It can feel like everything in dating is centered around finding that one special person, but what do you do once you’ve found them? When you’re sure you see a long-term future for you and the person you’re with, and especially after you’re sure they feel the same, taking the next steps to go from dating to happily wedded bliss can be challenging, and a little scary. When you think you’ve found your match, but you’re unsure about the next steps, don’t waste time being afraid. If you’re not sure where to get stared, let’s go over some ideas for what to do when you’ve found the one.
Finding the Moment to Propose
Once you’ve found the one, the obvious next step is to propose, but it can be difficult to know where to start when planning such an important moment. No matter how you propose, most traditional proposals require a ring, so you should start shopping early. Finding the perfect ring depends a lot on knowing your partner and what they would love. Keep in mind that an engagement ring is typically worn every day, with both casual and formal outfits, so choose something they’ll enjoy putting on and that won’t be distracting or obtrusive.
Diamonds are the traditional stone for engagement rings, but people are moving away from diamonds or looking to jewelry that incorporates other stones more and more these days. A Montana sapphire ring, for example, is beautiful and contains an incredible one-of-a-kind sapphire. Since the colors and shades of Montana sapphires can vary, you’ll have plenty of options to find the perfect gem for your love. You’ll also have to consider the setting. Check out your love’s jewelry to see if she has more rose gold, white gold, or other metals and use that as a guide.
Finding the right moment to drop to one knee can be even harder than finding an engagement ring, and the best moment depends on your partner’s likes, dislikes, and personality. If they don’t like surprises, don’t spring the question on them in public without warning. If they want their family involved, consider a holiday or a family trip. The most important thing is that your proposal feels right for you and your fiancé-to-be.
Planning your Wedding
Once you’re engaged, you’ll move onto the harder part. Planning a wedding can be expensive, complicated, and frustrating. Everyone has heard anecdotes about bridezillas and horror stories about mistakes derailing the big day at the last moment. Being organized and thorough in your planning will help you avoid those pitfalls, though it’s always good to make a backup plan or two in case something goes wrong.
It’s also typical to have a bridal shower before the wedding itself. Traditional bridal showers are one option, but more couples are choosing couples showers nowadays. A Jack and Jill shower, as they’re commonly known, can be a great way to connect both the groom and bride’s families and friends before the big day. Stylish bridal shower invitations set the tone for the event, so look into stylish solo invites, or couples bridal shower invitations, if you choose to go that route. Given all the events, dinners, and traditions to manage, it might be wise to hire a wedding planner who can keep everything on track for you.
After the Big Day
Figuring out where you want to settle down and what kind of lifestyle you plan to have is something you should discuss before marriage, but putting those plans into action will start right after the wedding. Do you want to live in a big city with an urban environment? Or are you more of a fan of rural living? The real estate market is very different depending on where you want to live, so renting a New York City apartment isn’t the same as looking at mountain homes for sale.
You may have already been living together prior to being married, but that doesn’t mean you intend to stay there forever. Even if buying a home is a few years away for you, it never hurts to sit down with a real estate agent and talk about your expectations and start to understand what your budget should be and how much you’ll need to save. Just remember you don’t need to rush into any big decisions, you have the rest of your lives together, after all.
All of the planning and responsibility of getting to the point of being married can seem intimidating, but remember that the hardest part is finding the love of your life, and you’ve already done that. Think carefully about your significant other when planning a serious conversation or a proposal, not everyone fantasizes about a grand public gesture or an elaborate scene. The experience, from proposal to wedding day, should be about celebrating your unique relationship and your personalities and all their quirks. If you can focus on that and invest your time and effort into sharing it with your partner, you’ll be well on your way to happily wedded bliss.
