Actually planning...

Earlier in the week my dad and his wife with the advice of Jewelry Gal helped us pick the stone for my engagement ring, and I'm now officially out of the loop.  Beau is making jokes about waiting a couple months to actually buy the stone and have it set, just to rile me - and its working.  As you may have noticed I like being in control!  Also, now that we've decided to get engaged I just want to get on with it!  

Anyways, it will come when its comes, and the most important thing is that Beau and I have decided to spend the rest of our lives together.  Now that I'm basically officially engaged I want to start planning the wedding, but I don't know how to begin.  I know I need to start with a budget, but there are problems...  My family and Beau seem to think that its too soon to start planning the wedding - none of them (despite my efforts to inform them) seem to realize that we really only have about 2 weekends when we can get married because of Beau's teaching schedule and we need to get on this because places book over a year in advance.  Despite this, I have an approximate budget in mind that I think with saving and my parents help we will be able to do, but still people need to be willing to talk to me about it!  But beyond that, I don't know how to begin.  

Choosing a date?  Finding a venue?  Finding a rabbi?  Dress shopping?  All the other little things that go into a wedding.  I'm totally overwhelmed.  

I did find one possible venue in the Rochester area; Beau and I will hopefully be going there for dinner next Friday or Saturday night, and possibly meeting with their event coordinator.  I guess thats a step in the right direction.