Relationships - Young Hip & Married

We’re so excited to introduce you to Thrive Couples Coaching, a partner company of Young Hip & Married!

Our mission at Young Hip & Married is to help you get married and have a fantastic, lifelong marriage. But you have to put effort into anything you want to last a lifetime.

That’s where Thrive Couples Coaching comes in.

What is Thrive Couples Coaching?

Thrive Couples Coaching is a relationship coaching company founded by Young Hip & Married head officiant and experienced coach, Jane Halton. You’ll see some other familiar YHM faces over on Thrive’s website too!

Thrive helps nearly and newly engaged (or recently married) couples discover their strengths, build skills, avoid relationship pitfalls, talk through the tough topics, and practice putting effort into their relationship so it can be fun and fulfilling over the years.

Thrive helps you rock your relationship from the start by investing in the tools you need for a lasting marriage!

Who is relationship coaching for?

Relationship coaching is perfect for couples who are engaged, nearly engaged or recently married. As you enter into a new phase of your relationship, it’s the perfect time to make sure you’re on the same page and set up for success.

Premarital coaching is for you if:

You love your in-laws, but you don’t want them dropping by unannounced or everyday (and don’t know how to tell your partner).
You aren’t sure how to discuss money with your partner without someone getting defensive or feeling judged.
You think you’ve talked through the big topics, like kids and religion, but feel like you might be missing something.
You haven’t talked about shared goals beyond your wedding.
You know you love each other but aren’t always sure you’re showing it.
You rarely fight but want to improve your communication skills with your partner.
You want to do everything you can to set your marriage up for success!

Premarital relationship coaching is for any couple that wants to prioritize their relationship and invest in the skills that are going to make that relationship not only last, but be one of the most rewarding experiences of your life!

Thrive coaching is a supportive and inclusive environment for ALL couples. We proudly work with couples of all religions, sexual orientations, genders, races, ages, locations, etc.

How does premarital coaching work?

If you’re interested in premarital coaching with Thrive, here’s how it works:

Read about their services and select the package you’re interested in.
Book your package here!
Once your coach gets in touch, you’ll schedule your first session.
Complete the online assessment sent to you.

After completing your online assessment, you and your coach will decide on areas of focus for your sessions.

In each coaching session, your Thrive coach will guide you through conversations and exercises on the topics you’ve selected, plus provide fun “homework” for you to do together after the session. All sessions are one hour and done via online video, so you can do coaching anywhere in the world with a wifi connection!

Is this like therapy or counselling?

No, couples coaching is not the same as couples counselling or therapy.

In couples coaching, coaches are trained to help you build skills that form the foundation for a healthy marriage. Coaches work with couples in healthy relationships looking to prepare for their future marriage.

In couples counselling, counsellors are trained to help you work through conflict and emotional experiences. Counsellors often work with couples going through a stressful situation or crisis, looking to resolve past or present wounds.

As Thrive founder Jane Halton puts it, “Coaching is about building the skills you need for the future while counseling is about repairing problems from the past. Coaching works best at the beginning of a marriage to give you the tools you need to avoid struggle.”

Learn more about the differences between coaching and counselling – and which one is right for you.

Is this a religious thing?

No, Thrive’s premarital coaching is not religion-based and you do not have to be religious, or belong to a specific religion, in order to participate.

Thrive coaches are trained to incorporate as much or as little religion or spirituality into your coaching as you would like. Their coaches come from a diverse background and have experience working with couples of all faiths, including multi-faith couples (oh, multi-faith differences – what a great topic for coaching!).

The main goal in coaching is for you and your partner to understand and respect each other’s religious and spiritual beliefs.

How do I learn more about Thrive?

Head on over to Thrive Couples Coaching to learn all about their premarital relationship coaching services.

Discover their coaching packages, learn more about what they do, get your questions answered with their FAQs, and book your first coaching session now!

While we love helping couples tie the knot in ceremonies that feel true to them, those wedding days would be meaningless without a wonderful marriage to follow. It can be easy to get swept up in wedding planning, spending many hours and lots of money on your one day celebration. But don’t forget to invest in what matters most: your marriage.

Congratulations, you’re engaged! Whether on bended knee with big shiny rock or a meaningful conversation on your couch, you and your partner have decided to get married and spend your lives together. Yay! But before you start planning your wedding and choosing napkin colours, you’ll need to decide how to announce your engagement. (Hint: It’s not with a post on social media right away!)

Keep reading for our best tips on how to announce your engagement, who to share the news with first, and creative ways to let your friends and family in on your good news. Once again, a big congrats from all of us here at Young Hip & Married!

What is an announcement of engagement?

An announcement of engagement, while formal sounding, is really just letting people know that you are engaged. This doesn’t have to be a formal announcement in a newspaper or sent via mail. It can be as simple as calling someone up and sharing your happy news!

Of course, there are other ways to announce your engagement, so keep reading for more on the do’s and don’ts of engagement announcements!

When should you announce your engagement?

There is no strict timeline for when you need to announce your engagement. You and your partner may want to keep the news to yourselves for a little while before sharing with the world. That being said, if your proposal happens in a public place, in front of friends and family, or is filmed and posted on social media, the cat will likely be out of the bag right away.

You’ll probably want to share that you’re engaged fairly soon after the proposal. Assuming you get engaged in private, many couples will begin sharing the news within a few days. Make sure you have a plan for who you want to tell, how and when (more on that below) and keep in mind that once you start sharing, word will get out, so you’ll want to keep telling people.

Lastly, make sure your engagement announcement doesn’t step on anyone’s toes or steal their thunder. For example, it would be a bad idea to announce your engagement at someone else’s wedding or engagement party.

What happens after an engagement announcement?

Hopefully, a lot of hugs and congratulations! Once you announce your engagement, you should expect to be celebrated by your friends and family who are hearing the happy news. Expect hugs, handshakes or a toast in your honour!

You can also expect questions about the wedding. It’s not unusual for a couple to get engaged and moments later be asked, “So, when’s the wedding? Am I invited? What are your wedding colours?” You might think it’s a bit soon to be discussing the wedding…and you’d be right! Shut down this line of questioning by saying something like, “We’re just excited to celebrate our engagement right now and haven’t started wedding planning yet.”

Even if you have started wedding planning before your engagement announcement, hold off on talking about wedding plans with friends and family. It’s easy to get swept up in conversations and start making promises about your wedding that you can’t keep. Wait until you and your partner have had time to finalize your plans before offering to put someone in your wedding party or giving them a plus one.

Another thing you might want to do after your engagement announcement is have an engagement party. An engagement party is optional, but can be a fun way to celebrate this milestone in your relationship. Click here for more things to do after you get engaged!

All right, now that you now all about engagement announcements, let’s break down the four steps of actually announcing your engagement:

Step 1) Be on the same page for the announcement of your engagement

Before you start sharing the happy news of your engagement or posting ring selfies on social media, you’ll want to talk to your partner. The two of you should be on the same page about who you want to tell, how you want to tell them and when. In fact, you may even want to talk about this before you get engaged so one of you doesn’t accidentally text their mom with the news while the other is still wiping tears away from the heartfelt proposal.

You also have the option to keep your engagement news to yourselves for a little while. Especially if you get engaged in private, such as at home or while away on vacation, it can be kind of nice to have a secret only the two of you know about. You can spend time celebrating and talking about your wedding without any outside opinions or interruptions.

Step 2) Announcing your engagement to your closest loved ones

Once you’re ready to announce your engagement, start with your closest friends and family members. These are the people you would naturally want to tell first and who will be so excited to share in your good news.

