4 ways to make the most of your time AS A NEWLY ENGAGED COUPLE
Congratulations! You just got engaged to the love of your life, and you’re ready to start planning the perfect wedding… I BEG you to PAUSE!
The period between your engagement and your wedding day is a unique and special time in your life that deserves to be truly treasured. It can be SO EASY to get wrapped up in all of the details and decisions of wedding planning that couples forget to take a second to breathe. And not just breathe, but celebrate! Getting engaged is a milestone in-and-of itself! And the period of time you spend as fiances is an incredible and unique phase of any relationship.
I had the chance to chat with some of the incredible wedding pros across the Pacific Northwest. Inspired by them and encouraged by their words of wisdom when it comes to making the most of this treasured time, we’ve created a roadmap to help newly engaged couples pause, breathe in, and appreciate your fiance status.
Located in Wilsonville, OR there is an unexpected refuge from the everyday world, a place for calm, relaxation, and a lot of heart and soul. Soak Box, located at 30060 SW Boones Ferry Rd Suite 32, Wilsonville, OR 97070 is simply put, a space for body and mind wellness. In the throes of wedding planning it is important to have that place you go to escape and recenter yourself. Owners Sally Novitsky and Katie Green warmly welcome you into this space and will send you back out into the world feeling refreshed, recharged, and ready to tackle life’s chaos.
Tip #1: Celebrate your engagement and tell those who matter.
Your engagement is a time to celebrate the love and commitment you share with your partner. You’ve made a decision to spend the rest of your lives together. That’s a decision that’s deeply personal! But it’s also one that likely didn’t happen without the input, advice, and support of friends and family along the way.
Balancing how to stay true to your relationship and keep your loved ones in the loop at the same time can be tricky, and that’s something to be celebrated! Take the time to mark this special occasion in a way that feels meaningful to you so you can be intentional about when, and how, you share the news.
Celebrating your engagement is such a great thing to do! A celebration dinner with family and/or friends can be a great way to include others in the celebration or if wanting to do something private together, plan a getaway to celebrate. Whichever brings you joy and is the best for you – make time to celebrate in that way!”
“Find sweet small or large ways to tell your friends and family that are aligned with your own style, story, and relationships. Not everyone wants a big formal party, but some families and couples absolutely need and treasure that setup. Honor yourselves. Each couple is unique, but be sure to make it work for both of you how you share this news.”
TIP #2: Reflect + thrive while wedding planning
As you begin the wedding planning process, use this time to reflect on your relationship and the journey that brought you to this moment. Be intentional about creating space to reflect on your engagement, in the midst of all the vendor meetings, family negotiations, and logistical details. Think about the challenges you’ve overcome and the experiences that have brought you closer together.
While you’re engaged, take the time to appreciate the qualities that you love about each other and to express your gratitude for the love and support you receive from your partner.
Remember to take time together away from the engagement. Spend at least one mealtime a week purposely NOT discussing anything wedding related and instead focus on your goals as a family/couple.
TIP #3: PRIORITIZE YOUR RELATIONSHIP
Wedding planning can be stressful and time-consuming, and it’s easy to get wrapped up in the details and lose sight of what really matters. Before you start planning your wedding, make sure that your relationship is your top priority. And while you’re planning your wedding? Continue to check-in with each other!
Take the time to communicate openly and honestly with each other about your expectations and concerns while you’re engaged, and make sure that you’re both on the same page about what’s important to you.
“Make sure to go on dates and enjoy this season of life being engaged. Don’t make your whole relationship about the wedding as it’s just a season of the relationship.”
“Make a point of putting their relationship first and try not to feel pressured into wedding prep right away if they don’t want to. Date nights, weekend getaways, etc. are always great! There is nothing wrong with short or long engagements. Do what is best for you!”
Speak with a coordinator and let them help you design the perfect themed wedding! Ask your photographer what will look best in photos and what will not. This will create an amazing and fun experience for all!
TIP #4: Create, and enjoy, a meaningful celebration of your love!
By taking the time to celebrate being engaged and reflect on your relationship, you’ll be better equipped to plan a wedding that truly reflects your values and priorities. Time and time again we talk to couples who got married years ago. Their most common regrets? Getting too swept up in trends, or in trying to please everyone else, instead of doing what felt right to them. Instead don’t get swept up in the latest wedding trends or trying to please everyone else.
We’re not saying you have to ignore everything everyone says (although we aren’t saying you shouldn’t do that either…) but centering your relationship, taking time to breathe, and being intentional about your goals and priorities can help you focus on creating a meaningful and memorable celebration that honors your relationship and the love you share.
“While engagements are a super exciting time in one’s life, they can also be utterly exhausting and busy. My recommendation is to take all of the opportunities you can whilst wedding planning to make ordinary tasks and appointments FUN by scheduling them as or adjacent to date night(s) too. Your tastings, fittings, rental showroom appointments, site visits, etc. can all become long weekends together, or fun nights out to try new restaurants and experience new places.”
“Set regular planning check ins and decide together what elements you each want to tackle either together or individually. If you have no interest in selecting a DJ then let your partner do that. But if you both feel strongly that an epic wedding photographer is a priority, then plan those meetings together. “
Our wedding pros have seen it all, so we’ll leave you with some final advice from Katelynn Clauson of Daisy and Sun Events: SOAK IT IN…I couldn’t have said it better myself.
