There’s nothing more exciting than ringing in the new year with well, a ring!
Congrats to you and your partner on committing to the next step in your relationship. Now the fun begins.
Planning a wedding is a lot of work. Even if you decide to do a small wedding, you need to organize your paperwork and designate an officiant so those meaningful vows actually translate into a marriage licence in the end. But don’t worry, if you get organized early, it won’t seem so hectic.
Here’s a quick outline of some of the things you should do first:
Tell all your friends and family! Share the excitement with all those you love, and feel free to post on Facebook. People from near and far are always happy to hear that someone they know is newly engaged.
Discuss what type of wedding you’d like. Do you want a city hall wedding, a destination beach wedding or do you want a big barnyard wedding with twinkling lights and 200 guests. Deciding on what type of wedding you want also means considering your budget, but it’s essential to do early on so you know in what direction to go.
Start looking at venues and choosing approximate dates. The earlier you get this out of the way the better you’ll feel. Everyone will ask you when you are getting married starting the second you’re engaged, and you can only give them an answer once you’ve chosen a venue. Plus, you can’t go to a sought-after venue and say I want August 13th because it’s my parents’ anniversary. But it’s good to know you want an August wedding when you visit potential wedding locations. Then you can see what is available and choose.
Once you’ve told everyone, you and your fiancé have decided the style of wedding you want, and you’ve nailed down a time and place, all that’s left is securing your vendors and shopping! Enjoy this time, every second of it, because it’s gone too fast!
That glorious new ring on your finger means you’ve officially entered the wedding events planning stages. The very first event is your engagement party, and we’ve got the top 5 things you need to know for your post-proposal soiree.
Determine if you will host, or have someone else host it. Traditionally, it was the bride’s parents who hosted, but nowadays anything goes.
Determine the budget. Whether it’s a hall, a restaurant, club, library, backyard or park, understanding what you (or your host) will be spending is an important consideration. It will also help you determine how many guests you can invite.
Determine a gift strategy. While gifts aren’t necessary, some people won’t know whether they should be bringing something or not. Be clear on the invitations, and if people insist, consider a donation to a charity or use this time to set up your bridal registry early.
Set a date. If you have a long engagement, you may want to set your date months into the future. But if you can’t wait and want to share your joy with everyone right away, set it a few weeks into the future. Give yourself a little time for planning.
Book an engagement photography shoot. Fab photos make great announcement cards as well as save-the-date cards.
Congratulations to all the couples on their holiday engagements. If you became engaged to the love of your life this Christmas, share your engagement stories below. In the meantime, here’s some gorgeous engagement rings from this holiday season to swoon over.
This bride-to-be goes through a range of emotions, from annoyance to understanding and finally sheer joy. One of the better surprise proposals out there. This guy is a savage. (And so is that baby!) Check it out below. #FridayWeddingFeels
Engagements are exciting business. No two couples are the same, and the effort behind some surprise proposals can be pretty creative, but the initial reactions on most of those brides-to-be have one thing in common. Their hands come to their face at the moment of understanding.
It could just be an automatic surprise reflex, or it could be that she is so overwhelmed and her emotions so intense, she’s afraid her soul will spill out of her mouth. Expressing that kind of raw emotional happiness is the most vulnerable a person can be. Kind of like popping up naked in public by accident. Most people are quick to want to cover that up. We’re self-conscious animals, even subconsciously. There will be a grin spreading across your face that will threaten to swallow the world. Let it out. True love and happiness is glorious, don’t hide it. Let the ugly-crying tears flow free.
Wedding rings are the single most important piece of jewelry that you will ever own. They will be on your finger every day for the rest of your life. You need to LOVE it.
If traditional bridal sets just aren’t your thing, get started early finding out the different styles and types available to suit your unique personality. (Anything goes, really.) If you also want to enjoy the romanticism of having your groom surprise you, don’t be shy with spamming sharing your favourites with him to give him an idea of your style. Then you can leave the rest to him. Or, if you want to be certain you get what you want, pick them out together as a couple. Here are a few unique wedding rings we found to get you started.
It’s just a regular day in Holy Jim Canyon, California where you’ve decided to roam the forest for your engagement photo session. While you’re posing for these special photos, a black metal band just happens to wander in. What do you do? Include them in your photos, of course.
John Awesome and Nydia Hernandez were in the middle of a shoot with their photographer, Janet Wheeland, last weekend in the forest when they stumbled across the black metal band, Coldvoid, who were there to shoot some promo photos. The couple had initially chosen the dark woods for a “Forest Gump” theme to their engagement photos, but added the band to the mix for a little fun.
