8 Things To Do Now That You're Engaged

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Sophia Shafiee

Last updated: 6th Nov 2023

You’re engaged, congratulations! You’re about to embark on one of the most amazing journeys of your life – and you’ve got your soulmate by your side. You’re on this rollercoaster together, and we promise it’s going to be full of love, surprises and celebration. So enjoy the ride!

As the realisation of what’s to come sets in, you might be wondering what happens next. Where do you start? Who do you tell first? How do you tell them? When should you start planning your wedding? How do you start?

Because there are so many things to do, things can get overwhelming quite quickly. But don’t worry, we’re here to guide you in the right direction and help make the next couple of weeks a lot easier, with a checklist for making sure you have everything covered.

So, in this post, we’re going to outline a step-by-step guide for everything you should do after you get engaged, from the order you should tell your family and friends to when the right time is to start making those bookings.

The wedding planning video course: kickstart your wedding planning

Now that you’re engaged, it’s time to start planning your dream wedding, but where to start? In this video, Bridebook founder (and qualified wedding planner!) Hamish Shephard breaks down your wedding organisation into 5 easy steps so you can plan stress-free and kickstart your wedding to-do list.

1. Spread the Word

You’re engaged to the love of your life – and it’s time to let everyone know! Call your nearest and dearest to tell them your big news.

2. Call in the A Team

We bet some of the first people you call will end up being key players in your wedding party. They might be your maid of honour or your best man, if you have one. Make an event of it and ask them to be by your side at your wedding over a drink or a meal out. Then start having a think about who else you want involved. Our number one piece of advice is to choose the people you love – not the people you feel obligated to have. You should be surrounded by your favourite people in the world.

3. Make the Papers

It’s not for everyone, but you might want to follow tradition by announcing your engagement in the local (or even national) newspaper. It’ll make your parents’ days, for sure. Historically, engagement announcements included lots of details about the couple’s backgrounds, families and so on. Nowadays, though, it’s up to you what you include.

4. The Social Media Shout Out

If there was ever a time to shout about something on social media, it’s now! Whether you post a cute engagement selfie with your partner to your Instagram, update your Facebook relationship status or even make a cheeky TikTok, savour this moment. It’s time to pop the champagne… Again!

5. Look After Your Ring

Have you ever worn anything so precious? So thoughtful, so sentimental, so valuable… Okay, now we’re freaking ourselves out thinking about losing it! Get your ring insured. ASAP. Then you can stop worrying and start showing it off! “Sorry, just let me hold that for you. Oh, this? Just my engagement ring. What’s that, I’ve shown it to you already? My bad…” You’re only engaged once – milk it!

6. Get the Party Started

It’s party time. Get a date in the diary to celebrate with everyone that matters. Just remember that anyone who’s invited to your engagement party is likely to expect an invitation to the wedding too… But that’s only according to “tradition” (who’s that?) – so if you want a blow-out bash, go for it! Plus, if you anticipate having to fill your guest list with second cousins at your parents’ behest, now’s the time to leave them off the list and party on down with your nearest and dearest.

7. Get Papped!

We’re sure you’ll want to remember this period in your lives forever so make sure to document it with an engagement photoshoot! It’s a great opportunity to get to know your photographer and to get used to being in front of the camera. Think of it as a test run before your wedding – so get your smiles ready!

8. Think Big Picture

Before you make any proper decisions about your wedding date, start off by sussing out what’s going to work for your nearest and dearest. Are there any other weddings happening that year? Does anyone have a big holiday booked? You don’t want to commit to a date, only to find out your best friend can’t make it. If you already know where you want to get married, have a think about when it’ll look its best. Will it really shine in summer or is it the perfect location for a winter wedding? (If you don’t know where to start looking, check out our wedding venue directory – it’s the best in Europe!)

There you have it: the first eight things to do after you get engaged. Now, isn’t it time for you to pour yourself another drink and go celebrate some more?