Brilliant Blog

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: Engagement Ring Trends

October 24, 2012

The holiday season is one of the most popular times for marriage proposals and this year is no different!  Check out a few of my favorites from Hearts on Fire, Michael C. Fina, and Harry Winston.

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.

Trend Alert: The Engagement Band

September 12, 2012

It used to be that a woman received a diamond ring when she got engaged, and then a wedding band when she got married. But, times are changing. Make way for the Engagement Band! These rings tend to be wider than a normal wedding band and, instead of one large diamond, they are usually covered in many small diamonds and intricate detail. The most notable fact about them is that they combine the engagement ring and a wedding band, in both looks and function. Now, women are either receiving both an engagement band and a wedding band, or, for those couples ahead of the times, just one engagement band.

This begs the question, if you only wear one ring, when do you receive it? Most people who choose to wear an engagement band do not receive it until the wedding day, especially if the band is very wide. This could mean many diamond-less proposals in our future. Would you say “yes” to a marriage proposal without a ring? Is one ring better really than two? Check out the below rings and decide for yourself if they’re worth the wait!

Photos courtesy of Martha Stewart,  Sears,  Hearts on Fire.

Halo Engagement Rings

August 8, 2012

This year, halo rings have emerged as a popular choice in engagements rings, especially among celebrities. At the start of the year, Justin Timberlake popped the question to long-time girlfriend Jessica Biel with a custom-made halo ring. More recently, Emily Maynard received a cushion-shaped halo ring from Jef Holm on the season finale of “The Bachelorette”. Although halo rings are a classic style, it is their revamped shapes and colors that have lead to a surge in their popularity.

For example, after Kate Middleton’s diamond and sapphire halo engagement ring was made public last year, we saw halo rings in various colors pop up everywhere in 2012. Bold halo engagement rings, such as the double halo shown below, are definitely a a hot trend!

Photos (clockwise from top left): 1. Ross-Simons 2. Getty Images via StyleBistro
3. Greenberg’s Jewelers 4. Getty Images via Brides

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!

Yellow Gold Engagement Rings: They’re Back!

June 20, 2012

A yellow gold engagement ring used to scream “I got married in the 80′s!”   However, lately big jewelry houses like Cartier and Tiffany are showing an increasing amount of yellow gold engagement rings.  What do you think of this trend?  Is it here to stay, or will a yellow gold once again be an indicator of the decade you got married?

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.