First comes love, then comes engagement! The love of your life proposed, and you couldn’t be more elated. But when you start thinking about your wedding, maybe you begin to feel overwhelmed. What do you plan first? Who do you tell about it? Should you share on social media?
If you recently got engaged, check out the steps you should take next.
Insure and Size Your Engagement Ring
Considering how much someone likely spent on an engagement ring for you, you probably should ensure it fits and is protected. So before you do anything else, get your engagement ring sized and insured.
You can do this easily by adding your ring to your homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy. If you haven’t gotten a ring yet because it was a spontaneous engagement, this may be the time to hunt for your perfect ring.
Study such details as the cut, quality, colour, and whether you want to buy a lab-grown diamond.
Enjoy the Engagement
It’s easy to start rushing immediately into planning your wedding day. There are a million things to consider, and the details bury you before you know it.
Before making those elaborate plans, take a little time to savour your engagement. Remember what it’s about: the two of you starting a life and possibly a family together.
The wedding will come eventually, so embrace this beautiful experience you have right now.
Call Your Family
I know you’re probably excited and want to shout from the rooftops that you’re engaged. But take a moment before posting a general announcement on social media.
You should call your family and the friends you most want to share the fantastic personal news with. More than likely, they’d prefer to hear about it from you directly rather than on Facebook.
Go Out to Celebrate
I’m not saying you have to throw yourself a huge engagement party (but of course you can, if you want to). However, taking a moment to celebrate this landmark with you, your partner, and possibly even a few of your closest friends might be the best way to enter into your engagement.
Then Create the Social Media Post
Once you’ve given yourself time to relish your engagement and inform your best friends and family, you can share it. Some people still like to publish a classic newspaper announcement, but let’s be honest: Social media has changed how we communicate with our networks.
Decide how you want to announce your journey to matrimony to the world. Take a photo of your ring, or yourself and your partner, with a caption about how the proposal happened and your plans to get married.
Start Thinking About the Date
Before you can make any plans for your wedding, you’ll want to draw up a general timeframe for when you wish to get married. Allow yourself to be a little flexible with the date.
Venues and other vendors may not have your desired date available or might offer attractive discounts for different days of the week.
Be Open About Your Budget
The key to a successful marriage is exercising good communication skills. It is imperative when you discuss your finances.
Money is one of the most significant issues that can lead to marital struggles between a couple. Be open when discussing your wedding budget.
Don’t be afraid to be honest about any concerns you may have or specific desires about your wedding. It is the time to start practising your communication skills: before you officially tie the knot.
Make an Ideal Guest List
The number of guests you plan to invite will significantly impact your budget. Make a rough draft of your ideal guest list. Include every person you’d want to invite, regardless of whether you believe they’d come or not.
Once the list is complete, you’ll be able to compare your finances and see if you can afford a venue that fits that many people . . . or if trying to feed the masses will break your wedding budget.
Together, you may trim away any individuals you think would not be realistically likely to attend the wedding or you suspect won’t need an invitation sent to them.
Take a Break
You’re not going to have any fun planning your wedding if you grow too stressed by your laundry list of things to do. Take a break from it all; step back from your lists and go back to enjoying your engagement.
You still have other responsibilities such as your job, bills to pay, and living your daily life. It’s all right to take a breather for as long as before diving back into all the planning.
Conclusion:
Your engagement period should be a time to dream about the excitement of your future together and to revel in the love you have for each other. If you start to feel overwhelmed, take a step back.
Your wedding planning checklist isn’t going to go anywhere. You’re still engaged to the love of your life. Enjoy this time together, and only start to nail down your official plans once you’re ready.
