Being in the wedding industry, it’s safe to say timing is something that every couple takes into account when planning their nuptials. There are certain months that tend to be most popular for marriage proposals (which will be the main topic of this week’s blog). There are particular times of the year that may be more popular for the actual wedding day. Furthermore, when it comes to specific wedding planning tasks, you’ll likely have a timeline to utilize as well in an effort to stay organized and avoid any procrastination. Long story short, timing is a component intertwined throughout many different aspects of the wedding process.
As referenced above, this week’s blog is going to solely be focused on engagement season. Without a doubt, engagement season is such an exciting time for everyone involved, and we always enjoy seeing those awesome ring selfies and proposal pics finding their way onto social media. Over the course of this week’s blog post, we’ll briefly discuss which time frame encompasses engagement season, a handful of tasks you should plan on knocking out shortly after getting engaged and the most important thing to do throughout the entire process: enjoy the experience!
Photo on the thumbnail courtesy of RKM Photography.
When is engagement season?
As a wedding venue that’s had the opportunity to host hundreds of weddings over the years, the term “engagement season” is definitely a bit of a buzzword in our world! Accompanying the holiday season, engagement runs from Thanksgiving up to Valentine’s Day. This is when the bulk of marriage proposals occur. Being that we’re currently in the middle of this exciting season, we felt it made sense to dedicate a blog to engagement season this week!
Before the question gets popped…
While the exact moment in which your significant other pops the question will undoubtedly be a surprise, there will definitely be plenty of discussions leading up to this special moment. One of these that we wanted to highlight on this week’s blog involves the process of picking out the perfect engagement ring. There are certainly a few different routes you can take on this subject.
Shop together – Nowadays, more and more couples are choosing to make the engagement ring shopping experience a dual effort. While you may not be as surprised by the ring itself going with this method, it will ensure you pick out a ring that you absolutely love! Not to mention, with an engagement ring typically being a sizable purchase, there’s a case to be made for selecting a ring that is truly the one!
Shopping by yourself – Even though shopping together is definitely becoming more popular, that’s not to say plenty of couples still like to have the entire experience be a surprise. If this is something that you and your partner would prefer, don’t hesitate to do so. However, if you’re the one expecting the ring, it wouldn’t hurt to toss out a few subtle hints on style suggestions if you have anything you really like. This can definitely help in steering your significant other in the right direction. On the flip side, if you’re the one heading out to go ring shopping, you might lean on the opinions of your partner’s family members or close friends if you’re struggling for ideas. This can definitely be some valuable feedback worth taking into consideration.
Other important tidbits – An engagement ring is definitely an important component of the entire wedding process. While there is some flexibility in terms of the shopping experience (as evidenced above), there are also some added details you’ll want to keep in mind. For example, make sure to look into ring insurance and purchase a plan that makes sense for you. Just as you would with any other major purchase, you’ll want the ring insured in case anything were to happen to it, as well as making sure its value is appraised. Another point worth mentioning involves the re-sizing process. Particularly for those that are doing the shopping on their own, this is going to be something you’ll want to inquire about when meeting with your jeweler. It’s not uncommon for ring sizes to need to be adjusted. After all, you don’t want a ring that’s too tight or one that can easily fall off your finger. With that being said, get the jeweler’s expert opinion on how easily or complicated it would be to resize the ring (if needed). Certain styles or materials are easier than others for resizing purposes.
After that stunning ring is on your finger!
Your significant other has officially popped the question and now you’re sporting that beautiful ring on your finger! Congratulations! This is such an exciting moment and the wedding planning process soon-to-follow will be something you’ll never forget. While we just touched on some of the various engagement ring shopping topics, we’ll now highlight a few things you’ll want to do shortly after getting engaged.
Share with close family members and friends, then post on social media – One of the first things you’ll want to do is share the exciting news with your immediate family members and close friends. After doing that, you can definitely post that stunning ring selfie and other proposal pics to social media. The reason we mention this is because you don’t want someone very close to you to find out the news on Facebook or Instagram, right?! As a side note, if you had a professional photographer on-site to capture the special moment, you may want to wait until you have the official photos to post online. We know it will be difficult, but there should be a fairly quick turnaround time and it’ll be worth the wait!
Engagement party – Remember what we said was the most important thing to remember throughout this entire process? In case you forgot, it’s to enjoy the entire experience! The last thing you want wedding planning to turn into is a to-do list filled with tasks you HAVE to complete. Yes, having a to-do list will help you stay on schedule (and is something we recommend utilizing), but those tasks on the to-do list shouldn’t feel like things you HAVE to do. They should be things you WANT to do. Well…shortly after the news has been shared, why not have an engagement party? This is a great way to kick off the wedding planning process that will soon follow and ultimately celebrate this special moment with all of your loved ones! There’s plenty of time to craft a wedding budget, meet with vendors, tour venues and so on. For the time being, just enjoy the moment!
Cheers to Engagement Season!
Here at Madera Estates, seeing engagement season come around is always an exciting time! Marriage proposals are filling our social media feeds and when combined with the holiday season as well, it really is such a joyous time period! Throughout this blog, we featured a few different topics both before and right after your significant other pops the question. After you’ve taken your time to enjoy the exciting engagement news, the next step will involve planning your dream wedding. There is definitely plenty of flexibility in this process and the possibilities are endless for weddings in today’s world. Firework displays, 360 photo booths, delicious catering, you name it!
Once you’ve established your budget and have a wedding date set, one of the first vendors you’ll want to book will be your wedding venue. This is definitely a big decision, as it will serve as the backdrop for your special day. If you’re engaged and currently searching for a wedding venue near the Houston area, we would love to show you around our event space, Madera Estates. To schedule a free venue tour, feel free to click HERE to view our booking calendar. On the tour, you’ll have the opportunity to meet with a member of our team and ask any questions you may have. Cheers to engagement season!