As much as possible, try to announce your engagement to your closest people in person. Not only is this so much more meaningful than a text or email, but it also makes the celebration so much better. Wouldn’t you rather hug and pop champagne with your loved ones than have them send you a champagne emoji?

If you can’t tell them in person, try to tell them live. You can do this with a video or phone call so you can still see each other’s reactions and share in a joyful moment together.

Step 3) Engagement announcement ideas for the rest of your friends and family

Once your closest circle of loved ones have heard the happy news, it’s time to announce your engagement to more of your friends and family. This may be people who you don’t talk to all the time but you do see regularly and who would be excited to hear your news from you. Here are a few engagement announcement ideas for the rest of your friends and family:

Phone and video calls
An email thread
Sharing at a family get together
Announcing over happy hour drinks
Old fashioned snail mail with a cute ring selfie

The idea with this stage of your engagement announcement is that you want to reach out to people personally and share your happy news, rather than wait for them to see it online. While it can be fun to wait until you see everyone in person to announce your engagement, sometimes an email or call is more practically so you’re not waiting months to share the news.

Step 4) An engagement announcement on social media

The last place you want to announce your engagement is on social media. Before you post, make sure everyone who would want to hear your news personally has already heard it. You don’t want grandma finding out about your engagement through Facebook!

Remember that there’s no timeline when it comes to social media. You can spend weeks sharing your news with friends and family, enjoying the fun moments of telling people in person or on the phone, before you open a single app. And please, don’t stress about coming up with a clever caption your post – people will be excited for you no matter what. (Though here’s a little caption inspiration, if you need it!)

Once it’s posted, your engagement announcement will officially be out there in the world for everyone from your boss to your old kindergarten teacher to see. Enjoy all the comments that come in, knowing that all of your important people have already shared in your happy news.

Congratulations on your engagement! Once you’ve announced your engagement to friends, family and social media, you’ll want to dive into the world of wedding planning. While it can be overwhelming, we know one way to ensure a stress-free experience (seriously, just ask our past couples!): hiring Young Hip & Married to officiate. Check out our ceremony packages here!

With the pandemic (still) raging, extreme weather outside, and wallets feeling a bit light after the holidays, it can be hard to plan a date night out with your partner. So what about a date night in? We’ve put together a list of 33 awesome at home date night ideas that will keep you safe, warm and on budget.

Most importantly, these home dates are a great way for you to connect with your SO without any distractions!

Ready for date night? Check out our 33 at home date night ideas!

1. Challenge your partner to a game night

Whether it’s Settlers of Catan, Cards Against Humanity or Uno, who doesn’t love a great night of fun and games? If you’re not into board games, fire up the video game console, crack open a puzzle box or check out fun online games you can play. You can even throw it back to your college days with a round of Beer Pong or Flip Cup!

2. Think sweet with a hot chocolate bar

Stay warm and cosy with an at home hot chocolate bar for your next date night. Put out all the fix-ins so you and your partner can get creative with marshmallows, whip cream, chocolate sprinkles and more. Hint: You can also add a little Bailey’s or Kahlua if you prefer to have an adult hot chocolate.

3. Nurture your green thumb

Embrace your inner Millennial Plant Lover, get inspired by Mother Nature and start working on your home garden. Whether it’s planting together in the backyard on a warm day, setting up a mini herb garden on your balcony, or putting a hardy succulent by your desk, plants are an awesome way to lift your mood on a dreary winter day.

4. Have an indoor picnic

Take an average dinner at home to the next level with a few simple tweaks: Lay out a blanket and eat your meal picnic-style! If you want, you can pack your dinner up into a basket and serve picnic staples, like sandwiches and cut up fruit. You can even surprise your partner by packing the picnic basket with a few special treats.

5. Host a movie marathon at home date night

Pop some popcorn, dim the lights and snuggle up on the couch for an epic movie marathon. Whether it’s all 10+ hours of LOTR or a John Hughes throwback night, enjoy watching your favourite flicks with your favourite person. You could take your at home date night up a level with themed snacks too (like second breakfast for the hobbits among us!).

6. Indulge in a wine and cheese tasting

Who doesn’t love a charcuterie board? Turn dinner into a fun date night experience by trying out new wines, cheeses and other treats. Pick up a few old favourites and a few new varieties to sample, and make your tasting official with a score card to rate your picks.

7. Enjoy a cozy reading date night

Sometimes the best date night is just spending time side by side. Get cozy on the couch, grab your favourite warm beverage and crack open a new read. Enjoy reading your own books next to one another or try reading a book together, taking turns to read the pages out loud.

8. Play take-out roulette

It’s Uber Eats, but with a twist! Instead of sticking to your regular take-out order, mix things up and leave your order up to chance. You can create a spinner tool online, or get crafty and make one yourself, to decide what type of cuisine you’ll have, what dish you’ll order, and if you’ll add drinks or dessert!

9. Plan for the future

Spend your next at home date night making some plans for your future together. Add some new items to your bucket list, plan your next trip abroad, dream up your ideal home improvements or spend some time wedding planning. There’s nothing better than dreaming big with your boo!

10. Relax with a spa day

It’s hard to beat a date night that’s all about relaxing and indulging! If you can’t get to or afford a fancy spa, the DIY home version is just as good. Light some candles, put on a facial mask, paint your nails and trade off giving each other massages. You can even end the date with a bubble bath for two!

11. Cheer for the home team

Turn a regular night of watching the Canucks play on TV into an event worthy of date night. Dress up in jerseys or the team colours, enjoy arena snacks, like hot dogs and beer (minus the arena price tag!), and cheer like you’re watching the game rink-side. If hockey isn’t your thing, find another sport on TV to get excited about.

12. Travel the world on an at home date night

Just because you can’t leave your house doesn’t mean you can’t travel the world. Choose a destination and theme your whole date night around it. For a trip to Italy, break out the pasta maker, watch Under the Tuscan Sun, and open a bottle of Italy’s finest. For a trip to Japan, learn how to fold origami, order sushi and watch Spirited Away or try out a Japanese language film on Netflix.

13. Compete on a DIY version of Chopped

If you don’t know how Chopped works, here’s the game plan: You have to create a dish using a random assortment of ingredients. Make it extra challenging by only using ingredients you have in your house or up the ante and choose the ingredients for each other. Think you can’t make a dish out of carrots, gummy worms, sriracha sauce and leftover lasagna? Think again!

14. Have an at home paint night

If you can’t go to an official paint night event, you can set up a DIY version for your next at home date night. Gather your supplies (paints, brushes, paper or canvas), choose a piece of art to copy, and uncork a bottle of wine to get the creative juices flowing. Hang your masterpieces on the wall when you’re done!

15. Stroll down memory lane

Sometimes the best date night is reliving your past date nights. Spend some time going down memory lane and looking back at the highlights of your relationship. Read old cards and love notes you wrote one another, flip through old photo albums and even rewatch your wedding video!

16. Go on a scavenger hunt

Fun to play and fun to set up, why not create a scavenger hunt for your partner? Leave clues around the house and lead your partner on a hunt to the grand prize. Have fun putting together tough clues to see if your SO really knows how you think.

17. Enjoy breakfast (or dinner!) in bed

Nothing beats breakfast in bed! Or, if you’re having date night at home, let’s make it dinner! Get under the covers and enjoy a cozy meal just for you two. Tip: Use a breakfast tray, put down a towel or choose a meal that’s mess-free (so not spaghetti) so you don’t end up with dirty sheets!

