If you, or your partner, popped the question over the holidays, and you’re trying to find a fun way to spring the news on your friends and family, here are some novel ways to share the news with those you love!

Start a Wedding Blog

A great way to announce your upcoming nuptials is to start a website for your wedding. It’s an easy way to keep your wedding party and guests informed about the special day and it’s upcoming events. Send an email to all, post the link on your favorite social networking site (remember to adjust your privacy settings!), and let the web do the rest. Look for free blog publishing services that have tutorials on how to start your own blog. WordPress has this beautiful wedding theme ready to be customized:

If you’re still in the market for an engagement ring due to an impromptu proposal, here’s a beautiful, modern diamond ring for you. The recessed stone style is great if you work with your hands but still want to flash your engagement ring.

Photo Album

If you got engaged while on vacation, you probably have photos to prove it. Make a photo album with some of your favorite shots of the two of you. The final page can let your loved ones know the fabulous news and the date, if you’ve already set one. There are many websites that let you build your own photo albums. Then they print them, bind them and send them to you! Impressive yet easy.

If you want the world to know the groom-to-be is all yours, consider a men’s diamond engagement ring.

Throw a Party!

Have your friends and family over for a cocktail party and surprise them with the sweet news in the form of these tasty treats from beau-coup.com.

When it comes time to pick out your wedding bands, consider this beautiful wedding ring to pair with her engagement ring above.

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In our daily lives, eco-conscious choices are more widely available than ever. From what we eat, to cleaning products, to home furnishings and clothing-  the same is true for honeymoon options. Many travelers now purchase carbon offsets to ease their conscience when flying, but here are some other ways to honeymoon that will create meaningful memories and reflect your green lifestyle.

Voluntourism

Give back to the global community by doing meaningful work on your honeymoon. Consider building a home for with Habitat for Humanity in Thailand (or anywhere, really), making pottery and crafts in Guadalajara, or combine a surf trip with working with underprivileged youth in Coastal Peru.

Christmas is the time for giving! You can make it easy for your wedding guests by asking them to make donations to the voluntourism organization you’ll be participating in, instead of buying wedding gift.

Honeymoon gifts are beautiful keepsakes that will recall your special moments. Here’s a silver bracelet you can have engraved for her. She’ll be reminded of your special trip each time she wears the jewelry.

Eco-Adventures

After your Christmas wedding, spend your honeymoon enjoying nature and soaking up some Southern hemisphere sun! Many of the companies that book eco-adventure vacations have educational components so you can learn more about the ecology of the region. Here are some ideas:

• Visit the cloud forests in Monteverde, Costa Rica
• Hike Tongariro National Park & World Heritage Site in New Zealand
• Go canyon tubing in Indonesia
• Take a tiger photography tour in India

For many, living green also means ethical responsibility. If this is a must for you, here’s the perfect engagement ring! It’s made using recycled precious metals and conflict-free diamonds. Here’s a gorgeous worry-free engagement ring for her that pairs with the wedding bands below.

Green Resorts

If you’re looking for luxury without compromising your values, look for an eco-conscious resort or hotel. There are many options worldwide, and the internet has a wealth of information on green-certified hotels. Take a look at this Coastal Living slideshow for some great ideas.

You can also stand up for the environment by choosing a set of these beveled wedding bands made with HARMONY Recycled Precious Metals.

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It’s June – the most popular month for weddings. In honor of this exciting month, I thought I’d shake things up with some wedding-themed rock videos.

White Wedding

In White Wedding, Billy Idol sings about a woman he loves who is marrying someone else. The lyrics make it inappropriate for a wedding, yet this song continues to be popular at receptions and even ceremonies.

The song was originally released in 1982. It later appeared in the Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore hit ‘The Wedding Singer’ (Billy Idol also appeared in the movie as himself). (songfacts.com)

November Rain

Based on a short story called Without You by Del James, the original version of this song was 25 minutes long. At just under 9 minutes, the shortened version is the longest top 10 hit in history.

