Proposal Coming? 5 Helpful Things To Do Before Getting Engaged

Are you pretty sure there’s a ring in your near future?  You might be looking for things to do before getting engaged (that don’t include snooping for where he hid the ring).

Most couples have discussed marriage before the proposal (and you probably should!), but they also have a decent idea of when they are getting close to an engagement.

It’s pretty hard to wait for something exciting to happen – right? Good news is there are things you can start working on for wedding planning before it’s official. 

We often get emails from brides who are researching venues, but not quite engaged yet!

According to a 2024 study by the wedding planning website Zola, 89 percent of couples began the wedding-planning process before formally getting engaged.

Source: NY Times Article

What planning tasks are ok to do before getting engaged?

There are several things you can work on before you are officially engaged.  Start thinking about time of year, possible dates, wedding style and more.

Find more tips here: https://www.theknot.com/content/planning-wedding-before-engagement

1.Think about the time of year

Have you been dreaming of a Fall wedding?  Or do you love the bright colors of Spring?  Lots of time when you get engaged and how long of an engagement you want will impact the time of year.

Start thinking about important dates you want to avoid.  Major birthdays or holidays.  Do you want to try to match an existing anniversary?

Then there are the practical things like when your lease(s) end, if you are graduating, when you have school breaks, etc.

Knowing these items will help you narrow down your dates once you begin looking for a venue.

Speaking of which

2.Starting to research venues is definitely one of the things to do before getting engaged

There are a lot of venue options – style, size, location.  Starting to research your options before you get engaged will help you narrow down your options.

Style – are you dreaming of a barn or rustic option with lots of nature?  Maybe you want something elegant.  You could be looking for a modern or industrial feel.  Start looking into options to see what each one really looks and feels like.  

Check out websites and social media for images and real wedding photos.

Size – the size of your dream wedding will determine the best venue fit for you.  A large wedding with all the family and friends will need a large venue with enough space for all the guests.

If an intimate event with just your closest friends and family is more your speed, you will want a smaller space so you aren’t overwhelmed by a large event hall.

Location – do you want a location close to where you live?  Maybe you have a lot of out of town guests and want to choose a central location or one easy to get to.  Or you could want to go the destination route and get away from the ordinary.  This is another important decision that will help you develop a short list of venues to tour.

3.Start a Pinterest Board

This is a great way to start gathering inspiration.  Look for options on color palettes.  You can easily search for Fall or Spring wedding palettes to give you a starting point.

Blog: 3 Ways to Easily Create a Color Palette

Find images and inspiration for your preferred wedding style.  Start collecting images and make notes on what you like about each.  Do you love the table décor?  Maybe the arch is perfect for your vision.  All of these will help your vendors best understand your wedding vision.

Start a board for floral inspiration.  Look for bridal bouquets, centerpieces, arch flowers and more.  There are tons of styles from formal to relaxed, wildflower style.  These images will help your florist know what your preferred style is.

Start dreaming about your perfect wedding dress.  Gather images and make notes of any local bridal stores that have them available to try on.

4.Follow vendors on social media

You may already have a couple vendors you love and follow on social media.  If not, now is a great time to start researching.  YOu can easily follow a vendor to find out more about them.  What is their preferred style?  Which venues do they work at often?  What is their personality like?

This is also a great way to find other vendors.  If you have a favorite wedding planner you follow, they might tag some of their favorite florists from weddings.  This allows you to check out new vendors and find who fits your style!

More Info: https://verveeventco.com/6-things-to-do-before-you-get-engaged/

5.Talk about an Engagement Party

Are you a social butterfly or do you prefer quieter events?  What about your partner?  This is a great thing to talk about and get on the same page.

Discuss if you want to do an Engagement party or not.  If you do, who do you want to invite?

Would you love to have everyone there right after the proposal or do you want time to celebrate with just the two of you?

This will help relieve some of the stress that goes into a proposal.

Tips for Planning an Engagement Party

That’s it!  5 easy things to do before getting engaged.  They will keep up the excitement without focusing too much on when the proposal will happen.

According to the latest research, it takes an average of 6 to 12 months to plan weddings. Some busy couples prefer to extend the wedding planning timeline to 18 months to give themselves some extra wiggle room, as well. The sooner you can knock out wedding planning, the better.

Source: Anticipation Events

Related: Just Engaged? 7 Important Things to Do

Getting a start on a few things will help with the overall timing for your wedding planning.  For a better look at what goes into wedding planning and when each task should be completed, check out our Wedding Planning Checklist!

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