18. Compete in a bake-off

Think you could compete with the best of them on Great British Bake Off? Put your skills to the test and go head to head with your partner for your next at home date night activity. Have fun deciding what you’ll bake, shopping for ingredients, putting it all together, and, of course, taste testing to find out who won!

19. Deep clean and reorganize

Sometimes a date night is more practical than it is romantic. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun getting chores done around the house! Put on your favourite music and dance your way through sweeping or organizing your closets. Or compete to see who can vacuum their side of the house faster. Cleaning together is a lot more fun than cleaning solo!

20. Sing your heart out at a karaoke party

Jonesing for some Journey? Totally sure you’re the next Taylor Swift? Sing your heart out at an at home karaoke party! If you don’t have a professional set-up, you can find lots of karaoke tracks on YouTube and use your hairbrush as a microphone.

21. Put your skills to the test with a mixologist competition

Play bartender for the evening with this at home date night idea. Create new concoctions or follow tried and true recipes to compete and see who can make the best cocktail. Just because you’re not hanging out at a fancy bar doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a fancy drink at home!

22. Learn something new

Take your date night up a level by doing something good for your mind. Thanks to the pandemic, there are all sorts of things you can learn online from the comfort of your home. Visit a museum on a virtual tour, learn a new language or take a course in whatever interests you most.

23. Get your hearts pumping with a workout date

Enjoy date night and get a workout in! Put on your best athletic wear, push the couch out of the way and sweat it out to an online workout class. You can find lots of free and paid options online for everything from weight lifting and boxing to ballet and yoga.

24. Star gaze

Head outside for a completely free date that will make you feel like you’re miles away from home. If you really want to see the stars, break out the telescope and drive out to a darker area. You could also download a star map onto your phone and try your best to find the constellations.

25. Hold a pizza party

Everyone likes pizza, right? And it’s even more fun when you get to make it yourself. Set up a pizza making station for your next at home date night. Lay out all the fix-ins so you and your partner can create the perfect pizza. You could even make a pizza for the other person to see how well you know each other’s tastes!

26. Quiz each other for trivia night

Just because Trivia Night at your local pub might be cancelled doesn’t mean you can’t play at home. Go head to head with an online trivia quiz or Trivial Pursuit board game. Then take things up a notch and see how much your partner knows about you. What was the name of your childhood dog? They better know!

27. Get crafty

Let your creative juices flow with a crafty date night. Spend time colouring in adult colouring books, putting together a scrap book or painting your latest masterpiece. Have your own Ghost moment with an at home pottery session or break out your Bedazzler for some sparkly fun!

28. Show off your best moves with a dance party

Shake off the pandemic blues with an at home dance party. Dim the lights, put on your favourite tunes and dance your hearts out. Or, if you’re not so good at freestyle, follow along with an online dance class. You can try out everything from hip hop to ballroom. The hottest club? Your living room!

29. Go on a date in a different room

Here’s a simple at home date night idea for when you’re low on energy but need a little inspiration. Simply change up your regular routine! If you always eat dinner on the couch in the living room, try serving dinner at the dining table with fancy placemats and candlesticks. Or if you have a second bedroom or office that rarely gets used, set up a table and chairs in there for a date somewhere “new.”

30. Host a casino night

So you can’t make it to Vegas but you’re feeling lucky? Host a casino night at home! Bust out the cards and chips for a few games of poker or Black Jack or play an online version of roulette or craps. Bonus: Up the ante by betting house duties instead of money. I see your “take out the garbage” and raise you one “clean the toilet.”

31. Play outside

Let your inner child run free with a date night outside! If it’s snowing, have an old-fashioned snowball fight or compete to make the best looking snowman. Raining? Put on your best rain gear and find the biggest puddle to stomp in. And when the sun finally comes out, challenge each other to a game of corn hole or doodle with some sidewalk chalk.

32. Rearrange your furniture

Rearranging your furniture might not sound like the most fun date night idea but shaking things up can do a lot of good when you’re stuck at home. Spend some time thinking up a new layout for your living room or bedroom, make the changes and enjoy the novelty of a new-ish space!

33. Enjoy fondue for two

There’s something about dipping food in melted sauces that just tastes so good. Go all out on a fondue date night with three courses: cheese fondue, meat fondue (usually dipped in oil or broth) and chocolate fondue for dessert. Yum!

Which at home date night idea will you be trying first?

Written by Riana Ang-Canning

We get it. Wedding planning can be super stressful. When else have you been asked to plan a party for 200 of your closest friends, while spending thousands of dollars and trying to keep all of your family (and your in-laws) happy? It’s a lot! And with all of that going on, it’s inevitable that you and your sweetheart are going to disagree about your wedding.

Disagreements happen – in life and in wedding planning! You won’t always be on the same page and sometimes, an argument takes place. But the important thing is that you’re able to make up, move forward and walk down that aisle with a genuine smile on your face on the big day.

Here’s what to do when you and your boo disagree about your wedding:

Come up with your top three

A great way to start your wedding planning on the same page and help you through future disagreements is coming up with your top three. Separately, both you and your partner write down the top three things that are most important for you to have at your wedding. Then, compare lists and try to come up with one ethos that describes your day.

For example: Let’s say you really want a personalized ceremony, delicious food and a cool venue. Your partner wants hand-written vows, a great photographer and a live band. So together, you’re looking for a ceremony that represents your unique story, a great reception atmosphere and a wonderful photographer to capture it all. With these priorities in mind, you can spend less time and money on things that didn’t make your top three, like flowers or outfits.

Keep your top three in mind and you can avoid arguing about things that aren’t important to you.

Talk through hot-button topics

Another way to difuse an argument is to proactively talk through some of the biggest hot-button topics that come up in all wedding planning: family and money. A lot of wedding disagreements boil down to issues with family (especially when it’s not yours!) and budget concerns. So before things get out of hand, talk through these big topics.

You should discuss things like: How involved will your families be in planning the wedding? Who is contributing financially to the wedding? What is your wedding budget? And who is responsible for cutting your aunt off when her wedding speech gets a little rambly?

While these topics aren’t always fun to talk about, they are good practice. This won’t be the first time you’ll need to discuss finances or family issues during your marriage.

Talk when you’re ready

The best time to talk about wedding planning is when both you and your partner are calm and prepared, especially if it’s a wedding planning topic you’re disagreeing about. The last thing you want to do is bring up an overdue vendor bill right in the middle of Christmas dinner with your family.

Set aside designated wedding planning time when both you and your partner agree to come prepared to talk. Keep things relaxed and don’t allow any distractions, such as phones or TVs. You might want to choose one night a week when you can settle down on the couch, pour yourselves a couple of glasses of wine, and calmly discuss your wedding planning together.

Take a time out

Even if you’re both calm and relaxed, wedding disagreements can occur and they can escalate. When disagreements get too heated, the best thing to do is take a break. No matter what you’re discussing, you always want to respect your partner and not let your fight cross any lines.

It’s also a good idea to take a break from wedding planning in general. Not all of your conversations with your spouse-to-be need to revolve around flowers, favours and fittings. Make sure you’re taking regular breaks from wedding planning to enjoy life outside of your big day. Schedule regular “no wedding talk” date nights when you can just focus on the two of you.

Seek to understand

When you’re in the middle of the Big Fight between daisies and lillies for your centrepieces, it can be easy to only focus on winning and proving your own point. But before you reach a stalemate or get into a screaming match, take a step back and seek to understand where your partner is coming from.

Put yourself in their shoes and try to see things from their perspective. Did they grow up with certain traditions and beliefs? Have they always talked about their love for daisies? Did their best friend have lillies at her wedding and now your boo is convinced lillies are the best?

