Brilliant Blog

Today Show Feature!

December 5, 2012

If you missed me on The Today Show, here’s the clip! Thank you to all the fantastic vendors that made this happen, including the Intrepid, Paparazzi Proposals, Brewster High School Marching Band, Kristan Pozzuto, Bill’s Flower Market, Abigail Hancock, and The Today Show team!

The Proposal Planner: Sam and Dorien

November 29, 2012

Last Spring, Dorien received a card with a lipstick “kiss,” just like when she first met Sam. Then, she was surprised with a luxury transfer to a private room overlooking Central Park!

Inside the car, Dorien discovered a personalized first-aid kit, inspired by something she had made for Sam in the past. It was full of things for the two of them to do for the rest of their lives together. One of my favorite items was the gourmet pancake mix!

When Dorien arrived, she found found a sea of rose petals and in the midst of them – Sam! He proposed right then and there, in front of a stunning Central Park view and she said “Yes!” Congratulations Sam and Dorien!

Photos Courtesy of Blue Daisy

The Proposal Planner on The Today Show!

November 12, 2012

I had the pleasure of planning a dream marriage proposal for Marcial and Brynn that appeared on The Today Show!

On a sunny Friday in September, Marcial and Brynn arrived at the Intrepid Museum on Manhattan’s west side dressed in their best.  Marcial told Brynn a decoy story:  his military friend was receiving an award in a ceremony on the Intrepid and invited them as his personal guests. When he added that he signed them up for a tour of the ship beforehand, Brynn didn’t suspect a thing! Little did Brynn know that her fellow tour group members were our accomplices, and that the whole group was being trailed by photographers and cameras from The Today Show.

When the tour reached the flight deck, Marcial excused himself to use the restroom. Safely behind the scenes, he changed into a tux and took his hiding spot behind a gigantic marching band from Brewster High School.  The band started their performance with Michael Jackson’s Thriller and I’ll Be There.  At the end of the performance, they did a swirling formation to reveal Marcial, dressed in full tuxedo with two dozen red and pink roses.  White ribbons were wrapped around the stems of the bouquet, each with a question beginning with “Will you…” The questions held meaning for the couple and there was one for each rose in the bouquet, with a final red ribbon that said “Will you marry me?” As Marcial got down on one knee, the band raised a sign that spelled out “Marry me?” for an added dramatic touch.  To top it all off, after Brynn said “Yes!”, her family emerged on the aircraft elevator, holding a banner that said “Mission Accomplished!”

I was so honored to be part of Brynn & Marcial’s very special day and very proud to appear on The Today Show!  A big thanks to the happy couple, Marcial & Brynn, and their families, along with the terrific team at the Intrepid, the stellar crew of The Today Show and James and team from Paparazzi Proposals.

The Proposal Planner: Photographer

October 10, 2012

Documenting your marriage proposal is one of the most important “Do’s” when it comes to popping the question. Only a photo taken in the moment can truly capture all the emotions and reactions brought on by a proposal. These photos are irreplaceable and provide you with a way to re-live this happy moment for the rest of your lives and share it with friends and family! You can also choose to do a portrait session immediately after the “yes” that can double as your engagement photo session. This gives you the best of both worlds – emotional keepsake photos and fun, posed shots to use for save the dates or holiday cards. With photos like these, who wouldn’t  want a photographer or videographer to capture the moment?

Photos courtesy of Paparazzi Proposals.

The Proposal Planner: Jenni and Phillip in Central Park

September 26, 2012

On a rainy spring afternoon, Jenni and Phillip set off on a romantic stroll through Central Park. Heading east towards the Metropolitan Museum of Art, they decided to cut through the Shakespeare Garden to admire the flowers. While winding through the garden, they “discovered” a gorgeous wooden box, hand-carved with their names, lying in their path. That was when Phillip got down on one knee.

An intimate ensemble of singers and musicians appeared and begin to play Jenni’s favorite U2 song, “All I Want is You.” Jenni was completely surprised! Through happy tears, she said yes!

Then, Phillip showed her the box. The outside had a loving note for her, as well as a reference to the “Love is Patient” quote from the bible. When Jenni opened the box, she found that it was filled with packets of seeds. Around each packet was a band that held a reason why Phillip loved her. It was a perfect rainy day in Central Park for these two lovebirds! Congratulations Phillip and Jenni!

Lovely photos courtesy of Blue Daisy.

The Proposal Planner: Emad & Bita

August 16, 2012

I was thrilled to design an incredible proposal for this lovely couple, and especially excited to have it featured on The Huffington Post!  Emad wanted to give Bita a dream marriage proposal, without her guessing the plan. So, I devised a decoy using a fake groupon so as not to arise suspicion.

Emad and Bita arrived to a secluded tasting room decorated with hundreds of candles and spring flowers.  Thanks to our cover story, Bita thought their groupon included a blindfolded tasting menu of several dishes. They took turns being blindfolded with Hermes scarves, and had fun guessing which dish they were eating. During dinner the musicians played some of Bita’s favorite songs, while the couple enjoyed dishes inspired by their 3-year relationship.   But, none of this was revealed to Bita until after the meal.

When dessert came, Bita ogled over the crystal serving tray, which was filled with pictures of her closet family and friends. She was so touched that she nearly missed the surprise in her melted chocolate dome – a ring! She realized what was happening as Emad got down on one knee.

As part of his proposal, Emad presented Bita with a keepsake menu and explained that each dish they had sampled was reflective of a special moment in their love story.  The first course was Jamaican because they met while working on the island and the main dish was Persian, a nod to Bita’s grandmother who played a major role in the couple getting together.  And, the lovely Hermes scarves they were using as blindfolds were a special engagement gift to Bita.  Needless to say, she said yes!

Photos courtesy of Sofia Negron

The Men’s Event

July 10, 2012

I’m thrilled to be part of this tremendous event to help men find their perfect marriage proposal with the help of Alton Lane, Paparazzi Proposals and Greenwich Jewelers. Join us on Tuesday, July 17th for this event by RSVP-ing to events@altonlane.com!

The Proposal Planner: Robert & Mariela

May 18, 2012

Robert wanted to propose to Mariela on Valentine’s Day with her friends and family, so I designed a proposal concept inspired by their hopes and dreams for the future and found an inventive way to incorporate everyone into the experience.

The happy couple arrived to Ca Va for a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner, but when Mariela stepped into the private dining room, she was surprised by about 30 of her closest friends and family.  One by one, each person stepped forward and presented her with a  specially-wrapped gift.  A book on starting a small business gave her advice on the day care she plans to open, a photo of her with her mother represented the couple taking care of their families in the future, a garter tucked into a beach-themed box represented the laid-back, beachfront wedding they envisioned.

After she unwrapped each gift, he explained how he envisioned their future together, and got down on his knee to pop the question!  Mariela said yes and the couple enjoyed a celebratory dinner with their whole family.  Congratulations to Robert & Mariela!  Thanks to Sofia Negron for the fantastic photos, stay tuned for the video.

Angelina Jolie’s Engagement Ring

May 2, 2012

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie (aka Brangelina) are engaged! What do you think of her custom-designed engagement ring: love it or leave it?

Man-gagement Rings

April 5, 2012

Whether it’s a same-sex couple popping the question, or a brave lady proposing to her guy, man-gagement rings are not just a trend. Although most luxury jewelers aren’t yet marketing their rings as “man-gagement” rings, here are two of my picks from Harry Winston and Michael C. Fina’s wedding band collection.