You’ve said ‘Yes!’ to the love of your life! Now what?! As a new fiance, you may be wondering where to begin with the wedding planning process, and the good news is, we’re here to help! While every couple’s timeline and journey is different, all big days typically have a relatively similar process of what to do in the days leading up to saying ‘I do’. So let’s get started! 

1. First things first, enjoy your engagement! You don’t have to jump into wedding planning when you’re just engaged—in fact, we encourage couples to take some time to relax before the planning process begins. This is a huge milestone in both of your lives, and that deserves some time to enjoy the moment before diving in.

2. Pick your wedding date! If you have a specific date or season in mind, we suggest you and your partner tick this off your after-engagement checklist as soon as possible. A specific date will definitely limit your options to which Venue you select, so if you are open to various times of the year or even days of the week, this always helps! Our dates at Chestnut Ridge, especially the popular season ones, fill up pretty fast, so we suggest booking yours as soon as you know that Chestnut Ridge is the right venue for you. 

3. Set your budget. This is the most important step in the wedding planning process. Your budget determines almost every aspect of your big day, including your theme, aesthetic, vendor list, and more. To learn more about setting a realistic budget, tap here!

4. Secure your vendors. Our team provides each of our couples with a curated list of tried-and-true vendors that we love and trust. See which ones match your style and personality, and get them booked sooner rather than later! 

5. Have fun with the planning process! Once you have all of the steps above completed, now you can immerse yourself into the details! Pick your colors, your decor, your layout, and more, and get ready to bring your dream day to life! And don’t forget, there will be times during wedding planning where you feel like “your missing something” because you may not have much on your to-do list at that given time. Don’t worry! This is normal! 

If you are newly engaged and are ready to take the next step in becoming a Chestnut Ridge bride, schedule a tour with us to get started! Our team will walk you through the planning process so that you feel supported, encouraged, and confident every step of the way!