Is it ever okay to propose at someone’s wedding?

The other day some friends of mine were having a conversation about awesome wedding traditions like the toasts, the bouquet toss and garter toss. Someone said they thought it would be really romantic if a guy at the wedding would somehow rig the bouquet toss and garter toss so that he and his girl won. Then when they do the part where he has to put the garter on the lady on one knee to seal the tradition of predicting that they’ll be the next ones to get married, he proposes.

There were a few “awwws” until someone was like, “Hold up. Is it ever okay to propose at someone else’s wedding?”

It’s true. Weddings are supposed to be about the couple and only about the couple. Or, as some would say, it’s completely about the bride. Why would it be okay for some guests to suddenly make it about themselves?

It’s not too uncommon. Here’s a guy who proposes on the dance floor at a wedding. I guess if you gave the newly married couple a heads up, it wouldn’t be so bad. Would it?

What do you think? Is it ever okay to propose at someone else’s wedding? If you were the bride, what would you think?

Nikki 

Give a wish as a gift with the 1884 Collection

The essence and spirit behind The 1884 Collection brand is to make wishes come true. Comprised of ancient Roman coins in a variety of styles, the 1884 Collection appeals to those who wear jewelry for both the look and the sentiment that accompanies each piece.

Every person who purchases a piece of 1884 Collection jewelry is invited to register their piece online so that a coin, along with their wish, can be thrown into the famous Trevi Fountain in Rome. How cool is that? The 1884 Collection recently announced a partnership with the Make a Wish Foundation®, that will provide children with life-threatening illnesses a chance to expand their horizons through travel to Italy. You can find items in the collection starting around $250. We love the concept, what’s a better gift than a lucky wish?

 

 

Three ways to plan a picnic proposal

Spring is definitely in the air as May gets off to a great start. And what is the best way to enjoy this beautiful season? Picnics. Well…at least in my opinion. It’s great to do picnicking before it gets too hot with summer.

And of course, picnics are incredibly romantic by themselves, but know what would make them extra romantic? You got it– a proposal. The best part is, you don’t need anything flashy or extra surprising to pull off this kind of proposal. The only thing you need to know is how to pull off the perfect picnic. Lucky for you, there are only three main keys to planning the most romantic picnic your girl has ever seen.

1) Location, location, location
This is the most important thing for you to consider. Know of a perfect park with a great view? Know where the ducks are the friendliest to be fed? Scout out a few areas beforehand and maybe find a place that’s quiet or even secluded like off of a hiking path.  Avoid the following: dumpsters, loud places,  and too many kids.

2) Plan perfect picnic food
While it’s a terrible idea to hide the ring in food, that doesn’t mean what you eat isn’t important. Pick food that isn’t messy and very easy to eat. Grapes and strawberries are perfect to eat and playfully feed each other. Try your hand at making fancy sandwiches like a classic caprese (Italian bread, tomatoes, mozzarella, and pesto). Or, if you’re not as daring, plan a great finger food platter. Fancy cheeses, crackers, dried fruit,  maybe even some pepperoni or salami sticks you can slice– all of it makes for a romantic picnic. Add a bottle of wine or champagne to the mix and you’ve got a great meal.

3) Plan a memory
You don’t need to plan anything spectacular here, but it really makes for special memories if you put a little more thought into the picnic than just the food. Whether it’s a hike beforehand or asking her to look at cloud shapes in the sky like she did when she was a kid,  little things can go a long way. If it’s windy, kite flying can also be fun. Make sure you bring a camera to take cute pictures of each other having fun. It’ll especially come in handy once you pop the question. Impromptu engagement pictures is something no girl can turn down.

Still not sure how to pull off the perfect picnic proposal? Take some pointers from this guy.

