Tips: Now that You're Engaged

Unless you've been a MOH or Diva of Honor lately or obsess about all things wedding, chances are you're going to be a little overwhelmed. We both were (ok maybe a whole lot). All of a sudden everyone is asking you all these questions. And prospective vendors want to know your theme, your vision for the day, etc.

Were you barraged by questions when you announced your engagement?
What did you do to get your head back above water?

Today we have the Interwebs and tons of advice and inspiration. Simply Googling "What to Expect When You're Engaged" gives some good advice:

• Take a high-level tour of what happens between the proposal and the "I Do" (via CBN.com).
• Meet the parents and family if you haven't yet.
• Choose a checklist (or two) that works for you. There are tons from Offbeat Bride to Martha Stewart Weddings.
• Determine a rough budget (via Every Last Detail). You can refine it later, but not starting with a "Let's not exceed this amount" can end up with some overspending on items you determine later you could have lived without.
• Start being inspired.

Organizing (Controlling) Your Inspiration

In all honesty the best place to start, if you're really lucky, is with friends who've just gotten married. They've lived the crazy and you've seen the results. Their ideas on what to do, what not to do, are fresh in their minds! And best of all? They're you're friends and WANT to help!

In case you're like me and want to read absolutely everything or want to go it on your own because you don't like asking for or admitting you need help, here are some pointers.

• Follow wedding blogs. In the beginning, start with a broad range of feeds. You don't know what will inspire you. Check out BrideTide's Top 100 list, WeddingChick's Blog Love, or Amy Jean's at Relentless Bride's list. I have a whole mess load of blogs I follow. How did I find them? Honestly I can't remember. Some were suggested by Google Reader, but not all. If you're not sure about blogs, read BrideTide's explanation of why blogs are better than those magazines that taunt us when we're in the grocery store checkout lines.)
• Frequent a variety of wedding industry sites. What "fits" or feels right for one couple might not work for another. We knew we wanted to avoid the WIC (Modern Bride, Martha Stewart, TheKnot, etc.), but outside of Offbeat Bride (a site our friends were featured on), really had no idea where else to turn. The blogs will point you to tons.
• You're going to reach information overload at some point. Once you've found your style, finetune the flow. Create subscription folders in Google Reader to sort the information. My folders are as follows: Bridal - Real Brides; Bridal - Real Brides Now Married; Bridal - Eco Green Inspiration; Bridal - DIY; Bridal - Budget Friendly Inspiration; Bridal - Budget Unfriendly Inspiration; Bridal - Photographers.
• Update 5/18/2010: Rather than simply Star or Share blog posts you want to come back to, email the post to you. (Trust me, you're probably going to end up with more than you can easily scan through.) If your email program supports filtering add a keyword in the subject so that you can easily find the post again. For example, I'm now using [Wedding] to move everything that's wedding-related out of my inbox. I then add [Floral], [Venue], [Makeup], etc. to further identify the content.