What Newly Engaged Couples Should Do First
By Cherry Pop Events – Weddings & Events with Sass & Class
Well, well, WELL… look who’s rocking a shiny new sparkler!
If you got engaged this holiday season, sweetheart, let me be the first to say CONGRATULATIONS! Between the twinkle lights, cozy vibes, and champagne everywhere you look, winter is basically Cupid’s playground.
But once the screaming, hugging, happy tears, and 47 blurry selfies have settled… reality kicks in: Now what?
Most newly engaged couples experience the same dizzying combo of excitement, overwhelm, and urge to start Googling until their souls leave their bodies. Fear not, sugar. Cherry Pop Events is here to gently take that phone out of your hand, pour you a mimosa, and guide you through the smartest first steps.
Let’s get into it — retro style, but modern sense.
💍 Step 1: Celebrate Before You Complicate
I know, I know — you want to jump into planning faster than a runaway bouquet. But darling, the very first thing you should do is simply enjoy the moment.
Take a breath.
Take the weekend.
Take your partner out on a date with your new bling.
Post the engagement (if you want).
Tell your favorite people (in the order that won’t get you guilt-texted).
Relish the joy.
You’ll have plenty of time for spreadsheets, mood boards, and vendor calls. The moment you said “yes” only happens once — soak it in.
✨ Step 2: Talk About Your Vision — Yes, BEFORE the Budget
Hot take, but listen closely: Vision comes before budget.
Not because budget doesn’t matter (it does — more than you think), but because if you start with numbers alone, you’ll shrink your dreams before they even form.
Sit down with your love and ask each other:
- Big party or intimate celebration?
- Indoor, outdoor, backyard, ballroom, courthouse, vineyard?
- Black tie glam, retro fun, boho chic, garden romantic?
- Full weekend event or one fabulous night?
- What matters MOST to each of you?
Write it all down without judgment.
THIS becomes the blueprint.
Everything else gets measured against it.
And if you happen to land on rockabilly retro fabulousness… well, you know who to call.
💸 Step 3: Build a Realistic Budget (The One That Matches Your Vision)
Here’s the truth sugarplum:
Your budget is your BFF, not your enemy.
But it has to be an honest one — not a wishlist disguised as math.
Break your budget into three parts:
✔ What you can contribute
✔ What (if anything) loved ones are contributing
✔ What you need to save between now and the wedding
Then assign percentages:
- Venue + catering (typically 45–55%)
- Photography + video (10–15%)
- Florals + décor (10–15%)
- Attire + beauty (5–10%)
- Planner + coordinator (10–15%)
- Entertainment (5–10%)
- Everything else (invitations, favors, cake, tips, rentals, etc.)
If you don’t know where to start, guess what?
Cherry Pop Events LOVES budgets.
We eat them for breakfast.
We make them make sense.
You don’t have to wing it.
📅 Step 4: Draft Your Guest List & Choose a Date
Brace yourself.
THIS is usually where couples realize they don’t want a 200-person wedding… unless all 200 of those people magically disappear after the ceremony.
Your guest list affects:
- Venue size
- Catering cost
- Floral needs
- Rental needs
- Transportation
- Lodging
- Your sanity
Start with a dream list.
Then build a must-have list.
Your final headcount usually ends up between the two.
Once you have a rough number, choose your season and top three date options. You don’t need a final date yet — flexibility saves money.
🏛️ Step 5: Hire a Planner or Coordinator EARLY
Yes, sweetheart, this is where I lovingly insert myself.
Even if you’re DIY royalty, a planner or day-of coordinator saves you:
- Money
- Time
- Tears
- Vendor disasters
- Timeline chaos
- Family drama
- Budget land mines
- Your entire sanity
A good planner guides you from day one;
a great planner makes you feel like the main character.
Spoiler: That’s exactly what Cherry Pop Events does.
🗂️ Vendor Booking Timeline (Because Timing Is Everything)
Here’s when to book the big players:
12–18 Months Out
- Venue
- Planner
- Photographer
- Videographer
9–12 Months Out
- Caterer
- Entertainment / DJ / Band
- Florist
- Dress shopping begins
- Rentals
6–9 Months Out
- Stationery
- Transportation
- Wedding party attire
- Cake baker
3–6 Months Out
- Hair + makeup
- Officiant
- Final décor
- Hotel block
- Rehearsal dinner venue
1–3 Months Out
- Final fittings
- Final walkthrough
- Seating chart
- Day-of timeline
Book earlier if your date falls on a holiday weekend or peak season — vendors disappear faster than peppermint bark at a Christmas party.
⚠️ Common Pitfalls Newly Engaged Couples Should Avoid
Ease into planning, baby. Do NOT fall for these traps:
❌ Pitfall 1: Booking a Venue Before Setting Your Budget
If your venue eats 80% of your budget, congratulations — you just planned a dinner party, not a wedding.
❌ Pitfall 2: Asking Your Friends Their Opinions
The fastest way to have a wedding you hate is to let other people design it.
❌ Pitfall 3: Assuming Pinterest = Reality
Pinterest is inspiration, not instruction.
Half the photos cost $40k in florals alone.
❌ Pitfall 4: Trying to Plan Everything At Once
Planning is a marathon, not a drive-through window.
❌ Pitfall 5: Waiting Too Long to Book Key Vendors
Photographers, coordinators, and venues get booked FAST — especially during engagement season.
Don’t wait.
Don’t hesitate.
Don’t lose out.
⭐ Book a FREE Consultation With Cherry Pop Events
Ready to start wedding planning without the overwhelm?
Want a partner who brings 20+ years of expertise, 1950s sass, vintage flair, and flawless execution?
Baby, you deserve it.
Cherry Pop Events offers:
✨ Full-service planning
✨ Day-of coordination
✨ Timeline creation
✨ Vendor guidance
✨ Budget building
✨ Venue research
✨ Creative design concepts
✨ Total peace of mind
And for newly engaged couples?
Your first consultation is 100% FREE.
👉 Book your complimentary consultation at cherrypop.events
Let’s take your vision from “lovely idea…” to “holy smokes, this is the wedding of the year.”
🎙️ Tune Into The Pin-Up Planner — Tuesdays at 6 AM
Couples, if you want even MORE guidance with a retro twist, tune into:
💄 The Pin-Up Planner: No Bullshit, Just Brilliance
New episodes every Tuesday at 6 AM featuring:
- Wedding planning tips
- Budget do’s and don’ts
- Real stories from the field
- Atomic Love Challenge updates
- Retro sass and modern wisdom
Start your planning with a wink, a wiggle, and your favorite vintage-loving planner in your ear.
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