It’s the most wonderful time of year! Christmas lights are twinkling all over the city, gifts are being beautifully wrapped and tucked under the Christmas tree, carols can be heard in every coffee shop and department store, and for many out there, engagement rings are being bought and hidden away until just the right moment. Truly it is the most wonderful time of year!
Ladies everywhere are wondering when he is going to pop the question, and every date is one worth getting dressed up for, because, well, you never know if today will be the day! This time of anticipation is much like waiting for Christmas day as a child. It just can’t get here soon enough!
Then all of the sudden you are out one day, he is dropping to his knee and your jaw drops open. It’s happening NOW! You try to take in what he is saying, but all you can hear is yourself chanting, “He is proposing! This is happening! He is proposing! Ahhhhh!!!!” It all seems to go by far too quickly and before you know it, you are bobbing your head yes with mascara running down your face (unless you are the super prepared kind of girl and have started wearing waterproof mascara for just such an occasion) and after a fierce hug and watery kiss, you hold your hand in front of your face and gaze at that beautiful ring that signifies the beginning of this beautiful season in life: engagement. You drop your hand only to wrap that adorable fiancé of yours in your arms once more.
So now you are engaged! After you’ve called all your friends, announcements on Facebook have been made, and you return to life as you know it, you are reminded of the feelings you had on Christmas morning as a child when you stared around you at all the shredded wrapping paper and opened gifts and thought, “Now what?” For some couples, they dive head first into planning their wedding and they don’t emerge until after the honeymoon. Other couples spend a few months basking in the glow of their engagement and then turn to the wedding to do list only to feel they have wasted precious time and are now running behind.
To both couples I want to say this: Enjoy this season of life. Much like the holiday season, this time of engagement is short and precious. Compared to the time you have dated (at least for most couples) and the time you will have together once you are married, this time of engagement is relatively short. So enjoy it for all it’s worth. You only get to be a bride for a short season. Don’t rush this time, and don’t wish it away. I am the first person to say that married life is wonderful, amazing, and such a precious gift, but so is the time leading up to your big day.
The wedding planning process, no matter the length, can and should be something that draws you two together. Again and again this process will remind you of why you fell in love with each other. Involve the people in your life who share in your joy and who will bring calm to your life. Find vendors who have a calm demeanor, exude professionalism, and are simply enjoyable to interact with. You will spend a lot of time with these people, so make sure you like them!
With supportive friends and family and a great team of vendors by your side, you can’t help but have fun. It isn’t just about getting stuff done, it is all about relishing the process. Enjoy talking colors and dresses and venues. But most importantly, spend time reveling in the love that brought you to this point. And remember to talk about more than just colors, dresses and venues. Ask about work, share your dreams, and laugh about the most recent episode of Grey’s Anatomy. Connect and simply relax. Savor this precious season, because unlike Christmas, it doesn’t come around every year!
Rachael is the owner of MatchMade Event Co. where she works as a wedding planner and designer in the Chicagoland area. She is passionate about helping couple’s tell their story in the most creative way possible, and she has a sincere desire to see each couple enjoy their season of engagement.
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