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A major cable network is currently casting engaged / non-married couples for an upcoming reality TV show. The show will take place at an exotic resort where the couples will have time to explore their relationship with the help of a relationship couch. Here’s part of the casting call below:

Want to explore your relationship on a deeper level before you walk down the aisle?  This is your opportunity to get away and spend some quality time with a top relationship expert in a beautiful tropical setting!

‘The deeper you explore as a couple the longer your love will last!’

[...]This experience will be documented as part of a show about preparing for an honest and successful happy marriage.

Sounds a like a pre-wedding honeymoon. But then again, since this is reality TV, you should probably expect to be sliding down mud slides or pelting each other with water balloons. A small price to pay for a free vacay.

The wrong way is to dive headfirst into planning and getting a little too carried away with all the details. If you’re planning a wedding early, the key is to simply troll the various wedding sites/blogs to get an idea of what you want. Think of it as a preliminary test of the real thing. So don’t get too bogged down on what colors you’ll use or what dress you’ll wear; just search for a list of things you’re interested in and then return to the list later when you start doing the serious nitty gritty planning. The biggest mistake you could make is worry over little details as if the wedding date is set next week. Be proud that you have lots of time and relish in how careful and slow you can take the process. Some couples don’t get that luxury..

“I don’t want to be married until I’m 30,” she explained.

Which leads me to ponder…why do couples get engaged if they have no intention of marriage or are not 100 percent sure that they want to get married in the first place?

Kelly explained: “I said yes just to say yes, and that’s the truth..to tell him no I felt would ruin our relationship…then after the first year, I started to realize… maybe I really do want to marry.”

Although every relationship is different, saying yes and then hoping things will fall into place later down the line isn’t a healthy approach to the situation. An engagement should be discussed beforehand and taken seriously. Of course, I’m sure most people will disagree. I just believe that couples should know where the relationship is going before accepting an engagement. Do you agree or disagree?

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A guy who recently purchased an engagement ring for his girlfriend was outraged when a local jewelry store spoiled his surprise engagement.

According to Consumerist, the guy (referred to simply as S.) purchased an engagement ring from a large jewelry chain. The couple have been dating for five years, so S’s girlfriend knew he was about to propose, she just didn’t know when.

One day while picking up the mail, S’s girlfriend found a piece of junk mail from the jewelry store. The surprise proposal was ruined.

When the couple went to the store to complain, the store said the couple should have asked not to receive any mail. Of course, the problem is that the couple did request not to receive any mail.

So because of a  peice of junk mail soliciting for S. to sign up for a membership card, a surprise proposal worth thousands of dollars was ruined.

“This was supposed to be one of the best moments of our lives (especially after being together for so long) and [the store] didn’t even care,” S said. “I called them and they didn’t offer to fix it. They didn’t do anything.”

The comments at Consumerist had a lot to say on the matter. Some of them sided with the couple while others sided with the store and thought the couple was overracting.

Whose side are you on? Is it the store’s fault or is the couple overreacting?

“We knew that we didn’t want standard paper invites,” bride-to-be Darina told Offbeat Bride. “We wanted something for people to keep and remember. We are geeks. We love video games. Why not have a video game invite?”

You can check out videos of the video game below, and, if you have Windows, you can download the game and play it for yourself! How neat is that?

Everything about the wedding was Apple-themed, down to the priest being dressed like Steve Jobs.

Groomsman, Josh Li, said he and his wife wanted to get married at an Apple store because it was the place where they first met.

“We got to know each other because Ting was looking to buy an iPod…and I managed to strike up a conversation that way,” Josh told EW.com.

“I used to joke that the Apple Store is my church because I am not religious, and I loved everything Apple,” he said. “Ting then came up with the idea of having the wedding there.”

Watch the video:

“Unfortunately, I still Google myself sometimes,” Perry told Us Weekly. “I saw it on Google alerts. I’m going to be honest.”

Well I’m sure that made the proposal pretty awkward. If you knew your boyfriend was about to propose to you, how would you react? Would you fake a surprise or come clean?

Our usual crop of jewelry designers weigh in on the discussion. Jackie Cohen from Timeless Designs and Nikki Berbian from Varna talk about how couples can work together to purchase an engagement ring, while Jill Zvaigzne-Suddendorf from Ze Bridal and Grace Karaguezian from Kirk Kara share their romantic proposal stories. Isabella Schonwetter-Fiske from Lieberfarb also lets us in on a little girl-to-girl advice on making love last long.

Watch the episode here!

Best,
Engagement 101

Start your ring search
The first step to finding that perfect engagement ring is to first get an idea of what you’re looking for. Our Ring Search has hundreds of engagement rings to browse from cut, color, designer and more!

Get inspired
It’s OK to browse wedding dresses even if you’re not planning to wed yet. Browsing bridal dresses, venues or party favors are fun, and it’s a great way to get some early ideas of what you want in the future. Plus, since you’re not exactly planning anything yet, you won’t have to deal with the added stress!

Think romance
Don’t let the idea of weddings and engagement rings overshadow the importance of a strong, solid relationship. And just because you both love each other doesn’t mean your relationship is incapable of a little work. We post tons of relationship advice here, but also check out some of our relationship blogger friends on our blogroll.

Guys, you’re not off the hook
Gone are the days of men standing idly by while their wives-to-be shove them to the altar. These days guys are getting into the wedding process and the pre-engagement process. After all, the ring shopping and the proposing is usually their responsibility, which is why we launched our “Guy’s Guide” in our latest issue. And when you’re through browsing that, check out some of our male blogger friends on our blogroll.

The 2010 issue of Engagement 101 is hitting the newsstands. And guess what? It’s a double issue! Our female cover is packed with relationship advice, ring buying tips and, of course, hundreds of engagement rings to inspire you. The issue also delves inside important topics like whether you should move in with him before marriage and how to throw a fabulous engagement party on a budget.

And for you guys out there, we also have something for you, too. We consulted several happily engaged men to give their advice on getting engaged. Our male issue is stuffed with ideas and tips on how to find the ring of her dreams, how to know when you’re ready for marriage and how to prepare the perfect proposal.

In addition to engagement advice, the issue features real proposal stories, a look into wedding runway trends for 2010 and our picks for best jewelry stores across the country.

Pick up or order your copy today!