If your partner recently popped the question, your mind is probably filled with excitement and mounting to-do lists. It’s understandable that you want to start planning, but now is not the time to try and get everything done. 

This is not to say that you can’t start planning your wedding, there are just certain tasks that you can place at the bottom of your to-do list for now.

Here are the most important ones:

• Finding a Dress

This is absolutely not something you want to rush, nor do you need to. It’s perfectly fine to browse magazines, social media, and Pinterest for inspiration, but don’t make any commitments just yet. Take the time to explore styles, colors, silhouettes, and accessories before you make a final decision – you’ll be glad you did!

• Creating a Seating Chart

This should be one of the last tasks on your list. Waiting until after you have your final guest list will ensure you don’t need to make time for unnecessary reshuffling. 

• When to Pop the Bridal Party Question

Chances are, you already have a good idea of who you want in your bridal party. However, this doesn’t mean you need to decide when and how you’re going to ask them right away. The general rule is that you don’t need to finalize your bridal party until 8 months before your wedding day. The same goes for choosing bridal party outfits – you want to finalize your wedding theme first.  

• Adding Finishing Touches to Your Decor

This is a task you can leave until a month or two before your big day. By the time you want to purchase smaller décor items to use as finishing touches, you should already have a venue, wedding theme, and all major décor items. 

• Deciding on a First-Dance Song

If you already know what you want to dance to for the first time as life partners, that’s great. If you have no clue just yet, don’t let it stress you out. This is not a task you need to get done right away. Leave it for a weekend when you have some extra time and want to do something relaxing as a couple.

• Planning Your Honeymoon

If you don’t want to jet off directly after your wedding, that’s perfectly fine! Many couples are taking this route. If you feel that planning your honeymoon is going to add too much additional stress, leave it for much later, if not after your wedding. 

• Putting Legalities in Place

You do need to have a marriage license in place before your big day, but tasks such as changing your surname, updating documents, and combining your bank accounts can be done after you say “I Do.”

If your engagement is very new, don’t forget to enjoy this special time in your lives before jumping into wedding planning – you will thank yourselves for it later!