9 things to do after you get engaged

If you got engaged over the festive period, congratulations! Here’s what you need to do next…

You’re engaged! Congratulations! After they’ve popped the question and you’ve finished freaking out, you might be left feeling like you have loads to do and no idea where to start. Don’t panic – here are the 10 most important things to do after you get engaged.

Tell your closest ones first

It might be tempting to immediately update your Facebook status with an ecstatic selfie and that little blue ring icon, but hold your horses on telling everyone online until your family have been told. Of course, it’s natural that a couple would call or see both sets of parents first, but you should also give them a chance to update grandparents and close family members before they hear about it from your Insta feed.

Get your engagement ring insured

This is a boring one, but extremely important if you don’t want to risk heartbreak further down the line. It’s likely that your engagement ring is one of the most expensive pieces of jewellery you own, so get that sparkler insured ASAP if your fiancé (eee!) hasn’t done so already. If you didn’t get an appraisal with the ring, you can always take it to a reputable jewellers and get it done separately. Trust us, this is a little task that can really take a weight off your mind.

Buy a ring holder

Speaking of keeping your ring safe, it’s always a good idea to pick up a ring holder to put your e-ring in when you’re not wearing it. You can keep it by your bedside, but our suggestion is to keep it in the kitchen for when you’re cooking or washing up and need somewhere to stow your ring that isn’t by the sink or in your back pocket. It’s a practical way to prevent accidents, plus a cute first purchase as a bride-to-be!

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Discuss your ideal wedding with your new fiancé 

Okay, now you can start thinking about the big day! If you haven’t already, have a chat with your other half about what kind of wedding you’re both envisioning. We’re not talking tiny details like napkin colours here – we mean the big questions. Do you want a huge party with all your friends and family, or a more intimate celebration with a select few? Do you want to have it overseas or in the UK? Do you want a black-tie event or a casual garden party? Is there a particular season you’d prefer? Having a chat early on about how you want your wedding to feel, is a great way to get any potential clashes out in the open, and to give you some ideas of what you’d ideally have. Current restrictions will no doubt impact your plans, so have a think about whether you want to get married sooner and work within the guidelines, or hold off for a year or two until things might have calmed down.

Discuss the budget

Once you’ve discussed what kind of day you’d like, it’s time to decide what you can actually afford, and start putting a savings plan together. It can be difficult to know exactly what kind of prices you’re looking at for your dream day until you start getting quotes. If your parents are contributing to the wedding fund, make sure you have a talk with them BEFORE committing to anything, as you may find their number is smaller than anticipated.

Guest list

A big part of setting out your wedding budget is knowing how many guests you’re inviting for the big day. Again, this will depend on when you’re planning to get married and what the Covid restrictions will be at that time. Under normal circumstances, we would advise that you sit down with your fiance and draft out a dream guest list, including all extended family members and plus ones – it’s much easier to cut down a guest list than it is to add people at a later date if circumstances change! Don’t forget to ask your parents for their list too! When you have a first draft, you can then go through and decide who you want to be at the ceremony and who’ll be invited to the reception only (again, if restrictions allow). Once you have this number, you’ll know what size venue you’re looking for and will be able to get more exact quotes.

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Book your photographer and venue

It may be tempting to dive head-first into planning EVERYTHING, but we highly recommend getting these two sorted before anything else, as they both tend to book up over a year in advance. Your venue is the first thing you should book, as everything else works back from this, and it’s likely to take up a large percentage of your budget. Once you’ve found your ideal location, get in touch with your dream photographer (or ask your venue for their recommended suppliers) and get them to save the date. Once you’ve put deposits down on these two, you can breathe a sigh of relief and relax a little!  Speaking of which…

Chill out

There’s no denying that wedding planning can immediately take over a couple’s lives, so don’t forget to take a break and just enjoy being engaged for a little while. Don’t feel pressured to immediately make decisions or start spending your money – take things at your own pace, and remember to enjoy yourself.

(Main image by www.shoottheday.co.uk)

Head to our Planning Section now to start organising your big day!