How to say ‘Engaged!’ in the Digital Age

Status update: Engaged! According to a the 2014 #SocialWeddingSurvey from The Knot and Mashable, more than a quarter (28 percent) of couples change their Facebook relationship status within hours of getting engaged. But according to Jules Hirst, founder of Etiquette Consulting, Inc. in Culver City, California, before you announce your engagement on the Internet, there are a few people who should hear it from you first - ideally in person. “If the groom didn’t ask the bride’s father for his blessing, then the bride’s parents are the first to know, followed by the groom’s parents,” Hirst says. “Then any siblings, cousins, or close friends.” If a face-to-face isn’t possible, try FaceTime, a Google Hangout or Skype. If either set of parents are divorced, tell the mother first and then the father, adds Elena Brouwer, director of the International Etiquette Centre in Hollywood, Florida. “And if the bride or groom has children from a previous marriage, they take precedence to be told first, even before the bride’s parents.” After you’ve informed your nearest and dearest, experts agree that you can feel free to go public on Facebook, Twitter and other social sites. Want to publish a formal announcement in a print or online outlet? The bride places her announcement in the town she lives in, says Hirst, and, if they wish, the parents of the bride and/or the groom (if they live in different cities) may submit the engagement announcement in their hometown newspaper. Check out the publication’s website for information and policies regarding announcing your news.