Wedding Wednesdays Q&A: Engagement Announcement

It’s a new year which means all new Wedding Wednesdays Q&As!  Yay!  I know you’re excited and I’m excited as well to be helping you design a destination wedding full of joy.  So, let’s get started, shall we?

Q:  I just got engaged and I was wondering when and how best to make my engagement announcement.  Is there an etiquette to this?  Is there a certain timeframe I need to do it in?

Before I answer your question, congratulations on your engagement!  We have a lot of newly engaged couples out there, so my heartfelt congrats to all of you!  So, this is a great question and I’m so glad you asked because couples are usually unsure of how best to proceed.  But don’t you worry, I’ve got you covered!

So, yes there is some etiquette when it comes to your engagement announcement, but it’s pretty intuitive.  You should definitely let your family and closest friends know first.  And you should inform them by calling or telling them in person.  Only after the most important people in your life know (on both of your sides) should you go to social media and announce it.

The mistake some couples make is that they immediately want to share it on social media because they are excited.  And it’s great to be excited, but don’t start with social media even if you love your social media.  This is news that is really personal, so share it with those you are closest to first.  Give yourself a chance to celebrate with them on a personal level before going to the masses.  How would you feel if you found out your sister was engaged on instagram?  Not great.

When you do post on social media, don’t make your single friends feel bad about being single.  Celebrate your engagement, but don’t use hashtags or statements that could potentially make others feel bad.  Just be sensitive and considerate.

Now when it comes to timing, there is no exact time when you need to tell others.  You can tell people immediately or you can wait a little bit before telling anyone, even your family and friends.  It’s totally ok to just have it be about the two of you for a little while so you can enjoy it before the questions start coming in.  However, I’d say most couples end up sharing the news within about a week of the engagement.

When it comes to announcing it on social media the timing of that really doesn’t matter much. You can share it when you like (as long as it’s after you tell your important people).  Congrats on your engagement again and enjoy this exciting time!

(Photo credit: Magnified Joy)

Are you so excited to start planning your wedding that you just can’t wait?  We understand.  Contact us today and we’ll get your wedding planning started with joy.