Photo Cred: Camille Catherine Photography

Congratulations are certainly in order for all of the newly engaged couples out there! Seeing those sparkly diamonds up and down my news feed has been giving me so much life this holiday season and I can no longer contain myself! With a whopping 38% of couples getting engaged between Thanksgiving and Valentine’s Day alone, it’s no surprise we in the wedding industry call this prime time Engagement Season for a reason! So now that you have a sparkly engagement ring on that finger of yours and you’re engaged, you must be thinking of #allthethings you need to take care of, but don’t be overwhelmed because we’ve got you covered with the top 10 things you need to do after you’re engaged!

Take a Moment to Celebrate!

Before the mayhem kicks in with tons and ton of congratulations from your loved ones, bask in the glory of being engaged just between the two of you. Like a special secret no one else knows about yet, pop open a bottle of champagne and enjoy the day/evening together before every one else is given the good news. Because being engaged is certainly something worth celebrating!

Get A Manicure!

A good fiancé will ensure this was secretly accomplished already ahead of time, but if the moment strikes and you’re sans a mani, be sure to step into the nearest salon to tidy up those nails. You’re going to be showing off your ring countless times over the next few weeks so best to have those nails in tip top shape for the showings.

Let Close Family & Friends Know First…Then Post the Selfie

Before your post the “Does This Mug Make Me Look Engaged” selfie be sure to let your parents, siblings, and close friends know first. In person or over the phone works well, but absolutely no text messages! Oversees on vacation when the question was popped? Find a wi-fi spot and FaceTime or Skype those back home to share the good news. Then you’re free to post that photo! And post it you must!

Photo Cred: Asico Photo

Insure Your Ring & Get it Sized!

Make sure you talk to an insurance agent about coverage in case your ring or its stones ever need to be repaired or replaced. First, get an appraisal by a certified independent gemologist; most jewelers will provide this service upon purchase and make sure you understand all the terms of the policy. Find out whether you are covered if the ring is lost, stolen, or damaged, what stipulations there are, if any, and how long the claims process takes. You might be able to add a jewelry rider to your existing homeowner’s or renter’s policy; if not, set up a separate policy. If the ring fits, great, and if not, you’ll want to take it to your jeweler stat anyways to get it sized — especially if it’s practically falling off your finger. After all, you’d hate to throw thousands of dollars down the drain mere moments after saying yes.

Simply Breathe

Now that the news is out and everyone knows, take a moment to simply breathe. Enjoy this time with your new fiancé! Believe me, in the coming months the two of you will have enough to stress about. So take this time to enjoy each other’s company and savor the moment.

Set A Budget For The Wedding

Before you jump into looking at venues or purchasing wedding dresses, sit down with your fiancé and map a budget for the wedding. Determine if either of your families will be contributing to the wedding expenses, what those items or amounts will be, and what you will be left to contribute. Make sure you and your fiancé are in agreement about your priorities before talking to your families about budget and logistics.

Photo Cred: Birds of a Feather Photography

Who Will Be In Your Wedding Party?

How many bridesmaids or groomsmen do each of you want? Do you even want a wedding party? Are you ok with having odd numbers or is an even number a must? Does one of you (or both) want a bridesman or groomslady? Will you have a maid of honor or best man? No matter what, you need to discuss these things before one of you starts popping the question to friends.

Make A List, Check It Twice

Now it’s time to create a guest list! For every person you add, remember that adds a couple hundred dollars to your final balance so if this begins to tighten your pockets you’ll need to scale back. If you wouldn’t be comfortable spending over a hundred dollars on a dinner for this person, best not to add them to the list.

Select a Venue

Once your wedding budget and guest list are finalized, it’s now time to select a wedding venue! This not only will determine the mood and formality of your wedding, but will also set the wedding  date! The popular wedding venues in our area tend to book up quickly, so best to nail down this part of planning sooner than later. Once complete, everything else will start to fall into place.

Create a Registry of Your Own!

About 70% of couples are living together before they get married, therefore the traditional Macy’s registry for toasters and coffee makers are slowly dwindling away as most couples are purchasing these items on their own. In exchange for the typical registry couples are creating Honeymoon Funds so loved ones can add cash to their dream vacations, or even select a more personal gift such as dinner on the beach, or a couple’s massage. The possibilities are endless!

Looking for more wedding advice? Be sure to check out more wedding tips we have for your big day including our recent post on Everything You Need To Know About Wedding Dress Shopping!