The traditional engagement ring is not for everyone. Instead of a separate engagement ring and wedding ring, many couples these days are deciding to get one ring each, the simple, no-fuss wedding band. Besides saving money, it’s one less ring to worry about. And the typical stand-out stone of an engagement ring is always something to worry about. Some brides want their wedding bands to match with their groom, and with most engagement ring settings these days, you might have to stack that ring out in order to make it fit. That’s a lot of rings and a lot to budget for.
If you find yourself on the line between wanting the bling of the engagement ring but also a matching band with your partner, there is another option that is starting to trend. The engagement… band! Having an eternity ring as your engagement ring offers you endless possibilities. (And you’d be in good company too… Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe both opted for the eternity band as their enagement ring.)
Typically used for anniversaries or life milestones, these rings are a more comfortable fit and easily stack together with traditional wedding bands. Problem solved, right? Check out these stunning combinations.
You just got engaged and you’re bursting to jump on social media and tell everyone the exciting news. Of course, it’s a very exciting time! If you can manage to keep a lid on the announcement, here are a few creative ways to spread the news through images. If you can’t hold back, you can always get creative with the save-the-date announcement.
Spring is when all things start anew. It’s the perfect time for an engagement and for planning For-evah with the love of your life. While you’re still giddy with joy, start imagining the perfect spring engagement shoot. Here’s a few photos to inspire the romantic in you.
When the homemade pressure cooker bombs went off at the Boston marathon’s frontline, James Bim Costello was standing far enough so he didn’t feel the full brunt of the explosion but still close enough that he suffered burns on his legs. He was rushed to Massachusetts General Hospital at first where his burns were treated and two nails were removed from his torso. It was “one of the worst days” of his life and he couldn’t understand why this tragedy had happened “but still wondered what good could come from [it].” Soon that became clear. He was transferred to Spaulding hospital where he met Krista D’Agostino, the nurse assigned to his rehabilitation.
“A few days later I saw a nurse in passing, this would turn out to be Krista, who had shared a few mutual friends, but we had never crossed paths before,” James wrote on his Facebook. “After sharing a handful of conversations I realized not only how beautiful she was but also what a kind heart she had. I somehow convinced her to attend a benefit with me, which turned into a few dates, which turned into a few inseparable months.”
The two felt a connection and started dating. More than half a year on now, they are on a European cruise organized by Vantage Deluxe World Travel for all the victims hurt in the bombing. In Lyon, James asked Krista to marry him and she said yes.
[Photo Courtesy of James Costello/Facebook]
With a picture of Krista’s ring (above) posted on Facebook, James writes that, “I now realized why I was involved in the tragedy, it was to meet my best friend, and the love of my life. Eight months later I’m happy to announce that we will spend the rest of our lives together.”
Sports fans have soft spots, too! This viral video is here to prove it. Published on December 6th, the video of a Chicago Bulls cheerleader being proposed to now has over 5.5 million hits on YouTube.
The stint took place at half time of the Chicago Bulls versus the Miami Heat on December 5th. Chicago Luvabull, Ariana, was dancing through the Luvabull routine as usual when she noticed every other dancer fled the court. Ariana tries to keep dancing the practiced routine, and is eventually told to sit down by the Bulls’ mascot.
All of sudden, Bruno Mars’ “Marry You” starts playing throughout the arena, and we get the idea that Ariana may have a slight idea of what is about to happen. While her dance teammates dance through another routine—clearly practiced without Ariana—she is spun around in her chair for a few moments.
Soon, two more Bulls mascots enter the court and one of them is revealed to be her boyfriend. He walks towards her, gets on one knee, and pops the question. With a loud boom, the announcer announces, “She said yes!”
What a way to propose! The happy couple exits the court to high-fives and congrats from front row fans. We aren’t sure how this hubby-to-be is going to top this elaborate performance, but here’s to hoping he choreographs a surprise dance at their wedding. Go Bulls!
Last week on Shark Tank—ABC’s Dragons’ Den series—viewers saw an interesting wedding-themed business proposal. It was called Paparazzi Proposals. It’s New Yorker James Ambler’s business of candid “paparazzi” engagement photos—and we think it’s clever. Ambler was a paparazzi photographer for 6 years, and when he proposed to his wife, he thought of the idea of paparazzi style engagement photos. The business provides couples with candid photos of a moment they will remember forever. It’s one of the very few moments in a couples engagement, wedding planning, wedding, and honeymoon that isn’t typically documented, and this is a great solution!
