7 things to do as soon as you're engaged - by Alicia from The Dream Styling

Newly engaged? What to do first?

You're engaged! Congratulations!

This is the beautiful moment you've been waiting for! The sparkly ring is proudly placed upon your finger aaaand you're getting married! Is there anything more exciting?! What an amazing start to 2021. The emotions are surely very high and whilst it may feel rather surreal, add a global pandemic into the mix and things are just that little bit more crazy.

Rest assured, I am here to help guide you through every single step of this life-changing moment. I have written this little guide to walk you through the 7 starting steps, from taking the perfect ring selfie to picturing your dream day.

So, grab a glass of fizz and let the planning commence!

1. First things first. Telling your family.

& your BFFs too (unless you are keeping your engagement under wraps for a while). The last place your nearest and dearest should hear about your lovely news is through social media, so give them a ring (no pun intended) personally and tell them your exciting new status! It's more than likely your parents may already know what's been going on and are sat waiting patiently by the phone for your call!

2. Get a manicure!

This may have to be a DIY job whilst in lockdown but trust me, your hands are going to be, quite rightly, the centre of attention for the next fews weeks and not even a chipped nail should take the shine away from the beautiful ring itself - it deserves only the best! Not only that, you will find yourself staring at your left hand fairly frequently so you may want to treat yourself to a spot of paint!

I have linked a cute gel kit here if you aren't able to nip to your go-to salon at this time, opt for a bridal blush, light a beautiful candle and indulge in a little bit of self care, you are engaged after all.

3. Perfect & post your ring selfie

A picture is worth a thousand words! Once your manicure is complete and you feel ready to share with the world that you're engaged, open up that camera and give your ring the photoshoot it deserves. Capture the ring or a cute picture of you and your new fiancé to share the love. Even better—if the actual proposal was caught on film, nothing is better than that look of surprise!

4. Cheers!

Whilst it may be a little more tricky to go out for a celebratory drink at the moment, you're engaged, you deserve toasting! Perhaps it could be arranging virtual bubbles with some of your best friends and family, or a romantic home date night just the two of you.

However you choose to celebrate, this is your special moment and one thing to remember is you want to remember this moment, forever. There is absolutely no rush or pressure, relax, take it all in and enjoy every single second.

5. Engage-min

I know, I know, Engage-min, wed-min, admin in general is not the most romantic - but it is important. Just two little things to tick off the list here... Firstly, get your ring insured. When added as an additional item to your homeowner or renter's insurance policy, it's surprisingly inexpensive.

Secondly, just like Cinderella's shoes, your ring needs to fit perfectly. The last thing you want is it falling off your finger. Organise this with a jeweller as soon as you can.

6. Chat about budgets

This may be your first wedding planning headache and whilst nobody likes to talk about money, before your wedding plans can really move forward it is essential to have a figure in mind.

If you would like a sprinkling of advice on allocating your budget please drop me an email (hello@thedreamstyling.com) and I can help you go through what aspects of your wedding are most important to you... Whether that be the food, the location, the venue, the music, the décor, or the details... We will talk through what's essential and what's nice to have. This may involve some compromise, but once you have your priorities in order, allocating your budget will be that little bit easier.

7. Pinterest & Instagram!

Picture your perfect day and start pinning away. Pinterest will quickly become your best friend but be careful not to fall down a pinterest-shaped rabbit hole. It is the perfect place to gather ideas and inspiration, but please remember it is just that! What you see will no doubt be stunning shoots and weddings, where the budget may have been a little crazy. So, creating multiple moodboards to share with your chosen suppliers is an amazing start, but always be guided by your budget about what can and can't be achieved.

Instagram is a fantastic place to scroll through pages of inspiration and also where you can directly engage with and discover your dream wedding suppliers! Handy!

This stage is where you can really start to envisage your wedding day and get a little idea for what you want it to feel like, which is super important, as this is what will drive your decisions going forward. The overall look and feel will be threaded through each individual element of your planning journey, from stationery to florals.

Getting an idea of what your dream day looks like from the very start is essential when moving on to the next step of... What to book first.

Don't worry, I'll be right here to walk you through the next step very soon, so please keep an eye out for my next blog!

Once again, embrace this special moment and I am truly here to help, at any stage of your planning journey.

Lots of love,
Alicia x
The Dream Styling