With lyrics like “we’ve been through this such a long time, just trying to kill the pain,” it may not be the best choice for your wedding song. Released in 1991, this video made many young women want a wedding dress like Stephanie Seymour’s (luckily most of us grew out of this before we actually got married).

Chapel of Love

Aren’t there any happy rock songs about weddings? I had to go back to the earliest days of rock and roll to think of one: Chapel of Love by the Dixie Cups is definitely happy. “Bells will ring, sun will shine, I’ll be his, and he’ll be mine, we’ll love until the end of time.”

Today I Met The Boy I’m Gonna Marry

Here’s another classic song about a wedding from Darlene Love.

“For on my hand a band of gold appeared before me, the band of gold I’d always dreamed I’d wear.”

“He smiled at me and then the music started playing, Here comes the bride when I walked through the door.” This line from the song inspired a line in the They Might Be Giants’s song Lucky Ball and Chain- reworded slightly to say ”There goes the bride as she walked out the door.” Another unhappy song about a wedding (or a marriage, anyways) but very catchy just the same.

Aren’t there any recent rock songs about weddings that are happy?

I couldn’t find any – if you know of one please share in the comment section below.

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Spring has sprung (or is, at least, in the process of springing) and Easter is just around the corner. Traditionally a time of renewal and new beginnings, Spring is an egg-cellent time to pop the question, so get cracking!

Here are some timely ideas for wedding proposals – let Easter inspire you to be a good egg – let your wedding proposal set the tone for the unique, exciting, and wonderful future life you will share together as husband and wife.

Elegant Egg Hunt

Make an egg hunt elegant by ordering these beautiful, simple personalized wooden eggs from Etsy seller ‘Imagination Kids.’

You might even be able to order 4 eggs and have them each inscribed with 1/4 of the most important question you may ever ask:

Will You Marry Me?

I love this bunny ring by Betsey Johnson but it might not make the best engagement ring… don’t get too carried away with bringing the ring into the theme – remember, your future wife will be wearing it every day for the rest of her life!

Instead, consider this beautiful and unique engagement ring with a contemporary abstract floral design.

Or just select a grade-a large diamond (I’m sure she won’t mind).

Whatever you do, don’t forget the presentation:

A Scavenger Hunt that Makes Scents

Imagine returning home from a romantic lunch date to find a path of  flower pots to the door- a note tied to  each pot (and then tie the ring around the very last one)?

Some Bunny Loves Me

Pick a stuffie that will fill her heart with love (and encourage her to say yes!).

Share The Occasion With Your Peeps

Invite friends and family to an Easter Brunch. This would be an excellent engagement party as well – here is a cute idea for a smores recipe if you want to have a less formal party in the backyard. You could have an egg hunt for the kids, some delicious frittatas in the oven and some savory breakfast sausages on the barbeque. Check out bigsislilsis.com for some other fun ways to enjoy peeps, as well as links to other unique recipes for Easter Candy.

Close-a With A Mimosa

Raise a toast to your love. If you’re really sneaky, you’ll put one of those glass charms around everyone’s glass but an engagement ring on hers (get ready to drop to one knee when she notices!).

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Let a Wedding on a Week Day Save Your Budget

Weddings can be very expensive and brides don’t always have the budget to create the wedding of their dreams. You can drastically reduce your budget by moving your big day to a week day. Flexibility regarding your wedding date means you can get the matching wedding bands you otherwise couldn’t afford or the dream dress your daughters and granddaughters will wear one day.

Remember, your wedding day is just one day whereas you will wear your wedding rings for a lifetime.

If many of your guests will be travelling a great distance to attend, they will inevitably be missing some work anyways. You will also want to schedule the event as late as possible so that local guests who work weekdays have time to get there. If many of your guests work in the entertainment or hospitality industry, or other careers that involve evening or weekend work – a wedding midweek might actually be more convenient for them.

