10 immediate things to do when you get engaged! We spoke with Brides Magazine about the first first first things a newly engaged person should do. Look, everyone is going to give you their advice on the steps to start planning but these are the tips just for you personally on how to enjoy/prepare for your very recent engagement.
Here is the full list of tips we gave to Brides. They had to be weeded down for the article but think the others will still benefit you newly engaged folks:
1) Look around where you are, save a keepsake, take everything in. What song was playing in the background? What kind of moon was it? Might be nice to have the actual sand, grass, leaf your fiance kneeled down on. Don't let your engagement be a blur.
2) call your important people BEFORE you change your status on Facebook so that's not the way they find out
3) Get your nails done. People are going to ask to see your ring, which is subsequently on your hand and so you will be showing your hands and nails to a lot of people in the coming weeks.
4) Speak to your accountant about what date would be best for you to joint file, might play into when you legally want to get married as you start getting ready to set the date. Also look up when will be best to go on honeymoon if you'd like to leave for a trip right after your wedding.
5) Cancel your haircut appt or just get a trim. You'll prob want that grown out for the wedding.
6) stop eating carbs. just kidding. sort of.
7) Record a video interview of yourselves so you can remember the moment and recap it. Like a video diary.
8) Speak with other engaged couple friends to make sure you don't have a scene from bride wars, allow honeymoon time
9) Don't even think about going for walkthroughs at venues until you have both of these 1) budget 2) guest count
10) Maybe not call everyone immediately and just spend the day with each other and enjoying the calm happiness before you pop open the can of ecstatic joy from all your friends and family. There's plenty of time to share the news but you only get a few private moments for you two like this.
11) Try not to have an out of body experience and listen and absorb the words your man is saying to you when he's proposing
12) Be mindful who you talk to your wedding about because they may assume they are a wedding party member or guest, when they are not. Whoops!
13) Someone's idea of best band they've ever seen doesn't necessarily fit your criteria. Everyone wants to be the authority and will give you their list of favorite vendor from their wedding, their cousin's, their neighbor's coworker's sister's wedding,... Be gracious and ready but don't feel pressured to use all the same vendors your sister did.
14) Ever watch say yes to the dress when they bring 10 people shopping? Only bring people who you really value their opinion. Otherwise travel light. This is not something the village needs to vote on.
15) Your favorite color/flower/dress will change 6 times at least. This is normal and part of the process. Don't feel afraid/hesitant to start collecting ideas of things you like, you're not committed to it and it's not the final decision by a long shot so just get going!
16) Make sure your fiance knows it is his wedding too (and mean it!) and do what you can to make him feel invested and that his opinions truly count and are as valuable. Don't get frustrated that he doesn't care more when he's checked out at the last floral sample meeting when he wasn't involved in the first 3 meetings or in selecting anything.
17) As long as you've been dreaming about your wedding day, your parents have been thinking about it for even longer. The event is in honor of you and your fiance but it is about them as well so try to keep an open mind to their thoughts on tradition, guest list, etc. It's a big day for them too.
18) If you're thinking of hiring a planner best to do it before you book the venue. There are so many times a client comes to me and I wish I could undo some of the planning and take them to the venue that would have really been a better fit for them.
19) There are so many options. Too many options. Brides suffer from "analysis paralysis" and drive themselves crazy trying to research the best deal, best photographer, best, ... What's best is if you stay sane, enjoy the options and be happy in your decisions and then don't look back. No buying the second or third dress!
20) Don't lose sight of what the wedding is about really. It's not about the celadon and aubergine color story. Promise yourself you will let go and not obsess about the details and enjoy your wedding day no matter what weather forecast it is and even if the DJ accidentally played the wrong first dance song.
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