He's finally put a ring on it - congratulations! But what comes next?  There are many formalities and traditions surrounding your engagement, including the formal announcement and the engagement party, so let the fun begin!

 

ANOUNCING THE BIG NEWS

Social media has changed the game a bit when it comes to announcing an engagement, and while this is a great way to spread the news fast, the more traditional methods can be fun and will set the tone for the big day.

The most tradional way of declaring your engagement is to place an announcement in the newspaper. There are no set rules when it comes to wording, but the most time-honoured stle is to include the full name and town of residence of both sets of parents, putting the bride's parents first (because traditionally they would pay for the wedding).

For example:

Barker-Collins

Brenda and Michael Barker of Greenwood are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter Julie to Bradley, the son of Tom and Kristy Collins of Caversham.

 

You could also name parents and their town of residence individually if they're no longer together, or you could exclude the parents' names altogether and write something completely unique.

POP THE CHAMPAGNE

Engagement parties are a fantastic way to get all your loved ones together to celebrate the big news in one place. Your engagement party can be as big or small as you want, and can be anything from an afternoon tea and nibbles at your house to a gathering with everyone you intend to invite to your wedding.

SETTING THE DATE

As soon as the word is out about your engagement, you might find a lot of people asking when you're thinking of holding the main event. One of the most important things to consider about setting the date is giving yourself enough time to plan the wedding. Leaving at least eight to 12 months between the engagement and the wedding day is generally enough time to plan, book and organise everything needed for the day. Giving yourself this time will limit the amount of unnecessary stress you put yourself under.

SAVE THE DATE

One of the first decisions you will have to make to get the ball rolling is the wedding date and venue. You should start by thinking about which season you would like to be married in, the general location (home or overseas) and the setting (traditional, casual, themed).

Once you have some dates in mind, it's important to check if your ideal venue is free before setting anything in stone, as some places do book up well in advance.

Once you've settled on the date for the big day, it's a good idea to let your guests know so they can keep this day free. The best way to do this is with a 'Save the Date' invite, which can be sent out anywhere from four to 12 months before the wedding.

THE PAPERWORK

Paperwork is never fun, but it's important to understand the legalities of getting married. In WA, the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages has all the info and forms you need, including everything you should know about changing your surname and what you need to know if you're tying the knot overseas. If you're in a rush to tie the knot, be aware that you need to complete and lodge a notice of intended Marriage at least one calender month before the ceremony.

 

© The West Australian

More wedding inspiration at The West Australian Wedding Guide.