Having begun this venture in New York City in early 2011, Paparazzi Proposals is now all across America.
This is how Ambler describes the service:
– With every proposal we offer a consultation with ideas, maps and suggestions from our proposal experts. If you’re flying to town we can arrange maps and the consultation to be done by phone. We have planned 100’s of proposals so bounce your ideas off our team of experts and they can help and offer suggestions!
– On the day of your proposal we will capture the build up and moments before the big question! If you need an extra pair of hands organizing the finer details we are here to help, whether it’s having a picnic laid, organizing a gondola or just having a spot kept for you with some flowers we can help with any detail. We will then capture the build up before the proposal.
– You cannot re-create the moment you drop to one knee so let us capture your loved ones face as you ask her to marry you! Not only will she love having this moment to cherish forever but you can also share your engagement with family and friends.
-Share and Print: You will receive a CD of high res photo shopped images as well as our secure online gallery of the whole album that you can order prints from and share with friends and family.
Paparazzi Proposal’s prices range from $525 USD to $1150 USD based on the amount of time you want their photographer following you. Prints start at $15 for 10×8’s and go up in price and size from there. Frankly, for $525 for 2 hours of paparazzi photography, we think it’s worth capturing this unique moment. The photo results are always very raw with emotion, sometimes very comical, other times very touching and heartfelt. It will be interesting to see how Ambler’s Paparazzi Proposals will be replicated across the United States, in Canada, and around the world.
Nowadays a large percentage of couples meet on the internet. You’ve heard about how well online dating websites work but there’s a new place to meet your potential spouse now: Instagram. That’s where newly engaged couple Elizabeth Wisdom and Denis Lafargue met and the rest, as they say, is history.
It all started when Elizabeth posted a stunning landscape shot of a lake. Many people commented on the photo and Denis was one of them. The two struck up a conversation on Instagram – that is to say, they started to comment back and forth on each other’s account – and there was evidently a spark. Pretty soon they exchange phone numbers and eventually Elizabeth flew to meet Denis in person. Not long after, the two announced on Instagram that they were dating, with Denis calling Elizabeth his “Instalady.” And nine months later, he printed out a timeline of their Instagram posts which he made into a path leading to a rustic barn behind her grandmother’s house. There he played her a song he had written for her and proposed. She, of course, accepted and, lucky for us, there is photo evidence to show every step of the way. It’s a match made in hipster heaven.
[Photo Courtesy of Denis Lafargue]
We at Bridal Guide love the story of how they met, how they fell in love and how they were brought together by Instagram – how else would Elizabeth from Texas have met Denis from New Orleans? The possibilities of meeting just about anyone on social media are endless.
A picture is worth a thousand words so check out the incredibly sweet images of their relationship here.
Do you have a crazy story about how you met your significant other? We want to hear it! Send your stories our way by posting on your Facebook page.
Dawn Lo is a contributing writer to The Bridal Guide.
Recently, an engagement video hit the Internet and has taken people by storm. Justin Baldoni’s The Proposal is the 27-minute long video of his proposal to then girlfriend and current fiancé Emily. First published on October 8, 2013, the video has nearly 4 million views in less than one month. Watch it, here:
This is how the man behind the magic describes the video, “On April 13th I proposed to my girlfriend Emily at the restaurant where we had our first date. I told her I was running late, had the restaurant opened just for her, and set up hidden cameras all around her. When she sat down at the table, there was a TV in front of her set to take her on a journey that would lead to the proposal of a lifetime. This is what happened…”
Here are our opinions: We say, it’s very inventive and creative. We don’t know how Emily kept so calm, cool, and collected the entire time. Why wasn’t her sister in attendance? Can Justin really sing like Nick Lachey? Why didn’t he include any of her friends in the video? What a great flash mob!
Overall, we’re very smitten with this couple. From just 27 minutes, we can tell that they have a great and true love that the rest of us are (or will be) lucky to find. People like this are inspiring, and remind us that there are good and loving people out there. Everyone deserves a wonderful proposal, but they don’t have to be this extravagant. How did you get proposed to? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page and tell us!
With more and more couples commonly moving in together before marriage, being pregnant while getting married does occur with a number of brides. I spoke with Tracy Saunders about her beautiful wedding and how plans changed once she found out about her pregnancy. (more…)
