When I look down at my hand and remember I’M ENGAGED the butterflies flood my stomach all over again. But, like a ton of bricks, it hit me last week, we’ve been engaged for four months…

I’ve done zero wedding planning! I guess ZERO isn’t fair. I’ve researched lots of venues. Emailed even more. We’ve settled on four that we agree on!
So, the next step is viewing them.

Tomorrow, we head to Florida for Kyle’s cousin’s wedding and we’ll officially kick off planning of our own big day.

If you’re planning an out-of-state wedding, nailing down your venue can be really tricky. But, honestly, it’s the first thing you have to check off you list before you can move on to hiring any other vendors.

I thought it might be helpful to share a few tips for those early days of your engagement.

Engagement is a short season of life. The most important part is to enjoy it to the fullest. Tell your waiter you just got engaged, and indulge in that free dessert, girl! ;)

YOU’RE ENGAGED, NOW WHAT?!

DETERMINE YOUR GUEST LIST - The guest list is important is because different venues hold different size crowds. Sounds so obvious, right? But, you don’t want to fall in love with a venue that can’t hold your entire party! You can log everyone’s name and address by using The Knot’s online planning tool. Do this early - then you don’t have to worry about collecting addresses later when you select your invitations.

STAY ORGANIZED - I am using The Knot’s online tool and a spreadsheet I found on Google Sheets to compare vendors and keep all my notes in one place! You’re going to want to keep all of your contracts and vendor information in one place, so that it’s easy to reference when you need it. Just search “Wedding Planner” on Google Sheets. Here’s what it looks like on the left.

KNOW YOUR BUDGET - If something is outside your budget, it’s best to know upfront that way you can find other options. While some people may have an unlimited budget, I think that most do not! And, I do not. My friend Betsy gifted me this book from The Knot called The Knot Book of Wedding Lists! It’s so amazing. It helps you understand how you should break down your budget and gives you an idea of what to do in the months leading up to your wedding.

RESEARCH VENUES - Everyone’s favorite question will be, “when’s the date?!”. But, honestly, I’ve been so hesitant to even lean towards a date without having my venue selected. Why? I feel like I can’t nail down a date until I’ve spoken to a venue about their available dates, and I’ve submitted my deposit to secure that date! But, “when’s the date?” will soon become your LEAST favorite question everyone asks you. Haha! Your venue will help determine your wedding style. So, it’s a big step in the process and will kick off the rest of vendor search! Tip: I searched venues by looking at local wedding photographer’s websites. That way I could get a better idea of weddings at the location.

START A PINTEREST BOARD - I’ll be honest...I don’t really use Pinterest that often anymore. But, wedding planning has revived my love for the platform. It’s FULL of ideas and inspiration. It’s definitely helping me form ideas on what I want my wedding experience to be. You can also keep it private, and only invite your bridal party to help you plan!

Without a venue, you can’t book ANY other vendors - caterers, photographers, videographers, DJ, etc. Because, they need to be able to check their calendars to see if they are already booked on that date!

I hope these tips will help you as you begin to plan your wedding. If you have any other tips for early wedding planning, please share them with me in the comment below!

Xo,

Kimberly

Yes - I said YES! I still can’t believe I’m engaged.

I’m getting married. I feel like I’ve been in a whirlwind of emotion the past two (almost three!) months. I was so surprised when Kyle asked me, and I wanted to tell you all how it unfolded.

In March, we booked a semi last-minute trip to Tulum. A year ago, we vowed to start taking a yearly trip somewhere. A REAL vacation. Why? Because we are both workaholics and everyone needs some downtime to unplug and relax. So, this year we chose Tulum after seeing lots of Insta-worthy pictures flooding social media. I plan on posting a Tulum Travel Guide - when I do, I’ll link it here!

We got to Tulum on a Friday afternoon, after flying into Cancun and then taking a van two hours south to Tulum. Little did I know, this would be an unforgettable trip. Once we arrived at Kore Tulum Resort & Spa, we got all checked in and escorted to our room.

I was so surprised by the view - we had an oceanfront room with a jacuzzi on the balcony. Of course, I thought this was because I’d told the travel agent on the phone we were celebrating our birthdays - but, in actuality Kyle had scheduled this with the resort manager to make our trip extra special. But, he let me think it was my effort (already great husband quality, right?! haha)

We spent the following day at the pool - with only one ask from Kyle - I needed to be ready for dinner at 6:30 pm. At the time, I didn’t find this usual at all. Kyle is always so hungry when he gets home from work - and could literally eat 24/7 (IDK where he puts it all!).

