We’re Engaged! Now, what?
Congratulations on your happy news!
Take it all in. You and the love of your life are starting a new life together. Now here’s the thing: the excited, overly elated “OMG! we’re engaged!” becomes frantic, overwhelmed “OMG, we’re engaged.” real quick. But don’t go panic-pinning on Pinterest just yet and go into the wedding prep rabbit hole. Instead, step back and plan the exciting times!
We’ve rounded up a few pointers on what to do right after getting engaged.
Bask in the joy and celebrate!
That tingly, love-drunk feeling right after getting engaged is something you and your partner will never forget. Soak yourselves in that. Forget about updating your Instagram Stories for a little bit and keep the news to yourselves first (or to close relatives and friends if they were there when it happened). You can expect the next few months to be busy and stressful, so take all the time you need to enjoy this moment.
Credits: RPFilmworks
Credits: The ProudRad
Share the news
While some couples would instead tell everybody right away, there are couples who’d share the news with their inner circle first before posting it on social media. If you prefer the latter, sit down and plan how you will do it. Are you telling your closest relatives in person or via call? Are you meeting your friends over lunch to announce it or tell them via your group chats? When your inner circle is done sending their love and congratulations, then share the news to everyone else on social media and enjoy the likes and well wishes!
Start jotting down the initial details
It’s time to sit down and calibrate what both of you want at the wedding. Start narrowing down on the date and season for your wedding. Every couple is different regarding how long they’re engaged before tying the knot. Take the time you need, and enjoy your own pace. It is also essential to determine your non-negotiables right away. And, of course, set your budget and be realistic about it. Your wedding is one of the happiest days of your life, yes, but don’t go bankrupt.
Create a wedding email
Planning your wedding takes a lot of back-and-forth with your coordinator, suppliers, and guests, not to mention newsletters from wedding sites you’ve signed up for. You don’t want their emails getting lost in the sea of unopened messages in your personal email. A separate wedding email will keep you organized and on top of all correspondence with everyone involved in your wedding.
Set regular “we time” and “me time”
It’s easy to get caught up in all of this. The next thing you know, you’re snapping at each other due to stress. Avoid this by setting (and sticking to!) days when you don’t do and think of anything wedding-related and be together or alone — whether it’s a trip to the spa, a dinner date, a Netflix-and-wine night. Give yourselves a chance to step back, breathe, and recharge.
Credits: Dave Sarabia Photography
Credits: Ralph Lee Photography
Hire a Wedding Planner
Hiring a Wedding Planner is a great way to keep yourself from getting overwhelmed with the checklists and to-dos of wedding planning. Think of them as your fairy godmothers, making things easier and lighter and helping you enjoy your special day better. Your wedding planner will help you pick the theme, manage your budget, select vendors, arrange guest accommodation, and keep you on schedule, among many other things. Whether you’re having a big or a small wedding, a wedding planner can make your special day chaos-free and blissful for you and your loved ones.
There you have it. We hope the list above gives you a good starting point in your wedding planning. You are on your way and we are so excited for you! Happy planning!
