So the love of your life just popped the question. Now what? Here’s a guide to start navigating the world of wedding planning and being engaged in Idaho Falls.
You’re probably reading this because you just got engaged. First off, CONGRATULATIONS! This is going to be a really beautiful and exciting part of your life. And to make sure you’re able to focus on all the wonderful parts of being engaged and not the stressful confusing parts, I’m here to help guide you through being engaged in Idaho Falls. My name’s Kaylee and I’m an Idaho Falls wedding photographer. I’ve been in the wedding business for about 6 years now and I have a lot of tips and tricks that I’d love to share with you (and they’re not all photo related!)
Even if you’re not in Idaho Falls, keep on reading! Excluding my vendor recommendations and local businesses, all of this information can be used no matter where you live.
Take a few days without telling
I know, you’re excited to flash that ring on social media and tell everyone. I’ve definitely been there! But let me give you some of the best advice I ever followed: give yourself some time to soak it up; just the two of you. Once you start telling people, they’re immediately going to start bombarding you with wedding planning questions: “Have you picked out a date?” “What are your wedding colors going to be?” “I’m one of your bridesmaids, right?” “How many people are you inviting?” and so forth. Of course, they mean well. But their excitement can be a little overwhelming. That’s why I recommend taking just a day or two to enjoy it without having to think about anything else.
If you have someone you’re super close to and you can’t bear the thought of not telling them immediately, go for it! I just recommend telling them that you don’t have anything planned yet and you want to be the one to tell everyone else.
Get a Manicure at The Nail Factory for some cute photos!
Once those few days are up of soaking fiance life up, I recommend getting your nails done (if they’re not done already) for some cute ring pictures to share with friends and family.
If you’re looking for somewhere new to get your nails done, I recommend The Nail Factory. Their work is absolutely stunning and sure to complement your engagement ring.
Have a Talk with your Partner
It takes two to make a wedding work. Here are all the big questions I recommend everyone to discuss.
1. Are we having a wedding or eloping?
You can’t plan anything without deciding on this one! Both weddings and elopements have pros and cons. Luckily for you, I have an article discussing all the nitty gritty details about weddings and elopements. I highly recommend checking it out.
Just for sake of simplicity, I’m going to say “wedding” for the rest of this article but everything we’re going to go over still applies to elopements.
2. What day should we have our wedding?
Such a simple question but a complicated thing to answer! Depending on what day and season you choose, you’ll have to prepare for different things. I’m considering making an article dedicated to this. If you want to see that, let me know down in the comments! But here’s a rough summary of what to consider for each season you could get married in:
In Spring, you’re dealing with unpredictable weather, especially here in Idaho Falls. It could be the most beautiful sunny day you’ve ever seen and the next day, it’s snowing. As a wedding photographer, I don’t recommend getting married in early spring because it’s going to be cold with patchy snow in the background. Of course, if you wanted, we could take all the photos indoors. But that also can bring a bunch of caveats. If I make an article about it, I’ll go through it there or else this is going to be way too long.
In Winter, it’s going to be cold. Period. An indoor wedding is pretty much a requirement. If you want portraits outdoors, prepare to be cold! Like spring, I highly recommend doing the photos indoors to prevent frostbite. One of the big pros for winter, however, is that it’s not wedding season. That means you have a way better chance getting the vendors of your dreams. Also, there’s something so romantic and cozy about a winter wedding.
In Summer, it’s peak wedding season for a reason. It’s most likely going to be bright and sunny with a lot of locations and venues available. Photography isn’t a problem here and we can take stunning photos outside for as long as you’d like! But here’s some things to think about: heat. I recommend having fans, shade, or some sort of access to a/c for your wedding. Another thing to think about is bugs, specifically mosquitos. If you’re wanting to get married near a body of water and don’t want your signature perfume to be Off!, this is something to consider.
In Fall, we’ve got a small window for those iconic orange foliage. But they are oh, so, dreamy. Similar to spring, you run the chance of it being too cold. Here’s my rule of thumb that’s important to remember being engaged in Idaho Falls: It always snows on, or a few days before, Halloween. I recommend early October.
3. What do we want our “wedding values” to be?
I coined the term wedding values when I was planning my own wedding. The meaning is pretty simple: What are the core pillars of importance of your wedding? Let’s say they’re being with close friends and family, a romantic vintage aesthetic, and having a relaxed intimate atmosphere. Keeping your wedding values in mind will help you not stray away from what you want. In the modern age of wedding planning, a lot of things are being called necessities and must-haves. Your values will help you know what you truly want and if you’re being distracted by fleeting trends. As someone who prides herself as being a timeless wedding photographer, this is is one of my greatest hacks for keeping your wedding timeless and genuine.
4. What’s our budget?
Make your budget with some wiggle room. Trust me, even with elopements, things add up. I recommend this article from Brides if you want a quick summary of costs and this article from Here Comes the Guide if you want an in-depth look at costs. They’re both great for building a budget! But remember, build your budget with your wedding values in mind. You may want to allocate more money to invest in a wedding photographer with a style you love or a venue that aligns with your needs. We’ll go over it in the next section more, but I recommend looking into the prices of local vendors and specifically, the vendors you’re drawn to.
Research Vendors
Look for vendors that align with your wedding values! If you’re engaged in Idaho Falls, I have a few vendors that I love and recommend!
Photography: LaShay and Light Wedding Photography
A shameless plug! If you’re looking for a timeless documentary wedding photographer that edits everything with the upmost care and puts no cap on delivered photos, I’m your girl.
Videography: Caleb Rogers Media
I’ve worked with Caleb a few times now and he’s always on top of his game. He’s practically part videographer and part wedding planner; he will make sure everything in your wedding is running on time and smoothly.
A ton of my brides get their dream dresses here! They have a lot of variety and all of them are beautiful.
A big, spacious venue fit for any size of wedding! Both indoors and outdoors is really pretty.
Book your Engagement Photoshoot!
Engagement photos are so much fun! I’m always excited when couples come to me for engagement pictures because they can be anything you want them to be! Ice cream date, biking together, a trip to your favorite swimming hole, or a pizza dinner? I’m down! This is really a time to show off who you are as a couple; go ahead and get creative!
Bonus tip:
Did you know that a lot of wedding photographers offer packages that includes a free engagement session? This is a great way to get to know your wedding photographer before the big day, save some money, and have a consistent style in all of your photos. I’m definitely one of these photographers. Not only that, I even offer a free anniversary session in some of my packages. If you’re interested in seeing those, feel free to check out my pricing!
Conclusion
I hope this helps you navigate being engaged in Idaho Falls (or just being engaged in general). If you want me to make an in-depth look at each season for weddings, let me know down in the comments!
xo chat soon, Kaylee
Pleeeeease make a blog post about when to get married!! I just got engaged and am not sure when I should plan the date.
Hi Abby! Thanks for reading. I just published an article all about the pros and cons about getting married in January: https://lashayandlight.com/should-you-get-married-in-january-the-pros-and-cons/
And I’ll be publishing a pros and cons list about each month every week so stay tuned. I hope this helps!