I started getting ready for dinner and I was styling my hair in the bathroom when there was a knock at the door around 6:00 pm. At this point, I was almost ready and I couldn’t figure out why the cleaning crew would be cleaning our room so late in the day. I asked Kyle to get the door. He did and asked them to come back in 15 minutes.

I was actually ready before Kyle! I deserve an award for that. So, around 6:15 pm we headed to dinner. As we were walking to the resort’s restaurant, Kyle said “Hey, you always say we forget to take pictures when we get dressed up! So, let’s take some pictures before we grab dinner.”

Umm, HELLO!? YES. Don’t have to ask me twice. My selfie arm is READY.

We start taking some pics and I realize my bag strap in the photos - so, I say “Let me put my bag down.” I set it down on the ground and turn around to Kyle on one knee.

To say that the world went silent is an understatement. I’m looking around at the staff standing in the distance. I’m looking around wildly everywhere, but AT Kyle. I know he’s speaking words. But, really when’s Ashton Kutcher gonna jump out?! It doesn’t feel real. I snap back, and say “yes yes, OMGSH yes!” “Is this real?!”

*more selfies are taken* Then, Kyle starts looking around. Clearly, looking for someone.

A photographer and the general manager start approaching us. I’ll be upfront here. Kyle wasn’t “supposed to” propose until around 6:30, but he got antsy and didn’t know how to stall without making it obvious. So, the photographer actually missed the “real” moment. But, these photos were recreated only minutes later, and I think they still represent shock and awe of the moment.

Honestly, I was totally okay with this - and here’s why: there are SO few moments in life that you’re granted what truly can be considered a “surprise of a lifetime”.

I had no idea he was going to propose on this trip. I had just gone to breakfast with one of my close girlfriends before we left, and was pouring out my heart to her that maybe I’d just never end up married. (*so freaking dramatic*) Little did I know...SHE ALREADY KNEW it was happening on this trip! Real friends keep these secrets from you! So, if you’re in a season of singlessness or you’re in a season of waiting, find peace in it. Our relationship started when I least expected it to, and our engagement was no different. Sure, we’d talked about marriage! But, I had zero clue it would be happening on this trip or during this moment (hence I decided to wear my glasses). Give yourself the gift of surprise - it’s a moment you’ll never, ever forget.

I digress.

Unfortunately, the weather was less than ideal for taking photos. But, we still got some good ones to remember the moment. Amanda was SO awesome that she even scheduled a second shoot with us later in the week! Will link her info at the bottom if you need an amazing Tulum photographer.

In complete bliss, we made our way to dinner on the beach. My mind is still swirling. I can’t wipe the stupid-in-love expression off my face. We had a front row seat for the dinner show. But, Mother Nature had other plans. The thunderclouds were building for the last 30-45 minutes. And, they were headed our way. As a Florida baby, I know when a thunderstorm is coming for me. Suddenly, the clouds just seemed to let loose. The staff was amazing in quickly moving the whole party from outside to inside in a matter of minutes.

We enjoyed the rest of dinner overlooking the pool. Then, headed off for drinks and to call our family and friends. It was hard to get in touch with everyone because at this point it was late and we were calling over WiFi. We tried to let everyone know over the next few days - even if just by text before we shouted it out on social media.

Kyle told me how he'd gotten the diamond from my sweet friend Miriam of Diamond Leaf Jewelers. I had no clue she was picking my brain for anything other than new inventory for her store. She sent the diamond and the design to my cousin's husband, Rick (who is more like an uncle to me). My cousin, Melinda, and Rick own Sanders Jewelers - which is where I worked all through college, and is also where I met Miriam. Rick cast the ring and set all the diamonds. Just knowing the amount of extra effort Kyle put in to make sure that two very important people had a hand in my ring still makes me teary-eyed!

Remember that thunderstorm? You can see it in the background here!

That night we came back to our room covered in rose petals! It was so sweet. Again, here I was oblivious that the “cleaning crew at 6:15 pm” wasn’t actually a cleaning crew. They were there to decorate. HAHAHAH!

So, that’s that. I’ll soon be sharing my full thoughts on our Tulum trip. Keep an eye out. I still can’t believe I’m engaged. I’m so excited for the future, and soon the wedding planning will commence. But, for now, I’m just enjoying this chapter.