So, you just got Engaged!

You just got engaged over the holiday break - you’re living in the moment and having a blast showing off your ring to all of your loved ones. We know that some couples prefer to plan their wedding over a longer period of time, but we still meet couples who want to tie the knot within a year! Many might question, is even possible? But, we’re here to tell you that YES, it is possible to plan a 2024 wedding! Maybe you are at the perfect transition stage for a wedding, or just like the ring of saying “yes” in the new year, but it is possible to make your dream wedding happen, even on a time crunch. 

#01

Before the planning even begins, talk with her partner about your top must-haves. Once you pick 3-5 of your most important wedding wants, it will help you make a realistic plan of what can be accomplished. If you must have a venue, you’ll need to check and see if they are open or how far they are booking out weddings and events. Oftentimes, venues can be booked solid for the next year, before the clock strikes midnight! So make a list and determine what you absolutely want at your wedding and if it’s possible to book your favorite vendors in your set time frame. 

#02

Sit down with your partner to discuss finances. Many couples need time to combine their households after engagement occurs and this includes discussing each of your finances. We know that finances can be the biggest stressor in a relationship and it is vital that you ensure there is enough time to create your wedding funds. You don’t want to miss any vendor due dates or not create a budget that will work for you. If you want to make a wedding happen within the 2024 year, be sure to be reasonable about what you can achieve. Create a budget and stick to the budget. Do not overextend or estimate your budget into something unreasonable. Wedding bills can pile up quickly and many vendors require a deposit. Plan accordingly if you want to make a wedding happen within the New Year! 

#03

Talk to your family and friends about potential dates. One of the best parts about getting married is who you celebrate with! Planning a wedding in a short amount of time can mean friends and family may have to book tickets or make travel arrangements quickly. You want to talk to those who may need to travel in order to chose dates that may ease their travel and save money on their pocketbook. You also want to coordinate with family and friends to ensure that all the important or must-have folks will be in attendance. 

#04

Don’t rush to ask your wedding party right away. One of the biggest mistakes or regrets brides and grooms have is asking friends and family to be in your wedding party too quickly. Let’s face it, friendships change and unfortunately, some come and go. We’ve had brides in the past have to make last-minute changes to their wedding party or wish they would have included someone else. You definitely don’t want to have a negative conversation with any individual prior to the wedding, so think carefully and wait to ask until you can clearly envision your wedding day. 

#05

Most importantly, enjoy ALL of the moments. There is only one brief time that you and your fiance will spend engaged. Soak up all of the moments and work to enjoy the planning process. You will have a lifetime of wedded memories, but your moments to just be engaged will fade. So, plan that engagement party, enjoy the bubbly, take the pictures, and bask in engagement bliss! 

If you’re looking to get married within the 2024 year and need some help with the planning process, we’d love to support you with your journey! Whether you want to wed within the next month, or want to plan something later in the year, let our team at Elegant Affair guide you! Don’t forget to check with your family and friends if you want to tie the knot in 2024, you definitely want all your loved ones to attend, don’t rush through the engaged bliss moments, and take your time with planning. You may think that you need to hurry through the process but just breathe! Congratulations to all of our new engaged couples – ENJOY!

Lori Losee is the owner of Elegant Affairs, a Tacoma Wedding Planner with over 18 years of experience. We create awe-inspiring experiences—Events filled with meaning and refined elegance. Behind the scenes, our experienced team collaborates on each stage of the process, executing your vision and a wedding, celebration, or corporate event that is unique to you.

Don't Rush the Process

Let’s face it, we all start at the bottom when it comes to the wedding planning process. Even our team at Elegant Affairs had to start somewhere. Everyone experiences the same questions when it comes to beginning the wedding planning process. Planning a wedding isn’t easy and you may not know what you’re doing right from the start. Questions will arise and you  may have to google some “how to” videos or blogs. And that’s okay – mistakes will happen and wedding planning will be a learning process. Our team is here to help guide you through the process, from start to finish, so here’s our guide on how to take the wedding planning journey one step at a time. 

#01: Don’t Rush your Engagement Announcement

Starting at the beginning of the journey, is saying “Yes!” to the best question you’ll ever be asked, “Will you marry me?”. After you get engaged, it is more than acceptable to wait to announce your engagement to the rest of the world. Wedding planning is fast-paced and can often feel overwhelming. Once you click that button to announce, you will have an influx of calls, messages, and emails all wanting to hear how it happened and get the juicy details. Don’t rush posting on your socials or making those calls, until you are ready and have fully enjoyed the moment with your partner. It is okay to put your phone down and be present. Yes, we know you want to show off your glamorous ring, but be sure to bask in the moment and experience all of the happiness you have for each other. Social media can wait another hour – or even a day. 