Save Money on your Wedding

Weekday weddings are popular with people on a budget because many vendors will offer reduced prices during the week, as well as engaged couples who prefer a simple low-profile event. Some couples want a particular venue that is already booked for every weekend, so they decide to move their date. Other couples have had a big extravagant wedding in the past and do not want to repeat the experience.

Weekday weddings are so popular that there are companies who specialize in them, such as Virginia’s Weekday Wedding Company.

Honeymoon Headstart

Another reason to have a wedding midweek might be because the couple wants to honeymoon immediately after the reception, and extend the trip into the weekend. Flights on weekdays are also less expensive than weekend flights, so here is another opportunity to save money.

Destination Weddings Midweek

If you are planning a destination wedding, keep in mind that midweek wedding packages can save you money too. For example, you can save almost $400 if you book a wedding at Las Vegas’ Treasure Island on any day other than Saturday- that’s $400 you can spend on your wedding rings!

If you are planning a Las Vegas wedding, bachelorette or any other wedding-related event, be sure to check out our Las Vegas series of features.

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Spring has been celebrated all over the world, in all types of religions – as far back as you can imagine. When the sun starts shining, the ground under our feet heats up, and the new tender greenery pokes through – it’s hard NOT to get all warm and fuzzy. If that’s not enough to cheer you up, you also have really cute little baby animals like chicks and lambs.

Here are some ideas for how to celebrate your wedding the old-fashioned way (and by old-fashioned, I mean pre-medieval!)

Handfasting

Handfasting is a wedding rite that originates from a pagan ritual, but is being used in weddings based in all sorts of faiths and by people of all different lifestyles. Handfasting is a great way to bond a blended family together, because all members of the new family forged by the wedding can participate. Check out handfasting.info for more information, as well as examples of wording for ceremonies that include handfasting.

Symbols

Oak Leaves

Oak leaves are a symbol for longevity – so the entwined oak leaves that hold two mouth-blown (and therefore completely unique) glass horns are the perfect way for the bride and groom to share a toast (mayhemltd.com). The oak tree was particularly important to the Celts,who felt that all trees were sacred.

Horns

The drinking chalices above are also horn-shaped. The horns are also an important symbol – the most famous Celtic animal symbol is the horned (antlered) stag. The stag is a symbol for sexuality and fertility.

Celtic Design

Celtic knots date back to almost 500 AD: there is the lover’s knot, the triple knot (Triquetra), and the Triscele.There are many ways to incorporate the Celtic scrollwork or Celtic knots into your wedding, including your wedding band.

Clothing

There are beautiful dresses available now that this type of wedding has become more popular. Rivendelbridal.com has a large selection, here is one example of a dress perfect for a pagan princess, or elven queen: it is called the Celtic Star.

Trees

Trees were sacred to the Celts so an outdoor wedding would be very appropriate if you are going to be influenced by this theme.

Here is a video full of imagery that might inspire you to arrange your own mystical wedding.

Language

This bronze pendant spells GRA, ‘love’, in the Celtric tree alphabet called Ogham. This pendant from celteshop.com would be an interesting and thoughtul gift for members of the wedding party.

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Attention: Brides to Be – Boxing Day is just a few days away!

Many stores now hold Boxing Day sales for a week. Online stores also have sales. This is the perfect opportunity to stock up on all of the things you will need for your wedding. Get a jump start on your wedding planning and save money.

Tips for Wedding Shopping on Boxing Day

Prepared to Shop?

Taking advantage of Boxing Day to ease your wedding budget makes sense as long as you already have a clear idea of what your wedding will be like. It doesn’t matter how far off your wedding is, you can start shopping if your wedding party has been selected and you know the size of your guest list.

It is also a fantastic time to shop for wedding rings – you can buy some beautiful wedding bands and engagement rings for reasonable prices at this time of  year. While you’re out there shopping, don’t forget to watch for gifts for your wedding party as well!

Wedding Colors

The more flexible you are, the more you save. If you are willing to select your colors based on what is available at a low price, you will save more money. If your wedding colors are popular then there will be more choices available to you, at lower prices.

