You Just Got Engaged! What's Next?

Often considered one of life’s biggest, most highly anticipated and memorable moments, getting engaged is a big deal! The moment has finally come and hopefully it’s everything you had hoped for and more! You probably have a new ring on your finger (or a new hole in your bank account if you were the one who got down on one knee), a new fiancé by your side and a huge smile on your face. You are high on post-engagement bliss and the last thing you want to do is start diving into planning and details, but there are a few things that do require your attention relatively soon after the proposal has passed. 

Celebrate With Your Fiancé

You probably don’t have to think about this step as something you need to add and check-off a to-do list, but please make sure you make a point to enjoy each other as a newly engaged couple and celebrate! Whether that means cracking a bottle of champagne for a mini celebration party alone with your spouse-to-be, or simply taking the rest of the day and night to spend together and focus on each other before telling anyone else – it’s important to try to enjoy this moment before all of the post-engagement chaos ensues.

Personalized Toasting Glass

 

Call Your VIPs

It’s pretty critical that you remember to call the people that you think need to know first before you announce the news to everyone. Maybe it’s your parents, best friend, siblings, or grandma, that you feel deserves to know first, and now is the time to share the news! You might have the urge to jump on Instagram and post a ring selfie as soon as it happens, but the last thing you want is for your mom to find out along with the rest of your Facebook friends in a status update. Call your important friends and family. They will be happy to hear the news from you personally.

 

Announce It To The World!

Once you’ve told your inner circle, you can go ahead and announce the big news on social media, if that’s something you’re into. Whether it’s a simple status update, an elaborate insta-collage, a two-minute Snapchat story, or a full-on blog post – now’s the time to share the news with the social media world in whatever way you choose. If you’re looking for help with ideas, check out our blog post: Clever Ways to Announce Your Engagement.

 

Budget

It’s important that you talk about your budget early on, because most of your planning revolves around how much you are willing and able to spend. Will you be getting money from parents? Paying for it all yourselves? Figuring this all out early on is best so that everyone is on the same page and has similar expectations on what you’ll be spending money on. It’s also smart to discuss and come to an agreement on what categories are more important to you as a couple. Willing to splurge on reception entertainment but skimp on a fancy expensive cake? Is a luxurious honeymoon important? Or maybe you’re happy with a modest cabin getaway in the US and would rather spend that money on your dream venue or a destination wedding. Regardless of your personal preferences – there’s a good chance they don’t always line up perfectly with your fiancé’s, and it’s important to have this conversation early so you can move forward with planning. 

Pick A Date

Another thing that needs to be done sooner rather than later is determining a date. There is a lot to consider when picking a date – holidays, season, work schedules and more – and you’ll want to make sure you decide on a date and then have a few backups in case you need some flexibility when working with vendors. After your budget is planned, selecting the date is the first major decision that needs to be made, as the rest of your planning hinges on this choice. This is one of the main questions you’ll get asked from everyone in your life so it’s nice to have your answer ready to go.

Personalized Our Love Story Canvas Print

 

Start Thinking About Your Main Vendors

Venue, photographer, videographer, Florist, DJ and wedding entertainment - these are all major players in your wedding that usually tend to book up early in advance. Start researching different vendors that are important to you and reach out for quotes early-on so that you can make sure you have a vendor that you love and can afford for your big day.

 

Pick Your Wedding Party And Ask Them

Your wedding party is probably going to be comprised of people that are very important to you and that you really want at your wedding. It’s important to pick your bridesmaids and groomsmen, and “propose” to them early so that you can make sure they know to save the date long before the actual Save-The-Dates are mailed.

Personalized Canvas Tote - Bridesmaid

 

Relax

Take a deep breath and chill out. Now that you’ve got some of the major milestones in progress, give yourself a little bit of time to be an engaged person and go about planning your wedding at a calm, reasonable pace. While it’s inevitable that you’ll experiences some stressful times before your wedding day arrives, do your best to enjoy this time in your life. Have fun!