Find the root of the problem

Sometimes the wedding planning disagreement in front of you isn’t the real problem at hand. Take our flower dilemma; maybe it’s not really about daisies versus lillies. If you find yourself midway through an argument wondering why your partner, who doesn’t care about flowers, is suddenly screaming about blooms, it’s time to do a little digging. What’s the real problem here?

Perhaps it’s not about flowers, but about money. Is your partner worried about the budget? Or maybe it has nothing to do with the wedding at all. Sometimes having a hard day at work can result in a passive aggressive text conversation about flower choices. You might be hearing, “They don’t care about my flower choices and therefore they don’t care about me!” While your partner might actually be saying, “I had the worst day at work today and I’m taking it out on those daisies!”

Before you start your smear campaign against lillies, make sure you know what the real problem is.

Be ready to compromise

Wedding planning, like marriage, is often about compromising. So just think that every compromise you make during your wedding planning is actually great practice for your lifelong marriage ahead.

Compromising can come in different forms. Sometimes you’ll get your way and sometimes your partner will get their way. Sometimes you’ll meet in the middle and sometimes you’ll come up with a new creative solution all-together. The point is that you both need to be ready to compromise. Approach your wedding planning issues with an open mind and the goal of solving problems together – not ensuring your way always wins.

Remember the long term goal

At the end of the day, what is your wedding all about? It’s about your marriage! This one-day event is going to be awesome, but it’s also only one day. It’s a celebration and a symbol of your relationship and lifelong commitment to one another. Every choice you make during your wedding planning should honour your longterm goal: a great marriage.

It can be hard to remember that goal when you’re shuffling through napkin colour swatches, emailing an endless list of vendors, or collecting RSVPs from family members who refuse to respond by the deadline. But it’s so important to keep your marriage at the forefront of your wedding planning.

Is your disagrement about the cake going to affect your marriage five years from now? Probably not. So find a way to move past it and put your marriage first.

School is back in session, September is here and fall is right around the corner. And just because the days are getting shorter and the rain is right around the corner, doesn’t mean summer romance is dead. Keep the heat of summer going all year long, starting with some of our cheap fall date night ideas!

Who doesn’t love a date night? We’re certainly fans. And fall is one of the best times of year for dates nights as the leaves change and the nights get cozier.

And what could be better than a date night with your partner, in the beautiful fall that doesn’t cost you a ton? We believe that date nights should be a regular occurence and don’t need to be lavish expensive affairs. A date night can be you and your boo snacking on popcorn and catching up on your days after the kids are in bed.

Get inspired with our 20 cheap fall date night ideas below!

Stroll through a pumpkin patch

Does it get any cuter for a fall date than walking through a pumpkin patch hand in hand? Absolutely not! Head to a local pumpkin patch and stroll along until you find the perfect pumpkin for your home. Most pumpkin patches are free to walk through and the pumpkins themselves are inexpensive.

Read at a cozy bookstore or library

Fall is the perfect time for cozying up with your favourite person and a good book. Walk around a bookstore and take turns recommending books for one another or discovering a new genre to take home. Or if you want to do it for free, head to the library instead!

Go apple picking

Nothing is more quintessentially fall than picking apples. Head out to an orchard to spend an afternoon apple picking, then take your apples home and turn them into pies, cider and more!

Visit museums and art galleries

As the fall weather sets in, it’s time to take your date nights indoors. Luckily, many museums and art galleries offer by-donation entrance on certain days of the week, so you can still keep your dates cheap. For example, check out the Vancouver Art Gallery on Tuesdays when entrance is by-donation!

Relax at your home spa

A trip to the spa can be very expensive, but it doesn’t have to be! Create your own at-home spa for a romantic night in with your boo. Run a bubble bath, trade back massages and relax with DIY face masks.

Hike

Before winter fully creeps in, take advantage of any beautiful fall days and get outside. Go on a hike with your partner – a great way to spend time together, get your heart pumping, enjoy the outdoors and spend no money!

Cook some fall recipes

A great date night activity is cooking together. Make it perfect for fall by working on some delicious fall recipes like apple cider, hearty stews or anything baked with a pumpkin!

Go to the theatre

While a night out at the theatre might sound expensive, it doesn’t have to be. Check out what’s playing at your local community theatre or the local high school or college. The shows will still be excellent and the price will be reasonable. Even larger theatre companies, like the Arts Club, have seats starting at $29.

Build a pillow fort

Let your inner child take over and build an awesome fort out of pillows and blankets in your living room. Then climb inside and spend the night binging on Netflix, perhaps watching some scary Halloween movies?

Walk down memory lane

Here’s a sweet date idea that will cost you nothing: Take a walk down memory lane. Pull out your old photos and reminisce about your first date. Grab your yearbooks and trade stories from your school days. Or watch your wedding video together.

Rate Halloween decorations

If you’re a big Halloween fan, a great cheap date night idea is to take a walk around your neighbourhood and check out the Halloween decor. Who has the scariest set up? Which pumpkin carving is the most impressive? And where’s the good candy going to be given out from?

Gaze at the stars

While summer nights spent camping and looking up at the stars might be over, you can still stargaze in the fall. If you’re in Vancouver, head to the GMS Observatory, right next to the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre. The best part? The observatory is by donation!

Volunteer

What better way to spend a date than by giving back? With Thanksgiving right around the corner, there are lots of volunteer opportunities. You can sort food at your local food bank, serve food at a shelter or even donate some clothing and household goods. Make your date night that much more impactful by signing up for a regular volunteer shift, as many organizations need help all year long.

Play games

Board games night! Bust out your Monopoly, Twister, Catan and card decks and get ready for a winner-take-all board games night. If you want to turn it into a double or triple date, invite some friends over. Or, if it’s just the two of you, perhaps strip poker is on the table?

Admire the leaves

It’s fall which means fall foliage is in full effect. Take a walk through the most beautiful tree-lined neighbourhood and admire all of the shades of yellow, red and orange. Or head a bit farther out of town by biking or driving to a more scenic spot, like a provincial park.

Have an indoor picnic

It might be too cold for a picnic in the park or on the beach, but it’s never too cold for an indoor picnic! Move your furniture aside and set up a picnic in your living room, complete with a picnic blanket and basket. Romantic candles are optional.

Laugh it up at a comedy show

A night out at a comedy show is a great date night activity. Who doesn’t like to laugh? Luckily, many comedy bars have cheap admission and some even offer free tickets if you sign up to their mailing lists.

Get your sweat on

A workout date is a great way to connect with your partner and focus on fitness. Go for a run or bike ride together, or hit the gym and see who can hold a plank the longest. Or do an at-home workout and follow along to a free fitness class on YouTube.

Carve a pumpkin

One of the best cheap fall date activities is pumpkin carving. Spend the day carving away side by side and show off your spooky designs by candlelight at night.

Have dessert

Why not go on a dessert date? Going out for dessert is a great option because it’s cheaper than having a whole dinner out. Plus, it’s very romantic and sweet (pun intended!).

What’s your favourite cheap fall date night activity?

Feature image for this post by Coffee Geek

Here at Young Hip & Married, one of our values is the fact that we care more about your marriage than your wedding. And we think you should too! After all, why wouldn’t you invest just as much, if not more, into your lifelong marriage than you put into your one day wedding?

But it can be hard to prioritize your marriage, especially while in the depths of wedding planning. Wedding planning is tangible. There are clear steps, checklists and things you need to do. But in marriage, it isn’t always so easy.

