13 Things NOT to Do Right After You Get Engaged
January 13, 2021
Raise your hand if you just got engaged over the holiday season!
December is the most popular time to pop the question, probably because most are reunited with friends and family. And if you’ve fallen into the category of saying “yes” to getting married over the holidays, you’re probably feeling all the things right now—excitement, anxiety, anticipation—but there’s no need to be overwhelmed. So many of us here at Enchanting by Mon Cheri have been there, done that, and there’s one thing that we all agree on: it helps to get a little guidance during these initial engagement stages.
Below—the 13 things we wish we knew not to do when we got engaged:
1. Don’t post to social media before you tell your closest friends and family
Your grandma shouldn’t know after your casual friend from college who took the same biology class as you does. While your first instinct might be to rush to social media to let everyone and their dog know you just got engaged, we’re here to tell you to take a deep breath and chill. Call your closest friends and family before you blast out an Instagram post to the world.
2. Don’t skip out on getting a manicure
Girl, those hands are about to be on display, so do not put off getting a manicure. If getting a manicure isn’t your thing, that’s cool, but at least make sure your nails are clean and shaped because the last thing you want is for your friends to be focused on your chipped nail polish or bitten nail beds. Yikes.
3. Don’t listen to every piece of advice
For some reason when people hear that you just got engaged, they think that you need to hear their unsolicited advice. While there’s no need to be rude, it’s important for you to keep in mind that not everything people have to say is going to be useful for how you want to plan your wedding. A simple, “thanks! I’ll keep that in mind,” will suffice enough to get them off your back.
4. Don’t forget to insure your ring
This probably isn’t the first thought that crosses your mind which is why it’s so important we point it out to you! Insuring your ring isn’t the most romantic task, but if bad luck comes your way and the ring becomes lost, you’ll definitely want to have this done. Plus, when you add it as an extension to your homeowner or renter’s insurance policy, it’s quite inexpensive.
5. Don’t start wedding planning right away
There’s no need to start calling every wedding dress boutique, catering company or wedding planning service the day after you get engaged. Take a couple of weeks to let the excitement settle before you embark on the wedding planning journey. You’ll have plenty of time to stress over the small details for the next year or so.
6. Don’t wear a wedding ring that doesn’t fit
Let us repeat: Don’t. Wear. The. Ring. If. It. Doesn’t. Fit. While we know you don’t want to let go of that wedding ring even for a second, the smartest decision is to get it resized immediately if it doesn’t fit correctly. Imagine it falling off your hand and then losing it forever—yeah, no thanks.
7. Don’t book anything immediately
Chill, girl, chill. We know you’re going to be tempted to book your dream wedding venue right away, but like we said in tip #5, there’s no need to rush. You and your partner need to make sure that you have a clear vision in mind for your wedding day before you start signing checks and putting down deposits. We promise it’s all going to come together!
8. Don’t buy your wedding dress too soon
You’ve probably had a good idea of what you want your wedding dress to look like before you even got engaged. That being said, we’re advising you to hold back on booking with boutiques right away. Take some extra time to search online through a wide variety of wedding dress styles so that you have a lower risk of changing your mind during the shopping process.
9. Don’t be scared to discuss the budget
We know that money is the absolute worst to discuss, but you’re about to be married anyway so now’s the time to get comfortable with the subject! Make sure that you and your partner are on the exact same page when it comes to the wedding day budget before you start scheduling appointments with vendors. You’ll thank us for this later.
10. Don’t procrastinate building a wedding website
This is a must! A wedding website is incredibly helpful in terms of keeping your guests all on the same page with event info (especially during COVID-19). You can build your site from scratch if you want a little challenge or choose from one of the many beautiful wedding website templates out there.
11. Don’t overlook trunk shows
This is for those brides-to-be out there that already know what designer they want to wear on their wedding day. Check out their website to see when they’ll be in town and try on all of their new wedding dresses to see which one you want to flaunt down the aisle.
12. Don’t wait to plan the engagement party
If you’re wanting to throw an engagement party, start planning it ASAP! Even if it’s low key or you want friends and family to plan it for you, it’s important to get everyone on the same page before too much time passes.
13. Don’t forget to take a deep breath and relax
Remember that all of this scheduling and organizing isn’t the top priority here. What really matters is that you and yours get to say “I do” to a lifetime with each other. Always keep that in mind as you embark on this wedding planning journey together, and make sure to spend quality time together throughout this process. Have a picnic at your favorite park or stay in and cozy up to a classic movie—it’s all about love at the end of the day!