A “How I Met Your Mother” proposal

I’m a huge fan of the show, “How I Met Your Mother,” and a big lover of marriage proposals. So put the two together, and you have something so amazing it’s Legend– wait for it– DARY.

And for the record, I am super appalled at myself for not knowing this piece of trivia already.

During the 2008 season finale, there’s an episode where the character, Robin, receives a glass of champagne at a restaurant with her date Ted. She finds a diamond ring at the bottom and freaks out thinking her boyfriend was proposing– when she really did NOT want him to propose.

It turns out, it was actually just all a mix up and the ring belonged to the guy behind them. He of course, takes the ring and pops the question to his date at the restaurant.

Fun fact: It was a REAL proposal.

Apparently this couple are HUGE fans, so groom-to-be somehow got the hook up to get the writers to write them in the show. He and his girlfriend flew to LA after he convinced her they were going to be extras on the show. She had no idea what was coming.

What a crazy proposal! And definitely a great way to tell your children about how you met their mother– or at least how you proposed to her.

A bohemian style engagement dress for less!

Looking for the perfect bohemian style cocktail dress for your engagement party? Check out the new Marni collection at H&M. Talented Italian designer Marni has created for H&M  an amazing capsule collection of gorgeous cocktail dresses below $100.

This selection is filled with quirky pieces and features different easy-to-match patterns, suggesting an innovative approach to dressing up.

For a more complete look, pick some accessories: sequined shirt collars used as necklaces, jewels made of zyl, resin and rhinestone or deco-inspired resin bracelets that you can pile on your arm. ($20-$50). Run because those pieces will be out of stock very quickly.

Sienna Miller’s Engagement Ring

Sienna Miller and her boyfriend Tom Sturridge got engaged! Sienna is pregnant with her first child and it looks like our celebrity couple wants to make it official.

Sienna was spotted in London wearing an impressive platinum engagement ring.

Looking for a similar design? Check out this Natalie K engagement ring :

3 tips to propose with a pet

We’ve all seen that cat food commercial that not only was on TV, Hulu and in the movie theaters, but also had a Youtube series that ended in a wedding where the proposal kitten also attended. (Not familiar with said Fancy Feast commercial? Watch the beginning here.)

But do people really do that in real life? Can someone successfully propose with a pet?

For some couples it works out just like in the commercial. This couple used a friend’s dog to deliver the ring. It COMPLETELY caught this bride-to-be by surprise. Overall, I’d say it was effective.

Of course if you don’t have any pets or friends with pets, you could always hire an animal as cool as a dolphin to bring it to your lady like this guy here. My only concern would be dropping the ring in the water….slightly terrifying thought. But it worked out for this couple.

HOWEVER, pets can also ruin proposals. So consider the following before committing to this question-popping style.

1) Is the animal well behaved or professionally trained?
If the answer is “no,” so should your answer to whether or not you should use them. You want this moment to be fool-proof. If your pooch is a four-legged fool, then what in the world are you thinking?

2) Would your woman appreciate an animal proposal?
Does she LOVE animals or wrinkle her nose at the thought of getting fur all over her outfit. If she’s loved horses her whole life or always wanted a puppy, then that could be the way to go. But if she really could care less about the animal, then just pop the question sans furry sidekick.

3) Would an animal enhance the proposal?
Sure, if you’re nervous it’s always helpful to have back-up to make you look kind, caring and suave. But remember: This is a proposal– NOT a circus. Sometimes less is more.

For this couple, they should have left the dog at home.

What do you think: Are animals worth including in a proposal?

Nikki

Who gets the ring when the engagement ends?

There’s no sugar coating it. When engagements are broken off, more is broken than just the relationship– Like the bank account.

(Ha. You thought I’d say heart, didn’t you?)

A mystery actor is suing his ex-fiance who never returned her engagement ring.  After 9 years. Get this: the engagement ring cost $90,000.

The culprit is Lisa Ragland. Apparently she told her rich beau, once she broke off the engagement, that she lost his ring. That was in 2003. For some reason in 2010 she admitted to still having the sparkly in her possession.

And thus, a lawsuit was born. All’s fair in love and war..or something like that. Nah. She probably should just return the ring. It is illegal to keep the ring in California.

What do you think: Would your keep your engagement ring after a break up?

Nikki

An MRI can measure how in love you really are

People measure love in many different ways. From the little things like love notes and flowers to bigger gestures like saving one’s life, donating a kidney or basically walking on fire for someone. For some, the best measure of love is finally taking that leap of faith and committing to a life together.

