Zoo Lights Proposal

Raymond wanted a special proposal for his girlfriend, Chandra. What better place to do it than the zoo?

 

To make it even more special, it was during the light show at the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago. Raymond won a contest with a local radio station’s MYEngagement contest where he won a ring from Rogers & Hollands Jewelers for his proposal idea.

I’d say he did a wonderfully, seasonally thoughtful proposal!

Emily

Photo Journal December 2013 – Sparkles

Justin Timberlake Concert Proposal

Josh wants to propose to Kim. So what does he do? Oh, ya know, just phones up old pal Justin Timberlake and asks if he can propose during his concert.

OK… not sure if that’s REALLY how the story goes, but Justin does say, “Josh called us earlier”, and leads Josh’s gal on stage and sets the moment for his proposal.

I love when celebs do things like this. I don’t know if Josh had to pay or just be persistent, but kuddos to JT for letting them have a private… er… very public moment during his concert. After all, what’s more important than love?

By the way, I’m amazed this girl didn’t freak out at JT leading her up by hand. She clearly must love her man!

Emily

The Style Editor Holiday Outfit

Need some inspiration for a holiday outfit? Here is our style editor’s pick for this year.

” I love combining different patterns to create a unique look. Add some sparkles with a stunning piece of jewelry. You can borrow some cute earrings from your mother’s jewelry box for the occasion.” – Juliette Lê

• Dress from Modcloth
• Scarf by Betsy Johnson
• Earrings by Hearts on Fire
• Bag by Irregular Choice
• Shoes by Badgley Mischka

The Editor in Chief Holiday Party Look

The holidays are a great occasion to dress up. Get inspired by our Editor-in-Chief Severine Ferrari’s holiday style.

“I went for splurge baroque accessories  as I can borrow them! The dress and jacket are great items you can wear over and over again.” – Severine Ferrari

• Dress by Project Gravitas
• Jacket by Lela Rose
• Bracelet in pyrite by Catherine Angiel
• Knuckle bag by Alexander McQueen
• Peacock earrings by Gumuchian
• Pumps by Charlotte Olympia

3 Holiday Styles by Michael O’Connor

“Think of your wardrobe like a holiday gift! The clothing is like the wrapping paper, but no gift is complete without the bow and the ribbon. At the holidays especially, your accessories create the added sparkle. Remember to complete the look by adding the perfect accessories.” – Michael O’Connor

Casual

• A classic pair of jeans
• Sweater from Barney’s
• Shoes from Barney’s
• Bracelet by Emporio Armani
• Ring by Gemvara

Party Wear

• Suit from Barney’s
• Watch by Baume et Mercier
• Ring by Beaudry.

New Year’s Eve 

• Tuxedo by Dolce & Gabana
• Tuxedo shoes by Hugo Boss
• Shirt from Nordstrom
• Bow tie from Nordstrom
• Cufflinks from Bergdorf Goodman
• Art nouveau label pin

 

Kelly Rowland is engaged!

It doesn’t come as much of a surprise that Kelly Rowland confirmed on The Queen Latifah Show that she’s engaged! Considering the diamond ring she’s been sporting on THAT finger and  the man she’s been spotted around town with, we’d say it was about time the singer and X Factor judge finally confirmed that she’s planning to marry Tim Witherspoon.

“He put a ring on it,” Rowland admitted in an interview airing Wednesday on The Queen Latifah Show, holding up her hand when Latifah insisted on hearing the details.

Rowland’s ring appears to be a cushion-cut, around four carats, set nicely in platinum. It’s a classic look with diamonds around the main stone and the shank, too.

Well done, Witherspoon, well done.

OH! How did her honey propose? Over Skype. Yep. Clearly they’re so in love she didn’t seem to mind the technology-barrier of the proposal. I’d say the ring makes up for it, wouldn’t you?

Emily

Photo Credit: E!Online

Holiday Gift Ideas by Emily, Daily 101 Editor

Emily Herring Dunn is the Daily 101 editor. She lives in the mountains of North Carolina with her husband of almost six years, Clark, and their son, Michael. When Emily isn’t taking care of her son, she likes to explore hiking trails, cozy up with a good book, and watch the newest (and oldest) films.

For my sisters

Affordable – I have two sisters, one older, one younger. Picking gifts for them, however, seems to get harder the older we get. That’s why I LOVE getting gifts that are “practical” but still thoughtful and fun (for everyone, not just my sisters)! These gloves are just that. Perfect for the colder months, reasonably priced, and so cute. You can get them on Modcloth.

