Everyone is doing it — announcing their engagement on social media, that is.
And why not? All the available platforms give you almost limitless ways to let people know you’re about to be married. You can do anything from updating your status on Facebook to creating a Youtube video of the proposal itself. You can convey the news through clever innuendo, or you can make the announcement be the first in a seamlessly orchestrated series of events that culminates with your wedding day.
Before you get started, though, here are some general guidelines:
- Contact your close friends and family before you post anything. They deserve to hear the great news straight from you, the old-fashioned way.
- Avoid clichéd photo captions like “I’m marrying my best friend.” It might be true, but people have heard it a thousand times. The last thing you want is for coworkers and acquaintances to be rolling their eyes as they learn the news.
- Don’t overshare. There’s no need to discuss the price of the engagement ring or reveal quirks you find endearing about your husband-to-be. Keep the information short and sweet. Never forget the first rule of social media, which is not to post anything you wouldn’t want your boss to read.
- Think of the announcement as a prelude to the wedding itself. For instance, if you’re having a destination wedding in Hawaii, caption a photo of you and your fiancée sipping exotic drinks. This clever bit of foreshadowing will be remembered when you send out the wedding invitations later.
- Limit yourself to one announcement per social media platform.
This last point is important. People get fatigued by all of the engagement news and photos they see on social media, and in order to make an impact, you want to find a way to stand out that doesn’t involve bombarding people with images and updates.
Still not feeling inspired? Here are some more ideas to get the creative juices flowing:
1. Snap a Tableau with Toys or Action Figures.
Using a photographed arrangement of toys to send the message is a fresh take on engagement announcements that show the loving couple engaged in a kiss or toasting with Starbucks cups that say “Mr.” and “Mrs.” How you choose to convey the message is a question of personal style. You can use childhood toys that have meaning for you both, or you can shop together for the perfect toys to illustrate the event.
2. Create a Video to Post on Instagram.
With this option, you can do anything you want, as long as it takes less than 15 seconds:
- Show people on the street holding up signs to congratulate you.
- Operate a shell game that reveals first your name, then your fiancé’s name, and then the ring.
- Page through a flipbook of a man getting down on his knees and proposing and make sure your engagement ring shows.
- The cover of the book should feature both your names.
3. Use a Single Image to Reveal Two Things at Once.
You’ve probably seen posts where couples have used Scrabble letters to spell out “I love you,” replacing the first “o” with their engagement ring. This new spin lets you hint at the destination for your wedding while at the same time showing off the ring.
4. Let Your Pets Break the News
Put yourself in the mind of your pet and try to imagine its mood at the thought of the announcement. Then capture the mood in a photo of the pet wearing a sign around its neck or standing next to a placard. This is a great way to convey a light-hearted or playful mood.
5. Tweet your wedding hashtag.
Deciding on a unique wedding hashtag before you post the engagement announcement gives you a lot of creative options. “Post memories of Dick and Jane. #dickandjanegetmarried,” for instance, not only lets your connections know that you’re engaged; it also gives them a way to engage immediately with the news.
6. Create a Destination Board
If you are planning a destination wedding, Pinterest is the perfect platform to showcase your wedding plans. Along with the announcement, you can include pins of the hotel and reception locations, the local weather report, interesting attractions, scenic views. You’ll create a virtual scrapbook of the event that you can start adding to as the date approaches.
7. Create a Private Blog
If you like to write just as much as you like to take photographs, you can make a blog that allows you to document the process from engagement to honeymoon. Inviting your social media connections to follow “Dick and Jane Get Married” is a great way to announce your engagement, and it lets people who aren’t interested in the weekly updates off the hook. Better still, platforms like WordPress allow you to choose magazine themes that showcase photos to go along with your words.
Hopefully, these ideas help you see how easy it is to announce your engagement on social media. The more creative and true to your own personal style your approach is, the more you are likely to get great feedback from your friends and followers — and the more fun you’ll have in the process.
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