12 Things to Do as Soon as You Get Engaged

I have now been officially engaged for a bit over a month and now am in full swing wedding planning mode.  We have chosen a date and  while the s is still fresh I wanted to share my recommendations on the best things to down you first get engaged while it is still fresh in my mind (some of which I did and some of which I wish I had known on day one):

1. Keep it Under Wraps  – I waited for days before posting on social media and this is something I could not suggest strongly enough.  Call your parents, call your siblings and then get in touch with your close family and close friends.  From my perspective everyone important to you should hear it from you before they see it on Facebook. 
2. Get a Manicure – You are going to be staring at your left hand more than you ever have, plus dozens of people will ask for photos (or if you get engaged outside of COVID, tons of people will ask to see your hand in real life) and pretty nails will set off that new piece of bling. 
3. Insure the Ring  – While at this moment you can not think of taking it off, you will want to make sure you insure your engagement ring against accidental damage, loss and / or theft. And if it does not fit quite right, make sure you get that sorted too! 
4. Discuss Wedding Details – Before you get too far into planning making sure you and your fiancé are on the same page regarding key elements such as  budget, size, location, and religious-ness will save you stress down the line. 
5. Think about a Date – It is going to be one of the most common questions you will get and once you know your location and general time line, you can work backwards.
6. Gather Inspiration – Between now and your wedding there will be nearly a hundred decisions you will have to make from a dress and decor to makeup and arrangements and I would suggest Pinterest as a great place to start. 
7. Lock Down the Big Five – Once you have a date and a location sorting out the five elements that have the longest lead time are (1) the venue, including both the ceremony and reception (2) your food  and/or catering (3) looking into photographers – they book up fast (4) research a florist and (5) entertainment, starting with the band or DJ. 
8. Don’t Listen to all of the Advice – As soon as you have a ring on your hand unsolicited advice come at your from every angle, some will be helpful and some will make you want to clamp your hands over your ears – take it with a grain of salt and move on.
9. Chose the Wedding Party – You have likely been thinking about this for a while but when you decide on the size with your fiancé think about who you want standing next to your on your big day. 
10. Book Your Engagement Photos – Whether you have a surprise shot or a selfie from the moment you got engaged booking photos with a professional photographer helps put you in a great mood and gives you a ton of content for your save the dates, wedding website, and more. You can do these with your wedding photographer (often it is part of package) or someone else. 
11. Plan an Engagement Party – Celebrating your great news with friends and family is so exciting and putting together an engagement party also helps you get started on the guest list. 
12. Celebrate, Just You Two – While a big party will be amazing you should also make sure you have some time to celebrate just the two of you!

Hopefully you find these suggestions helpful and if you have any other suggestions please drop them in the comments below!