Blush + Bashful

I get frantic phone calls from brides asking this question all of the time. I love getting this phone call because it is always exciting to hear from someone who is newly engaged, but I really don’t like stress to take over a time that is supposed to be thrilling!

So, to answer the big question of “What do I do?!” Take a few days to enjoy the exciting newness of your fiancee status. Yes, it is perfectly acceptable to shamelessly stare at your newly bedazzled left hand. Yes, you can go to Borders and buy every book and magazine with the words Bride, Wedding, Cake, Flowers, Martha Stewart, Tahiti…whatever gets your heart racing. Go ahead and call everyone in your family to recount each minute detail of the proposal story. Oh, and don’t forget to give your future husband lots of adoring attention. This is about both of you, after all!

After a week you are going to want to get started with wedding planning. Finding exactly what you want is really competitive here in Chicago. You don’t want to hear that the reception site of your dreams is already booked, do you? Or that talented photographer who did amazing things with your girlfriend’s rainy-day wedding?

The ideal length of time for your Chicago engagement is 10-12 months. Here is what you’re going to need to do with this time. Get ready! If you go it alone, this time can be overwhelming, tiring, stressful, argument-inducing…

Use the first two months to do the following:
Find your ceremony and reception venues
Find a caterer and a bakery (mmm…cake tastings!)
Book your photographer
Book your band/ DJ
Book a videographer (Yes, you’ll watch the video enough to make it worthwhile)
Book a florist (or, if you have the money…book an event designer)
Find your dress
Choose bridesmaid dresses (Ask me how to save $$ on them. Your girls will love it!)
Set up hotel blocks
Make a wedding website and put all of the information up (It’s not weird, it’s smart.)
Select Save-the-dates and send them out 

Not to alarm you, but many brides spend up to 40 hours a week on wedding-related items during the first two months of planning. It takes a lot of time to create a budget, scout venues, research vendors, chat with other girls on the knot, read bridal magazines, etc…

After all of this hard work, you need to relax! Take the next few months to focus on yourselves and your relationship: Go to the gym, go out on dates and talk about something other than the wedding, see your friends.

When you get to the six-month mark, get back into planning mode. Choose invitations, and start thinking about the fun details for the event. Don’t get overconfident, though. The six month mark gives you enough time to make decisions about these things, but not enough time to change your mind over and over. Choose items you love that are within your budget, and go with them.

When the big day rolls around, be calm and HAVE FUN! Take in each moment and don’t worry about what is coming next. It will all be over before you know it…

Best wishes!
Meg