WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU FIRST GET ENGAGED!
Just Got Engaged? Well congratulations!!! BUT before we get started just take a deep breath!
Did you breathe?
Well ok, now we can celebrate!!!!
Before you disappear down a Pinterest rabbit hole or start panic-Googling “how much does a wedding cost”, know this: you don’t need to do everything at once.
This guide walks you through exactly what to do after getting engaged, in the right order, specifically for UK weddings. Think of it as your calm, sensible starting point.
STEP ONE - CELEBRATE
Before planning mode kicks in:
Tell your closest people
Enjoy the excitement
Take a few days (or weeks!) to just be engaged
There’s no rush. Most UK weddings are planned over 12–18 months, so you have time.
STEP TWO - TALK ABOUT YOUR VISION
Before venues, dresses, or suppliers, sit down together and talk about:
The type of day you want (big celebration vs intimate)
Formal or relaxed?
Traditional or non-traditional?
Summer, autumn, winter?
UK or destination?
You don’t need answers to everything, but you do need to be roughly aligned.
💡 Tip: If you disagree on things, that’s normal. This step is about compromise and priorities.
STEP THREE - SET A BUDGET
(NOT FUN, BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT PART)
Your budget will influence every decision you make.
Start by:
Talking honestly about how much you can afford
Finding out if family are contributing (and if so, whether that comes with expectations)
Researching average UK wedding costs (venues, catering, photography, etc.)
Once you have a number:
Decide what matters most (venue? food? photography?)
Allocate more budget to your top priorities
STEP FOUR - CREATE A ROUGH GUEST LIST
Make it stand out
You don’t need final numbers yet, but venues will ask for an estimated guest count, so this matters early.
Do a rough split:
Day guests
Evening guests
“Must invite”
“Nice to invite”
Your guest list will affect:
Venue size
Catering costs
Overall budget
STEP FIVE - CHOOSE A WEDDING DATE (OR SEASON)
Many couples choose:
A specific date that’s meaningful, or
A season or year (e.g. “Summer 2027”)
Being flexible with dates gives you:
More venue options
Better availability for top suppliers
Sometimes better pricing
STEP SIX - BOOK YOUR VENUE
In the UK, venues often book up 12–24 months in advance, especially for weekends.
Look for:
Ceremony + reception in one place (or separate)
Licensed venues for civil ceremonies
Capacity that fits your guest list
What’s included vs added extras
Once your venue is booked:
👉 Your wedding date is officially locked in.
STEP SEVEN - BOOK YOUR REGISTRAR OR CELEBRANT
Before you lock in too many other details, it’s important to secure who will actually marry you.
If You’re Having a Civil Ceremony
You’ll need to book a registrar through your local council
Registrars are not automatically included with venue bookings
Popular dates and times book up quickly, especially Saturdays
👉 This should be done as soon as your venue and date are confirmed.
If You’re Having a Celebrant-Led Ceremony
Choose and book your celebrant early
Celebrants often work one wedding per day and book up far in advance
Remember: celebrant ceremonies are not legally binding, so you’ll also need to plan a legal ceremony separately
Religious Ceremonies
Contact your place of worship early
Requirements and availability can vary depending on the religion and parish
Once your ceremony is confirmed, you can move forward knowing your wedding date and structure are fully secure.
STEP EIGHT - SECURE KEY SUPPLIERS AS EARLY AS YOU CAN
After your venue, book suppliers that:
Can only do one wedding per day
Are in high demand
This usually means:
Photographer
Videographer
Content creator
Wedding planner or coordinator
Hair & Makeup artists
Many UK suppliers book up quickly, especially for peak dates.
STEP NINE - ENJOY THE PLANNING
At this stage:
You have a venue
A date
A budget
A clear direction
Now the fun stuff begins:
Styling
Dresses/suits
Flowers
Food
Entertainment
Remember: you don’t have to plan it all in one go.
STEP TEN - DOWNLOAD MY FREE CHECKLIST
If reading this has made you think “This is helpful… but I can’t remember all of it” — I’ve got you.
I’ve put everything you’ve just read into a quick, downloadable UK wedding planning checklist, so you can:
Tick things off as you go
See the steps in the right order
Stop second-guessing what you should be doing next
If you’d like to get all of this in one simple checklist, just pop your email below for instant access.
No overwhelm. No spam. Just a calm starting point for planning your wedding 🤍