But what about a more physiological way of measuring love?  For the Standford Center of Cognitive and Neurobiological Imaging, love can be measured in brain activity. Seriously.

They had a competition to see who could love the hardest with a wide range of contestants. A little boy focused on thinking about his newborn cousin, one young woman claimed to never have been in love but daily mediates on the concept of love and the older man focused on his longtime relationship with his wife.

All they had to do was lay in an MRI machine and concentrate on loving someone as much and as hard as they could for five minutes. Who do you think would win? Or better question– do you think you would?

Check out the video here!

Nikki

How to enlist children to propose for you, done right

Public proposals can sometimes flop big time. But this guy totally did it right!

His girlfriend was directing a children’s play, and after the performance there was a series of “thank you’s” onstage by the adults and children alike. He wrote a poem about their love story and had two children recite it onstage. He walked out onstage and had adorable banter with the little guys, getting the ring back from the boy who had been holding it the whole time.

Of course director lady is freaking out in the best possible way at this moment. He walks over to her, get’s down on one knee and amidst all the hollering from parents in the audience, she said yes! (I mean…who can say “no” in front of 75, hopeful children? Smart guy, eh?)

It really is an adorable proposal. My synopsis doesn’t do it justice so you’ll just have to see it for yourself.

Nikki

Using your talents to propose

I actually got to see a cute online proposal executed today. Definitely a treat this Valentine’s Day.

Drake Martinet, associate editor at D: AllThingsDigital and teacher at Stanford University, proposed via infographic on Mashable.com to his girl, Stacy Green, Mashable’s Vice President of Marketing and Communication.

The best part of this proposal, I think, is that he used his talents to execute it.

When people think of using their creativity and talents for a proposal, 9 out of 10 times it’s usually a song and dance, or maybe a mural or some kind of video art.

Drake is a very logical thinker, and a visual one at that. Of course it makes sense for him to put this great skill to work and use it to showcase his love for Stacy. Very clever indeed.

You can see the whole infographic here.

What do you think: Is there a talent out there that wouldn’t make a good proposal?

Nikki

K. Brunini Jewels Launches ‘Shapes of Strength’ Bridal Collection

It’s New York fashion week . Yeah! Here is a jewelry line we were really excited to review. “Shapes of Strength” by K. Brunini, is a unique and timeless bridal collection for the alternative couple. If you are looking for intimate, organic and sentimental design, Katey is your girl. Her vision combines poetry, love stories, fire, passion and endless love.

Predominant in the line are Twig, Antler and Vertebrae textures which offset rose cut diamonds, fancy shaped center stones and variety of colorful diamond/gemstone accents. A majority of the collection falls in price points between $300 and $10,000 for engagement rings and wedding bands. Here are some of our favorites including some great bridal accessories.

How to have an injury-free proposal

With Valentines Day nearing, it’s easy to get carried away. I mean, after all, February is the month for romance. Why not go out on a limb and really add the wow-factor to your proposal, right?

Sure…just make sure you take these precautions so you don’t kill the romance– or the girl.

1) Do not hide the ring in food
Seriously, who thought this was romantic? First of all, it’s too pretty to be in food. Second, not only could your lady chip a tooth, she could choke on it and die. In 2009, a man hid a ring in his fiance’s Wendy’s frosty (seriously, buddy? At a Wendy’s too?). She ended up swallowing the ring and guess what, he proposed with the x-ray at the hospital. How romantic…

2) Do not surprise her in a semi-unstable place.
Girls can experience a wide array of emotions when a proposal happens. Some scream, some cry, some jump up and down and others faint. When picking a location, thinking about all of the above. If she faints, where will she land? Will you be able to catch her? If she jumps, will she injure herself? Think I’m being ridiculous? Think again. Watch the newscast below reporting on a woman who FELL DOWN A CLIFF after her boyfriend proposed. Hiker’s out there, beware.

3) Do not forget to check the weather
Sounds simple enough, right? Don’t neglect this detail. You could plan the most romantic, perfect and well-thought out proposal ever, but if you ignore Mother Nature, she could have other plans. One couple saw terrible tragedy when during a romantic walk on the beach, a 3-foot wave swept away the girl before the proposal. She was never seen again. Another couple went hiking during a storm in North Carolina. She was struck by lightning and killed before the proposal and he suffered burns. Please check the weather before proposing.

Have a happy and SAFE Valentines Day!

Nikki