Wedding Theme

Select your wedding theme from the wedding supplies available and you will save money.

Ideas – What Brides to Be Should Buy on Boxing Day

Wedding Time Capsule

A wedding time capsule is a great way to collect memories of your special day and then revisit them on an anniversary. You can order this time capsule at giftsnideas.com. Couponcodes4u says they are offering 15% all orders after Christmas (sale ends December 30).

Wedding Dress

Many bridal shops have Christmas and Boxing Day sales – this is the perfect time to get your dress! For example, if you buy your dress from bridalsbay.com during their boxing day sale, you can get dresses up to 75% off their list price. Check local stores in your city for big sales, too.

bridalsbay.com

Wedding Stationery

Everything at Mujka.ca is 50% off for Boxing Day – a site that sells templates you can buy to create your own wedding stationery (the invitation, rsvp card, thanks you card, reception card). A very reasonably-priced way to jump start your DIY wedding project!

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This article features ideas for Autumn or Fall Weddings. To see ideas for other seasons, see ‘Spring Wedding Ideas‘ (Feb 2009) or  ‘Wet and Wild’ (beach themed weddings, May 2009),and look for a Winter Wedding feature in December.

Awesome Autumn

Fall weddings can be so romantic. Autumn colors are rich and vibrant. And, for longtime students such as myself – September always marks a time for new beginnings, much like the New Year does for others – so a September or October wedding can be symbolic as well.

Warm Wishes

The warm colors associated with Autumn can inspire the entire event. Candle light and textured fabric can inspire a cozy atmosphere. Branches or ‘heavy’ bouquets add to the setting.

LED The Light In

Use LED ‘candles’ to reduce heat, fire hazards, and the need to light/maintain flames throughout the evening. The 4″ Pillar style below flickers realistically and lasts up to 200 hours (batteries included in price).

hassle-free LED from yummicandles.com

Make or buy Fall tone wreaths to go around each candle for table centerpieces. You can buy the supplies you need from Michael’s: you’ll need a grapevine wreath, floral wire, and a glue gun. Attach decorations that match your wedding colors and the season: berries, leaves, flowers, apples…

michaels.com

Be-Leaf It!

Leaf designs are complex, elegant, and visually pleasing – perfect for wedding invitations and decorations.

Save the Date

Designer Meg Moynahan has created a stunning collection called “New England Fall Wedding” which includes an invitation, save the date, and website. I enjoyed her other invitations as well (the polka dot collection was my favorite).

megmoynahan.com

Attire

Incorporate leaf motifs into the wedding clothes or jewelry. The ring pictured below has a leaf design along the top and sides.

danforthdiamond.com

This 18K white gold wedding band has a hand-engraved leaf pattern.

danforthdiamond.com

Favors

You can order the bags and leaf ribbon from sophiesfavors.com. Their website also suggests you can use this ribbon to decorate bottles, invitations, hang tags, and tins. I also imagine it could be used to decorate the reception chairs, tables, or candles.

sophiesfavors.com

Fill them with traditional Jordan wedding almonds or any candy of your choice. You can order Jordan almonds in an Ivory Tusk (light beige) color or a seasonal color mix for Autumn.

jordanalmonds.com

I also like the white Amorini hearts offered by the same company – these are traditional Italian wedding favors and translate to ‘little loves’.

jordanalmonds.com

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If women wear rings to show the world that they are engaged, why shouldn’t men?

This month we’ve looked at three different women’s perspectives on this topic and offered some inexpensive (but visually stunning) examples for keeping costs down (read:”Should Men Wear Engagement Rings? 3 Views” for more information). We also featured Jennifer Hudson, including her proposal to her fiance and a description of the engagement ring she gave him, in “Jennifer Hudson: Career Success, Wedding and Baby”.

