I’d argue that there are few moments in life that will make you feel happier than the moment you get engaged. If it’s happened to you, you know what I mean. There’s so much love and power behind the instant when two people share their unbridled love and decide to never let each other go. Those feelings and emotions have likely been a part of each of you for a while leading up to this moment, but they’re definitely peaking the moment you get engaged.
But beyond an emotional state of being, what changes when you get engaged?
Technical Changes
In an instant your relationship identifiers go from boyfriend(s)/girlfriend(s) to fiancés. This new identifier signals that your relationship is taking the next step. You’ll be in a new stage.
Your engagement era rips you out of the singles world and places you into the “taken” category. If you haven’t already deleted your online dating profiles, you should now. All other dating, exploring, or flirting activities should stop. Getting engaged is the point-of-no-return milestone you’ve waited your whole dating life to get to. Congratulations. Can I see the ring? hahahaha But seriously, everyone is going to want to see the ring.
During this stage you’re committing more fully than ever to each other. Depending on other decisions you’re making around melding your lives together it could just be one of several ways you’re doubling down on your commitment. For instance, you might decide to buy a house together before you hold a wedding. (Maybe interest rates just dropped a ton, or a house went on the market that you can’t miss among other reasons this could make sense) In this instance, the act of getting engaged might feel less monumental than signing for your home loan. But to be sure, getting engaged signifies a new stage.
Societal Changes
If your friends and family weren’t already asking you when you were going to get married, they will be now! As soon as they learn that you’re engaged they’ll be asking you, “When’s the wedding?” Depending on how your family has approached the subject in the past, they might now be sharing their relief and thankfulness that their wishes have come true.
But their wishes may not stop there. Their wishes could switch from, “I hope you meet someone to marry”, to “I’d like you to invite my Canasta group to the wedding”. If they’ve been putting pressure on you for years, it won’t stop when you make their wishes come true by getting engaged, it’ll just change focus.
Life Changes
Once you’re engaged you’ll be thrown into the world of wedding planning. This can be as fun as you make it or as painful as you let it.
Inspo boards, bridal shows, wedding magazines, input from friends and family, endless scrolling. You’ll be inspired, giddy and delighted. Especially at first. But all the planning could also make you confused, overwhelmed and stressed.
The more help you employ, either by asking friends and family for advice, or by consulting the internet or social media, the more you’ll be getting bombarded with ideas from every direction. This could be great for you, or terrible. It might feel impossible to turn off. Or you might be wishing that it never comes to an end.
Either way, you’ve got a lot of thinking to do. And it’s best for the both of you if you split the responsibility. The both of you should be in on it. A wedding is not a dictatorship.
My biggest piece of advice when it comes to wedding planning is to be intentional. Make choices for you. Do what makes the two of you happy. Weddings and wedding planning are changing, and there’s nothing traditional about this process unless you want it to be.
Planning a wedding can eat up a lot of your time. The average time from engagement to wedding is about a year and a half. Your life has changed and will change again after the wedding. But don’t let the process change who you are. In the course of planning, you may wish to take breaks, change gears, dream big and/or count your pennies. It’s all part of the process and you should enjoy it. Becoming life partners is an enhancement and will make both of you better. Let it.
Our Commitment to Our Couples Will NEVER Change
While changes do take place once you get engaged, one thing that will never change is the commitment and dedication the Cactus Collective Weddings team will give to you if you become one of our couples.
Every couple who books their adventurous micro wedding or luxury elopement with us gets our undivided attention. From the sales process to hammering out the details to the execution of your vision on your special day, we’ll make your dreams come true.
Take the first step to your stress-free and affordable Vegas micro wedding or elopement by getting in touch with me and my team of experts.
Our all-inclusive Las Vegas packages include your choice of stunning venue, magazine worthy photography, a modern officiant and florals for the couple. When’s your preferred date? Fill out our intake form to get started.
