Chris,
Welcome!
Advice from a new pond owner of 1 year: Git 'er done! I spent too many months, no, years planning. Some parts of your pond construction must be carefully planned, other parts are obvious. Do the obvious now, and plan the more critical parts as you go. I regret every day I waited or dawdled, because that's a day I deprived myself of my pond.
It's pretty good pond building weather where I live. Where are you from?
