You just got engaged over the holidays. You are awash in excitement, but you are also being bombarded with a million questions about your big day, and you don’t even know where to start.

Does this sound like you? If so, first let me say, “Congratulations!” I hope you and your fiance have taken some time to enjoy this new stage in your relationship before beginning the work of planning your wedding.

When you are ready to get started, here are a few concrete steps that you can take as a newly-engaged couple that will make the rest of your wedding planning process a breeze.

1. Figure out your budget.

Who will be paying for the wedding? Will you and your honey be footing the bill on your own, or will your family be contributing? Once you know the answer to this, figure out how much the parties involved are willing to spend. It is important to figure out your overall budget first so that it can inform the rest of your planning decisions.

2. Hire a coordinator.

Hiring a coordinator ensures that you are able to enjoy the wedding planning process. Perfect Settings offers coordination services that include timeline management, budgeting help, day-of-coordination, and vendor referrals.

3. Select a venue and set a date!

Once you’ve set your budget, you can begin thinking about venues. Once you pick a venue that fits with your vision of your big day, many of the other pieces of the planning process will start to fall into place. Perfect Settings is a beautiful restored historic building featuring hardwood floors, chandeliers, and all of the elegant character that you could want for your event.