While the secret to a great marriage isn’t always obvious – though we do have some great advice from our officiants here – there are some fun ways to start marriage planning, inspired by your wedding planning.

Here are 10 ways to turn your wedding planning into marriage planning!

Inviting guests to your wedding becomes…

Inviting your friends and family into your life! You know how you sit down with your spouse-to-be to create your wedding guest list? You spend all of this time thinking about all of the important people in your life and who you want to be there to celebrate this milestone moment with you. Well, that doesn’t have to end after you say I do.

Those same people who you chose to witness your love and share in the joy of your wedding should be a part of your married life too. These are the people who support your relationship and maybe even model a great marriage for you. So invite them over for dinner, head out on a double date, host a party, catch up over coffee and keep these special people involved in your married life too.

Your wedding to-do list becomes…

Planning your life together just as intentionally. A wedding to-do list is often a comprehensive document with charts and tables, numbers and names, and more items than you can count. It’s likely something you started working on, at least in your head, months and months before the big day. So if you’re willing to put that much time, effort and planning into your wedding, why not do the same for your marriage?

Take that intentional attitude and apply it to your relationship. Of course, your marriage probably doesn’t need a to-do list. But it does need you and your partner to be prioritizing it, thinking about it and working on it even harder than you worked on your wedding.

The first looks becomes…

Surprising one another. If you do a first look, or decide to exchange cards or gifts with your partner before the ceremony, you know what it’s like to plan a little surprise. It’s exciting! You might have had butterflies and you just couldn’t wait to see the other person.

Keep that same excitement by planning little surprises throughout your marriage. This can be as small as grabbing your spouse their favourite chocolate bar when you’re at the gas station. Or it can be an elaborate date that you whisk them off to without any clues about where you’re going or what you’re doing. Little surprises that put a smile on your partner’s face are a fun way to transition wedding planning into marriage planning.

Writing your vows becomes…

Living your vows. Remember all of those things you promised to uphold in your marriage? All of those things you said about loving in sickness and health, supporting one another and never watching an episode of your show on Netflix without the other person? Well, now is the time to live up to all of that.

Your vows are important. The promises you made to one another at your wedding are the bedrock of your marriage. You should live them every single day. That’s not to say you won’t slip up. Of course, there will be days when you get frustrated and when you don’t live up to those vows you made. But every single day of your marriage you should be working towards those vows.

Taking wedding photos becomes…

Cherishing memories. Wedding photos are one of the best ways to remember your special day forever. But there are so many more special days to come throughout your marriage. So take the time to cherish these memories as well.

A few ways you can cherish your marriage memories include keeping a journal to document your days, celebrating milestones with special attention, doing a photo session on your anniversary, putting together a scrapbook of your favourite moments, and taking time to regualrly reflect together on your marriage and life.

The first dance becomes…

Making time for romance. We all know the trope of a couple who has been together for so long that they feel more like roommates than spouses. They only talk about logistical things, like figuring out who is going to buy milk on their way home from work, and spend nights together scrolling through their phones on opposite ends of the couch.

Don’t let the romance leave your marriage. Remember all of the love and romance that was wrapped up in your first dance? Infuse a little bit of that into your marriage. That doesn’t mean you have to ballroom dance every day (but if you want to, go for it!). There are lots of small and meaningful ways for you to be romantic such as holding hands, sending sweet texts out of the blue, kissing for a little longer than expected, completing chores without being reminded, planning thoughtful dates and writing love notes.

Choosing your wedding menu becomes…

Cooking at home together. One of the most fun wedding planning activities is choosing your menu. Who doesn’t enjoy tasting great food and putting together a wonderful menu for you and your guests to enjoy? Bring that same fun back into your kitchen at home.

Cooking together can be a great activity for spouses. It’s a chance for you to be creative, work together, chat about your days, have a little fun and produce something tangible. It’s a great way to connect and hone your culinary skills. If you’re not so savvy in the kitchen, you can sign up for a cooking class together or just head out on a food tour or restaurant crawl.

Wedding toasts become…

Telling the people in your life (including each other!) what they mean to you. At your wedding, you may have had people giving toasts. Often these include sweet stories about you, the couple of the hour, and well wishes for your marriage. But why do we need to wait for a wedding to tell our best friend how much we love her, thank our parents for their constant support, and make our brother laugh with a hilarious story from childhood? We don’t!

While it might be weird to start giving toasts everytime you go out for dinner with friends or family, it’s not weird to tell the people in your life what they mean to you. Keep that “wedding toast” spirit with you when you interact with your loved ones. And that includes your spouse! Don’t forget to take time in your marriage to appreciate one another, show gratitude and say again just how much you stinking love him or her.

Going on your honeymoon becomes…

Taking time together throughout your marriage. Your honeymoon, while likely a pretty epic trip, doesn’t need to be the one time in your marriage that the two of you take some time away together. Prioritize your alone time, especially when you get busy with work, kids, the house and your other obligations. Carve out time for just the two of you.

You don’t have to go on big expensive trips to achieve this. Taking time together can be as simple as dropping your kids at the in-laws for the afternoon and heading out to your favourite brewery to catch up. Or maybe it’s a weekend trip to a nearby town you want to discover. Or maybe it is a big international trip to Paris or New Zealand (if it is, can we come?). Throughout your marriage, make time for just the two of you.

Eating wedding cake becomes…

Still eating cake. No need to change this one. Who’s mad about eating more cake?

written by Riana Ang-Canning
feature image by Erica Miller Photography

Congratulations! You did it; you got married! The knot has been tied and you are officially newlyweds.

But now what? What happens after you get married?

After months (or even years) of touring venues, trying on outfits, creating timelines, scheduling appointments, gathering addresses and rewriting vows, the big day has come and gone. So where do you go from here?

Below we’re sharing five things to do now that you’re married. Some of them are practical (like writing those thank you cards!) and others speak more to how your life will change now that you’re past the wedding stage and entering your marriage.

Deep breaths! Remember, this is the whole reason why you had a wedding in the first place!

5 things to do now that you’re married

1. Take care of any post-wedding to do’s

Just because the band has gone home and the cake has been cut doesn’t mean your wedding is totally over. You may still have some tasks on your wedding planning to do list post-reception.

Here are a few post-wedding tasks you may need to take care of:

Make any final vendor payments (including tips)
Send thank you cards to your guests (we have a thank you card template you can copy!)
Leave reviews for your vendors
Donate, sell or return any wedding items you no longer need
Store/preserve any special mementos, such as your wedding outfit or a piece of cake

Two women hold each other after their ceremony atop a mountain in Vancouver — *by Emily Nicole Photos*

2. Enjoy using your new names and titles

After your wedding day, you and/or your partner may decide to change your last name(s). This it totally optional, and there are more ways to do it than simply having the woman take the man’s last name in a hetero relationship.

If you’re interested in changing your last name, check out our guide to changing your last name in BC, Ontario and Oregon.

Once you’ve gone through the hard work of changing your last name officially, you can enjoy the fun part of changing your name socially (PS: you may also decide to only change your name socially and still use your given name legally). Have a blast changing your handles on social media and updating your work directory.

Even if you’re not changing your last name, you and your partner may still identify with new titles after your wedding, like wives, husbands, spouses, etc. There’s something so fun about using those titles when they’re brand new to you!

3. Experience the post wedding blues (they’re normal!)

Sadly, after a wedding usually comes the post wedding blues. This is a real thing and happens to many newlyweds. It only makes sense that after months of planning for this big event, you’ll feel a little blue when it’s all over. Accept that it’s totally normal to feel sad, empty or down after your big day.

