Announcing my newest spotlight company -- Hearts on Fire

I'm thrilled to announce that my newest spotlight company on my website is Hearts on Fire (www.heartsonfire.com), the makers of the world's most perfectly-cut diamonds and exquisite designs for your rings. The graphic above is an image that we will be using in one of my upcoming books, just to give you a taste of what you'll find on their site. Check out their Dream Diamond, which is a stunner, and get your detailed answers from their Diamond Wizard on the site, as well as at http://diamondwiz.blogspot.com.

And keep an eye out for my newest wedding style section on my website, www.sharonnaylor.net, where you'll find special sections to accompany my upcoming book "What's Your Bridal Style?", co-written with Casey Cooper of Botanicals in Chicago. We're going to have detailed articles on determining your ring style, your tabletop style, your decor style, your flower style and more.

Amazing new things going on this spring, including a new call-in feature for my Wedding Podcast Network talk show 'Here Come the Moms' with my co-host Holli Ehrlich, the launch of my handbags line, and an announcement of a new wedding registry program for all of you home improvement couples in NJ....

Joe asked my for hand

I am on Cloud 10. Joe has asked my parents for my hand in marriage. I'm in such bliss, I hardly know what to do with myself.

My parents knew it was coming, so unbenownst to us, Mom went out and got a platter of sandwiches, a cheesecake, and the kind of lemon seltzer that Joe likes. So that's what was waiting for us a little later in the day...

We started our morning with breakfast in the park, and we stopped off to get Joe's artist friend's limited edition artwork framed for our new home. As we waited for a couple to decide between frames for a truly mindboggling piece of art (I'll say no more), I was in a panic that my Dad was going to fall asleep before we got there. But we arrived in time, and we sat down to eat. Joe gave no hint of being nervous, and I wish I could say that I was hiding my excitement well. At one point, I gave him the 'go!' look, and he just smiled. So we chatted over lunch for a while, and then Joe said he has grown very fond of me, and well, since I started planning the wedding already, would my parents agree to letting him take me off their hands. It was the perfect thing to say, very much his sense of humor, and my parents loved it. I was just looking at my parents' faces -- they were just overjoyed....and if there's anything my parents deserve after 4 years of cancer treatments it's to be overjoyed. They absolutely love Joe, and it's like my entire family is getting a great gift. Even Peanut the dog refrained from begging at the table and just laid down by Joe's feet. So it was a celebration, and one of those once-in-a-lifetime moments that surpasses your dreams. Whatever happens in the next year with my Dad's health, I'll always know that we shared that moment, with him looking so pleased and so proud, so welcoming of Joe. And my mom adores Joe like a son, for the happiness he has brought me and especially for a moment of great kindness during my brother's wedding. So this was the blissful moment I have been hoping for, and Joe made it extra-special. Sorry to gush here, but I won the lottery when I found him.

So as I'm floating, I can now share the news that even though we haven't gotten to the ring yet, we have our ceremony and reception site booked, our Save the Dates ready to roll, our photographer booked, and a celebrity performer for our reception ready for that one phone call to say it's a go. Stay tuned on that one, because it's huge. Magazine editors want to cover the wedding, but we'll have to discuss the breadth of that since our day will be our day. We'll be honored to be spotlit in my favorite magazines, but we have to discuss the details. Right now, we're both in new home chaos, with finding movers and pacing our path through that. I spent hours tonight on the www.benjaminmoore.com site trying out wall colors for our office, our kitchen and our bathrooms -- so visit that site for amazing color samples for your wedding as well as for your home. The interactive tool there is the best thing ever.

So there you have it...we're almost officially official with the engagement, and I can finally talk about it now that the respect of asking both of my parents has been delivered. I am going to be Joe's wife. It's a greater honor than anything I've ever accomplished in my career, even better than hugging Oprah after I taped her show. Sorry, O, but this is a bigger dream come true. And it all gets even better from here. I'm so looking forward to sharing the planning with Joe and his family -- his mom doesn't have daughters, so I'd love to share the flowers and the gown shop with her -- and of course my Mom and I will work on the wedding as well.

This was the best day...

'Here Come the Moms' podcast is up!

The newest segment of 'Here Come the Moms' is live at http://tinyurl.com/2mz9m3. In this show, we discuss the best first steps to establishing your wedding-plannning team, and we answer a question from a listener in Ireland on how to bond parents who live far apart. If you have any questions you'd like us to tackle on upcoming shows, just send us an e-mail!