#02: Don’t Rush to Book Vendors 

You’re excited – we know. And you feel the urge to begin wedding planning and booking away. One of the biggest mistakes we’ve seen is that clients rush to book vendors, without fully researching or finding someone that fits your exact needs. Take your time when finding vendors that fit your exact needs. You want to choose vendors with careful consideration. This means, finding and interviewing a few vendors, attending a variety of tastings, and exploring multiple folks within your budget. It is always a good idea to compare and explore a few vendors, before signing on the dotted line. Don’t rush to book anyone, you want to avoid regrets on your wedding day. 

#03: Don’t Think “What If” 

The internet has everything at our fingertips. You can pull up Google and pull up thousands of ideas and wedding searches. As you begin planning, booking vendors, and making decisions, it is important to cross those items off your to-do list and move forward. Continuing to explore Pinterest boards, or scrolling through social media for the next great wedding planning advice, can cause you to second guess your decisions previously made. Be satisfied with your original decision and remember why you’ve made that decision in the first place! It is never good to wonder “what if” and don’t change your details over and over. Stick with your gut and don’t wonder if the grass is greener on the other side! 

#04: Don’t Overshare 

Sharing your excitement with friends and family throughout your planning is expected. You are thrilled to be on this journey and to have your loved ones experience it with you. As you plan, keep the details to a minimum. You want to ensure that your guests are surprised with what you have planned and can thoroughly enjoy your wedding day! Also, the more you share, the more people will have opinions on your wedding planning decisions. Share the details you want to share or are necessary to share, keep the rest between you, your partner, and your wedding vendors or planner(s). Leave your wedding day experience for you and your guests and don’t feel the need to overshare all of the details. 

#05: Don’t Try to Do Everything Yourself

Yes, we know that DIY projects can save you money. Or you may just really enjoy browsing Pinterest boards and crafting (we all love a good craft here and there). But, overextending your energy, time, and money can be stressful when it comes to wedding planning. Yes, you may have the capability to hand letter every invitation, or you may want to create all of your floral centerpieces the day before, but only take on what you can handle – or honestly, take on LESS. You don’t want to be stressed out on your wedding day, or leading up to your wedding. Hire wedding professionals to help you, or look into hiring a wedding planner/coordinator to execute your DIY projects. Don’t overwhelm yourself with so many projects and details that you cannot take the time to enjoy planning or the experience. Don’t try to do every detail yourself, ask for help, hire vendors to help, and create space in your budget to lessen the stress weddings can bring. 


Most importantly, you want to ensure that you are enjoying the wedding planning process with your partner. Don’t forget to savor all of the moments. Take moments for yourself after your engagement and don’t feel rushed to share on socials right away, don’t forget to ask for help and accept help where needed, don’t overshare, think carefully when booking vendors, and don’t feel the need to rush and sign contracts, and most importantly, be content with the decisions you make. Stop exploring other options, unless it is necessary or something in your gut doesn’t feel right. 

Lori Losee is the owner of Elegant Affairs, a Tacoma Wedding Planner with over 18 years of experience. We create awe-inspiring experiences—Events filled with meaning and refined elegance. Behind the scenes, our experienced team collaborates on each stage of the process, executing your vision and a wedding, celebration, or corporate event that is unique to you.

Exploring Traditional Wedding Etiquette

What wedding etiquette trends did you follow for your wedding day? Or what traditional etiquette rules do you plan on following? Let’s face it, it’s 2024. Throughout our time in the industry, we’ve seen wedding trends and etiquette come and go. Many couples are choosing to create unique, individualized experiences that stray away from what we think is typical or traditional. Weddings that we used to attend as children sure look a lot different than weddings that we flock to now. But, there are still many couples that opt for more of a traditional affair with these etiquettes in place. There are some aspects to weddings that many consider classic or respectful to one's culture, traditions, and family history. At the end of the day, no matter what route you choose to follow, every wedding is fit to the needs of the couple, which is really what matters. So, let’s explore some of the classic traditional wedding etiquette, but remember — just because it’s traditional etiquette doesn’t mean you have to fit the mold. 

