If you've just taken a big step in life and gotten engaged congratulations! Now is a time to reflect on all the wonderful times you and your partner have had and daydream about all the times to come.

However, it will probably start to sink in soon that weddings are a pretty big deal, and they require tons of planning. In fact, it might have already hit you and now you are stressing out! Well, have no fear. This will all be handled in no time. Follow this guide with 6 simple steps when you start planning for the wedding. These steps will help you get on the right track and feel confident leading up to your big day.

Get organized

There are many details that go into wedding planning and it's nearly impossible to keep track of them all without some sort of system. There's no better time to exercise teamwork with your partner than at the beginning of this process. How you do this is by first categorizing everything you can think of at the wedding. Write down all of the categories and go through them individually. Odds are that if you write it down, the category will turn out to be important, no matter how small. Keep in mind; all these steps should be fun! Just sit down with your significant other and talk about all your favorite ideas and prioritize them. It could be anything from music, to the first dance. Once you get these categories down, you can go through them individually and make deadlines for yourself. This way, you're not trying to do every task at the same time.

Set a budget

Once you get organized, you can start getting a sense of how much things will cost. If you see the numbers adding up to around $25,000, don't be scared. This was actually the average wedding cost in 2017. Couples on average spend anywhere from about $20,000 to $32,000 but many couples spend less than $10,000. Understanding all these numbers now will help you budget across all your categories so it's important to know what you're willing to spend and stick to it! Obviously, some categories are going to be more or less expensive than others but since you already prioritized, you know where you should spend money first.

Create the guest list

Now that you've got a solid budget put into place, you can consider how many people you might expect to invite. If your budget is frugal, your guest list might look the same way too. That said, it's still possible to invite all your loved ones depending on the type of wedding you'd like to have. If your budget is $7,000, that's fine! But you probably won't be able to supply a three-course meal for 200 people. Intimate weddings are actually very trendy right now.

A good way to structure your guest list is to have a list of the most important people in your life. If that list looks to be about 100 people, consider this your "A-list." Now, you can create a "B-list"- people you would like to invite but aren't necessarily a priority. After you receive some clues as to which guests on the A-list might not make it, you can replace them with people from your B-list.

Start the venue search

Now that you have a general idea of how many people might attend your big day, you can start the venue search. It's important to know how many people you might be hosting before choosing a venue because the capacity in a venue can really affect the atmosphere of a wedding. For example, if you'd like an intimate wedding, it's probably best not to rent out a banquet hall fit for 200. This situation will have you feeling more empty than intimate.

This step will help to solidify your budget. While some venues cost more than others, it's important to look at what the venue offers. All-inclusive packages are great if you'd like to take the stress out of renting equipment, finding a caterer, and hiring staff. That said, it limits you to the types of chairs, tables, and linens that venue supplies. It's also a good idea to double-check the prices on these rentals around your area. It might be cheaper to rent them all yourself.

Set up accommodations

While weddings are expensive for the bride and groom, your guest will likely spend a pretty penny to attend your big day as well. It's important to consider this when booking your venue and sending invitations. If you've decided on a beautiful venue in the country but most of your guests will need a hotel, consider getting a room block as soon as possible to guests can make plans early.

It's also nice to supply out-of-town guests with some information about the area. They might be making a weekend vacation out of your big day so knowing some great restaurants or activities in the area would be helpful. They have made a great effort to travel for your wedding; the least you can do is show them a good time.

Think About Your Bridal Party

While you almost certainly shouldn't choose your bridal party in the first couple weeks of engagement – unless your wedding is coming up soon – it's still important to think about who you might ask. Chances are, the first time you and your significant other consider your party, it'll be much larger than you'd like. This a great time to really weigh out the pros and cons of having a large bridal party. Consider each of your potential bridesmaids' and groomsmen's time and financial commitments and whether some might not be able to comply. Also consider your financial commitment as normally the bride and groom get gifts for the bridal party like bridesmaid's robes, cufflinks, and many other expenses.

Keeping all these things in mind is a perfect way to get started on planning your wedding. You will find that with a strong foundation, the wedding will come together in no time. Cheers to you and your journey up until the big day!