Nikki

3 ways to propose in a hospital

Let’s face it… hospitals aren’t the happiest places in the world. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have happy moments there. Get this, some guys actually propose in hospitals and get the “YES” they want. Think about it: it’s the perfect way to surprise a bride-to-be by popping the question (I mean…who expects a hospital proposal?). Here are three ways to propose in the hospital.

If you’re visiting someone together…
Sometimes you have to go visit a family member in the hospital, like grandma in this scenario. Of course grandma means the world to her so you’re going to want to go with her to support her and show how much family means to you. This guy plans his proposal so grandma can watch. Girl didn’t even see it coming.

If your girlfriend works at a hospital…
Working at a hospital can be stressful, but this guy completely surprised his nurse girlfriend with a great proposal. She was prepping for ER (or what she thought would be a situation) and he was all dressed up in the surgeon garb with his back to her. She didn’t even notice he was in the room. Skip ahead to the one minute mark to see her reaction.

If your girlfriend is a patient in the hospital…

Obviously she’s probably having a pretty crumby time, so you should do something over the top. This guy proposes to his girlfriend who had just had his baby. It’s a very long proposal, but very sweet. The new momma and bride-to-be was crying the whole way through. First he had nurses one-by-one go in and deliver a rose to his lady, reading a card about what love is. Then around minute 9:30, a male nurse comes in and starts singing a love song, which then prompts Casanova, who is wearing a a pretty snazzy suit, to walk in and get down on one knee to propose.

What do you think: Would you propose in a hospital?

Nikki

Planes, trains and automobile proposals

There are many ways to surprise your girl with a proposal she won’t see coming. Various forms of transportation may be just the thing to surprise her in a way she never dreamed of.

Here are the best of the best ways to propose with planes, trains and automobiles.

On a Plane..
This guy met his girl on a plane so of course it only made sense to propose to her on one. He had a song written for her play over the loud speaker and then popped the question. So romantic and so surprising.

On a Train...
If you live in an area with a subway or commuter train, this could be the best place to propose. There’s nothing quite like taking a mundane daily event and turning it into something special. This guy got a chorus of people to serenade his girl on the train. It was definitely magical.

On a Car…
My dad actually proposed to my mom in a car on the fly without a ring with my mom sitting in the back seat because she had a broken leg. While very sweet,  this guy took a little more planning with his proposal. Check out how a fleet of cars drive by his lady with messages on them for her.

Nikki

 

SimplyVera by Vera Wang Engagement Rings

Looking for a Vera Wang engagement ring? Kohl’s just expanded the Simply Vera Vera Wang collection into bridal jewelry and now offers a selection of exquisite, contemporary styles.

The initial bridal collection includes engagement rings and wedding bands priced from $1,000 to $9,995, before any savings. The jewelry features intricate details and unique cuts for a timeless design. The rings are all 14 karat white gold with certified near colorless diamonds. The engagement ring carat sizes range from 1/4 to 1 1/2 carat total weight.

 

Play with your Lover to win one of the most beautiful ring on earth!

Here’s another awesome giveaway for those in need of a sparkly to seal the deal on their love.

If you want to win a gorgeous, rose gold amethyst engagement ring from Sylvie (and let’s be honest, who wouldn’t love to have this ring?), then this is the contest for you.

All you need to do is grab your lover and enter separately by answering a few simple questions. For the ladies, you merely answer things like what would be the one item you’d bring with you on a deserted island, what is a pet peeve you have about your significant other and of course, which Engagement 101 ring you love the most. For the gents, you need to guess what your lady put down.

Not only is it super easy to enter, but it’s a great opportunity to see how well you know your lover!

Winners will be chosen at random. Make sure you enter soon on our Facebook page because you’re not going to want to miss this incredible opportunity.

 

Three ways to have a really fun proposal

Popping the question may be one of the most defining moments of your life, but that doesn’t mean it has to be TOO serious. If mush and gush isn’t quite your thing as a couple, then why not try something a bit more light-hearted instead? Here’s three ways to have a super fun proposal for your fun, fiance-to-be.

