'Tis the Engagement Season - Got the Ring? Get Started!
The holidays are have come and gone, presents have been exchanged, family gatherings have been attended and more than one frosted cookie has been consumed. Oh yeah, and you got engaged!!! The Christmas and New Year holidays are the most popular times of the year for couples to make it official. As if this time of the year wasn't magical enough, you get to walk away with a sparkly new accessory! As you bask in the joy of your new relationship status, start to think about a few things. Here are six things you'll need to do shortly after you get engaged.
Share Your Wedding Engagement News!
After the surprise of the proposal and having a little alone time just the two of you, it is time to share the engagement news with family and friends. There should be some careful thought into who you tell first and how you tell them. The # 1 rule in sharing your engagement news is to personally tell your immediate family and closest friends before announcing the news on Facebook or online for all to read! Your engagement is big news and no mom or BFF wants to find out via their news feed or twitter!
So when it comes to who to tell first, if either of you have children from a previous marriage, they should be the first ones to know. Let them feel included and understand that the engagement means they will all be becoming a new family and they will be involved with the wedding plans all along the way. Take the kids on a special outing and share the special news.
Next in line are both sets of parents. How you tell your parents depends on a few things. If your parents have already met your fiancé and will be thrilled about the engagement news then the task will be easy and enjoyable. If your parents will be a little less than enthused about the news then tread lightly with the announcement. You and your fiancé will know best about how to talk to your parents. A phone call may be sufficient or a face to face announcement may be best appreciated by most parents.
After the parents and immediate family have been notified of the pending nuptials, it is recommended that you let some of your closest friends in on the news. Give a call to your besties, they will be so excited to hear your news and feel extra special that you took the time to give them a personal call! After all that, go ahead and change your relationship status to Engaged and give a shout out on Facebook for all to see!
Get a Manicure
Once you get the ring, everyone is going to want to see it! Make sure your digits are in tip-top shape for all the show and tell. Treat yourself to a little pampering with a pretty manicure. Make sure you tackle this task before you post the all-important ring pictures online.
Introduce The In-Laws
If you and your fiancé's parents have yet to meet, after the engagement is the perfect time. Arrange a place for them to get together. To reduce the stress of the meeting, pick a neutral spot like a restaurant. Your parents won't be freaking out and super cleaning the house, which would only add to the anxiety. Before the big meeting, give your parents a pep talk and suggest some things for them to talk about. Most parents are pretty good at polite conversation so you shouldn't worry too much about this. Just in case, you and your fiancé should have some topics you can bring up if the conversation stops flowing. Even though this first meeting takes place right after your engagement, you don't have to take this time to talk about only the wedding. If it is the first time the parents are meeting, it is not the appropriate time to talk about the wedding budget, guest list and who's paying for what. There will be plenty of time for that. This meeting is mostly a time for your parents to get to know each other.
You and your fiancé's parents may not live close enough where a meeting is immediately possible. Try to plan a weekend trip to visit each other. The sooner the get-together happens before the wedding, the more at ease everyone will feel during the planning process.
Connect With Wedding Planning Websites
You're engaged, get excited! It's time to start planning your dream day! While traditional printed wedding magazines still have their place, the first thing most brides go to for insights, ideas, tips and planning tools are wedding websites. The top 3 wedding websites today are Zola, The Knot and Joy. These wedding planning websites provide a plethora of information, ideas and isnpiration for planning your wedding day.
You can still purchase wedding magazines for leisurely browsing during travel or when you just need a break from the internet. Flipping through gorgeous pages will get you in the wedding mood! Start turning down page corners and collecting inspiration. Get preliminary ideas for your dress, wedding ceremony and wedding reception decorations and so much more!
Get Ready to Field Questions
Believe it or not, once the news of your engagement starts to spread to friends and relatives, the questions will start rolling in. When's the date? What are your colors? Who's in the bridal party? Am I invited? You and your fiancé will not have even come off your proposal high before you will be bombarded with these questions. Stay calm and try not to get overwhelmed with all the inquisitive loved ones (They really do mean well). If you guys have talked about a date or time of year to have your wedding feel free to share it with your nearest and dearest. If you haven't broached that detail quite yet, simply tell the questioners that you haven't and that you are just enjoying your time being newly engaged. When it comes down to other specific details of the wedding that people are asking about, be careful what you tell others for everyone has an opinion and they will be sure to tell you it. Just remember that you don't have to start planning right away or try to work around when the wedding would be best for others. It is your and your fiancé's day, and they will make it if they can.
Announce Your Wedding Engagement (Have a Party!)
While it is not necessary to send out engagement announcements, some couples still do. This is a great time to utilize engagement photos, if you've had some taken. Send out a little notice to friends and family with the good news. This is especially appropriate if you have lots of loved ones that live out of state and might not hear the news through word-of-mouth. These announcements could also include an invitation to your engagement party!
If you are planning on having an engagement party, there are a few options. A small backyard barbeque can be just as fun as an elegant dinner party. Whatever your style is, make sure the people you invite to the engagement party will also be on the guest list to your wedding. You don't have to invite everyone that will be at the wedding either. Start with immediate family and close friends. This is a time to celebrate with those closest to you!
Your engagement is a special time in you and your fiancé's life. You are more than just boyfriend and girlfriend but not quite married. Enjoy this time and try not to get too bogged down with the impending wedding plans. After the proposal, take a few weeks to just enjoy each other and celebrate with family and friends. There will be plenty of time to start your planning later.