The Complete Guide To Planning Your Dream Wedding (Slideshow)

So, you just got engaged! Congratulations! Before you start planning your wedding and sharing all of your lovey-dovey engagement photos and ring pics on social media, make sure you call all your family members and close friends to let them know the big news. There's nothing worse than grandma finding out you're engaged by scrolling through Facebook.

If you've just gotten engaged, here's what you have to do next.

Envisioning your wedding day has never been easier thanks to the invention and growth of Pinterest. If you don't already have one, create a dream wedding Pinterest board. You can pin literally anything involving your big day, from wedding color and theme ideas to dream dresses to playlists to tiny décor and photograph ideas.

For the "10 Best Pinterest Boards for Table Settings Slideshow," click here.

There's one part about planning a wedding that brings a lot of stress: money. Weddings are expensive. So, before you get too far along in your planning, figure out how much money you'll be able to spend, who is going to pay for your wedding, and how you'll be able to fit planning this massive party into your financial life.

For the "14 Most Stressful Parts of Planning Your Wedding," click here.

Besides your future spouse and your parents, the most important wedding guests will be your bridal party. These are your close siblings, cousins, and best friends in the world. Pick people for this position who have had great impacts on your life. You'll need their help, so make sure they're trustworthy, too.

From the types of flowers that are in season to what colors are appropriate to whether you can get married outdoors, so many things about your wedding center around a date. Pick a day that is symbolically important to your relationship, maybe a specific number or month. If the date itself is less important to you than other details (such as an outdoors ceremony or a snowy backdrop), just pick a general season and pick a date based on available venues.

For "5 Tips for Setting the Perfect Wedding Date," click here.

After you pick out a dress, it can take anywhere for four to six months for it to come in. Then you need to get it fitted and altered a few times, which can take several months; so this is another thing you need to do far in advance of your big day. Before you book appointments to see dresses, get a few ideas of styles you like and think would look good on you. Next, take your mother, future mother-in-law, and maid of honor dress shopping. Don't forget to have fun! Most people only get to try on beautiful gowns like this just once in a lifetime.

Though wedding websites essentially serve the same purpose as Save the Date cards, wedding registries, and invitation suites, a specialized, wedding-centric URL has become almost a necessity this decade. If you find yourself with the time and desire, make your own wedding website. This can serve as a hub for everything from directions to your venue to easy RSVPs to dress code.

The wedding photographer is the most important vendor that you will have at your wedding, and good ones get gobbled up quickly. Find a photographer who not only fits in your budget but also has a style that matches yours. You'll also be spending a lot of time with this vendor, so be sure he or she has a personality that gels with yours and your fiancé's.

For the "25 Best Wedding Photographers in America," click here.

No wedding reception or ceremony would be complete without music. Whether you decide to go with a live band, DJ, or both, whoever you choose will set the scene for your day. This person will work with you to coordinate your walks down the aisle, first dance, dance party, and more, so be sure they have a musical sensibility that matches your own.

The wedding cake is a classic that is not to be messed with. These decadent, detailed cakes are not just desserts, but they're often pieces of art. Find a baker that is well-regarded in your area and offers a wide variety of styles and flavors. Then, in collaboration with them, design your dream cake. In the process, don't forget to sample a few different kinds of cake... you know, for research.

For the "50 Best Wedding Cake Bakeries in America," click here.

Out-of-town guests and your bridal party will need somewhere to stay for the few days that surround your ceremony. As with any large gathering, most hotels will offer discounted rates for a block of rooms, so secure a nice location with plenty of space so your guests don't have to scour the internet for accommodations.

For "10 Excellent Hotels Run by Chefs," click here.

There are many ways to dress your bridal party. You can pick a color and fabric and then allow your bridal party to pick out corresponding dresses. You can go with an ombré motif. Or, if you want your bridal party to all wear the same dress, make sure you pick out something that is beautiful, flattering for all, and budget-friendly.

For most married people, a ring on your left hand is what symbolizes your love and dedication to each another. About three months before the big day, visit the jeweler of your choice and pick out a set of wedding bands for you and your fiancé. The trend these days are that you and your spouse can pick out whatever styles you prefer, so don't worry about getting matching bands.

There aren't many occasions these days that require a formal, paper invite, but a wedding certainly is one of them. Roughly two months before your wedding, send out your invitations, accommodation information, and RSVP cards, with an RSVP date that is about two to four weeks before your date. However, do not send out registry information with your invitations; keep this to your wedding website. Otherwise, it comes across as a cash grab and sends the message that a gift is a requirement to attend your wedding.

For "The 10 Worst Wedding Etiquette Mistakes," click here.

There are more details to a wedding ceremony than walking down the aisle and saying "I do." Along with your officiant, plan the details of your nuptials from whether or not you'll write your vows yourselves or say the traditional words. Also, talk over things like the inclusion of religious elements, readings, and what kind of unity ceremony (candle, jumping the broom, handfasting ceremony) that you want to include.

To learn about Celtic wedding tradition (such as handfasting), click here.

Wedding invitations aren't the only paper goods you need for your wedding. Items such as the menus, ceremony programs, and table numbers also require printed material. Find a set that either matches your wedding invitations or fits with the theme of your day and get these items printed professionally.

To read "Wedding Menu Ideas for Every Bride," click here.

Like any party, a wedding is filled with little details, so stock up on these before your big day. Don't forget to purchase (or DIY) a guest book, numbers for your table, something to indicate where each guest should sit at the reception, photos for decoration, and other small bits and pieces of decoration and details that will help to take your wedding to the next level.

After you have finalized your guest list, you need to sort out how many tables you'll need and who will be sitting at each table. Feel free to mix up your tables between sides of the families and friend groups. A wedding is about the union of two people, so don't be afraid to have your guests socialize with people they may not have met before the big day.

If this comprehensive guide hasn't driven the point home yet, let us tell you directly: Planning a wedding is a lot of work and can be pretty stressful. Let off some steam with bachelor and bachelorette parties. Though the bulk of this party planning will go to your bridal party, you need to pass along a guest list of people you want to be invited to this final fling before the ring.

For "Bachelor and Bachelorette Parties Fit for a Chef," click here.

In the days leading up to your wedding, be sure to take some time out, gather your thoughts, and write them down. Not every couple writes their own vows, but if you do, be sure to think of all the reasons you love your future husband or wife and what promises you want to make to them, and let the words flow. Be sure to keep the vows relatively short though; about two minutes long is ideal.