7 Tips for Meeting Your Future In-Laws

It doesn’t matter if you’ve met your boyfriend’s/girlfriend’s family a thousand times, this time you’re engaged! It’s a whole different ball game! And trust me, no one wants what occurred in the movie Meet the Parents to happen to them. So score big with your future-in-laws by following these 7 tips.

Dress to Impress

Gentlemen, please don’t show up with tattered, torn jeans, concert t-shirts, etc. Ladies, no miniskirts, sweat pants, or skin-tight articles of clothing. This is the time you really want to impress each other’s family members. And ladies, be sure your nails are looking great. Get yourself a manicure to really show off that sparkly ring. Trust me, you’ll be happy you did when everybody asks to see the rock your man picked out for you.

Be Nice and Polite

This is the time your manners and all of your mama’s teachings need to shine. Don’t reply back to questions with “yup” or “yeah”. This time is all about saying “yes”, “please”, and “thank you.”  And if you’re from the South, it can’t hurt to add in a ma’am or a sir after an answer! Your future in-laws might not remember everything you said throughout the night but they will remember how polite you were, so make it count!

Remember the Little Stuff

Don’t walk into your future in-laws house unprepared! You need to do some homework and really take the time to learn what each family member likes to talk about, their pet peeves, and something you might have in common with them. Also, ask your significant other what your parents didn’t like about your ex. It will help prepare you so you don’t feel like you’re walking into a lion’s den.

The Name Issue

One of the toughest obstacles to overcome after you get engaged is what you should call your in-laws. The best way to beat it is to simply ask what they would prefer to be called. Although this might feel awkward, it’s one of the surest ways you can prevent a grimace from crossing their face.

Show Interest and Enthusiasm

Everyone loves when someone is attentive and enthusiastic, so be sure to be just that when you’re talking to your future in-laws. Nothing shows greater disrespect then looking uninterested, tapping your foot, looking around the room, etc. So sit up, make eye contact, lean forward, and nod when it’s appropriate.

Be Nice

It doesn’t matter who they are, how you meet them, what they do, or where they live, be nice to everyone you may encounter. How you act towards other people (even animals) is how your future in-laws will perceive you to really be “behind the scenes.”

Don’t be Fake

Although we suggested you be nice and use your manners, one of the most important things to remember is to not be fake. People can spot fakers from a mile away, and you, my friend, do not want to be labeled as one. Be yourself and be friendly. Besides, people love when a person gives a warm, genuine smile.

And last but certainly not least, breathe. The more uptight and anxious you become, the more tense the situation will be. You’ll do just fine, we promise! For more helpful tips and tricks, be sure to keep up with Inspherio. We’re your headquarters for all things wedding!  

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You're Engaged, Now What? First 6 Wedding Planning To-Dos

Hooray and congratulations! You’re engaged to the man of your dreams with the ring of your dreams, and I know you couldn’t be happier. But as the shock of the whole idea wears off, a lot of events are about to start happening, and you’ll have a lot to plan for. So without any further delay, here are the first six must-dos to start the wedding planning process.

1. Know the Budget

Before the talk of wedding dates or venues, you first need to set a budget. Without a budget, you’ll have no basis for which season or day you can get married in, or the location of all the festivities. Think about it, do you want to get married in a $10,000 venue in the mountains but only have enough money left to cover a $500 photographer and a $750 DJ? We didn’t think so! So before anything, sit down with your fiancé and decide on a budget.

Afraid you’ll miss something in the budget? Check out these 15 wedding expenses almost everybody forgets about.  

2. Research the Date

So after setting the budget, the next thing you’ll have to do is pick the date! Before you can contact the venue or any other vendors, you have to be able to tell them the date you’re wanting to book. Now, be sure to research the date you pick to make sure no other big event is occurring during that time. Remember when the Pope visited this September? Everywhere in DC or Philadelphia was shut completely down. There were no hotels, no transportation options, no anything! So for people wanting to get married that day, well, it was a complete blackout. Although you can’t always plan your big day around papal visits, be sure to do some research so you’re not sharing your big moment with someone else.

3. Draft Your Guest List

You just have to know (and so do the venue and vendors) how many people are coming to your wedding. Before selecting the site, you need to make sure you have a general idea of how many people you’ll be inviting. Keep in mind as you plan out your list, the higher the number of guests, the higher your budget will need to be.

4. High Priority Vendors

After you have the guest list and budget figured out, it’s now time to book the vendors. Oftentimes, great venues and photographers book up at least a year in advance, so you’ll want to get to that as soon as possible. When we say high priority, we mean vendors who you absolutely love and have to have on your big day.

5. Choose Your Bridal Party

So your honey popped the question to you, now it’s your turn. Think to ask your bridesmaids and groomsmen to join your bridal party. Keep in mind though, you’ll want to ask them sooner rather than later. They are agreeing to help you on your big day, as well as fork over a good chunk of change to be a part of it. So make sure you show them a good time and how much you appreciate them by asking them to be a part of your bridal party in a cute way.

6. Dress Shopping

A lot of women want to wait a few months, slim down, tone their arms, grow their hair, etc. before they start shopping for their dress. Unfortunately, as wedding dresses are beginning to get more and more elaborate, you need to say yes to the dress as soon as possible. And before you walk into a dress salon, we advise that you read up on the dress lingo, know your estimated size, and be willing to try on various styles and designs.

Congrats again, newly engaged! We hope you have fun planning, designing, and dreaming about your wedding day. But remember, the big day is all about you and your significant other so whatever you decide and plan will be perfect. Cheers to the start of a new life and planning adventures!

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