Just Engaged? Here’s Where to Start (Without Losing Your Mind)
“where do we start wedding planning”
Before you open Pinterest or start comparing suppliers, it’s worth slowing things down. A handful of early decisions shape everything else, and getting clear on those first makes the whole process feel less chaotic. Right now, your focus can be simple:
Let the engagement settle before it becomes a task
Think in seasons rather than dates
Notice which places and ideas you keep coming back to
Let go of anything that feels performative
The rest can wait. This is just the beginning.
You’ve just got engaged and suddenly it feels like you should already have answers. Dates, venues, budgets, opinions from every direction.
The truth is, you don’t need to have it all figured out yet. This is the very beginning, and there’s a calmer way to approach it without turning your engagement into a project plan. Let’s break it down
Celebrate First
Before venues, before suppliers, before decisions, there’s a moment here that’s easy to miss.
Getting engaged isn’t a starting gun. It’s a pause. A quiet shift before everything speeds up. One last stretch where it’s just the two of you, before opinions, timelines, and expectations start creeping in from the edges.
The couples who enjoy the process most tend to protect this part. They let it land. They mark it in a way that feels personal, not performative, and only then begin to look ahead.
Nothing falls apart if you slow down here. If anything, it keeps the rest of the journey from feeling rushed or hollow.
You Don’t Need a Date Yet. You Need a Direction.
Early on, there’s often a pressure to lock in a date. To pin something down. To commit to a specific day before you’re ready.
In reality, most couples don’t begin with a date. They begin with a direction.
Thinking in broader strokes gives you breathing room and keeps early decisions from feeling boxed in.
At this stage, it’s enough to know:
The year you’re aiming for
A season rather than a fixed date
Weekend or weekday
A rough idea of guest numbers
A general location or area
Those few choices quietly shape everything that follows. Not by forcing decisions, but by giving them somewhere to land.
Clarity doesn’t come from certainty. It comes from space.