If You've Just Gotten Engaged, Here's What You Have To Do Next (Slideshow)
If You've Just Gotten Engaged, Here's What You Have to Do Next
So, your soon-to-be spouse got down on one knee, asked the big question, and you excitedly said "yes!" After the initial wave of excitement hits you and passes by, you may be asking yourself: What do I do now?
Call Your Family
Getting engaged is one of the biggest moments of your life. Don't offend your family members — no matter how distant they may be — by making them discover the news via social media or through friends of friends. As soon as the news has sunk in and the big moment has passed, pick up the phone, call your loved ones, and tell them you'll be tying the knot! Oh, and be prepared to tell the story of how it happened a million times.
Get Your Ring Sized/Insured
You may want to just keep your sparkling ring on your finger and enjoy it, but an engagement ring is an expensive piece of jewelry (we hope!) and needs to be treated as such. If the band is a little too big (or too small), take it back to the jewelry store where it was purchased to make sure it's comfortable on your finger. And even though it's one of the more boring, practical parts of wedding planning, getting your ring appraised and insured is incredibly important. This ensures that if your ring flies off your finger, loses a stone, or gets lost or stolen, you'll be able to replace it.
Get a Manicure
Once you become engaged, it's as if your hands no longer belong to you. Family members, friends, and photographers will be zeroing in on your left ring finger. Make sure your nails are looking good with a professional manicure. Not only is getting your nails done a relaxing activity, but all of those engagement photos will look much better.
Make an Engagement Announcement
After you've told your family and closest friends about your engagement, it's time to let the rest of the world know about your upcoming marriage. Whether you post a gorgeous ring shot on Facebook, send out a mass email to everyone you know, or go super old-school with a newspaper announcement, it's time to make that official announcement to the outside world.
Start a Pinterest Board
Chances are you already have a secret dream wedding board on Pinterest. But now that you're officially in wedding planning mode, make that board public and start collecting ideas for table décor, flowers, colors, venues, dresses, budgeting tips, and basically everything else you need for your big day. Pinterest has been a blessing for wedding planning. Use it well.
Set a Wedding Date
The one question everyone will ask you post-engagement (other than how the proposal went down) is: "So, when are you getting married?" Never mind the dozens of factors that go into finding the ideal wedding date and venue, people want to know when the nuptials are ASAP. Even if you don't have an exact wedding day set right away — and most likely you won't — nail down a general time of when you want to get married, if only to have an answer for nosey people.
For 5 Tips for Setting the Perfect Wedding Date, click here!
Get Engagement Photos
Engagement photos may be cheesy and awkward, but they can be really useful when it comes to wedding planning. Not only will these loving shots be great mementos of your engagement period, but they can be used for your wedding website, Save the Date cards, and for decorating your wedding venue.
Budget Your Wedding
Much like getting your ring insured, budgeting your wedding (and staying within that dollar amount) is a stressful, boring part of wedding planning. But before you book the ritziest venue in town, buy a designer wedding dress, and decide you only want peonies for your bouquet and centerpieces, you may want to figure out how you're going to pay for your wedding and what you're able (and willing) to afford.
For the 14 Most Stressful Parts of Planning a Wedding, click here.
Establish a (Rough) Wedding Guest List
Everything surrounding your wedding depends on numbers. Venue sizes vary greatly, and in order to buy food, cake, favors, and invitations, you first need to know how much of everything you'll need. Make a list of everyone you need and want to invite — and, no, those aren't the same thing. Even if it's just a rough list, knowing approximately how many wedding guests you'll have will save you plenty of headaches (and money) in the long run.
For the Complete Guide to Modern Wedding Guest Etiquette, click here!
Relax and Enjoy the Time With Your New Fiancé
You only get engaged once (in theory), so here's the most important thing to remember: Have fun and enjoy yourselves. You and your significant other have made a huge step in your relationship, and you're probably feeling more in love than ever. Take time out to be happy together, celebrate your engagement with loved ones, and have a little bit of fun. You want to remember wedding planning as enjoyable, not stressful.