What to Do First When You Get Engaged
Photo: Sawyer Baird
We have worked with hundreds of couples on planning and design and meet most brides when that engagement ring is so freshly on their fingers. So many are wondering where to begin. Believe it or not, etiquette plays a huge role in engagements, even before the wedding planning begins. Regardless of your dreams for the big day, a huge wedding or elopement, destination or home town affair, we’ll teach you how to get started. Here are the first three rules or, as we like to call it, the Etiquette of Engagement.
Take some time to soak it in as a couple.
If you haven’t yet told a soul, wait a few days and celebrate alone. Once the floodgates are open, it’s hard not to feel bombarded with cheers and questions and information. Even if you’ve already spread the news, remember that it always comes down to the two of you. Carve out some one-on-one time to spend as a couple, dreaming about the future, sharing your wedding must-haves and no-ways, and deciding what is important to you both for your engagement, wedding, honeymoon, and beyond.
When you can, share the news in person.
In the blink of an eye (or the tap of a finger), you can go from 0 to 100 real quick. Before you “socially announce” your big news, a.k.a. FB status update/#Instagram story/Snapchat/group text, tell those nearest and dearest in person. Or on FaceTime, if that’s the closest thing to it. Parents, grandparents, siblings, and besties will all appreciate the sentiment.
Don’t overshare on social media.
One more note about the blessing and the curse that is technology. Remember that not all of your Facebook friends will be invited to the wedding, nor will they probably be interested in round-the-clock updates about your recurring nightmare, strapless bra woes, absentee bridesmaid, the cramp in your finger from writing thank you cards, etc. etc. etc. Share your photos and updates with tact and grace.
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Kristine Cooke, owner & lead planner at Simply Charming Socials, has been helping her clients plan the wedding of their dreams for over a decade. Now, she’s sharing her planning expertise with you! Sign up for Cygnet: A Simply Charming Socials Newsletter to receive helpful tips and resources delivered straight to your inbox, so you can stay stress-free while planning your special day.