Step 1: Announce the Big News. Take a beat before you go changing that status on Facebook or po...
Hi friends! I don’t know about you, but I feel like my Facebook feed and the celeb news circuit has been blowing up with engagements! ‘tis the season, after all. So, once you’re engaged what’s next? Here are some of the first things I tell brides to do.
Step 1: Announce the Big News. Take a beat before you go changing that status on Facebook or posting that ring selfie on Instagram. Make sure you inform your VIP crew (family, close friends, the dog, etc.) either in person or via phone. Once that’s done you can find a creative way to announce on social, go old school with a newspaper announcement and/or have your folks send out a formal engagement announcement.
Step 2: Enjoy the Moment! Seriously, don’t dive right into planning! Take at least a few weeks to celebrate the joyous occasion and revel in all the newfound attention. At most, you can flip through a bridal magazine or two to gaze at all the prettiness but don’t think about serious planning until you’ve had a chance to really cherish this special time.
Step 3: Insure Your Ring. Bet you haven’t thought about this one yet, right? Insuring your new sparkler is so important as it can protect against unfortunate incidents like theft, loss or damage. You can usually purchase a plan through your homeowner’s or renter’s insurance. And while you’re at your jeweler getting an appraisal, ask about the best ways to care for and clean your new bling at home.
Step 4: Determine Your Budget. This can often be a tricky conversation and it’s best to get it out of the way early on – budget will affect many (if not most) of your planning decisions, after all. Sit down with your fiancé and your family, if applicable, and figure out a reasonable budget as well as who’s paying for what.
Step 5: Decide on the Guest Count. Guest count is another crucial part of wedding planning that will influence most of your decisions. You can’t even begin some of the important tasks like venue shopping until you have an idea of how many people will be there. This is also something that goes hand in hand with budget (the more guests, the more moolah) so have an honest discussion early on with your fiancé and family about guest numbers.
Yes, there is much more planning to go after this but try not to stress out too much—these are happy times!
xox,
Mindy
Header image courtesy of Flickr/Brandon Atkinson
