5 Save the Date Cards We LOVE

The one thing we love the most about the new year is hearing about all the wonderful engagements that took place over the holidays. To help all you recently engaged couples get started, we've hand picked 5 of our favourite and affordable save the date cards from Etsy.com. 

{Photo Credit: savethedate}

{Photo Credit: jackandjillwedding}

{Photo Credit: westwillow}

{Photo Credit: InkOBSESSIONdesigns}

Q & A: Engagement Party Guest List Etiquette

Q: My fiance and I have a very small budget to work with for our wedding. As a result, we've decided to host a small wedding of 50 people, however our guest list is so long, we're having trouble deciding on who to cut from the guest list. We thought it would be a great idea to host an engagement party for the extra people who won't be invited to the wedding however my mother says it's rude to invite guests to the engagement and not the wedding. Can you help us put this battle to rest? Who knows best?

A: Unfortunately, mom knows best in this situation. While most people are quite understanding when it comes to budgets and wedding planning, we always like to keep everything pretty standardized when planning out the guest list to any wedding related event. If a guest is not included in your head count for the wedding, they shouldn't be invited to any engagement parties or showers as it's seen as bad form. We love that you're trying to include all of your loved ones in your special day and as a compromise, planning a post-wedding bash or house warming party (if you recently moved into a new place) would be a great way to celebrate this new chapter with some additional friends and family members.



Photo by Simply Sophisticated Events



{Royal Wedding} Prince William and Kate Middleton Engagement and Wedding Details

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You asked, we answered! Here's the complete scoop on Prince William and Kate Middleton's engagement details. From the ring to the proposal, to the much anticipated wedding plans, we have all the details you're dying to know about.

About the Couple

The Prince and Middleton began dating nearly 8 years ago after meeting at St. Andrews University in Scotland.

The Proposal

It's been reported the Prince proposed to Middleton on October 20 while on vacation in Kenya, at one of Kenya's Rutundu Log Cabins near Lake Rutundu. The Prince, ever the gentleman, asked Middleton's father for his blessing before proposing.

The Ring

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Middleton is now sporting the late Princes Diana's engagement ring. Set with an oval blue 18-carat sapphire surrounded by 14 smaller white diamonds, this historical platinum ring was once worth $65,000 in 1981. Today, it's rumoured the ring would be valued at $150,000.

The Wedding Plans
The Prince and Middleton will marry on Friday, April 29, 2011 at Westminster Abbey as reported by Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, Private Secretary to Prince William and Prince Harry. The Prince and Middleton chose this church because of its intimate feel and its long association with the Royal family.

"All parties involved in the wedding, not least Prince William and Miss Middleton, want to ensure that a balance is struck between an enjoyable day and the current economic situation. To that end, the Royal Family and the Middleton family will pay for the wedding. By that, I mean what anyone else’s wedding day would consist of: the church service, the associated music, flowers, decorations etc, the reception or receptions afterwards, and the honeymoon," he said in a statement on November 23, 2010.

The Dress
Details haven't been released yet on Middleton's dress choice however US Weekly is reporting she'll likely consider her favourite label, Issa, and will most likely borrow a tiara from the Queen.

We can't wait to hear all about the bride-to-be's dress designer choice and other intimate wedding details. Follow along with our Royal Wedding series to learn more about their special day as more details are released.

*Sources for this blog post included www.usmagazine.com, www.princeofwales.gov.uk and www.westminster-abbey.org.

4 Ways to Announce Your Engagement

We're always asked for ideas on how to announce an engagement. Sure, there are the the tried and true methods like putting an ad in your local paper, announcing it to your friends on Facebook or even sending out Save the Date cards for your upcoming wedding. We like to kick things up a notch and if you're looking to do something different, we think you'll like some of these ideas.

1. Start a wedding blog and send the link to your friends and family. After some wedding plans have been set, keep your blog updated to share special wedding details such as location, time and party information.
2. Plan a surprise/secret engagement party and announce your news to everyone at once. Celebrities have secret weddings, why can't you have a secret engagement party?
3. If you were lucky enough to have a camera handy during the proposal, create a wedding proposal slide show and send it to the people you love. End the show with a picture of yourselves with "Happily Engaged" as the caption.
4. Announce your engagement on a chocolate bar with a customized wrapper. Check out WrappedHersheys.com or Custom Candy Bars to find out how.

Did you announce your engagement in a unique way? We want to hear all about it, be sure to leave your story in the comments.

Five Things Every Newly Engaged Couple Should Do

First off, we just want to say a big, Congratulations to all the couples who got engaged over the holidays! Although an event such as this is definitely a cause for celebration, many couples get caught up with sharing the news and forget that it is important to start thinking about the big day sooner than later.

