does his or her sister make the cut because they’re family?
The bridesmaids you pick will be emotionally carrying you to the altar over the next 12 months, so choose with your heart, and your head.
Will You Be My Bridesmaid?
You’ve said ‘yes’ to your beloved, and now it’s time to pop the BIG question to your bridesmaids! These girls (and guys) have (nearly) always been there for you, and they’ve always been there. So now it’s time to show them some love back.
Give them a proposal surprise that lets them know you care, and that you want them there on your wedding day, by your side. Something personalised is always appreciated, and some kind keepsake of the moment would also be good.
Take a Breath During Your Engagement Timeline
The internet is full of resources that will show you how your engagement timeline should be. And your friends and family will always be happy to share their advice with you also. But occasionally, it’s important to take a step back, and remember why you are doing this. This isn’t a task, this is your wedding. So put some time aside in-between the wedding planning, and do some fun downtime things that you both enjoy. Or do something that’s just for you. Whatever it is, it’s good to relieve the stress that an intense engagement timeline can sometimes bring!