You just got engaged—congrats! Between choosing your bridesmaids (Katie, Liz or both?!) and selecting a honeymoon locale (it's gotta be Bali, right?), there's a lot to think about. But trust us when we say that there's one thing you should do before you start planning your nuptials: Take some time to set a budget.
Sure, budgeting with your betrothed might not be the most romantic thing in the world, but setting guidelines from the get-go will save you tons of stress down the line. (Plus, no one says you can't have financial talks over a glass of wine and a nice cheese board.)
Will last-minute costs spring up out of the blue? Most likely, but making a realistic budget—before doing anything else—is still paramount. If you don’t, you risk falling in love with a dress or a venue—or both—before realizing that each one costs more than you’re willing to spend for the whole shebang.
And think of it this way: The sooner you do it, the sooner you can move onto way more exciting stuff.