Even though we are engaged now, we are waiting until his 20th birthday, *october 30th* to tell our family and friends of our engagement. We have the date set as December 26th, 2008. Which is two months after we break news of our engagement. How do we tell our family and friends that we are getting married? How I do break news to my parents who live clear across the country? Telling his parents will be easy enough seeing as I have already gained acceptance with his mother. So please help me come up with ideas to break news to the family and friends.

I am so confused. Your time line is off.
You are waiting until October of 2008 to tell your parents that you are getting married in a little over a year?
Like I said, I am confused.
If what you are saying is correct as far as the time, why not tell them now?

I'm not sure why you're waiting 10+ months to tell them you're getting married in 12+ months? Are you underage?

I admit- I waited 9 months to tell my grandmother I was engaged because I knew she never wanted any of her grandchildren to marry. I wish I would have just said something sooner because its nothing to be ashamed of.

I didn't know how to tell my family either, I actually told my bartender friend before my brother, but I made him tell the rest of the family, I also only gave my family about 2 months notice, to cut down on relatives showing up and all the good meant interfearing, just blurt it out over the phone, its not as bad as you think, if your not asking for there help planning the wedding then 2 months notice is plenty but if you expect them to help pay or help in any other way you HAVE to tell them sooner.

I don't understand why you are waiting to tell them, either. If you are young and spring it on them in October, they will feel you are rushing because... I mean, 8 weeks? That's not even enough time to plan anything and if they are not local, it's not much warning to get time off work or to make travel arrangements.

My other concern is it sounds like the family is not supportive of the wedding idea? Only half the family accepts you being together? That's the issue, not how to announce the wedding.

As for how to do it, how about, "Mom, Dad, we hope you'll be pleased to hear that we have wonderful news to share. We are engaged to be married!"

If it won't be wonderful news as far as they are concerned, I would work on the issues that are precluding the acceptance and get that squared away before setting a wedding date.