You’re Engaged Now! What Comes Next? | A Step by Step Guide to Wedding Planning

She said yes! Whew! Now What?

You said yes, and now your heart is full, your left hand feels a little heavier, and your phone hasn’t stopped buzzing.

Congratulations! Getting engaged is one of life’s most beautiful milestones… but once the excitement settles, it’s completely normal to wonder:

Now what?

As a wedding photographer who has walked alongside countless couples from “just engaged” to “just married,” I’ve seen how overwhelming this season can feel—but it doesn’t have to be. This guide will walk you through some of the bigger action items that comes next after the ring, helping you move forward with clarity, confidence, and joy.

Step One: Pause & Soak It All In - What to Do First After Getting Engaged

Before diving into planning spreadsheets and Pinterest boards, give yourself permission to be engaged. This season goes by quickly. Celebrate the moment:

•            Share the news with your closest people

•            Take photos of your ring (yes, all the angles!)

•            Go out for a celebratory dinner (heck, set up a few celebration parties!)

•            Pray, reflect, dream, and talk about what marriage means to each of you

There is no rush—your wedding is important, but your marriage is the heart of it all.

Step Two: How to Start Wedding Planning Without Feeling Overwhelmed

Before booking anything, sit down together and talk through the big things:

•            What kind of wedding feels right for us?

•            Do we envision something intimate or a large celebration?

•            Is there a specific season or year we’re hoping for?

•            What matters most to us on our wedding day?

These conversations set the tone for every decision that follows and help keep you grounded when opinions start coming in from every direction.

Step Three: Set a Realistic Budget (Early!)

Budgeting isn’t glamorous—but it’s one of the most freeing steps you can take early on.

Discuss:

•            Who (if anyone) is contributing financially

•            Your overall comfort level with spending

•            What you’re willing to splurge on—and where you’re happy to save

💛 Tip from experience: Couples who prioritize what truly matters to them feel far less stress throughout the planning process.

Step Four: Choose a Wedding Date and Season (or a Date Range)

Once you have a rough budget and vision, you can begin narrowing down a wedding date or season.

Flexibility helps here… having a date range rather than a single day can make booking vendors (and venues) much easier, especially if you’re planning during peak wedding seasons.

Step Five: Book Your Venue & Photographer Early

These are typically the first two vendors you’ll want to secure, and it is wise for each of these to be at the top of your budget.

Your Venue

Your venue determines so much:

•            Guest count

•            Overall aesthetic

•            Flow of the day

•            Available dates

Your Wedding Photographer

Your photographer isn’t just documenting your day, they’re preserving your memories, guiding your timeline, and often becoming one of the calmest presences on your wedding day.

When choosing a photographer, look for:

•            A style that feels timeless and authentic

•            Someone you feel comfortable with

•            Experience guiding couples through real wedding days—not just styled shoots

💛 Pro tip: The best wedding photographers will help with your engagement session, your bridal session, timelines, and vendor recommendations, making this a huge planning asset from the very beginning.

Step Six: Plan Your Engagement Session

Once your photographer is booked, your engagement session is usually next, and it’s one of the most fun parts of being engaged!

An engagement session:

•            Helps you feel comfortable in front of the camera

•            Gives you images for save-the-dates and your wedding website

•            Allows you to connect with your photographer before the wedding day

Choose a location that feels meaningful or inspires you, and wear outfits that feel like you, elevated.

Step Seven: Plan Your Bridal Session

Your bridal session is one of the most meaningful (and often overlooked) parts of the wedding photography experience. This is a dedicated portrait session, usually scheduled a few weeks or months before the wedding. It is focused entirely on you in your wedding dress, without the pressure or time constraints of the wedding day.

A bridal session allows you to:

• See your full wedding-day look ahead of time

• Do a hair and makeup trial in real conditions

• Feel confident and relaxed in front of the camera, and your photographer

• Create gorgeous, timeless bridal portraits that aren’t rushed

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From a photographer’s perspective, bridal sessions are incredibly valuable. They give us the opportunity to slow down, choose intentional light and locations, and create images that feel editorial, emotional, and enduring.

Your wedding day will be beautiful, but it will also move quickly. A bridal session gives you space to breathe, to be present, and to truly experience this once-in-a-lifetime season. The result is a collection of images that feel calm, confident, and deeply reflective of who you are stepping into marriage.

Step Eight: Build Your Vendor Dream Team

After the big bookings are secured, you can begin filling in the rest:

•            Wedding planner or coordinator

•            Florist

•            Hair and makeup

•            Caterer

•            DJ or band

Take your time here—vendors play a huge role in how your wedding day feels.

Step Nine: Remember What This Season Is About

Planning a wedding is exciting, but it can also be noisy. Opinions will come. Trends will shift. Expectations will creep in. When things feel overwhelming, come back to this truth:
You’re not just planning a wedding; you’re preparing for a lifetime together. Let your choices reflect your values, your story, and the love that started it all.

Final Thoughts from a Professional Wedding Photographer… yours truly…

💛 Sound advice: If I could offer one piece of advice to newly engaged couples, it would be this:

Choose intentionally. Plan thoughtfully. And don’t forget to enjoy the journey.

Your engagement season is sacred; it deserves to be savored just as much as your wedding day.

If you’re newly engaged and dreaming about engagement photos or a wedding day that feels natural, timeless, and deeply you, I’d love to walk alongside you in this season.

Here’s to saying yes—to the ring, to the journey, and to the life you’re building together.

ASK ME ABOUT MY WEDDING AVAILABILITY AND BOOK ME TODAY!