For fashion-forward brides and bridesmaids

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to talk with fashion It-girl Tory Burch (www.toryburch.com) about her new line of ballet slippers as well as her gorgeous fall collection, and it hit me that today's brides and bridesmaids would rather bring high fashion into the wedding day and wedding gifts than any silver picture frames. Tory is the definition of today's classic chic, and I *love* it that her lines are inspired by famous female icons. This spring, it was a mix of Grace Kelly and Edie Sedgwick, and this fall it's a Catherine Deneuve in a deliciously wearable way. So check out Tory's site and do some shopping, and see her fall line on www.style.com. I'm doing a celebrity profile on her for Park Place magazine, so you'll have to wait for that one to hear about her fashion philosophy, inspiration, and how she does it all as mom to three and step-mom to three (yes, just like the Brady bunch). Her site says she can go from boardroom to ballroom in a style second, and that's definitely someone to look at for style inspiration! Also on www.style.com, the newest editors' picks for your wedding weekend fashion plans.

Congratulations Tom and Michele!

Yesterday, I got a knock on my door, and there was my friend Tom with photos of his newborn baby girl! Tom and his wife Michele are my dear friends who used to live next-door to me, and their longtime efforts to have a baby finally brought them to this day. The baby is gorgeous, Mom is doing well, and Tom was over the moon. I remember the funny story of the day we met: it was the day before I moved into my place, and I had a segment shoot for Lifetime Television in my pre-furniture apartment. Michele met me while the camera crew was bringing in the lights, production assistants were all over the place...she had no idea what was going on. Later, when I met Tom, we discovered that we went to the same high school, and my sister dated his older brother. So we were quite a happy crew here...shoveling snow together at night, having fondue parties, celebrating New Year's and St. Patrick's Day. I miss having them here, but I'm thrilled beyond belief for their baby blessing and their new life.

Sigh....

With each step we take towards closing on our house, the more I'm thinking about how dreamy it's going to be to work with Joe on painting the rooms, putting down flooring and tile, even picking out the new fireproof door for the garage. We've strolled through Lowes and Home Depot checking out options, and I confess I've looked at him from the end of an aisle and had to suppress a giant smile as he looked at a new handheld drill and bits. This is one gorgeous man, and I'm so lucky to share this whole thing with him. So here I am, taking an afternoon tea break, picturing him with a little paint smear on his cheek, those amazing shoulders and arms reaching up to paint a wall...we'll have the radio on in the background, and I've even decided that I need to be wearing little overall shorts as my 'working on the house' uniform. I'll run out to Dunkin Donuts and bring him back a coffee, and we'll sit on the stairs looking around in wonder at Our Place with goofy smiles on our faces. And not from the paint fumes. Sure, there's a lot of crap to go through first with closing costs and lead paint testing...but the challenges make the outcome even better.

We both have working weekends planned. I'm writing all the rewards for my book 300 ROMANTIC WAGERS, and I'm also submitting the questions list for Book Club on www.pashweddings.com where the ladies are *loving* my novel It's My Wedding Too. If you don't have your copy yet, and you'd like to join us for a laugh-filled discussion, there's still time. We'll be talking about the book two weeks from now. So come join us....

No writing today

Have you ever spent the entire day at the bank, trying to fix a mistake they made and deal with all the red tape...during tax week? I'm exhausted, and I'm not working today. If I don't have a clear mind, my work doesn't come out great. So I did some resource research for my new book on romantic wagers, but the text just isn't going to come out today...so it's green tea with lemon time, and I'll curl up with a good book. I'm ending the day with good news (at last!) -- my Bridesmaid Handbook showed up somewhere in the media today and sales are soaring. And my dear friend Linda sent in some donations for my Leukemia & Lymphoma Society fundraiser. So regardless of the bank fiasco, I'm callin' it a good day. :)

THE ring to get your bridesmaids -- Oprah says so...

I flipped out when I saw this one...it's on Oprah's hot list, the lineup of celebrities wearing this one is unreal, it's GORGEOUS...and it's under $300. Brides are picking this up as the perfect, indulgent gift for their much-loved bridesmaids and mothers, Check it out, and click on celebrities to see whose company your ladies will be in...http://www.divinediamonds.com/ahring.php. Read the description carefully, since the AH could stand for 'available and happy' for your single bridesmaids, or 'attached and happy' for your non-singles.