Be kind to yourself and give yourself what you need to move through a time that isn’t rainbows and sunshine. For some people, that might mean carving out some alone time to journal, meditate, go to the spa or cozy up with a book.

For others, you may prefer to work through your blues by surrounding yourself with friends or discussing things with your new partner. If you don’t think you can handle your feelings alone, do not be afraid or embarrassed to reach out for professional help.

Groom kissing his bride's head and hugging her after their ceremony, what to do now that you're married — *by Emily Nicole Photos*

4. Keep the celebration going after your wedding day

Not ready to stop the party? Great, keep it going! You can keep your wedding going to avoid (or at least delay) the big come down.

You can do this by hosting post-wedding events, like a morning after brunch or a full out wedding weekend of activities. This is also a great opportunity to spend time with out of town guests who came in for the wedding. Host a BBQ on the beach, a picnic in the park or a bar crawl to spend more time with your far-away loved ones.

Of course, you can also keep the wedding celebration going in your daily life. Think of the things you loved most about your wedding – how can you incorporate those things into your everyday life?

Maybe you had the best time on the dance floor at your reception, so you sign up for ballroom lessons with your new spouse to keep your dancing feet from getting cold. Or maybe the food blew you away, so start trying out new recipes at home and checking out your local food scene. Or perhaps it was the moments with loved ones that meant the most to you, and so you start hosting dinner parties to see more of your favourite people.

5. Look forward to things outside of your wedding

Your wedding was awesome but surely there’s a lot more in your life and your marriage that you can start looking forward to. Maybe you’re heading off on an awesome honeymoon, putting a down payment on a house, moving to a new city, adopting a pet, planning to grow your family or getting a big promotion at work. All of these milestones will give you something wonderful to look forward to post-wedding.

Of course, there are small things to look forward to as well. Look forward to your weekly date night, a new movie coming out and getting all of the photos back from your wedding photographer.

And definitely look forward to all of the wedding chores you don’t have to do anymore. No more squeezing into uncomfortable fancy wedding shoes, no more emails with countless vendors, and no more annoying phone calls about napkins colours or guest lists with your nosy Aunt Vicky.

Two grooms smile and embrace after they got married in a helicopter elopement with Young Hip & Married — *by Emily Nicole Photos*

What comes next after your wedding? Your marriage!

Your wedding was one day. Hopefully, it was a great day. But it was still one day in your entire lifelong marriage.

It shouldn’t be that your wedding is this great highlight and everything else is downhill from there. Your lifelong marriage is the exciting part! Remember, the whole point of your amazing, incredible wedding is your marriage. That’s the reason for the party.

So what comes next? Making your marriage even more incredible than your wedding. All of that time, money and energy you spent on your wedding – put that into your epic marriage. Your relationship is worth it.

Sure, it might not be dressing up, dancing and fancy gifts every day. But it will be so much better!

Being engaged, popping the question and planning a wedding are all big milestones that many to-be-married couples look forward to. But sometimes when we think about the way proposals and engagements go down in the movies (or on social media), we can’t help but get a little queasy. Is that really what a proposal or engagement needs to look like? Absolutely not! We’re here to bust those engagement myths wide open.

Here are 10 engagement myths you no longer need to believe and the real truth behind them.

Myth: Only the man can propose

Obviously, this is one of the biggest engagement myths out there. Almost every proposal scene on screen is a guy down on one knee proposing to a girl. But that’s not how it has to work in real life. For starters, what happens if there isn’t a man in the relationship? Or what if there are two men? Or what if neither partner identifies with a specific gender? None of these situations fit the heteronormative myth that the man always has to propose.

So, throw it out. Any partner, regardless of gender, can propose. You’re not less of a man if your girlfriend proposes to you. And you’re not stealing his thunder or hurting his ego if you propose to your boyfriend.

Myth: Drop hints until your partner knows you want to get married

We see this one all the time. The female lead in the movie will start dropping hints so her boyfriend knows it’s time to propose. She’ll leave ring websites open on the computer or accidentally order a bridal magazine to the house. She won’t be able to stop talking about the wedding they went to last summer. She will casually mention her ring size, y’know, just in case. And then she’ll go to brunch with her besties and complain that her boyfriend isn’t picking up on her hints.

Quick reminder: Your partner is not a mind reader! They cannot be expected to magically know when you want to get married, even if you think your hints are so obvious. And, more importantly, you shouldn’t have to drop hints to get proposing on your partner’s mind. You are both adults in a grown up relationship. If you want to get married, have a conversation about it.

Myth: Your partner should know how to propose and what ring you want

Again, we go back to: Your partner is no mind reader. You can’t expect them to know exactly how you want the proposal to go down and what your dream ring is if you’ve never told them. Even if you’ve been together a long time and your partner really knows you, he or she might not know you think twinkle lights are cheesy or that you prefer a princess cut to an oval cut.

If you want your dream proposal and/or ring, then you need to voice that to your partner. Of course, you can still leave some elements as a surprise. But it’s a good idea to have a conversation about the aspects that are important to you. That way, you’re both on the same page and no one ends up disappointed. If you can’t wait to show off your ring to everyone you know, you should have a hand (pun intended) on deciding what it looks like.

Myth: The proposal needs to be a BFD

One of the biggest engagement myths is that the proposal needs to be a BFD (big freaking deal). It needs to be planned months in advance, it needs to be expensive, it needs to happen in public, it needs to be captured by a professional photographer, and everyone you know has to be invited to celebrate with you. For some couples, that’s exactly what they want in a proposal. And for other couples, that sounds like a nightmare.

There is no right way to propose. If you and your partner want something more intimate and casual, that’s totally okay. You can get engaged at home, just the two of you. And if you do want something lavish and public, that’s okay too.

Myth: There needs to be a proposal

Did you know you can be engaged, plan a wedding and get married without a proposal? While some couples really enjoy the idea of getting down on one knee, it’s absolutely not mandatory. You can become engaged while sitting on your couch and discussing your future over cups of coffee. Or you can decide to elope spur of the moment and skip the engagement all together.

If a proposal, or at least the traditional proposal we see on screen, doesn’t suit you, then don’t do it.

Myth: You have to be engaged for 18 months

Not true! There is no right amount of time to be engaged. Some couples are engaged for years and some couples skip the engagement all together. Your engagement can be as long or as short as you want it to be.

The reason we hear 18 months is because this is often quoted as the amount of time needed to plan a wedding. It’s true that planning a large wedding can take a lot of time and effort. And some venues and vendors do book up 18 months or more in advance, especially for popular dates. So if you have your heart set on a specific date, venue or vendor, you may need to book many months in advance. But if you’re more flexible, you can plan a wedding on a much shorter timeline.

Myth: You have to wear an engagement ring

While we’re used to seeing engaged couples sport a little bling, engagement rings are absolutely not mandatory. You don’t need a ring to pop the question or to show off that you’re planning a wedding. You don’t love each other any less and your wedding and marriage are no less important if you don’t have a ring.

If rings aren’t your style, you can always find something else to symbolize the start of your engagement period. You could opt for an engagement necklace or watch, if you still want to have some jewelry. You could get matching engagement tattoos, or spend the ring money on an engagement vacation or new couch. Or you could celebrate with a glass of bubbly and forget the ring or ring-substitute all together!

Myth: The ring has to be a diamond

If you do decide you and your partner would like an engagement ring, you might assume it has to be a diamond. After all, that’s tradition, right? Well, it wasn’t until 1947 when De Beers launched its now classic slogan, “A Diamond is Forever” that diamond engagement rings became the norm. Before that, European nobility would exchange rings with multiple small gemstones, Ancient Romans would exchange gold or iron bands, and Ancient Egyptians would exchange rings made out of braided reeds.

