Life
8 Ways To Start Planning Your Wedding Even If You're Not Engaged Yet
Whether you're expecting a proposal any day now or still waiting to see if you've found the one, there are plenty of ways you can plan out your dream wedding (romantic garden setting, Kate Middleton-inspired dress and all). As wedding planning becomes a year-long endeavor and venues get booked years in advance, thinking about what you want for the big day pre-engagement isn't as crazy as it once was.
Keep it simple with a secret Pinterest board with all your faves, or get more serious by scoping out potential outfits or venues. Read on to discover the ways you can plan your wedding before getting engaged — whether your partner is aware or not!
Image: My Little Wedding Book/Etsy
Set Up A Secret Pinterest Board
It doesn’t matter how much everyone complains about how crazy weddings are these days (and how you never want to see another mason jar craft again), if someone says they don’t have a secret wedding Pinterest board, they’re lying.
Image: Hazy Skies Designs/Etsy
Start Getting An Idea Of Prices — And Budget
At least begin looking into how much your dream wedding is going to cost. Most engaged couples are shell-shocked when confronted with the wedding world’s ridiculous prices. Even if it feels a little intense to start saving before you’ve met the one, at the very least being aware of about how much your future wedding might cost can’t hurt.
Pay Attention At Other Weddings
Your experiences at past weddings will likely shape the majority of the decisions you’ll make for your own big day. Pay attention to what worked well and what you loved about weddings you’ve attended, as well as what didn’t work so well, in your opinion.
Don't Forget About Your Future Spouse
Planning and dreaming about your future big day is all well and good, but don’t forget that possibly half of the guests you’re going to be dealing with will belong to your future spouse. The size of your families and what type of event you both decide on will play a major factor in what your wedding will actually look like.
Image: Watch Me World/Etsy
Scope Out Outfits For Your Future Bridal Party
Looking around at bridesmaid dresses or suits is relatively easy to do in your day-to-day life, plus it’s not on the same level of crazy as buying your wedding dress after two dates.
Image: BHLDN
Research Honeymoon Destinations
This may require a second secret Pinterest board, but all those pictures of a secluded villa on the shores of Fiji and other amazing destination photos need to be saved somewhere, right?
Look At Potential Venues
This is especially crucial if you have a few spots in mind already. If you and your significant other are thinking about getting engaged soon, locking down a venue that you’re passionate about isn’t a bad idea. These days, it’s not just The Plaza Hotel that gets booked two years in advance.
Image: South Canterbury NZ/Flickr
Start A Pinterest Board Just For Dresses
If dress shopping before any engagement is too far for you, consider making a separate Pinterest board for wedding dresses or outfits that catch your eye. The style of your future dress will depend on what type of event you’re having and the location, but you can never do too much dress research. Try to pin a variety of styles—when it’s time to actually try on dresses, you may be surprised at what styles end up looking the best.
