“So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” -Matthew 19:6
The Fall season has come upon us, which means some of our favorite things are happening! The weather is growing cooler, the leaves are changing into beautiful colors, and the holidays are approaching. But the best of all is Engagement Season is right around the corner!
Seeing love blossom into a commitment so sacred and cherished by God is a beautiful thing to witness and be a part of. Joy seems to be endless during this season. Family and friends gather around the couple celebrating their love. It doesn’t get any better than this!
So you just got a ring! Congratulations! But you’re probably now asking, what’s next? As exciting as this time is, it can be a stressful time for many couples. No one has taught you how to plan a wedding. Allow us to walk you through the first three steps after getting engaged.
Set Your Budget
Financial conversations can be difficult and uncomfortable for some. But we find immense value in having a clear conversation with those it concerns at the beginning of the planning process. We believe this helps reduce your overall stress later on. Try to make sure you have a finalized budget before booking vendors. Doing this will keep you from overspending in one area only to later skimp on others. Remember, your vendors are a team of people who make wedding day magic happen. Each component is essential to the success of your big day. We recommend including a 10% buffer in your budget for unexpected miscellaneous items that may come up.
Amazing Graze understands budgets are important. We help our couples avoid unexpected costs by having an upfront and transparent Pricing Guide. We love surprises, but not when it comes to extra expenses. All taxes and fees are included in the price, and we don’t make this helpful information challenging to access.
Determine Your Guest Count
Now is the time to determine how large you want your event to be. Having the guest count in mind will help with choosing the venue and make other decisions concerning vendors easier.
Since 2020, we’ve seen an increase in couples planning smaller, more intimate weddings. At Amazing Graze Barn, we do not have a minimum guest count, so you will not be ‘penalized’ for wanting a smaller guest count. But we also have the space to accommodate larger weddings. Whether small or large, we have a spot to accommodate your guests.
Choose a Date
This is one of the harder decisions to make, but you can’t nail down many details without it. You will need to have a date before booking all of your vendors. Start with what time of the year you would best like to have your wedding. Do you want the leaves to change color and cooler weather? Or lush green grass and bird chirping? You may not have an exact date but some idea of when is helpful. Also, remember to have some flexibility, especially if you want a popular time of the year.
We post our available dates on our website to make it easier for our couples to decide if we can host your special day without going through the hassle of waiting for a reply to an email or taking time to request more information by phone. No matter what time of the year you choose (or the weather) we’ve got you covered with indoor and outdoor ceremony locations. Even as an authentic dairy barn, our venue is climate-controlled. So bring on the winter and summer weddings!
Despite all of the decisions that need to be made, engagement is such a special moment of time in a couple's journey toward becoming husband and wife. Enjoy it!!! We are here for you to help make this part of the journey a little easier. Contact us today to set up a tour.