He called to ask your parents, planned a romantic evening, got down on one knee, opened a small velvet box, and asked a question that changed your life. You laughed, you cried, you immediately posted a picture on social media and got a fresh manicure-- but now what?

It’s a tale as old as time. Everyone builds up to the proposal but no one ever tells you what you’re supposed to do next. I’ll be the first one to tell you that planning a wedding can be stressful, but believe me when I say that getting started is half the battle.

Get on the phone.

Well first thing’s first, you need to call your families. Hopefully you did this before you updated your instagram, but if you didn’t-- get on the phone girlfriend! Grandma and Grandpa generally aren’t on social media and even if they are, they probably don’t want to hear the news along with the rest of your following.

Size that thing.

While he may have gotten the cut and size exactly right, most of the time the size is going to be a bit off. If it’s too big or too small don’t freak out. It’s an easy fix, and you’ll probably only have to part with your new bling for a day or two. But trust me, having a ring that actually fits rather than risking it being too big and falling off is well worth it.

Make sure it’s insured.

Sometimes your jeweler will offer insurance, but if they don’t you want to add this to the top of the to do list. Your insurance agent can generally add it to your homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy without much trouble. Again, better safe than sorry.

Set a date.

Sometimes this will change, and that’s ok. But at the very least you need to start the conversation. If you’re a teacher who wants to wait until summer break or he is in the military and may be deploying next winter-- these are factors that all contribute to the date selection process. That being said, don’t weigh everyone else’s opinions too heavily. Tons of people will offer their advice and while heartfelt, it can sometimes only add to the stress.

Update those Pinterest boards.

This is your free pass, so you better take it! Some of you have been planning this day since you were 5 years old, so actually nailing down decisions may be overwhelming. Go back through the boards you have undoubtedly already started, but this time, keep your husband to be in mind. Are these ideas a reflection of the two of you, or just pretty pictures you’ve been dreaming about? I’m a huge proponent of “real weddings”, so the more ideas you can integrate that are personal to the two of you, the better.