Get Engaged Over the Holidays?

Photo by Jennifer Dickert

While only 7% of couples get married in December…19% get engaged over the holidays.

Why?  According to this New York Times article on The Rules of Engagement…

“Christmas is by far the No. 1 day for engagements,” Mr. Vadon (CEO of BlueNile.com online jeweler) said. “It is a season when you’re thinking about other people who are meaningful in your life. People are emotional. And an engagement is an important event you want to share with others, especially your family.

“Think about it. You’re about to spend the holidays with your in-laws. There’s a little pressure there to step up and propose.”

If you just got engaged…what’s the FIRST thing you should do?

Don’t tell anyone.

I know that’s a pretty tall order as you’re just bursting to tell everyone you meet, but let me explain…

As soon as you announce your engagement, everyone starts telling you EXACTLY what you need to do, and where, and how…

Before you know it, your wedding is totally derailed and you’ve got your mother, future mother-in-law, aunts, sisters and girlfriends planning it for you.  They mean well.  They’re excited for you.  But you need some time and space to figure out what’s right for YOUR big day.

One of my brides shared her experience.  Megan’s fiance proposed just before they were about to spend a long camping weekend together.  Before they broke the news, they spent a few days enjoying their secret.  Around the campfire, they talked about their dreams for the wedding they wanted to have.

“Even though our wedding plans changed a lot before the actual wedding day,” Megan said, “it was the perfect way to get engaged.  No one was around to influence us and tell us what to do.  We just talked about our wedding dreams.  It was wonderful.”

Try to have a long, heart-felt chat with your fiance about what you want your wedding to be like…before you scream it from the rafters.

Oh, and congratulations on your engagement!