You’re engaged! The ring has been presented and you’re on top of the world! Congratulations! This is a huge moment in your life and one that you’ll definitely want to celebrate. Of course, the two of you have probably already had a private celebration, but now it’s time to tell your friends and family!
Announcing your engagement is a great moment. It’s great to see the excited looks on the faces of your loved ones when you tell them you’re getting married, or at least hear the excitement in their voices when you tell them on the phone. Here are some tips for telling your friends and family that you’re engaged.
Telling your Parents and Close Family
You’ll likely want to tell your parents that you’re engaged first, before you tell anyone else. After all, you don’t want them hearing the news from anyone other than you, right? If possible, meet them in person to tell them so you can see how they react and share some hugs. However, if you can’t, you should give them a call. While a lot of us don’t make phone calls very often anymore, this is certainly a situation where one is warranted. It’s probably best to tell each set of parents separately (i.e. the bride tells her parents and the groom tells his) but if they’re already great friends, you can certainly get everyone together and tell them all at once.
If you have children from a previous relationship (or from this one) you’ll want to tell them first, even before your parents. After all, this will likely affect their lives more than it will anyone else’s. Be sensitive to their needs and be aware that they may have mixed feelings about this news.
Once your parents and children know, tell your siblings and other close family members. You can do this by phone or in person. If you have a lot of people to tell, phone calls will likely make more sense logistically.
Telling your Friends you’re Engaged
Once you’ve told your parents and close family, then it’s time to tell your friends. You may want to tell your best friends individually, but there’s nothing wrong with getting your entire friend group together and telling them all at once. Again, whether you tell people in person or over the phone is up to you.
At this point, friends and family may have a lot of questions about the upcoming wedding, including who is going to be in your wedding party. They might already be offering to help! Make sure that you don’t allow yourself to get overwhelmed by the situation and start making promises you might not want to keep (such as naming bridesmaids without giving it some serious thought). If anybody asks, thank them and tell them that you haven’t really thought about it much yet (even if you have) and that you want the excitement of the engagement to die down before you do.
Announcing your Engagement on Social Media
Social media is one of the easiest and most instant ways to announce your engagement. However, you’ll want to tell your closest friends and families in person or on the phone first. After all, you’ll want to see or hear their reactions in person. Plus, some people may be offended if you announce on social media without tell them first. You are likely bursting with excitement and anxious to post your engagement online, but make sure you talk to the most important people in your life and tell them personally first.
However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t post your engagement on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat or whatever social network you choose. Not only are these great ways to tell a whole bunch of people at once, but they’re also great places for showing off your engagement ring! If you’re looking for tips for taking a great photo of your engagement ring for social media, we’ve got you covered.
Dealing with the Response
Once you post the news of your engagement on social media, be prepared for an avalanche of congratulatory texts, phone calls, emails, and messages. This can be overwhelming, but it can also be really fun. Enjoy yourself!
Be Yourself
As with every aspect of your relationship, it’s important to be yourself and celebrate and announce your way. While we’ve given you some tips, you’ll obviously want to do what feels right for you. As long as you announce your engagement with love and excitement, there’s really no wrong way to do it. Congratulations again!
