You're engaged, now what?

Reprinted from The Wooster Weekly News "Bridal Showcase" January 18, 2007

Following your engagement, there are six steps that you'll want to take right away.

Of course there is much more to do, but this list of six items will begin to lay the foundation of a perfect wedding day, which you can continue to build upon as the date approaches.

Set the wedding date

The actual big day-- your wed­ding is determined by one word -- ­availability. Availability from every­thing to the church to reception and photographer's schedule. Begin plan­ning by choosing a few dates so you won't be disappointed if the first choice is not available. Remember, the more options you have, the less stress it will cause over time.

Book the wedding site

Call and inquire about open dates as soon as you have a general idea when you'd like the wedding to be. If there's an opening on one of the dates you've chosen, reserve it right away. Don't wait. The time you wait may result in the site becoming booked by someone else.  

 
Choose the wedding officiant

            Whether you are getting married in a church, synagogue or outside venue, contact the minister, rabbi, priest or justice of the peace imme­diately after you've chosen a date.

Set the wedding size and budget

     The number of people you're inviting and the type of reception you would like to have will impact your budget. Estimate how many people will be attending and decide on the type of celebration you want. Once you have determined the number of attendees, don't change it. By adding more guests, your budget will increase, causing finan­cial problems before you're even married.

Book the reception

Knowing the type of reception you can afford and the number of people attending will help you choose a reception site. Save time by getting on the phone first to dis­cuss costs, then visit those sites in your price range. Don't forget to inquire about what services the site offers. Many times reception venues have packaged deals that include catering and DJ services. .

Select a photographer

Saturday is the most popular date to get married and photograph­er's schedules fill up fast. Choose a few photographers, insist on seeing their work and reserve the photog­rapher that best fits your photogra­phy needs and budget.