Getting married involves a lot of work, but it’s also one of the most exciting life events. For many of us, the moment we get engaged will be one of the most exhilarating moments of our lives. After we’ve made the momentous and joyous decision to get married, but before we’ve set about the challenging work of planning a wedding, it can be difficult to contain our elation.

At such an exciting time in our lives, it’s only natural to want to share our good news with the world. It may come as a surprise to you, however, that there may be some pitfalls involved in doing so! There’s a certain amount of etiquette that should be observed when announcing your engagement. No doubt everyone will be pleased to hear your news, but being prudent in how you share it will help you to avoid offending anyone. This week, we’d like to offer some tips for announcing your engagement the right way.

Tell Your Parents First

Traditionally, the bride’s parents should be the first to hear of a new engagement. Ideally, they should be told in person, with both of them present. If this is not possible, a phone call is the next most personal way to share the news. If telling each parent separately for any reason, make sure to tell the second one as soon as possible after the first. Otherwise, you may risk causing offense.

Much the same approach should be taken when informing the groom’s parents of the engagement. After both sets of parents have been informed, it’s a good idea to introduce them to each other, if they haven’t met already.

Telling your parents first is both traditional and sensible, but there’s one important situation that warrants an exception. If either of you have any children, they should be the first to know. How you choose to tell them is best decided by you, but it might be wise to ask them not to share the news with others just yet.

Announce Your Engagement Widely

After telling your parents about your engagement, you should next tell your immediate family and close friends, followed by your extended family and friends, as well as co-workers and colleagues. By now, news of your engagement will be well-known, and hopefully there’s no longer any need to worry about offending anyone.

If you wish to share your news on social media, now is the time to do so. Social media should be used carefully. Announcing on social media too early might lead to some people feeling left out of the loop, and you might inadvertently hurt someone’s feelings. For this reason, it’s wisest to leave any social media announcements until after you’ve told everyone.

You may also wish to have an announcement published in your local newspaper. However, this will typically wait until a date for the wedding has been set.

Have a Party, If You Like

Who doesn’t enjoy a good party? Your engagement is certainly cause for celebration, so you may well wish to mark the occasion with a party. Engagement parties are entirely optional, and they can take any form you like. Check back next week for some tips and ideas about engagement parties.