So what happens next?...

Well after you’ve told your parents, friends and literally anyone else who will listen, everyones next question is automatically going to be “When’s the big day?” and by the 100th time of saying “We’re not sure yet”, you’ll probably be pretty fed up of telling people. Personally, Debbie and I are opting to go for a long engagement, and even though we haven't picked a date we're telling people a year (in about ten years time) just to keep them quiet!

So firstly:

1. Pick a rough date, a year, a season, maybe even a specific month, so that when that dreaded question comes you can give your loved ones a rough idea of when you’ll be saying your I do’s!

2. Next on the agenda, INSURE YOUR RING, LADIES! Something a lot of brides may not think about is insuring that gorgeous, sparkly new addition to your well manicured hand.

3. Plan a night in with your bestie, a bottle of wine and a stack of bridal mags. No need to plan anything yet, but it’s good fun to start getting a few ideas about how you want your wedding day to pan out!

4. So you’ve got loads of ideas, spent hours daydreaming about your perfect wedding. Now’s the time to set a budget, before your idea’s run away with you! Dreaming of a huge wedding when you haven’t got the budget for it can be heartbreaking, so pick a price that suits you and your partner and try to stick to it as best as you can. Open up a savings account dedicated to your wedding fund. Deposit the same amount every time you get paid.

5. Download a wedding organising app. Check out this list of wedding apps on Marie Claire: http://www.marieclaire.co.uk/uncategorised/best-wedding-planning-apps-78771

6. Start thinking about your guest list. You’ll probably need to re-evaluate a couple of times to get a realistic amount of guests because at the end of the day, you don’t want to break your bank account with hundreds of people at your wedding (Don’t forget about that budget we discussed!). Invite only the people who couldn’t have your wedding without & don’t forget people who don’t make it to your wedding breakfast can always be invited to your evening reception.

7. Once you’ve got a rough amount of people that will be attending your wedding, start searching for your perfect venue. By this point you probably have some kind of idea about where you’d like it to all take place. A big country manor, a golf club, a marquee or even something a bit more quirky like a fairy-lit tipi or a stylish riverside venue. Try not to stress if you don’t find “the one” within the first few viewings. You might need to view quite a few places before you find the right venue for you and your partner. Keep an organised list of all these venues, write down things you like and dislike about them, and any other information that’s going to be helpful in picking one from the bunch.

8. Getting stressed with all the planning you still have to do? Check your budget and decide whether it’s time to get some help organising your wedding. Infinite Weddings offer an extensive service taking pressure off you & your other half! Don't have enough in the budget? Enlist a good friend, the maid of honour or family to help out with some of the smaller tasks, that don't necessarily need to be done by you.

Once all of the above things have been taken care of, most of the hard work is over.

Have fun planning your day. Scour Pintrest for wedding decor ideas, colour schemes and other inspiration. Go try on loads of beautiful dresses, pick out bridesmaids outfits & think about where you want to be jetting off to on your honeymoon….after all, the best is yet to come!