If you haven’t heard the news, Justin and I got engaged back in September! You can read all about the proposal here, and check my Instagram for lots of ring pictures and updates!
Since then, I’ve been doing a lot (& I mean a lot) of reading and research on weddings. We’ve decided to have a bit of a longer engagement (two years ish), as we don’t plan on doing any major planning or booking until the new year.
So far it’s been so fun just to read up, throw ideas around and fantasize a bit.
I’ve come across a lot of information about being newly engaged, and I thought it would be fun to share that! Though we already live together, so not much has changed (or will change with marriage), some things do feel different now that we’re engaged.
So whether you’re in a serious relationship and thinking of getting engaged soon, are dreaming of your wedding day, or are freshly engaged like myself, I hope these tips can help you know what to expect!
What To Expect After Getting Engaged
All Eyes On Me
One thing I didn’t really expect was the attention. Of course it’s an exciting time and everyone is so happy for you, but it’s not like when everyone sings to you on your birthday. It’s so much more than that.
Now I’m assuming it’s majority women reading this, so sorry dudes, but the gals do get a bigger chunk of the attention. You really do feel so special when sharing your proposal with the people who love you most.
And with all the events surrounding an engagement and planning a wedding, there’s going to be many times that the spotlight is going to be on you.
I know that can be intimidating, especially if you’re someone who’s really not an attention seeker, but really try to embrace it. This is such a special time in your life, a time that’s probably only going to happen once, so embrace the love and attention. It can really make you feel good about yourself.
Check out this post for another way to help boost your confidence!
Wedding Bells
The biggest and most popular question you’re bound to be bombarded with is always, “So when’s the big day!?” Some people go into an engagement with a date already set in place (which is totally cool, kudos!!) but many others tend to get overwhelmed by the question, which can sometimes be literally minutes after the proposal.
If you’re overwhelmed by that question, take some time to enjoy each other and the attention, and just be honest with people. If you have a date, sure! Share it if you want! For us, we roughly have a year and season we plan on getting married, and that’s basically all we’ve shared. Letting people know that stops them from asking any more.
And if you have really no idea when yet, tell people that! They’ll stop asking and trust me, that question will die down pretty quickly.
Oh Hey, Fiance
I can’t be the only one who thinks the word “fiance” comes off a littttttle snobby!?
It definitely takes some time to get used to calling your partner “fiance” instead of boyfriend or girlfriend. We still have a hard time not putting on a snobby accent when we use the term, but it really is so fun.
You definitely feel more like an adult couple when referring to your partner of almost 7 years as fiance instead of boyfriend.
Being able to say you’re engaged, or refer to your partner as fiance really makes your relationship feel like an adult one. It also makes you feel like people take it (and you!) more seriously. Of course it’s just a label (and a commitment you’ve made to each other), but it really makes you feel more connected to your partner.
If The Ring Fits
It’s so exciting to get that pretty little ring on your left hand – buuuut the chances of it fitting perfectly aren’t very high.
Unless you’re super prepared, had your size all matched and your fiance knew beforehand, they’re likely to buy your ring in the most common size (or larger, to be on the safe side). It really would sour the proposal a little to have a ring that doesn’t even fit over your knuckle.
For me, we didn’t find out my ring size beforehand (because he really wanted the timing to be a surprise) so my ring was much too big to begin with (aka I have miniature fingers).
We were able to get a sizer (a little rubber piece) to make the ring tighter for awhile while I showed it off to my family, but the time did come where I had to give it back to the jeweler to be officially resized.
Be aware, depending on where your ring was bought, you may have to get it resized through the same company to uphold your insurance and warranty. In my case, my company had no on site goldsmiths, thus having to send my ring away to be resized. I was told a wait time of three weeks, but that can also depend on the time of year you get engaged (I hear around Christmas time is a much longer wait).
Getting engaged is such an exciting time in your life. Celebrating the love between you and your fiance, planning your future together, and seeing the joy in all your friends and family as they celebrate you two is so so fun.
In the midst of the stress and anxiety of wedding planning, remember why you’re even doing it – you freaking love your fiance and can’t wait to make a life together. Embrace being the centre of attention, and make sure to thank all the lovely people in your life who help to celebrate you and your love.
Stay tuned to my Instagram for more wedding updates, as well as the blog for all my wedding planning progress!
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