You Just Got Engaged-Now What?
Well, congratulations are in order! You are engaged and chances are you have been dreaming about this day for years. It can be an exciting, nervous and busy time and that’s why we are here. You will have no worries left after checking out all of these tips for what to do once you are finally engaged.
First Things First…
First things first, take a deep breath! Soak in this feeling of elation and commitment. Spend a moment or more with your significant other and just be together and engaged. There can be something incredibly sexy about having that secret joy between the two of you for some time.
Depending on how you got engaged and what your partner planned, maybe you can take a night or if you’re lucky, a long weekend away to just be together while newly engaged.
Time To Alert The Masses!
Once you are chomping at the bit to tell your parents, friends or coworkers, do it! But do it in person. There is no greater feeling than seeing that hopeful excitement on the faces of those closest to you. Also, you don’t want your dearest friends and family to find out via Facebook. If you can’t actively see them, call them!
For some, the previously mentioned step may be accompanied by a firing squad full of questions and concerns. Again, take a deep breath! This can be overwhelming for you but those who love you are excited. And part of your role as Bride and Groom is to be understanding in the fact that your family has also been waiting for this day! The feeling your parents and guardians are having now is a feeling you will only understand once having kids of your own.
The best thing to do is to have some pre-rehearsed responses to placate those questions. For example, when sweet Aunt Vera wants to know about the venue, dress and bridal shower, distract her by discussing the things you do have planned. Tell her that you aren’t sure about those things but would like a Spring wedding, or you don’t know about your dress but are sure you want to get it at BLANK store.
Trust me, this will help!
Details, Details
Next, its time to work on the logistics of the big day. There are a lot of things that need to be considered. You can find amazing planning books at places like Barnes and Noble and Marshall’s. Get one. Even if you don’t use it, you can always reference it. Sometimes it helps to be able to refer to some of the etiquette that comes along with weddings. Even if you don’t do everything or anything that it says, you still need to make the decisions and it helps if they are informed.
Some of the crazy important things to discuss and agree upon right away are: date, season, time of year and budget.
These things need to be decided because wedding venues book up months, even years in advance. Dresses take time to be hemmed and fitted. Food needs to be ordered. Once you get the things that need to be planned in advance planned, you will be able to relax so much more and relish in all of the fun stuff that comes along with planning your wedding.
Bridal Party Picking
Oh the bridal party. The best (or hardest) decision of your life. Too many, too little, not enough family, too much family. There are a million things that can go wrong but more importantly a million things that can go right. The greatest advice is to just focus on picking people who will be helpful, supportive and fun!
Once you decide on your party, sit down with them and discuss the way things are going to go. Communication is going to be your best friend during this process so get familiar with it! And communicate your expectations of the Bridal party while preparing and planning the wedding. Do you want a Bridal Shower? Bachelorette Party? Brunch? Spa? Talk about it!
When thinking about your dress or outfit, think about all of the features. You will need to consider: Dress, Undergarments, Jewelry, Shoes, Makeup and Perfume or Cologne. Having an idea of these things ahead of time makes it easier to make other decisions along the way and is one less thing to worry about as the day gets closer.
Honeymoon Preference!
Another enormous factor to consider is the honeymoon! There is one big decision that needs to be made when concerning the honeymoon right off the bat and that is; Do you want to leave right after your wedding for the honeymoon or take a few days, months or years to recover financially before going on a honeymoon? There is no right way to do this, it is whatever works for you and your family.
Once you decide, you can either relax and know that when the time is right you will start to plan or you need to start and plan right away. This could be an added stress but many couples say that it is totally worth it. This is the time to sit down with your partner, not your family, to decide where you want to go and what your honeymoon budget should be.
At the end of the day, though it may seem overwhelming, these are the days of your life you want to remember and enjoy. You don’t want to be rushing around and stressed. Any measures you can take to plan in advance and take care of the not-so-fun tasks will make all the difference on the big day.
