Engagement News

Getting married is the thing to do!

I have some more friends who recently got engaged! I'm so happy for them, and absolutely love weddings!

I am a bridesmaid in my friend Jen's June wedding, and went to a bridal shop last weekend to get my measurements. I have to admit being surrounded by beautiful wedding dresses again made me a little nostalgic and a couple gowns in particular caught my eye! Seeing as I have no intent of divorcing my husband just so I can have another wedding day, I will have to be content with what I already had, which I would easily describe as the best day of my life; not solely b/c I married the best guy I know, but more b/c of how special it was to have so many beloved family and friends together to celebrate our day. It was the people in attendance that really made it so stand-out-special for me.

My college friend and sophomore year roomie, Elizabeth, got engaged last month and her engagement story is literally THE BEST I've ever heard!! Props to Dan for an incredible plan. My friend thought they were going to Cali for their anniversary and instead he whisked her away to Paris! That's not even the best part (though good enough taking your girlfriend to the most romantic city on earth!), then he wined and dined her at a fancy Parisian restaurant only to time his proposal just perfect that right after he proposed and she said yes the Eiffel Tower lit up for Paris par nuit! I LOVE her story and am so excited for her wedding this Labor Day weekend (a very good time indeed to get married! Not that I'm biased or anything ;-) I will be celebrating my 3 year anniversary in Chicago since we'll make a little trip out of it.

My high school friend Catherine is getting married in 2 weeks! I'm really looking fwd to it. Her bridal shower was very nicely done, and Jen and I helped her with the gift opening and recording. It was a lot of fun. We can be pretty embarrassing together, but we evoked a few laughs, and most importantly made the bride-to-be feel like a queen! The best part beforehand was shopping together for the gifts. We printed out her registry and late as we always are there wasn't much left (good for her, bad for us). Jen thought it would hilarious to buy a 5 foot shower rod among something else she had in mind, and it was already assembled so the shape alone made it a must buy. We cracked up to the point of tears just thinking of her showing up at the shower with big oddly shaped gift in hand! And it was pretty funny. We got some guesses before Cathy opened it: tennis rackets, a guitar, an ironing board, golf clubs...even she was in suspense until Jen said it was something on her registry. I also ran into my childhood best friend, Danielle at Bed, Bath and Beyond. It was great to see her.

The next new engagement I will keep somewhat quiet b/c it is pretty new. Since I know some of you who read this blog know this person....
I got an email with 2 different rings asking which one looked better. I'm kind of biased to platinum so chose that one in one of 2 settings. Then I got another email asking which 2 scenarios would be more romantic as far as proposing. I'll just say it was sweet and involved a skating rink surprise. That Sunday I got a text message, "She said yes!" and called later to congratulate said friend and hear how it went. The reason why I'm not giving the identity away is b/c of the following conversation and even tho I wasn't specifically told not to say anything, I just want to err on the safe side.
Me: Congratulations--so are you looking at dates or time of year?
Friend: Yeah, next weekend!
Me: Shut up, when really?
Friend: Next week!
Me: Oh my gosh!

So congrats to them on becoming engaged and getting married!

Lastly, this article caught my eye of a poor engagement story (Mike and Tara keep on the look out!):

Fri Mar 14, 10:48 AM
LONDON (Reuters) - It is the one moment every man wants to get right -- and which London floor-fitter Lefkos Hajji could hardly have got more wrong.

The luckless 28 year-old's dreams of giving his sweetheart, Leanne, 26, the ultimate proposal have literally vanished into thin air.Hajji, of Hackney, east London, had concealed a $12,000 engagement ring inside a helium balloon. The idea was that she would pop the balloon as he popped the question.But as he left the shop, a gust of wind pulled the balloon from his hand and he watched the ring -- and quite possibly the affections of his girlfriend -- sailing away over the rooftops.
"I couldn't believe it," he told The Sun newspaper.
"I just watched as it went further and further into the air.
"I felt like such a plonker. It cost a fortune and I knew my girlfriend would kill me."
Hajji spent two hours in his car trying to chase and find the balloon, without success.

"I thought I would give Leanne a pin so I could literally pop the question," he said.
"But I had to tell her the story -- she went absolutely mad. Now she is refusing to speak to me until I get her a new ring."
He is hoping the ring will still turn up.
"It would be amazing if someone found it," he added.