To help you get started, we have put together a list of the first five things you should do as soon as you get engaged. Let the planning begin…

1) Set A Wedding Date
There are several factors you should consider when selecting your wedding date. It is important to take into consideration the amount of time that you will need to prepare. If you recently got engaged over the holidays, but have always wanted a spring wedding, then 2010 might not be the year for you to tie the knot! Have you already laid eyes on your dream venue, heard your favourite band, or seen your ideal photographer at work? The availability of these vendors might also affect your decision, keeping in mind that many vendors/venues book up a year or more in advance. Lastly, be aware of conflicting vacations, pregnancy due dates, or other special events that your friends and family might already be committed to.

2) Decide on a Budget
This task, although definitely not the most fun, is necessary in determining the size and style of your wedding. There are some areas that you can cut back on if you want to splurge in other areas. Selecting a non-traditional date and/or time for your wedding can save you money. The most expensive times to have your wedding are during the summer months, Saturdays, and in the evening. Location of the venue is also an important consideration as weddings that take place in a major metropolitan area will be more expensive than those held in a smaller town. A final pointer: generally, the more formal and/or large the wedding, the more expensive it will be.

3) Make Your Guest List
The guest list is an important factor that will play a major influence on your budget, and the style of your wedding. Sit down and make a note of everyone that you would like to celebrate with. This will give you rough estimate as to how many people will attend. Ceremony and reception sites will usually have a minimum and maximum guest count, so it is a good idea to have a ball park number before researching your potential venues.

4) Select Your Wedding Style
Your chosen venue(s) will help set the tone for the style of your wedding day. Talk with your fiancé about the ideas you had in mind. Are you leaning towards a grand ballroom, an artsy loft space, or a more relaxed garden party? Once you have come to an agreement on the type of venue you would like to celebrate in, start your research taking into account your estimated guest list count.

5) Choose Your Wedding Party
Selecting your attendants can be a difficult task. One of the most important things to keep in mind is that your bridal party is there to support and assist you throughout the entire process. Choose wisely, and don’t let someone else guide your decision.

Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies and Milk Shooters

Photo Source: http://www.weddingbells.ca/articles/article/oldie-goodie/

Engagement Party Etiquette-Survival Tips

Congratulations on your engagement! You've just entered pre-marital bliss (hopefully!) and before you can even say pass the crinoline please, the planning has already started - with or without you!

For some of you brides, someone in your personal network is thinking an engagement party is the perfect way to kick off the wedding festivities. Don't be alarmed - if you can survive the planning of an engagement party, the wedding will be a breeze!

To help the process run a bit smoother on your end, here are our top three engagement party etiquette rules for you to stash away in your Wedding Planning Survival Kit.

Note: Feel free to whip these out to recite them to guilty parties at any time!

Traditionally the brides immediate family would host the engagement party however these days, engagement parties can be hosted by anyone other than the bride and groom. It's also important to remember it doesn't matter how badly you may want a party, the role of engagement party planner should not be delegated to anyone in the bridal party unless they request to host the event. Why? Because the wedding party has many other events to take care of like showers, bachelorettes, stag and does etc.

Remember, gifts are optional. Guests are not obligated to buy a gift for the engagement party however in the event that you do receive gifts, they should be opened at home, not during the party. Leave the awkward everyone-stares-at-you present opening for the bridal shower. Trust us old married gals, once is enough!

When it comes to the guest list remember this cardinal rule: no one should be invited to an engagement party who have not been invited to the wedding (even if you're having a destination wedding)!

Now that you've read our top three engagement party rules, tell us, what rules do you think should be added to the list?

Bachelorette Finale: Our Canadian Girl Chooses Ed Swiderski!

Jillian and Ed Photo Credit: Mario Perez/ABC News

Last night on the Season Five finale of The Bachelorette, Jillian Harris accepted a moving proposal from our favourite bachelor, Ed Swiderski.

"Jillian, you may not know how much you have impacted me. How you've changed me as a man and helped me reprioritize my life. You're everything that I could ask for in a woman. You're beautiful, you're intelligent, you're funny, you're confident and you make me smile when I look in your eyes,” said Ed Swiderski.

Sweetening the deal was the custom Neil Lane diamond and platinum ring Ed presented her with. With an offer like that who could resist?

Lane, preferred jeweler for Hollywood brides to be, is known for designing pieces that exude both elegance and style. He has supplied engagement rings for A-List celebrities such as Reese Witherspoon, Kate Hudson, Sandra Bullock, and Jennifer Hudson.

Hawaii, hot bachelors, romantic dates, and stunning engagement rings – where do we sign up!

Sources:
By Reality TV World staff, 07/28/2009
ABC News
PR News Wire
Neil Lane diamond and platinum ring, photo credit: PRNewsFoto/TK Archives