I'm not totally sure what I'm doing?!?

Congratulations!! First thing you need to do is figure out a realistic budget which goes hand in hand with figuring out how many people you want to invite. The more people you have the more money it'll cost you. Once you have those two things you can start looking at venues. Don't worry about having set a date yet. You can do that once you find your venue. If there are any wedding expos in your area you should check them out. You can get a lot of ideas from them, you can speak with various vendors and ask any questions you have. Good luck!

Budget is always first! Weddings can get very expensive! Sit down together and create a budget. Determine your monthly spendings (rent, insurance, utilities, etc.) and your monthly income. Decide how much you feel comfortable setting aside per month and put that in a separate account that is specifically used for wedding stuff. Also look at what you currently have. If you have some wiggle room in savings you can also delegate that to wedding stuff.


Like Sharon said, the more people you invite the more expensive it’ll be. You’ll need a rough idea of a guest list before starting anything else.
Once you have those done then you can start looking at venues. Your venue availability will determine your date. From there you’ll find vendors. Photographer, DJ, florist, etc. Some venues will give a list of recommended vendors they’ve worked with before. Also, definitely recommend bridal shows. You can find great vendors and some even offer deals!
Also, try to get your fiancé involved. I have to pull it out of mine sometimes, but it’s both of your wedding so you both should be giving input and effort.
Congratulations and good luck!

Besides budget I’ll give you some pointers. Find a photographer or venue you like. I found my photographer first because I was more excited for that. My photographer included an engagement session which was nice because you got to figure out their style and I got to learn theirs. Then find your venue, those book super fast, then look for all your other vendors. Amazon has an amazing wedding planner that you can get for like $30. I’ve loved it

Definitely budget! I had a budget that I’ve far succeeded and we’ll probably go a bit in debt to pay off 😅 ( don’t make that mistake ) then research! Find a day of coordinator or planner you like, a photographer/ videographer etc. Caterer if not provided by venue, etc. but pick a venue first and then you’ll be able to see when they have available and set a reasonable timeline for yourself. Kind of figure out the vibe and look you’re going for and go from there. I just booked my venue and all my vendors in the last two months on my own without a wedding planner so if you have any questions or need some guidance I’d love to help if you need it!

Also just wanted to say I looked at your page. I’m also having a rustic fall wedding with burgundy as one of my colors! If you need opinions or advice just send a message!

I agree with everyone else, make your budget first! After that, your venue and your day of coordinator/wedding planner to me is most important. A wedding planner has been a lifesaver for me, they’ve been able to connect me with all the vendors that I needed. Once you decide on your venue, that will help you decide on your date. Good luck, and I wish you the best in your wedding planning and marriage!

Hi Bri!! Congrats on your engagement and welcome to WeddingWire! 💍❤️

There's a Checklist in your WeddingWire Planning Tools that walks you through wedding planning from start to finish. The first things you should talk about are a potential timeline, location, and guest list size! Here are a few helpful guides to get you started:

Just Got Engaged? The 8 Things You Need to Do First

How to Plan a Wedding Step by Step

7 Things Couples Should Agree on Before Wedding Planning

1) Think of the kind of wedding you want and start researching how much that would cost
2) Set a budget (things will add up FAST, so be open to compromising certain things)
3) Pick a date
4) Pick a venue
*Date and venue go hand in hand based on availability at venue for said date

Other tips:
-Choose your bridesmaids wisely (if you expect them to do certain things you need to communicate to them about it, so just know their main role at the end of the day is to wear their dress and stand by your side)
-Be careful on who gets to pay (if you are allowing parents or other family members to contribute to paying for your wedding they will definitely have a say)
-Because you are getting married in 2022, start looking for dresses, tux, and all of that now because A LOT of people are getting married next year. Therefore, there may even be a shortage on certain wedding attire
-Choose a good seamstress and make sure they can get what they need to get done before your wedding because they will be booked up FAST
-Remember that this is YOUR day, so stand your ground and do what you want to do
-Have wedding planner or at least a day of wedding coordinator
-Make sure you FULLY understand your contracts with all your vendors
-Read reviews for everything (dresses, gifts, hair and makeup artists, vendors, etc)
-Use the wedding wire timeline to stay on track through this process

Congrats and enjoy planning your wedding!

Reading your post made me laugh out loud because I've been in 13 weddings and have been to over 100 weddings. I'm all weddings out ok but super excited about planning mines. Just try not to go into the poor house cause remember yall still gotta live after the wedding. Congrats to you and your future husband