So you’re engaged. Now what?
1) Savor the Moment
You just got engaged and you’re itching to shout it out from the nearest rooftop or at least gush about it on all your social media accounts and blog. Before you do, pause. You just agreed to marry the man you love and he probably put in a lot of time and work to ensure the perfect proposal. Enjoy the moment and celebrate with one another before you do anything else.
2) Now Shout It Out
Ready, set, go! Give your parents the courtesy of being the first ones to know. Then call the rest of your family and close friends and tell them the good news! After that you’ll need to make a public announcement in your local newspaper that you and your fiancé are officially off the market. Traditionally, the bride’s parents are responsible for this, so feel free to remind them!
3) He Put a Ring On It, Now Take Care of It!
First thing’s first, get your ring insured. Once you’ve done that, get a manicure! Everyone is going to be asking to see the ring and you’re going to spend a lot of time staring at it yourself, so make sure your hands are showcase ready.
4) Nail Down a Date
After you get engaged, you’ll be surprised how soon people will start asking you, “So when’s the big day?” First, pick a year. Then a month. Then a week. Before you know it, you’ll have your wedding date and an answer to that pesky question! Bonus: Once you have a date picked out, then you’ll be able to make a timeline for the rest of your wedding planning!
5) Tackle that Guest List
It doesn’t have to be set in stone yet, but take a crack at drafting a guest list. Having a rough estimate of your number of guests will help you and your fiancé select a venue and caterer, and create a budget.
6) Breakout the Piggy Bank
You guessed it. Now that you’ve made the announcement, insured your ring, picked a date, and started the guest list, the next step for you and hubby-to-be is to set a budget and start saving. Set aside some time for both of you to sit down and discuss how much you both are mutually comfortable spending. During the wedding planning process be sure to keep having these budget meetings so you're both on the same page and don’t exceed your budget.
And there you have it: Six quick tips on what to do once you're engaged. What's the 7th step? Call Southern House and Garden to book a venue tour! We'd love to host your special day and help with the rest of your wedding planning!