Congratulations! You are engaged and probably want to shout it from the rooftops! Before snapping a picture of your sparkler and posting it on social media, breathe, and call your parents.
Your Parents
Your parents will want to know first; they will feel left out and hurt if they don’t and find out after others. If you are lucky enough to have your parents paying for the wedding, telling them first is an absolute must. If you cannot tell them in person, a simple phone call will suffice, but make sure you call them before telling others.
Immediate Family and Friends
After your parents, tell some of your immediate family and then, of course, your friends. When informing your friends and family, most of them will ask you when the big day is, even just minutes after your engagement!
Some family members and friends are very eager to help, so be sure that your parents know where they stand with the wedding planning process. If your parents are helping pay for the wedding, have a meeting before plans are made to ensure you don’t go over budget.
The Rest of the World
Phone calls are best when you are announcing your engagement, but in your excitement you might want to announce your engagement on social media. If this is absolutely necessary, you might consider a picture of the two of you, or a video of the proposal, but don’t just change your status and accompany it with a picture of your ring. Email a picture of your ring to friends who ask; otherwise, it is considered bad form and tacky to post a picture of your ring.
You can still go more traditional and have a formal newspaper announcement. If you decide to do a newspaper announcement, think of doing it in your hometown, as well as the town or city that you are getting married. Some newspapers will accept your announcement over the phone, while others require a form. Inquire if they know the date your announcement will be published. While most papers offer a free announcement in the lifestyle section, others require a fee.
The more popular announcement is just a simple email announcement saying, “Hey, we’re getting married!” That’s it! You might opt for an engagement party if your family is throwing the wedding for you and your partner. Sometimes the families will keep the reason for the party under wraps so that the guests don’t know until the party announcement.
When announcing your engagement, be sure to tell your parents first, not the Internet. Make sure that all key family and friends know next, and then spread the word virtually. This will ensure that no feelings are hurt during this highly emotional time.
©Reprinted compliments of Premier Bride and Premier Bride of Mississippi. Want more? Visit www.premierbridems.com