Getting engaged is so exciting! Planning a wedding is even more fun. There are a lot of moving parts that come together to create what will be an unforgettable time in your life. You don't have to do everything at once. However, here are four things that you will want to get started on right away.

1. Find the Venue

When you envision the wedding of your dreams, you may consider your favorite colors, what kind of flowers you want and the music you would like to be apart of your ceremony. But the most important thing is the scenery around you. Just where are you going to tie the knot? Will it be something grand, somewhere on the tranquil beachside or a small country wedding on a beautiful vineyard?

This is the most important step, and the earlier you do it the better. Once you make a decision about where you want to get married, you have to see when that venue has availability. For one, if you're going the traditional route, paying for the ceremony and reception can be the most expensive part of the wedding. Often times, venues require a deposit to hold your spot. If the place you decide on is a popular pick, the selection for booking dates may be slim the longer you wait. Then, you can finally save the date!

2. Save the Date

So, you know where you want to get married. Now you should decide exactly when. Just about every other aspect of the wedding will be depending on this date. Booking entertainment, catering, setting hair and nail appointments will all be done with this one specific day in mind. So once you have a day, try to keep it!

The day you choose has to be an ideal day and time to accommodate the guests you will invite. You'll find that sending out reminders well in advance (even before the invitations are thought of) is extremely beneficial. It would be great to have personalized save the date magnets for people to put on their refrigerators so they won't forget. Your guest will need to make sure they take time off to be present for your special day. 

3. Gather Your Bridal Party

Who is going to be your Right Hand Girl? The Maid of Honor has special responsibilities. The sooner you give her the title, the more time she will have to plan a nice wedding shower or bachelorette party for you. She can also assist you with little tasks throughout the planning process. The whole wedding party would most likely appreciate knowing in advance that they will be a part of your big day.

In return, one way to show appreciation to the ones you have chosen to be in your wedding is by giving them a meaningful token. You'll want to find nice gifts such as customized tote bags, mugs or jewelry. One idea is to have a small get-together shortly after your engagement. Invite all of the people in your wedding party and give them their gifts! If you want to be fancy, have a more formal engagement party. The customized tote bags, or whatever you decide to give them, will also serve as memorabilia.

4. Order Your Rings

One step that you just can not forget about is ordering your wedding bands. You may have a stunning engagement ring, but you still need to get your wedding band to match. It may be the case where the engagement ring and the wedding band came together as a set. If not, it's an enjoyable task to shop for one together as a couple. Also, you'll want to find a nice wedding band for your fiance!

To sum it all up, there are a lot of steps involved when planning a wedding, but there are four things that should be done pronto, before moving on to details like finding a photographer and setting up a wedding rsvp website to manage your guest list efficiently. Securing your venue in number one, then sending out save the date reminders is next. But you must not forget to gather your bridal party together and give them a gift to say thanks. Lastly, be sure to get your wedding bands. You'll definitely need those when you say your I do's.