#01: Be on Time 

Arriving on time for the ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception is vital. Now, not just for your guests, but for the wedding party and YOU. Everyone understands that hiccups and the occasional mishaps happen prior to walking down the aisle. But you want to stay on your timeline and ensure that you are not arriving late. Of course, your guests don’t mind waiting a few minutes, but when they are waiting in the hot sun for over a half hour for you to make your appearance, there are going to be some unhappy campers. Timing also impacts your vendors. Vendors work diligently to create your perfect day, therefore timeliness is important and a sign of respect. You want to respect your vendors’ time as well. So, work on sticking to your timeline (to the best of your ability) because, ultimately the timeline affects everyone. 

#02: Let your Guests be Guests

Weddings are a celebration of your love with your family and friends. It is a time for your guests to enjoy the experience with you – that means that you and your partner are the hosts of your guests. It is your role to not only host the wedding but to essentially take “care” of your guests. This includes ensuring accommodations for all guests are met throughout the night, including food AND drinks. Traditionally cash bars are a no-no. You don’t want your guests to have to pay for anything the night of your event. Traditionally it is frowned upon for your guests to pay for their own beverages. If you are able to budget for simple drinks, such as beer and wine, with easy non-alcoholic beverages, go that route. You don’t need to supply the whole liquor store to be a good guest. Plus, limiting your wedding alcohol selection means that guests won’t get too rowdy throughout your celebration. So, if you can – create the best experience – and free that is – for your guests to participate in. Let them enjoy and celebrate you, you are the hosts of your wedding day! 

#03: Keep Things Moving 

Okay, think about your worst wedding experience. Most of my worst wedding experiences tie into our #01 etiquette rule, about not having people wait, but this also means don’t wait for guests to be fed and for the party to start. Personally, I’ve been to a few weddings where there is a big gap of time between the ceremony and cocktail hour, or even the cocktail hour and the reception. If you are choosing to use the same venue for each aspect of your wedding, don’t make your guests wait and keep things moving. You definitely don’t want to keep your guests waiting, foodless, or for hours on end while you and your partner take your newlywed photos. As you plan your timeline, remember to be swift and minimize the time between each function for the wedding day. You don’t want your guests to be bored, or to be hangry. Avoid any long breaks that you can avoid. 

#04: Don’t Get Too Creative with Seating Charts

Oh– the dreaded seating charts. When it comes down to making seating charts you always want to think carefully about how you are seating your guests. But there are a few rules of thumb for etiquette when planning your seating chart. First, don’t isolate your guests. This includes not creating tables of single-only guests, or putting all the people who don’t know each other together. When planning your seating chart, you want to think about how you can group your guests for positive conversations and friendships to spark. Think about similar interests, who may work together, or who may have similar hobbies or likes. Whatever you do, don’t isolate anyone, and don’t make a whole table feel like wedding outcasts. 

#05: Don’t Forget to Say Thank You! 

Be gracious. Be absolutely gracious and say thank you to your guests. Your guests have traveled far and wide to be a part of your wedding day and many have included gifts, if you opted for that option. At some point in the evening, you need to make a point to thank each individual person, whether through a formal receiving line, visiting each table to give hugs and say thank you, or a thank you speech during your toasts. Showing gratitude is important, especially as the host. And of course, remember to send out your thank you cards in a timely manner. There are many rules of thumb regarding thank you cards, some say it’s best to send a thank you card within 6 weeks of your wedding day. Others may say, to send the thank you card before you use the item. But – ALWAYS send a thank you card. Don’t let the gifts and cards pile up and be forgotten. Create a spreadsheet and a running record of who sent what. Check it off the list when you’ve mailed the card. But tradition says, to mind your manners and be a gracious host - which of course includes those thank yous. 

Whether you’re opting for a traditional affair or a wedding with unique touches, you can choose what wedding etiquette you want to include on your wedding day. At the end of the day what is considered traditional wedding etiquette is just a fancy way of saying don’t forget your manners on your big day. Be gracious to your guests, don’t forget to say thank you, be thoughtful when planning the overall experience including time frames, seating arrangements, and letting your guests truly enjoy your event. Whether you include these traditional planning elements is up to you, but whatever you choose, keep your wedding party, guests, and yourselves in mind.

Lori Losee is the owner of Elegant Affairs, a Tacoma Wedding Planner with over 18 years of experience. We create awe-inspiring experiences—Events filled with meaning and refined elegance. Behind the scenes, our experienced team collaborates on each stage of the process, executing your vision and a wedding, celebration, or corporate event that is unique to you.