Being engaged is such an exciting time, but truthfully, the last thing you want to do is be that girl on Facebook or Instagram. While it’s obviously so cool to be getting married and you should totally let yourself be happy and excited in every capacity, we’ve rounded up a few rules on proper bridal etiquette.
1. Don’t flash your rock unnecessarily
Yes, he put a ring on it. Yes, it’s gorgeous, but, please, limit your Snapchats and ring selfies to the first couple of days of your engagement and then keep it to tasteful ring cameos instead of making your rock the main event in photos. Frankly, excessive ring pics will irritate your friends and social media followers, no matter if they’re married, engaged or single as well. Why, you ask? Well, maybe it’s jealousy, or maybe it just looks like all you care about is the ring instead of the person who gave it to you. (And if that’s the case, then you might have some thinking to do.)
2. Keep the details to yourself
Okay, not completely to yourself, but unless you’re talking to your family, close personal friends or your bridal party, you don’t need to bring up your wedding plans to every single person you encounter. If someone asks how the plans are going, by all means, answer the question, but it could get sticky if you’re not planning on inviting this person. If you are inviting this person, then you want to keep some details a surprise for the big day. Plus, there are more things to talk about in life than just this one event. Sorry, ladies.
3. Don’t gloat
This should go without saying, but don’t be a brat about your wedding or being engaged. It’s not cool. While we know no one gets married with the intention of divorcing, stuff happens, so if you purposely torment your single friends with your perfect life and wedding and blah blah blah, it may just come back to bite you in the butt.
4. NO BRIDEZILLAS ALLOWED
Your ‘maids are doing you the honour of standing up there by your side, not the other way around so, again, don’t be a brat, especially if you’re making them pay for for the dress and shoes that you picked, plus hair and makeup and your destination bachelorette in Vegas (that nobody can afford, by the way #sorrynotsorry). If you’re asking them to help you stuff invites, buy them dinner and some wine to share. If you’re dragging them shopping early on a Saturday morning, pick them up with their go-to coffee ready to sip and don’t ever skimp on your thank-yous.
5. It’s not a competition
When you hit that point in your life where it seems as though all of your friends are getting married or having babies, you’re likely to encounter another bride or two. If you do, just remember: IT’S NOT A COMPETITION. This isn’t an opportunity to one-up your fellow bride-to-be with your ring, dress, flowers or whatever. Take this as a chance to talk to someone else who is going through the same motions as you, whether it’s confiding in the more stressful aspects of planning or sharing funny stories or bouncing ideas off of them. You’re both excited about your day, so just remember that.
It’s not that we don’t want you to be excited about your big day, it’s just that it’s a fine line between people being excited for you or annoyed by your general existence. You want your friends to still be around after your wedding, don’t you?
The Wedding Planner is an ongoing series where we give you some real-life wedding planning advice, from finding the dress to dealing with that ever-growing guest list, over the next few months as we figure it out ourselves.