Splurge – We love musicals in my family. It’s a thing. When we heard Les Miserable was returning to the Broadway stage in 2014, we all started wishing that we could go together. I would totally plan a NYC trip with my sisters (and our mom) as Christmas presents if I could!

For my dad

Affordable – Men are so hard to shop for. I’ve learned that some gifts seem to “boring” to us, but that’s really how it goes with them! And how many men do you know that don’t carry a wallet? I love this as a gift idea!

Splurge – Sports are huge with my family… and not just the men! Season tickets to just about any sport would be an amazing present, but for my dad I would particularly go with NFL tickets. And, if you must know, he’s a Bears fan.

For my husband

Affordable – My hubby is constantly on the go. If you have a special someone in your life who travels, this travel bag set from Target seems awesome. Another thoughtful and practical gift.

Splurge – Growing up with military men, they all seem to have a love for pocket watches. I would love to surprise my love with this amazing swiss-made pocket watch to go with his dress blues.

For my in-laws

Affordable – The parents of your boyfriend, fiancé, or husband can always be tough to shop for. What’s too much, what’s not enough? Surprise them with a wonderful point-and-shoot camera. I don’t think you can go wrong with this (unless, of course, one or both of them are true photographers). If you’re married, or getting serious, this will come in handy for family events and, someday, possibly, grandchildren!

Splurge – Parents are hard workers, even when they’re later on in life and all the kids are out of the house. Giving them the chance to reconnect and relax without any worries? That seems like a too-good-to-be-true- gift to give, doesn’t it? What about a spa weekend?

For me

Affordable – I love totes… especially totes from Anthropologie. The one I currently have is just about past its prime, and I’ve been eying this one for quite a while.

Splurge – I haven’t been on a romantic getaway in, well, a while. Everyday life seeps in and you get carried away with checklists and responsibilities. What better way to remember who’s important in your life by going on a cruise with them? This is on my bucket list, and I wouldn’t hesitate to accept if my hubby surprised me with this. Sometimes we just need a vacation, even at… or especially at… Christmas time!

Holiday Gifts by Theresa, Mother of 3 Boys

Theresa Pender lives in New Jersey with her husband and her 3 sons. She updates the Engagement 101 site, usually at night, when the little ones are  asleep. Let’s check out Theresa’s gift ideas if you have a big family like hers!

For my sister

Affordable – Treat your sister to some new make-up this holiday season.  its always nice to get a fresh color or possibly new make-up brushes!

Splurge – If I could, I would get her a Burberry trench coat, great for wearing on your walk to work! Add a pop of color to a rainy day with a Burberry umbrella!

For my husband

Affordable – What about cashmere sweater? It’s great for work, dinners and holidays. A very classic look. Or for the gadget lover, SONOs wireless HiFi–  Compatible with the Android, iPAD, iPhone, Mac and PC devices.  A wireless speaker that can support a home network of all your music.  This speaker allows you to connect your favorite music library with the capability of adding more speakers over time to fill your entire home!

Splurge – A luxurious classic swiss made watch based on the legendary 1950s style: complete with a rose gold bezel, brown leather strap and a scratch resistant sapphire crystal face.

For the boys

Affordable – Always a good one: LEGOs.  Combine it with their favorite video game played and you can’t go wrong! To get the boys outside and away from the video games, roller blades were my number one choice.  You can pair it with the elbow pads, knee pads and helmet.

Splurge – Cutting edge game systems. PS4 or the Xbox One.   They have state of the art graphics.  Each system also allows you to stream video apps such as Netflix.  Also the Xbox has apps for ESPN and NFL.  Each device has a built in blue ray, DVD and CD player.

For the baby

Affordable – Learning leap frog toys are always a good choice. They are interactive and really capture the babies attention.  Also will try to keep baby away from the real thing! Or what about a play phone?

Spurge – Another great gift for a baby is a gym membership!

For me

Affordable – A high spec digital camera.  All in one, able to take amazing photos, action packed photos as well as record videos with a light weight and easy to transport.

Splurge – A beautiful Fusaro yellow diamond ring with a cushion cut stone surrounded by white diamonds.

Wine Tasting Proposal

This couple is at what’s supposed to be a wine tasting. What the bride-to-be doesn’t know is that her boyfriend has planned a special wine just for the two of them.

You can tell, watching the man, that he’s rather nervous. He doesn’t look super happy sitting there waiting for the bottle that we can assume reads, “Will you marry me?” is presented to his girlfriend. In fact, if he didn’t have the wine, I’d say he looks like he’s about to pass out!

He drops to one knee around 1:25.

I’d say this was one way to do it! I mean, who doesn’t love wine and an engagement ring?

Emily