We’re Engaged! Now What Do I Do?

The Engagement Eight: 8 things you should do right after the proposal:

1. Update your Facebook status to “Engaged” and give your friends something really interesting to talk about!
2. Make sure your diamond engagement ring fits perfectly so you don’t lose it. (The store where he purchased the ring will likely provide complimentary sizing.)
3. Throw an engagement party. Get creative and incorporate things you both love. Wine tasting, a Mexican brunch, or maybe a cupcake & cocktail party?
4. Start looking for your wedding dress. (But just between you and me, you’ve already been looking, right?)
5. Create a Pinterest board with your inspirational wedding ceremony and reception photos.
6. Download a wedding plan app for your iPad or register on The Knot to get started with managing all the dates, lists, tasks and vendor searches.
7. Decide on the budget – then add a 10% cushion to everything, because chances are you’ll go over.
8. Pick your wedding date. (Be sure to first check with your preferred ceremony and reception sites to make sure the date is available.)

Now that you’re engaged you’ll find another 150 wedding-related tasks to add to this list. The key is to NOT get overwhelmed – take the planning one day at a time, and remember to have fun. And under no circumstances should you allow yourself to turn into Bridezilla. Fine for a reality show, but in real life, not so much.