Couples, Diamond Lovers Flock to Facebook Page
Jeweler Ron Samuelson wasn’t expecting much when he started a diamond fanpage on Facebook. Now 200,000+ fans later, Ron and his business are now pioneers in the new way the jewelry industry likes to market online. Thanks to social networks like Twitter and Facebook, the breech between jewelry businesses and consumers are closer than ever, and luckily, both parties benefit.
“The way we use social media, Facebook, Twitter — there’s a personal side,” Ron told Engagement 101. “There’s a personal side with my profile. People see that I like to play guitar, go to football games — they see you as a real person instead of a company saying, ‘Hey, this is what I sell.'”
The personable side of online media has changed the face of the jewelry industry. Ron’s diamond fanpage on Facebook doesn’t just promote his business, Samuelson’s Diamonds, but hosts a whole diamond community. Fans post pictures of their engagement rings, share proposal stories (and sometimes divorce stories) and participate in discussions.
“I just put up on Twitter this morning about a three carat stone I wanted to sell and already got three emails back,” he said.
But the easy access to customers is also good for couples in the market for a new ring. Now couples can chase down jewelry businesses looking for that perfect ring, using Facebook as their arsenal of choice. “They [the customer] want to see that the executives, the CEO are people just like them.”
Read more about Ron Samuelson on his blog, and also look for more of him on Engagement 101 in the upcoming months.
Celebrity Engagement News: Bond girl gets a rock, Jonas brother throws a party
Taken from The Daily Mail.
The oldest Jonas brother, Kevin Jonas, announced he was engaged to long-time girlfriend Danielle Deleasa last week. The couple spent the 4th of July holiday celebrating not only America’s independence but also their recent engagement! The couple celebrated with family at an L.A. pizza parlor, according to WENN.com. The blushing bride-to-be also got to show off her $75,000 engagement ring from Jacob and Co. Teen fangirls everywhere quietly wept.
Taken from The Daily Mail
In other news, bond girl Gemma Arterton, who huddled up with Daniel Craig in the latest 007 installment, announced her engagement to stunt double Stefano (who apparently has no last name). The happy couple attended a not-so secret engagement party July 4 where the paps managed to snap pictures of Arterton’s engagement ring.
Marriage Proposal Becomes YouTube Hit
When a Houston couple posted their marriage proposal online, they had no idea what a smash it would become. The couple, who have been dating for three and a half years, according to The Sun News, decided to take a bike ride to a tree they carved their initials in a year prior. Unbeknown to Drew, Luke was planning to propose to her at the tree. When Luke proposed, the whole thing was caught on video and later uploaded to YouTube. 75,000+ views later and their private proposal is now an internet sensation.
Since posting their video Luke was offered a record contract from an independent label, and the couple has been getting offers from wedding shows interested in featuring their video. Talk about a great engagement gift! Check out the video below:
How to Have a Successful, Stress Free Road Trip With Your Loved One
An article at Examiner.com suggests a great way to ignite some extra spark in a relationship is to go on an adventure together. We think that’s a splendid idea! And since this weekend is a holiday weekend, why not hit the road together on a romantic getaway?
But of course, there are several factors that could lead to a vacation nightmare: Hot weather, bad traffic, getting lost, etc. And how many times do we see couples bickering over trivial matters, like directions or who should drive? Below are a list of tips that will help you both have a romantic and stress-free trip:
Plan and Prepare in advance
OK, so maybe you’re more of the impulsive type who loves to jump into a car without knowing 100 percent exactly where you’re going or how long you’ll be back. This won’t work when you have another person involved. Most arguments between couples while traveling are over things that should have been planned already, like directions, what to pack, not sticking to the schedule, etc. If you plan out all these details in advance, then there will be nothing to bicker about later.
Bring entertainment the both of you can enjoy
If you’re riding shotgun, it’s easy to put on a pair of headphones and nod off for the duration of the trip, but this isn’t fair for the driver who is probably sleep deprived and bored. It’s better if you both stay awake and spend your time listening to a comedy CD, a book on tape or anything similar that can stimulate the both of you.
