You're Engaged! Now What? Review These 6 Dos and Don'ts to Avoid Major Wedding Mistakes

There's so much toBut don't jump into doing any of it just yet. You'll have plenty of time to write checklists and contact vendors -- but you can't get back the first few dreamy, floating-in-the-clouds days after you've just gotten engaged.
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By Kim Fusaro, Glamour

2014-01-21-weddingplanningwhattodoafteryougetengaged.jpeg

Photo: Getty Images

1. DO: Call your parents.
You're probably tempted to post a harmless little "I said YES!" ring shot, but your families will be bummed if they hear about your engagement via Facebook -- or worse, from a neighbor who spotted the announcement first. Tell your family and close friends before you tell your Twitter and Instagram followers.

2. DON'T: Ask everyone you know to be in your wedding party.
"Will you be a bridesmaid?" will be on the tip of your tongue when you tell your besties, but hold off on asking till you've talked to your groom about your wedding party. Maybe he only wants his brother to stand beside him -- which is going to look awkward if your sister, three childhood BFFs, and all 12 girls from your sorority pledge class are on your side.

3. DO: Insure your ring.
I know, so unsexy. But imagine if your brand-new engagement ring got -- yikes! -- lost or stolen. Spendy pieces of jewelry generally aren't protected under your standard homeowner's or renter's* insurance, so either add a rider (extra insurance) or take out a ring-specific policy from a company like Perfect Circle, which specialize in jewelry insurance.

* If you rent and don't have renter's insurance, get it TODAY. Trust me.

4. DON'T: Rush out and buy your wedding dress.
You've had a dream dress on your secret Pinterest board for years, but don't rush out and buy it -- even if there's a sample sale. Shopping for wedding dresses is special, and you only get to do it once, so take your time and try on a bunch of dresses -- that dream gown isn't going anywhere. Plus, you want your dress to fit with the season, your wedding venue, and the overall vibe of your wedding. A floaty boho slip dress (perfect for a springtime garden wedding) will look out of place if you wind up having a black-tie wedding in a hotel ballroom in the dead of winter.

5. DO: Get a manicure.
It'll make the big engagement ring reveal a little less special if you have to say over and over again, "But don't look at my cuticles! They're offensive!" So treat yourself to a mani -- but leave your engagement ring at home if you haven't insured it!

6. DON'T: Don't break out the wedding-planning binder right away.
OMG! You're getting MARRIED! There's so much to DO! But don't jump into doing any of it just yet. You'll have plenty of time to write checklists and contact vendors -- but you can't get back the first few dreamy, floating-in-the-clouds days after you've just gotten engaged. Make a point to enjoy your newly engaged bliss. When people press you about wedding plans (which they will, the SECOND there's a ring on your finger), say, "We're taking a few weeks to enjoy being engaged. We'll start wedding planning in the spring" (or whatever the next season is).

Are any of you newly engaged? Already married or ladies who've been engaged a while: Is there anything you wish you did differently, post-engagement?

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