I'm Engaged? Now What?
By Staff Writer
Congratulations! We hope you enjoyed the moment right before your honey popped the question, because it was probably the last moment of undisturbed peace you’re going to have for a while! However, most newly engaged couples are excited to start planning the wedding, even if it means weekends spent tasting wedding cake and checking out churches. So, what is an engaged woman to do?
First, take a few days to notify loved ones. Traditionally, the bride’s parents are the first to know, followed by the groom’s parents. Grandparents, siblings, and BFFs come next, and the word of your engagement should spread naturally from there.First Things First
Then, let yourself in a few days or weeks of being an engaged bride-to-be. Sign up at wedding websites, take a first look at dresses, and let yourself start daydreaming a little bit. This time is a very special transition, in which something you may have thought about or dreamed about for a long time becomes a reality. Let the engaged-ness of it wash it over you and enjoy the moments of giddiness and, yes, weirdness that follow.
Next, it’s time to start talking about timing. How long will you need to plan the wedding? What month do you want to get married in? Is there a special place you’ve always dreamed of that has a waiting list? You don’t have to nail down an exact date, but you and your fiancé need to get on the same page now that you’re engaged, whether that means next summer or two years from now.Don't Wait Too After You're Engaged to Decide on This...
Before too long, it’s time to discuss boundaries and responsibilities. How much family involvement do you want? Who is paying for the wedding? Often these two questions are entirely interlinked. However, the point is to decide together, as a newly engaged couple, how you want your wedding planning to go. It’s easier to let people know that you either need their help (or don’t!) before they’ve become very invested—and having a united front between you and your sweetie can make this tricky process infinitely easier.
So you’ve talked about when and how, but have you talked finances? Now’s the time. Are you hoping for an all-out shindig or a low-key affair? Decide together—it may take some compromise. We can’t emphasize enough how important it is to your future together to create a reasonable budget for the wedding (that does not include charging things on your credit cards!). Once you know what you have to work with, you can start making the important decisions.Engaged to a Location
Next, start talking location. If you two have family in different places (or you both live far from family), this may take some compromise, but it needs to get handled sooner rather than later. The overall costs of a wedding can vary wildly from city to city and families will want to know about what plans they need to make way in advance. Once you’ve decided on a city, start visiting wedding locations. Since the location may determine what other services you need (caterer, decorator, etc.), knock this one out first and let everything fall into place from there.
Finally, enjoy. Being engaged is an awesome experience, so enjoy every moment of it, even if that just means sneaking an extra glance at your left hand every few moments.
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