Reception Entertainment Director

Brides.com recently posted 14 fascinating engagement facts that we found intriguing. 61% of guys consult with their girlfriend before buying the ring. The most popular month for engagement? December. 27% of brides call their best friend first after the proposal. Cost of the average engagement ring: $5,229. 75% of brides change their Facebook status soon after they get engaged. Approximately 2,000 couples get engaged every year at Disney World. 29% of men would wear an engagement ring. The average length of engagements is 14.7 months. 75-100 couples take the ferry to the Statue of Liberty every year to propose. 69% of couples take engagement photos. 7% of Facebook readers dated for 3 months before they got engaged. 62 proposals were made on the Jumbotron at Fenway Park in Boston in 2011. 37% of brides were completely surprised by the proposal. 46% of couples announce their engagement via Facebook. You can get the full details here at  Brides.com ...

The bride in her gown is the focal point of any wedding. (Admit it: nobody cranes their neck during the Wedding March for a better look at the groom’s tux.) Little girls dream about their wedding dresses before they’re even interested in boys. But when a wedding really looms in your future, how do you choose that one perfect wedding dress? Start by looking at current trends in wedding dresses. For 2012, designers are inspired by sources from Hollywood royalty (think red carpet) to real royalty. One trend you’ll spot in today’s bridal gowns is the use of illusion: sheer fabric that provides coverage while giving the illusion of bareness. Often used at necklines, it’s also found covering the backs and shoulders of gowns that are otherwise cut low in the back.  Speaking of which, designers have tuned in to the fact that brides have their backs turned to their guests a fair amount of the time—during the ceremony, during dances. They’ve made the most of that by adding “back ...