What to expect when you're engaged — Part 1: Being newly engaged

You've found the perfect groom.

He's given you the perfect ring.

Now what?

This is a question a lot of ladies are asking themselves this time of year. A sparkly diamond came over the holidays (or will come on Valentine's Day!), and now it's wedding planning season.



Since I'm also planning a wedding (see corny photo of me above), I thought I'd take some time to share a little of my insight with brides. Why does your wedding photographer have this insight? Well, we see lots of brides at lots of different points in their engagement. We see what works for them, as well as what stresses them out. Besides, Mike was married barely two years ago, so the wedding planning is fresh in his mind, too.

Step 1: Breathe.

Seriously, take a deep breath, close your eyes, focus on the feeling of that fantastic ring on your finger. Think about the amazing man you've found to spend forever with .... and smile.

The first few hours (days and weeks, actually) after getting engaged are EXCITING. Figuring out how to tell friends and family is always fun. (Tip: Be SURE to tell all family members/best friends BEFORE changing your Facebook or MySpace profile status .... my little brother was cranky that he found out I was engaged via Facebook).

One option for extended friends and family is to send an e-mail. This is especially handy, and a good place to include the story of HOW he proposed (because EVERYONE wants to know ALL about the proposal!). Once you've typed it into e-mail, then you don't have to verbally tell everyone (because as odd as it sounds, repeating the story over and over and OVER does get old).

Be sure to check back for updates!