This past week has been amazing...Joe and I went for the inspection on our new house, and I'm amazed at how thorough our inspector was. It takes so much of the worry out when you know you're in good hands. But we really got to see much more detail about the house itself...taking measurements, planning our furniture layout...and that ceiling fan has to go! Right now, our office has orange shag carpeting and dark brown wood paneled walls -- it's like Mike Brady's office! But it soon will have new flooring and new walls, our matching desks and executive chairs, and the InStyle Weddings cover and article that Joe had framed for me. While most people dream about what their kitchen is going to look like, I'm dreaming about the office ;) Oh, okay, the kitchen too. Although I kinda like the 1970s butterfly wallpaper in the kitchen (kidding, honey!).

My niece and nephew were up from Tennessee for the Easter weekend, Dad got out of the hospital in time to enjoy the amazing meal my Mom and I prepared, we did my uncle Augie's traditional egg war (smacking the ends of dyed eggs together to see which one cracks -- which is *really* funny when you think about the irony of it), the kids did an egg hunt, and we played for hours with the Smurf collection from our childhood. The kids finally got to meet Tigger the hamster, and Joe finished off the weekend in style with a popcorn and Spiderman 2 movie night. The kids never want to leave. I don't blame them. It's all fun at Aunt Shashie's ;) And Joe's wonderful family sent home some lovely flowers and chocolates for me since I missed their family celebration...I'm overwhelmed with how blessed I am to get a great man and be welcomed into his great family like this. And a message to Aunt Chris...the bunny buns are delicious! Thank you!

Photo displays at your wedding

It's long been a tradition to display family photos at a wedding, and now you can give your digital (or scanned) photos a new look -- a comic book illustrated version, the Andy Warhol four color block squares, colored pencil effect, watercolor effect, and more -- at www.photofiddle.com. Could be a great idea for parents' and bridal party gifts as well...

Escape into a novel

When the wedding stress gets to you and people are driving you crazy, you might think about packing up the car and taking off for a weekend. But there's an easier escape: dive into a great book. Laugh with my novel IT'S MY WEDDING TOO (you'll love how the bride handles her battling mothers of the bride and groom) or travel back in time to the intrigues of the royal court with any of Phillippa Gregory's books. I highly recommend The Other Boleyn Sister if you've having problems with a jealous or micro-managing sister ;) Reading has always been an escape for me, so I encourage you to make time for a little fictional escape. You can get my novel, reviewed on the PashWeddings.com site as 'hysterical!', at http://www.sharonnaylor.net/books.htm.

Create your own monograms and logos

Forget the trend reports that say monograms are out -- they're still in, particularly when the right site offers such gorgeous artistic renditions. And do I have a site for you! Visit PashWeddings.com monograms collection at http://www.blissweddingsmarket.com/store/000333.htm and choose from their classic, contemporary, casual, symbolic and other styles. I'm definitely bookmarking this page for upcoming use. And yes, that's a not so subtle sign that Joe and I will be making a big announcement soon. :) Bless this man for his amusement at my chomping at the bit, and his gentle holding back of my reins. I joke that the floodgates are open, and especially with the house purchase going on, stress is in no short supply. But it thrills me to think about the little things like the tulips I'd like for my bouquet, just as it's thrilling us to imagine where we're going to hang our artwork in our new house, or picking out a new living room couch. They say that looking forward to something produces happy hormones in the body, so my advice to all of you wedding planning couples is to not stress about the details but get cozy with them. They're the fun part, so don't freak out over invitation fonts or napkin colors. These little details are your mind's eye painting a picture that makes you happy and maybe balances out all those other stressful things in your life.

Stay tuned...we have some fun stuff coming soon....

And thank you to everyone who wrote with excitement and compliments about my segment on Good Morning America! That was a big thrill for me.

Our new house!

The ink isn't 100% dry yet, but I'm an optimist and I trust all will be well. :) Joe and I found THE most amazing house right here close to us, and after months of exploring crappy little huts with no room to stand on the top floor or kitchens that were 3 feet wide, it was like something out of a movie. We knew as we were driving through the neighborhood to see the house for the first time. You know when you're 'home.' We adore the prior owner and could feel how much that house was loved by her and her family. It all just came together perfectly...there's a bike trail right down the street, a nice big yard, big kitchen, and just the little painting jobs and minor remodels that we are so looking forward to doing. Of course, it has been strange to go from, "So what do you want to do tonight?" to "So what's in your savings account?" but the full disclosure is easy when you trust each other so much. Sure, it's a little scary, but I'm just thinking about how nice it's going to be to have Thanksgiving in our place, to have our office with the cherrywood floor and blue paint we picked out, to have no noisy neighbors upstairs...
If and when we do get buyer's remorse, as happens with everyone, we'll only have to look around and see where we are to feel a lot better about that.