1) Make a board game. If you and your honey would much rather spend time playing board games than going dancing or having fancy dinners, then why not propose while playing a game designed just for her? Confiscate an old “The Game of Life” board and customize it with your own life memories and events. At the end of the game, you can have a space or a card the talks about getting married. Who can say no to that?

2) Propose at a Fair. Cotton candy, ferris wheels and games, oh my! Nothing is better than walking around, under the stars and flashing lights at a carnival like a couple of kids in love. Pay off one of the game booths to let you win, and instead of winning her a bear, get down on one knee and propose. OR, if you don’t want to pay off a game booth, then even if you lose, tell her that she’s the best prize of all and then present the ring.

3)  Use a magic trick. Nothing is quite as magical as– well– a magic trick. Here’s a great video on an engagement trick that actually worked for this guy. Check it out!

Nikki

Paralyzed Bride walks down the aisle

When you’re engaged (and sometimes even before) it can be really overwhelming. You get caught up in what seems like big details (will it be the right ring? Will all the details be perfect?). Sometimes it’s good to keep things in perspective and remember that some things are more important than whether or not the flower arrangements are exactly the right shade of pink.

I saw this clip today and found it incredibly moving. A bride-to-be was paralyzed from the waist down after a head on collision car accident. But after hard work and a lot of physical therapy, this bride was able to achieve her ultimate goal for her perfect wedding– she just wanted to walk down the aisle. Not only did she get to walk down the aisle, but she also got to have her first dance with her husband, just like she had dreamed.

So just remember, the not-so perfect proposal or the mini-crisis that happens during the wedding isn’t really so big after all.  Keep things in perspective. Love the one you’re with. And don’t sweat the small stuff.

Nikki

How to wing it when your proposal fumbles

Life isn’t always perfect. Sometimes there may be a surprise or two around the corner that may throw you off guard. But the unexpected doesn’t have to ruin the moment.

Many guys try to plan the perfect proposal for so long, they get frazzled when something happens that wasn’t on the list. Here’s some situations that could happen at any given time during a proposal. But lucky for you, you have Engagement 101 to (hopefully) give you the confidence to turn any situation around.

Bad Situation #1: It rains during the outdoor proposal
Sure, it may seem disastrous to you when you had envisioned a beautiful hike on a sunny day, but here’s a bit of secret: most girls find rain to be romantic given the right circumstances. Sure, knocking her down into the mud is a no-no but trust us, some of the best romantic movies have killer kissing or dancing in the rain scenes. You can also work it into your proposal to, talking about how even when it rains, she’s the sunshine of your life. Honestly, the rain could be just the edge you need to make a memorable proposal.

Bad Situation #2: You fumble for the ring/it gets stuck in your pocket
My brother’s best friend had this happen to him during his engagement. I think the way he solved the issue is by pointing in the opposite direction and shouting, “Oh crap, what’s that over there?” The truth is, your ring getting stuck in your pocket is definitely not a big deal. Just stay calm, smile and even laugh a little. Chances are, she’s so excited she hasn’t even noticed. And even if she does, make her laugh. All girls love a guy who can laugh at himself sometimes.

Bad Situation #3: You drop the ring
Hopefully you’ve followed other advice on Engagement 101– particularly the part about never holding a ring unprotected over sand, water, or cliffs. If you do one of those, you’re on your own because we’ve already warned you about that. But all kidding aside, just pick up the ring. If you’re afraid you’ll be spending too long looking for it on the floor and ruin the moment, just clasp her hands in yours and finish your speech and ask her the question she’s been waiting for without the ring. As soon as she says “YES!”, seal it with a kiss and then quickly search for the ring. Don’t be embarrassed and she’ll think it’s cute.

Moral of the story? Stay calm, breathe and go with the flow. Every proposal is perfect if you speak from your heart and pick the right girl. Nothing can ruin that, now can it?

Nikki