Popping the question is a big step in your relationship. When the day that you cannot imagine your future without your significant other arrives, taking the next step and getting engaged is a practical decision. Naturally, you might be so overwhelmed with excitement that you haven’t really thought through the steps that come next. From informing friends to planning the wedding, knowing the first steps to take after your engagement is a big help. Review these tasks and stay on the best track for your future.

Making an Announcement

The first move after an engagement is the announcement. This step has changed a bit since the dawn of social media. Once, couples went through more formal routes to let friends, family, and close associates know. Now, you can let everyone in on the news by simply posting a picture of the engagement ring to your Facebook or Instagram pages. Though it is easy, there are still a few rules of decorum to follow. Let parents, siblings, and your closest friends know via phone calls before the announcement. Once everyone important knows, feel free to post away.

Celebrate With Your Partner

After you’ve let the world know you plan on getting hitched, you might assume you need to slide right into the planning phase of the process. Actually, what you really should do is focus on your relationship for a moment. The coming year or so will be packed with obligations and tasks associated with putting together your nuptials. Before you get too far into the process, take a moment to celebrate with your partner. Take steps to enjoy your engagement by going out for a good meal or taking a small trip together. These little moments will seem that much sweeter later.

Talk About the Details

Once you’ve allowed yourself enough time to bathe in the glow of your new status as an engaged couple, you can start the preliminary chats about your wedding. Try not to dive right into planning. Make a calm transition by discussing generalities like what time of year you’d like to tie the knot or how many people you imagine inviting. The early conversations you have about your wedding will provide you both with the clarity and direction you need to get the wheels turning for your actual planning phase. 

Organize and Strategize

Most couples begin planning their weddings within a few months of their engagements. While you don’t have to adhere to any specific calendar with your own love story, it is always useful to have a general idea of what a wedding timeline should look like. Early organization will be key to your success. As you meet with vendors, discuss the budget, and compile addresses of guests for invitations, you want to keep all data in a single, organized spot. Create a binder or digital archive of everything you will need to provide peace of mind.

Communicate About the Future

You should keep open lines of communication between yourselves at all times. This way, you should have no trouble shifting from enjoying your engagement to planning your wedding. Should you have any issues, concerns, or ideas about your big day, talk to your partner. Discussing the future is the best way to both feel excited for what’s in store and prepare yourself for whatever obstacles await. What’s more, establishing solid communication habits with each other now will be a huge benefit as you enter married life together.

Your engagement is one of the big steps in life, but you should take time to consider what comes next. As long as you balance celebrating the moment with planning for the future, you will have no trouble making the most of this milestone.