Engagement announcement video ideas: say "we said yes" in style

Somebody knelt down, somebody cried, and possibly a waiter stood very still holding a tray. Now you want to tell everyone, and a close-up of a hand with a ring on it feels like it has been done eleven million times.

An engagement announcement video lets you tell the story your way, with a bit of charm and a clear ending. Here are ideas, lines you can copy, a script, and the etiquette that saves you awkward phone calls.

What is an engagement announcement video?

It is a short film that tells friends and family you are engaged. It usually runs 10 to 20 seconds, shows a tiny story or a sweet moment, and ends with the news in plain words and your names. It does not need a date or a venue yet. That is what the save the date is for.

Engagement announcement video ideas

Pick one that sounds like the two of you. The best ones feel like an inside joke that everybody is allowed into.

• The two dots Two dots wander around a map from opposite corners, miss each other twice, then meet in the middle and turn into a heart. "Anna and Jonas are getting married."
• The question, redrawn A drawn version of how it happened: the beach, the kitchen, the top of the hill in the rain. Ends on "She said yes."
• The checklist "Find the one. Tick. Adopt a plant. Tick. Keep the plant alive. Partial tick. Get engaged. Tick."
• The relationship status A little profile card flips from "It's complicated" to "Dating" to "Engaged" with a small fanfare.
• The toothbrushes Two toothbrushes in one cup. A tiny ring drops over one of them.
• The pet witness The dog or cat "announces" the news: "My humans are getting married. I was not consulted."
• The timeline Years flash by: first date, first trip, first fight about the thermostat, then the ring.

If the "how it happened" idea tempts you, you may want to save the full love story for the wedding itself. Here is how to make a how we met animation.

What should you say in an engagement announcement?

Say the news, say your names, and say it with some warmth. That is all it has to do. A short line reads better on a phone than a paragraph, and it gives people something to repeat when they call you screaming.

• "We're getting married!"
• "She said yes. He is still shaking."
• "Same two people, one small upgrade."
• "We asked each other the same question. Both said yes."
• "After seven years, one dog and two apartments: we're engaged."
• "Officially stuck with each other."
• "Save your dancing shoes. Details soon."
• "Anna + Jonas. Forever starts now."

Names, news, and one line that sounds like you. That is a complete announcement.

Who should you tell before posting the video?

Parents, siblings, grandparents and your closest friends should hear it from you directly, on the phone or in person, before any film goes out. Then send the film to the wider family chat, then friends, then social media if you want. The order matters more than the video does.

How long should an engagement announcement video be?

Aim for 10 to 20 seconds. That is enough for a small story and the big line, and short enough that people watch it again and forward it. Social media rewards the shorter end. A family dinner on a TV can take up to 30 seconds.

How to make an engagement announcement video in five steps

1. Step 1

   Make the calls. Everyone on the list hears it first. Non-negotiable.

2. Step 2

   Pick one idea. The two dots, the checklist, the pet witness. One.

3. Step 3

   Write the final line. Names and news. Read it aloud together and see who laughs first.

4. Step 4

   Choose the sound. Soft and happy, or big and silly. Match the couple, not the wedding magazine.

5. Step 5

   Send it in the right shape. Tall for phones, wide for the party.

What comes after the engagement video?

Next comes the save the date, then the invitation. Each one has a different job: the announcement shares joy, the save the date shares a date, and the invitation shares every practical detail. Keeping them separate means each film stays short and clear. It also gives you three reasons to send something lovely instead of one, and your group chat will not complain about that.

One small trick: keep the same look across all three. If the engagement film used two little dots on a map, let the save the date bring the dots back, now standing next to a calendar. People notice, and it makes the whole run up to the wedding feel like one story told in chapters.

When you are ready: an animated save the date video, some funny save the date ideas, and later an animated wedding invitation.

The quick way: an engagement film in Nine

Nine makes short drawn films with a voice, music and sound effects, and nobody has to pose for a photo. Use Start from a template for the simplest version: your two names and one line, like "We're getting married!". Want the little story? Write it as a script, where each paragraph becomes a scene, or record the two of you telling it and use a voice recording, so the film runs as long as you talk. The crew makes it while you watch, and you change anything by saying it plainly: "warmer colors", "make the dog look more smug". You get a video file in wide, tall and square, and Nine never shares it with anyone. The Film plan is $29 a month for films up to 20 seconds. See all plans or try it out.