Put A Ring On It

Have I mentioned how much I love my engagement ring? I mean, I know pretty much every newly engaged girl spends a majority of her free time staring at her ring (what, no? That’s just me? Awkward…), but I really, really love it. It’s exactly what I wanted, which is really good because I’m one of those people who just CAN’T lie when I don’t like your haircut, outfit, or the engagement ring you just handed me.

I was especially concerned about getting a ring I didn’t like because I’m not one of those girls who can just hand her man a picture of the ring and be like, "Buy that for me. K, thanks!"

Fortunately, working at the Knot makes it a little easier to hint (because, yes, Joe, sometimes I was hinting :)).

For example, there was one week when I had to write FOUR articles about engagement rings. FOUR. Try to write four articles about engagement rings and then have a conversation with your (still fairly newish) boyfriend about work without it getting uncomfortable. Just try.

But on the bright side, it did create a no-pressure zone to say things like, "One of the rings we’re featuring has a halo setting. It’s pretty, but not really my style, you know? I feel like it’s too much. I like simple." And BAM. He knows not to get me something dripping with jewels. (Not that there’s anything wrong with that if it’s what you like!)

Joe actually picked my ring based on a picture used on one of my engagement ring articles. I’ll say one thing for him: The man pays attention.



So what about you? Did you hint? Or did you get stuck with something you wish you could change?

Occupational Hazards

Did you guys take this quiz The Knot tweeted last week? (Find it here!)

It's all about planning your wedding at work (come on, we've all done it!) and how your work life meshes with your engaged life.

I have to admit, I don't think I'm the quiz's standard sample. For example, at one point the quiz asks, "Is your boss aware that you are engaged?"

Um…my boss made me the subject of the Wedding Obsessions blog and started the first day of work after my engagement with a "meeting" about my wedding plans. (Yeah, it's pretty sweet to work here.)

In general, I think it's ok to do a little planning in between your real work – provided it doesn't interfere with your job. We even have tips for doing it right on TheKnot.com!

I think the flexibility of mixing planning with business is one of the biggest differences between a Knot editor bride and a regular Knot bride. After all, if the average bride gets caught clicking through photographer blogs at the office, she might get a reprimand. Me? It's called "research."

Hey, I might not get a free wedding, but that doesn't mean there aren't any perks to this job.

So what about you? Have you ever been caught Knotting at work?



Photo courtesy of madprime

"So we just 'bloop' each thing?"

So Joe and I registered yesterday. Registering sort of reminds me of choosing a major in college. You're effectively deciding how you want to live for the rest of your life. In a couple of hours. Picking neutral colors is like being “undecided” or majoring in business.

We opted to register at Target, Crate & Barrel, and Bed Bath & Beyond since we have wedding guests in all corners of the country (literally: Seattle, California, Florida, and New York…with a host of states in between). We did most of our Target registering in-store, did a quick pass through BB&B before they closed, and then did all our updates and C&B registering online.

There are a few major difference between registering in-store and online. For example:

In-Store Wedding Registering
Pros: You can see/touch the product and get a feel for how they operate/how big they are, you can see the actual color of your towels/bed sheets/mixer, you get to use the scan gun and “bloop” things (in the immortal words of my fiancé).
Cons: I find big stores full of stuff a little overwhelming to shop in.

Online Wedding Registering
Pros: Everything is laid out neatly, making comparison shopping simple; you can see ALL of the options available at the retailer, instead of just what's in stock; editing and deleting items of your list is much easier and instantaneous.
Cons: It lacks the pros of in-store shopping.

This probably won't come as a surprise to people who know me, but I prefer online registering. The simplicity really wins me over – though I'm glad we experienced the scan gun. How else would I have gotten this:



Yup, I'm going to marry him :)

What about you? Where did you register and why? Did you go in-store, or stick to the world wide web?

We're A Lot Like You

There seems to be this misconception running around that Knot editors get their weddings for free.

As much as I would love that, I'm afraid I'm about to burst a few bubbles here: While we might be able to snag a few random freebies (today I grabbed a fancy vegetable peeler off the free table – score!), I am by no means being handed a reception hall. (Of course, I'm always open to the offer! Eh? Ehhh?)

But even though I still have to pay for my venues, flowers, attire, stationery, favors, entertainment, transportation, (*gasps for breath*), bridal party gifts, accessories, formalwear, and everything else you need for one of these shindigs, I'm still incredibly excited. Because the biggest perk of working at TheKnot.com is that we are literally surrounded by the best and most creative wedding ideas out there. All. Day. Long.

Which means my head is swimming with ideas – from budget-savvy tips to gorgeous décor inspiration – all of which I plan to share with you as I navigate the (at times) crazy world of planning my own.

Here's what you need to know:

I currently live in Long Island, NY, but I spent most of my formative years in Des Moines, IA. (Woo, Midwest!) The Fiancé and I are planning a wedding for April or May of 2011 (Side note: You can watch our proposal video below!). We're on a pretty tight budget considering our area, but I like to look at it as an opportunity to stretch those Knot-trained economizing muscles I've garnered.

What I'm saying is, I may work for the top wedding website, but I'll deal with a lot of the same issues and concerns as any other bride. Check back often for my tips, ideas, inspiration, and updates on my own wedding planning, and feel free to leave your own advice, grievances, and thoughts in the comments section! I'd love to hear from you.

Oh! I just thought of another thing I got for free from work: the book "1,001 Ways to Save Money…and Still Have a Dazzling Wedding." Let's get started!

Justine & Joey Get Engaged from Justine Blanchard on Vimeo.