It is estimated over one million couples will become engaged over these holidays, from Christmas to New Years.  According to data from the Fairchild Bridal Group, 19% of all engagements happen in December.  If you are one of the lucky couples, congratulations!  I am so happy for you!  Love is wonderful and being engaged is just fabulous.

Many  brides and grooms jump straight into wedding planning, if for no other reason, than everyone starts asking you questions.  When are you getting married?  Where?  Who will be your maid of honor or best man?  I want you to know it’s ok to answer “I don’t know”.  I want you to enjoy this time!  Spend time with your family and friends, show off that ring and enjoy your engagement without the pressure of planning, at least for a little bit. 

Who am I kidding?  I know you found this blog for a reason, because the wedding planning bug has already bit you and you just have to scratch the itch!  Ok, well, let me give you a few tips for getting started then.

1. Do start talking to your fiance (and possibly family) about what you want for your ceremony and reception.  Many a couple comes through my door and they’ve not really even had a conversation about what each of them want.  I encourage you to look at pictures in magazines and online and show each other what you like and what you don’t.  This will set the tone for your planning and make the road much smoother in the long run.  Using pictures helps you to articulate your preferences and can make the conversation much less stressful.  One of my favorite sites for pictures is www.stylemepretty.com.  You’ll find a great variety here and the storyboards give you the overall feel of a wedding, not just particular details.  Whether you want a beach wedding and he wants it on a ranch, this will get the conversation started.
2. Do start talking about your wedding budget.  Start with finding out who will be contributing to the affair.  If you know your parents want to pay for it all, great.  If not, it may be that you (the bride and groom) are paying for the bulk, and parents may just be contributing.  Also start talking amounts.  DON’T start with “What do weddings cost?”.  Ask yourself, what am I prepared to spend?  What are my parents prepared to spend?  This doesn’t have to be finalized yet, but you need a general range to work with before you jump out there.
3. Do start talking guest count.  You can never start on your guest list too early.  Plus, your wedding guest count, or head count, will absolutely dictate how your money is spent.  If you have a of $30,000, and want to invite 200 guests, it will limit your spending choices more than if you had a $20,000 budget and only 50 guests.  It’s time for you and your family to start coming up with those that you absolutely must invite and then make your “B” lists as to who you’d like to have.  The sooner you do this the better. 
4. Don’t start asking your wedding party to do you the honor yet.  While I know you want to immediately run to your close friends and ask them to be your maid of honor and bridesmaids, don’t do it just yet.  Many a times I have seen a bride in tears because their close friends do not turn out to be maid of honor or bridesmaid material.  I’m not saying don’t ask them at all, just take a step back and wait to see what your plans may start out to be before choosing who will be best for these roles. 
5. Do start talking about when you want the wedding to be.  For helpful tips on what dates not to choose, check out my previous post about avoiding the holidays.  Choosing when helps you know how much time you have to plan, which is key!

This list should get you started on your wedding planning, and will actually be quite a bit of homework.  I’ll expand on these four points in the next few blog posts, so keep an eye out for more advice on how to get started.  In the meantime, enjoy it!  Oh, and even better, show off that engagement ring!  We here at Each & Every Detail would love to see them, so send us pictures. Seriously!  Send us a pic and let us know how he proposed, and we’ll put them on the blog!

Congratulations again!

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A new study from the Pew Research Center came out today stating that 15 percent of engaged couples are putting off their wedding date due to the recession.  Holly Yan, reporter for CW33, called me today to speak about this and to ask one of my new bride’s her opinion.  Here it is for your viewing pleasure:

What do you think?  Thanks to Kelley for stopping by today and contributing her two cents!

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Call me simple, but the speech that Richard Gere makes, and then Julia Roberts repeats in Runaway Bride is the best proposal I’ve ever heard.  For those guys out there about to pop the question on Valentine’s Day, here’s the speech that I think most women loved to hear:

“Look, I guarantee there’ll be tough times. I guarantee that at some point, one or both of us is gonna want to get out of this thing. But I also guarantee that if I don’t ask you to be mine, I’ll regret it for the rest of my life, because I know, in my heart, you’re the only one for me. ”

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This tip is more for the men than the ladies, but I had to show you!  Check out this gold wedding ring box.  Not only does it shine almost as much as the ring, but it includes a 2-inch LCD AND records and plays video.  So, maybe capture that priceless moment and play it over and over?  Have fun! 

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