It was winter and we were young and hopelessly romantic. I made a day of it. Lunch and a matinee performance of The Cleveland Orchestra‘s Christmas concert.

I couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful setting.

She knew I had the ring, but what she didn’t know was that I had tracked down a pair of blue rockstar Sha Shas in her size. (Give us a break. This was when dELiA*s and The Buckle were super cool.) These shoes came with a place to hide your stash, so I hid the ring in there and took the wrapped shoes to the Severance Hall the week of the concert.

Before the performance, an usher delivered the ring/shoes and I got on one knee like ya do.  We got a ton of “awwwws” from the exclusively blue-haired crowd around us.

Who else sees a matinee orchestra concert?

I had arranged for a manicure and a surprise dinner with our families after the concert. For a nineteen-year-old guy, pre-pinterest, that was pretty good.

Truth is, yours was probably better.

There are so many great proposals out there and SO MANY of them occurred on Valentine’s Day.

We just wrapped up engagement season as I’m writing this. There’s something about winter that makes people want to propose. And the fact that you’re reading this means there’s a good chance you said yes recently.

I know I’m not the first to tell you this, but CONGRATULATIONS!

This is an extremely exciting time.

And it can be an extremely stressful one.

Planning a wedding is a full-time job. Seriously. There are people who do this full-time.

Wedding planning has its own language and rules. The learning curve can be steep. But it doesn’t have to be.

If you’re wondering where to start, consider this:

1. Hire A Professional
   I know. I’m a professional, so it’s in my best interest to say that. Except I know that A Fine Press isn’t for everyone. We might not be for you and that’s OK.

   For the most stress-free planning possible, hire professionals at every step. We’re here to help you. To do the work so you can enjoy the process with your fiancé instead of stressing over it.
   
   I strongly suggest finding a wedding planner that fits your style and budget right away. Your planner will help you identify and secure the best professionals to handle the rest of it. Some of my favorites even deal directly with those professionals so you have one point of contact the whole way.

   If you thrive on logistics, this isn’t for you. Wedding planning might be cathartic. For everyone else, professionals will be worth their weight in gold.

2. Ask Questions
   Wedding planning takes on many forms, so the answers you get can vary widely, depending on your location or style or simply who you ask. Other stationers don’t always agree with me on when to send your invitations or how to word a save the date. That’s OK.

   If you’ve hired professionals, ask them lots of questions. If you’re thinking of hiring a professional, ask them lots of questions. If you’re planning on doing it yourself, feel free to ask professionals questions. But please understand if our response doesn’t give you all of the information you want.

   Our knowledge is often the exact thing our clients pay for.

3. Don’t Sweat It
   I love weddings.

   But what I love even more is successful, engaged marriages. Your wedding day will be gone before you know it. I hope it’s the most incredible celebration ever!

   But don’t let planning your wedding harm your relationship. And if you’re more concerned with the big day than the marriage, you should really examine whether you’re doing the right thing.

I’m so excited for you!

This is a fun, fantastic ride you’ve gotten on. Enjoy it for all it’s worth!

And, since you asked, here’s when I’d suggest you send out your save the dates and invitations.