So if you have a problem with the commercialism of diamonds, the price tag, or the unethical mining process, don’t feel pressured to buy or wear a diamond ring. There are plenty of other gemstones that would look beautiful, and far more unique, on an engagement ring. And if you really like the idea of a diamond, you can look into lab-created diamonds as a cheaper and more eco-friendly alternative.

Myth: You can’t talk about your wedding or marriage until you’re engaged

Engagement myths like this are not only incorrect, but they can be really destructive to a relationship. The first time you discuss marriage should not be at your proposal. Your wedding, but more importantly your marriage, should be an on-going topic of conversation long before you get engaged.

We often see the trope on screen of a woman who is scared she will frighten her boyfriend away if she even says the word “wedding” too loudly. So instead she avoids the subject, drops hints, and eventually tricks or guilts him into a wedding. They never discuss the wedding beforehand – let alone the marriage!

Let’s leave that trope for outdated romantic comedies, shall we? In a modern relationship, you can and should discuss your hopes for the future. We’re not saying you need to nail down your wedding colours on your third date. But you should never be scared to talk about your future within your committed relationship. You won’t ruin a surprise proposal by talking ahead of time about what you both want your wedding and your marriage to look like.

Myth: There is one right way to be engaged

By now, you know we don’t believe in one right way to do anything. We always say, “Your wedding, your way.” And that’s exactly how it should be for your engagement. Whether you propose on bended knee in a romantic restaurant or at the top of a ferris wheel; whether you wear an engagement ring or opt for an engagement bicycle instead; and whether you’re engaged for three years or three days – there is no one right way to be engaged – there’s just the way that’s right for you.

Congratulations to all of the engaged couples! We’d love to know what engagement myths you’re busting wide open. And if you need an officiant for your wedding day – you know who to call!

written by Riana Ang-Canning

You said your I do’s and now you’re ready to hit the road. It’s honeymoon time! But before you pack your bags and jet off somewhere amazing, check out our honeymoon planning tips.

Here are 15 things to keep in mind when you’re busy planning your honeymoon:

Plan your honeymoon together

Sometimes we hear that the bride and her family plan the wedding and the groom is in charge of the honeymoon. But we say, plan it together! You don’t have to hold hands when you click “book now” but you should sit down and decide what you want out of your honeymoon together. After all, it’s a trip for both of you.

So take some time to discuss together. Where do you want to go? What kind of things do you want to do? How long will you go for?

Check your bucket list

Your honeymoon is the perfect time to cross something off your bucket list. If you have no idea where to start when it comes to honeymoon planning, think of what you’ve always wanted to do or where you’ve always wanted to go. Scuba diving in Thailand? Seeing fall foliage in New England? Drinking wine in Italy?

Big or small

There’s no one right way to honeymoon. At Young Hip & Married, we say, “Your wedding, your way.” Well, that goes for honeymoons too – “Your honeymoon, your way!” For some, it might be three weeks island hopping in Greece. And for others, it might be a log cabin weekend in the town over from yours. Your honeymoon can be as big or as small, as far away or as close to home, as you want.

Now or later

Traditionally, couples would leave on their honeymoons immediately after their wedding. In fact, they might even leave from the venue and head straight to the airport. But these days, many couples are choosing to delay their honeymoons. They might go a few months after their wedding when they have more time to plan, save money and get time off work.

If you do decide to go right away, we recommend not leaving the day after your wedding. Give yourself a couple days to pay final invoices, clean up, return rented items and just catch your breath. The last thing you want to worry about on your wedding day is packing for the airport.

PS: This also goes for the way back. No one wants to head from the airport straight to work after a two week honeymoon and 12 hour flight from Tokyo.

Remember: This isn’t your last trip

Your honeymoon is your first trip as a married couple, not your last. You will travel again. So don’t feel pressure to do it all and see it all in this one trip. For starters, it’s impossible. And you’ll only exhaust yourself (and your wallet!) if you try to cram in everything.

Look out for deals & do your research

As soon as you’ve narrowed down your honeymoon destination and timing, keep your eyes peeled for deals. Sign up to flight deal websites, look into credit card points and miles, and find out where your money will go the farthest.

You’ll also want to do your research. Talk to your well-travelled friends, post in travel forums, scroll through travel blogs, and read travel guide books. You may find that certain activities need to be booked ahead of time or that you’ll need specific vaccinations or visas for your trip.

Ask for help if you need it

If the idea of planning a honeymoon is totally overwhelming, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Reach out to your well-travelled friends, enlist your enthusiastic mother in law, hire a travel agent or leave planning to future-you and go on a delayed honeymoon instead. You could also opt for a more organized honeymoon, such as a group tour, an all-inclusive resort or a cruise, where most of the planning is done for you.

Romance is in the eye of the beholder

When we think of honeymoons, we often think of days on the beach at an all-inclusive resort, drinking champagne in front of the Eiffel Tower, or getting couple’s massages at the hotel spa. But we’re here to remind you: none of that stuff is mandatory! You can have an amazing honeymoon without a single rose petal or candle-lit bath.

Trade the beach for the mountains and find romance hiking up to a viewpoint that you get all to yourselves. Or swap the massages for a road trip and hit the open road with just your sweetie by your side.

Plan some down time (but not too much)

You’ve just spent months planning your wedding and an entire weekend hanging out with every friend and family member you’ve ever known at the big day. You’re exhausted. The last thing you want to do is go skiing in Whistler or trekking in the Amazon. You need a break. So make sure you include some down time in your honeymoon itinerary.

But not too much down time! Odds are you won’t want to spend every day of a two week honeymoon lying on the beach, so make sure you add in some activities and adventure too.

Plan some alone time

Yes, you read that correctly. Even though it’s your honeymoon, plan some alone time. We’re not suggesting you get separate rooms or jet off on different flights. But we are suggesting you spend a little bit of time by yourself. This is important on every trip a couple takes. As much as you love your new spouse, you don’t need to be right by their side 24 hours a day.

So head out to visit the art gallery that caught your eye while your wife hits the links. Or check out the local market while your hubby indulges in an afternoon at the spa. That way, you’ll actually have something new to talk about at dinner!

Plan a surprise for each other

A sweet way to set your honeymoon apart from other trips you’ve been on is to plan a little surprise for your new spouse. You could secretly upgrade your hotel room, make a reservation at a special restaurant they would love or plan a surprise limo ride to the airport. The surprise doesn’t have to be big or costly – just something special you know your partner would love.

Add your honeymoon to your registry

These days, not many couples want to register for a toaster or new set of sheets. Most couples already live together and have all of the things they need for their home. So instead of registering for another blender, register for your honeymoon! There are countless websites that allow you to have guests contribute towards flights, hotel rooms, dinners and activities.

PS: Looking for another awesome registry option? Try coaching!

Be careful with your name

If you’re planning to change your name after your wedding, be sure to keep your trip planning in mind. It’s essential that the name on your travel documents all match – that means your passport needs to match the name on your plane ticket. If you’re heading off on your honeymoon right away, you may want to travel under your pre-marriage name, and save name changing until you get back.

Tell everyone it’s your honeymoon

Trust us on this one. Everyone you meet, from your flight attendant to your waiter, should know you’re on your honeymoon. While you shouldn’t expect or demand anything, you’ll often find yourselves receiving discounts, upgrades or at least really good service because everyone wants you to enjoy your honeymoon to the fullest.

No time for a honeymoon? Go on a mini-moon!