Don’t forget the romance
After you lost the feelings in your legs and you’re cranky from sitting in a car all day, it’s natural to not feel “in the mood.” But remember that this is a getaway; don’t be too occupied with just getting there and getting back. Make time to pull over and watch the sunset, or skip the Motel 6 and find a nice bed and breakfast instead.
Go cougars!: The Rise of Older Woman/Younger Man Relationships
The rise of older woman/younger man relationships has been treated by the media as some kind of recent trend. The women (aka “cougars”) chase after younger men and have no problems showing they’re energetic, sexual and assertive and want a man that matches that same youthful energy.
Signs of the growing phenomenon has been making huge splashes in popular culture. From 44-year-old Vivica Fox’s reality TV dating show called “The Cougar” about older women hooking up with younger guys, to Kim Cattrall‘s character on Sex and the City chasing after a young male. More recently, the movie The Proposal pairs 44-year-old Sandra Bullock with 32-year-old Ryan Reynolds.
But even with older woman/younger man pairings being treated as trendy, there’s really nothing new about the dynamic; it’s exactly the same as younger woman/older man relationships except less common and less accepted. Even the term “cougar” is a bit insulting, implying older women prey on young men like fresh meat. The word is used to make the older woman look desperate and pathetic, and it’s systematically implied that the actions of the women are gross and abnormal.
What do you guys think about “cougars” and older women dating younger men?
Now Taking Submissions! Tell Us Your Proposal Story
Alison and Mike. Photographer: Anne Nunn
It’s that time of the year again, guys! We’re getting ready for our next issue of Engagement 101 and are looking for couples interested in being featured. If you’re a recently engaged or married couple who has a romantic or outrageous proposal story to share, we want to hear it! Here’s how to submit your story:
- Write a detailed description of the proposal. Make sure to include names, ages, occupations, and city of residence.
- Email your story to ENGAGEMENT101MAG (at) WEDDINGDRESSES (dot) COM with the subject “Proposal Story – YOUR NAME HERE.”
- Make sure to attach at least one LARGE photo (ideally 2500 x 1500 pixels) of you and your fiance/spouse.
That’s it! We’ll later contact selected submitters. We look forward to hearing from you!
Put a Ring On It: Beyonce Fans Share Their Proposal Stories
Put a ring on it, indeed! MSG.com interviewed fans after a Beyonce concert at Madison Square Garden Monday night and asked them how did they put a ring on it. What followed was a slew of light-hearted tales of marriage and proposals. Check out the video here.
Worst Engagement Cakes
My new favorite site at the moment is Cake Wrecks, a blog devoted to disastrous cakes of all kinds (wedding, birthday, graduation…) with some hilarious commentary on the side. They recently featured some truly awful engagement cakes that would make anyone cringe. Here were some of my favorites:
Not the worst cake by far, but who wants an engagement cake purchased on the fly at Wal-mart?
You’ll have to read the story behind this cake. This poor couple went to pick up their engagement cake from the bakery and found this monstrosity instead. And why can’t bakers spell “congratulations”?
My absolute favorite. Nothing says romantic like a severed hand!
5 Signs the Relationship is Over
Piggy backing off the Jon and Kate Plus 8 post from yesterday, in response to that post a few commenters said that Jon and Kate’s divorce was inevitable. Although it would have been nice to see the couple work on rebuilding their relationship, the general consensus was that their relationship was beyond repair. So how do you know when to walk away from a relationship that just can’t work itself out? Below are five tell-tale signs that a relationship has reached its end:
Jon and Kate Plus 8 and the Reality of Divorce
From TLC.
When I blog about certain topics, I always try to stay optimistic. After all, the people who read this blog are couples — new couples — who are on the brink of starting their life with another person. The topic of “divorce” is probably not an area they want to wander in. But I’m sure the outcome of divorce is something that lingers in every couple’s minds. Everyone wants to say they’ll be the couple who makes it, but you’ll never know for sure until you actually reach that moment. Last night while watching Jon and Kate Plus 8, that scary reality came leering back in a shockingly bare bones manner.
I’ve been watching Jon and Kate and their adorable kids since the beginning. In fact, if you watch all the episodes from beginning to end you can literally see the evolution of their decaying relationship. Somehow along the way the nurturing yet slightly stressed-out parents of eight dissolved into one douchebag and a famewhore. Tragic.
