Fresh manicure -- check. Phone call to all of the family members -- check. Thoughtfully crafted Facebook update -- check. Handsome man to spend my life with -- check!
These were the things that went through my mind as I scrolled through my mental list of "engagement to-dos." It was a whirlwind of a day, but it was blissful, and magical, and wonderful.
As the first few weeks of being engaged passed by, I noticed a pattern in the things that kept happening to me. With engagement season in full swing, here are a few things that you can expect to experience right after you get engaged.
1. You will find your gaze randomly shifting to your left hand at any given time.
During your nana's Christmas play (10 times, to be exact -- my fiancé counted). Driving down the highway. Updating spreadsheets at work. All of the sudden, your left hand becomes the most interesting thing you've ever seen. The ring on your finger just looks. so. good. And everyone wants to see it, too. Better keep that mani fresh.
2. You will constantly think your ring has fallen off.
Once you get past the "OMG, I can't stop staring at my left hand" phase, in comes the, "OMG, has my ring fallen off? I don't feel it. Okay, it's still there, phew!" phase. Six weeks later and I think I'm finally starting to get used to it. (Don't worry, I still find myself reverting back to the staring and admiration phase way too often.)
3. You will keep telling people that you're "not going to start planning yet."
Yeah. I got engaged a few weeks before Christmas, so I said I would wait until the holiday had passed to start my planning. Who was I kidding? From that night forward, my Pinterest was overflowing with wedding boards, I had to force myself to actually work and not research venues all day and my poor fiancé was probably ready to just get the wedding over with at this point.
4. Be prepared to answer all the questions.
How did he propose? (Oh, don't worry. I'll tell you even if you didn't ask.) When is the wedding? Do you have a date yet? Where are you planning to get married? What kind of theme do you want? What are you colors? How many attendants? When do I get grandbabies?! (Yeah, calm down parents. I just got engaged 12 hours ago.)
5. You will find yourself telling literally everyone you encounter, and no matter what, it seems like your wedding or your engagement finds its way into every conversation.
Sorry, Pizza Hut delivery guy. Sorry, little girl in line at the grocery store. Sorry, coworkers... Sorry, I'm sooo not sorry.
6. You will receive more Facebook and text messages than you can count.
Seriously. It'll take you at least a week to reply to everyone. Enjoy it. Embrace it. They are so happy for you!
7. You will randomly find yourself smiling about your fiancé and the proposal.
All. The. Time. And you can't stop calling him fiancé. And saying fiancé feels weird and surreal. (Surely everyone is annoyed with the cuteness by now.)
8. No matter how overwhelming the planning process may look, you can't wait to get to that day where you say "I Do" to spending the rest of your life, with the love of your life.
Sure, there are so many decisions to make. And yes, planning can take over your world. But when you feel your head start spinning, and the stress rising, we simply need to remind ourselves of what the whole purpose of this day, this time, is all about. This time is to enjoy the fact that someone loves me enough to want to be with me forever. This time is meant to celebrate that love that exists between the two of you. And that day, that special, magical, blissful, wonderful day, is meant to show the world that love and throw it around like confetti. (Or bubbles. Or sparklers. Whatever. I'll plan our wedding exit later.)
Originally featured on Blissfully Erin Blog and Forever Twenty Somethings.