If you don’t have time or money for a honeymoon, or you’ve decided to postpone yours for a while, go on a mini-moon instead. A mini-moon is a mini trip that’s more time and budget-conscious than a regular honeymoon. It’s the perfect chance to relax and enjoy a little bit of time with your spouse right after your wedding. So book a few nights in a local hotel or a quick weekend getaway and enjoy your mini-moon.

We hope you have the most amazing honeymoon – and we know you will if you keep these planning tips in mind. So let us know, where are you going for your honeymoon?

written by Riana Ang-Canning

Congratulations, you’re engaged! But now what?

Sure, you pop some champagne…but then what? Who do you tell? What do you book? As experienced wedding officiants, we’ll walk you through exactly what to do after you get engaged.

It can be overwhelming to decide what to do next once you and your partner are engaged. Naturally, you’ll be feeling a lot of emotions, and you might also be receiving lots of comments and opinions from friends and family members.

Before you rush into wedding planning or commit to anything you don’t actually want, take a beat. Check out our list of step by step instructions for exactly what to do after you get engaged.

Step 1: Celebrate your engagement!

You’re engaged! Wahoo! You and your partner have decided you want to get married and spend your lives together. That is HUGE!

Pop some champagne, order two desserts and celebrate. This is an exciting moment and you two should bask in it together.

A lot of couples make the mistake of jumping straight into the next step once they get engaged. They quickly rush to share the news or immediately begin wedding planning.

And while we totally understand the desire to share your happy news and finally start planning your wedding, we encourage you not to skip this moment. You’ll only be newly engaged for so long. Make the most of this time and celebrate!

Newlywed couple popping champagne on a mountain top after their helicopter elopement with Young Hip & Married — *by Amanda Arch Photography*

Step 2: Phone home and share your engagement news

After you and your spouse-to-be have celebrated, it’s time to share your happy news with your nearest and dearest. And you’ll have to go old school for this one – it’s time to pick up the phone.

Call your parents, your siblings, your best friends and everyone else who will want to celebrate the news with you. Even better – visit them in person if you can!

Pro tip: Make these calls all at the same time because word of your engagement will start to spread fast. Even if you let your loved ones know that you two want to be the ones to share the news, there’s a good chance your Aunt Trudy will let it slip and your Uncle Don might be upset if he doesn’t hear from you until two days later.

Step 3: Shut down any wedding planning questions

As soon as you’re engaged, you’ll be hit with a million questions. “What are your colours?” “When’s the big day?” “Will I be a bridesmaid?” “Do you need the number for a caterer?”

It’s easy to get overwhelmed with all of these wedding planning questions. What you don’t want to do is over-promise or be forced into making a decision on the spot.

Memorize this line and repeat it back to anyone who asks about your wedding details right after you get engaged: “We’re just so excited about the engagement and want to celebrate that right now. When we start wedding planning, we’ll let you know.”

Step 4: Share your engagement on social media

They say it’s not official until it’s on social media. Of course, you don’t have to post your engagement on social media. But most people like to share these big life moments with their far away friends and followers on the internet.

Only share your engagement on social media after you’re 110% confident that you’ve told all of the important people in your life directly. If you couldn’t tell them in person or over the phone, at least make sure they got a personal email, text or message.

The last thing you want to do is have your grandma find out you’re engaged when she’s scrolling through her Facebook homepage.

Newlywed couples hugging each other and smiling to the camera after their Young Hip & Married elopement; what to do after you're engaged — *by Erica Miller Photography*

Step 5: Get your ring sized and insured

If you have an engagement ring, you’ll want to make sure it stays safe. You don’t want it falling off or getting lost or stolen.

If the ring doesn’t fit properly, make a trip to the jeweller to have it sized. To insure your ring, take the appraisal (usually given to you by the jeweller at the time of purchase) to an insurance agent. Make sure you ask questions about what happens if the ring is lost, stolen or damaged.

You may also be able to add your ring to your home owner, rental insurance or car insurance policy for a lesser cost.

Step 6: (optional) Throw an engagement party!

If you want, now is a great time to throw an engagement party and celebrate with more of your loved ones. This is a fun way to mark this big milestone in your life and get everyone you love together.

Engagement parties are not mandatory and if you do decide to throw one, it doesn’t need to be huge. You can celebrate your engagement with a simple family BBQ or picnic at the beach with friends. Of course, if you want to go all out, rent that venue and pass around those canapés!

PS: Don’t forget your line from step #3 about wedding planning. You’re going to need to say it a lot during the party!

Step 7: Talk to your partner about your wedding plans

When you’re ready, sit down with your partner and discuss what you both want out of a wedding. You don’t have to nail down any specifics at this point.

This is when you can talk about what kind of wedding you want to have – big or small, local or destination, this year or next year. What do you want the vibe to be? Is there anything you absolutely do or don’t want at your wedding? You should also discuss an approximate budget and guest list.

One way to start this discussion is to have each of you separately write down the three most important things for to have at your wedding. For example, you might write, “Great food, great photography and a meaningful ceremony” while your partner writes, “personal vows, good music and great guest experience.”

These important wants for your wedding will help you see where to prioritize your time, effort and money. If you don’t care about flowers or your outfits, you don’t need to spend more time or money on those items.

Newlywed couples standing by the water in Richmond, BC with a purple sunset behind them — *above & feature image by Emily Nicole Photos*

Step 8: Do some wedding research

Now that you have a better idea of the type of wedding you are planning, you can begin to do your research. Gather quotes, visit venues and read reviews to get a better idea of what your options are and how much they will cost.

Another part of your research may be learning more about your budget. If you have relatives who will be contributing to your wedding budget, now is the time to sit down with them and learn what that contribution might look like.

Step 9: Take a break!

Planning a wedding can be very overwhelming. It often feels like a full time job. It can be easy to lose yourself in your wedding planning and forget about other things. So take a break!

Take a step back from wedding planning and re-focus on your relationship. After all, you shouldn’t just be planning for this one day event – you should be planning for your lifetime marriage together.

Go out for dinner with your fiance and promise not to talk about anything wedding related. Keep up your other hobbies and make plans that have nothing to do with your wedding, so it’s not the only thing you’re looking forward to.

PS: This tip goes for your other relationships as well. If all of your recent phone calls with your bestie have been about wedding cakes and DJs, it’s time to take a break and ask about their life for a change.

Step 10: Start booking your wedding vendors and venue

Once you’ve got your research done, your budget and guest list set, and your relationship on track, it’s time to start booking things.

Depending on your wedding ideas, you may need to book 12-18 months in advance. Most couples begin by booking the venue first, which will confirm the wedding date, and then other large ticket items like photography, catering and planning/coordinating.

If you’re planning a destination wedding or elopement, your bookings and timeline may look different. For example, if you’re just looking for an wedding officiant and photographer for a simple elopement, you can check out our Elopement + Photography package right here!

Newlywed couple standing next to a wooden pole in a park that says "lovers." He's carrying his suit jacket and she has a bouquet of flowers in her hands. — *by Tashlynn Photography*

If you’re newly engaged, we hope that these 10 steps for what to do after you get engaged helped relieve some stress and set you on the best path towards your marriage.

Remember that this is supposed to be an exciting time in your life. Soak it in and don’t spend your entire engagement stressed about wedding planning.

At the end of the day, your relationship is what’s most important. When it comes time to book your wedding officiant, we’d love to help you craft a custom ceremony that tells your love story and reflects your values. Check out our ceremony packages here.

We’re so excited for you and this journey you’re about to embark on together! Congratulations on your engagement!