While it may not be realistic to expect a man (at least a heterosexual one) to wear a big diamond engagement ring on his finger to keep women away (although I’m sure that would work!). Here are some alternatives:

Wedding Band on the Wrong Hand

Some European countries have a tradition where women wear their wedding band on their left hand to show they are engaged, and then move the ring over to their right hand once they are married. I propose that men could follow this tradition – but would single women see the ring and back off, even if it’s on the wrong hand? Perhaps not at first but once lots of men start a trend, everyone would know about it.

danforthdiamond.com

Compromise

You might offer to wear your wedding band on your left hand as well during your engagement (in this case don’t expect an engagement ring too).

Temporary Ring

Another option would be to buy him an inexpensive temporary ring to wear on his wedding finger. This would have to be a ring that is obviously not a wedding band, but is still symbolizing that he is taken. Here are some ideas.

Practical Ring

If he’s a beer drinker, you won’t get an argument from him when you present him with this ring. It’s a beer opener!

thinkgeek.com

Lord of the Ring

Your fantasy man will willingly put this ring on – the challenge may be to get him to take it off when it’s time to put the real wedding band on!

realmcollections.com

Forget Me Not

Here’s the least expensive option – and I think it’s kind of cute! Tie a string around his finger so that he ‘doesn’t forget’ that he’s taken.

But How Do You Get Him To Wear It?

Make it a condition of the acceptance of his wedding proposal and have the ring (if applicable) ready. Don’t put your engagement ring on until he’s ready to do the same!

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Dream Girl Update

Here is an update on Jennifer Hudson. Note that this is also a great example of a real-life scenario for last week’s article  “Should Men Wear Engagement Rings?”

Dream Life Turns to Nightmare

Last September we featured Jennifer Hudson’s engagement in the article ‘Dreamgirls Jennifer Hudson is on her way to her dream wedding’. Tragically, the next month, she lost her mother, brother, and nephew – murdered.

December 2008

William Balfour “estranged husband of Jennifer Hudson’s sister, Julia Hudson, and the stepfather of one of the victims, 7-year-old Julian King” is charged for the crimes: three counts of murder and one count of home invasion (cnn.com).

January 2009

Jennifer Hudson makes her first stage appearance after the tragedy when she sings the The Star Spangled Banner at the Super Bowl (starsjournal.com).

Jennifer Hudson looking wonderful in white

February

Monstersandcritics.com reports that a source has told them that Jennifer Hudson is going to marry her fiance David Otunga “real soon”. There are rumors that they might get married on Valentine’s Day.

Jennifer Hudson wins a grammy for best R&B album and also performs at the event. She also wins the Outstanding New Artist, Best Album, and Best Collaboration awards at the 40th annual NAACP Image Awards (cbc.ca).

March

Still apparently unmarried – Jennifer Hudson talks wedding plans with Access Hollywood. She tells them she wants her 3 dogs (names Oscar, Grammy, and Dreamgirl) to be in the wedding and that she is going to design her own wedding dress. She confirms that a secret wedding date has been set during an interview with Ryan Seacrest (tvwatch.people.com).

April

Hudson reciprocates and proposes to Otunga on his birthday (he originally proposed to her on her 27th birthday). She gives him a 5 carat platinum and diamond engagement ring (People.com).

Here are some examples of platinum and diamond wedding rings that would also work as engagement rings if you’re going to propose to your man!

May

Family and friends throw Hudson a baby shower in Chicago, confirming rumors that the engaged couple are expecting a baby (chicagotribune.com). The baby’s due date has not been confirmed. It makes sense that the wedding might be postponed until after the baby is born…

July

Jennifer Hudson performs at the Michael Jackson memorial service, she can’t hide her pregnancy anymore at this point but has never publicly confirmed it either.

August

Jennifer Hudson gives birth to a 7 lb 14 oz baby boy, named David Otunga Junior after her fiance (binsidetv.net). His birth day indicates that she was approximately 8 weeks pregnant in February (the discovery of this good news may be what delayed the couple’s wedding?!).

September

It’s now September and I predict a Fall or Winter wedding, once the new mama is settled in with baby and ready to wear her wedding dress again! Let me know if you hear anything!

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