Today was one of those challenging ones. I took my Mom to the hospital for a procedure, and it was really tough to be back in that hospital environment. But the post-traumatic stuff is fading, so that works for me. When I went into recovery, my Mom was sitting there in her little hospital gown and she had just done her makeup, sipped on her coffee, looking positively radiant to be on her way home. On MY way home, I counted blessings...we're all moving into a happy time, even if we have to walk through a scary cloud of what-if's to get to it.

Changing names on Good Morning America

It has long been a wish of mine to appear on Good Morning America, and now that wish has come true. In an evening flurry of phone calls and e-mails (which I would have MISSED if Joe's haircut appointment had not been re-scheduled to last night -- how wild is that?!), GMA sent a camera crew out here to my house to tape a segment on men who take their *brides'* last names. The segment aired this morning, and you can view it here:

http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=2972558

And thank you, Joe, for checking on the link. I am floored every day by how lucky I am to have you.

Newsday's Book of the Week!

My book 'Renewing Your Wedding Vows' was just announced as Newsday's How-To Book of the Week! http://www.newsday.com/features/consumer/ny-lsread5136046mar19,0,7759831.story

That takes the sting out of not winning the HGTV Dream House. Joe and I had big plans for that one ;)

1000 Best Wedding Bargains

Well, this warms up my snowed-in day...

A review for my book 1000 BEST WEDDING BARGAINS:
"A must for brides on a budget...a veritable volume of super-chic for super-cheap."--Copley News Service

I am savoring this happy end to my hectic workweek....

It's all about the relationship

Don't forget....the wedding has come about because you're in a wonderful relationship! Take the time to nurture it, and make a vow to nurture it in the future. Prepare for the marriage ahead.

My good friend and colleague Tina Tessina, PhD has a terrific blog for you to check out (and make sure you pick up her amazing books!). She's been a phenomenal 'find' as a source for my wedding prep articles, quotes in my books, and she and her husband Richard are even featured in my book Renewing Your Wedding Vows.

Tina writes with true authority on the most important issues facing engaged couples who DON'T want to drag old baggage into their relationships. Her books are Must-Reads! You can find her blog at http://drromance.typepad.com/dr_romance_blog/ Redbook.com says: "Blog of the month: DR. Romance: 'If anyone can call herself "DR. Romance," it's REDBOOK Love Expert Tina Tessina. With a Ph.D., eight books and 30 years counseling experiencing under her belt, Tina has a lot to say about the everydays of life and love. Get to know the Doc. "

Eco-friendly weddings

Many thanks to my publicist Julie Berry for bringing this great magazine to my attention~

If you'd like to plan an environmentally-friendly wedding, and check into eco-tourism for your honeymoon, visit www.portovert.com (pronounced porto-vair). I'm thrilled to know this new resource is out there, providing realistic ways to choose products, foods, services and gifts that are kind to the environment...without everything being made out of hemp and wood pulp! You'll get a great education here, and you'll have the satisfaction of knowing you 'gave a little back.'

In other news, I taped the next two installments of my Wedding Podcast Network show 'Here Come the Moms' (www.weddingpodcastnetwork.com), so check the site to see when our segments on 1.) Working as a Team and 2.) Mom wedding fashion are launched!

And when I find a great wedding registry, I love to share it with my readers. When I can also support a relative's entrepreneurial vision, I'm there! So check out my cousin Renee's bridal registry program with Pampered Chef at www.pamperedchef.biz/reneesgroi.

That's it for today...it's time for a walk by the lake and then finalizing my wardrobe for the taping of 'Naomi's New Morning' for the Hallmark Channel on Thursday. I'm bringing along the VERY FIRST handbag from my new bridal line with www.zbeckybrown.com, and I'll be wearing the gorgeous eternity earrings and necklace from celebrity designer Kristy Nuttall at www.mylittlepretty.com.

"Renewing Your Wedding Vows" in USA Weekend!

Thank you, Linda, for sending me the link! Here's my mention in Judy Mandell's latest for USA Weekend:

http://www.usaweekend.com/07_issues/070311/070311family.html

What a perfect night... a cozy night in with Joe and our favorite Chinese take-out food, good news in college basketball, a blueberry for Tigger, and now getting to see the USA Weekend piece early! I thought I'd have to go to 7-11 early in the morning to get my copy ;)

Thank you, Linda and Judy, for this thrilling news tonight....

Our anniversary

Joe and I celebrated our anniversary at Shanghai Jazz (www.shanghaijazz.com, named one of the top jazz clubs in the world), with crispy crab dumplings, General Tsao's chicken, and a tilapia dish called 'prosperity fish.' Prosperity is definitely the right word when it comes to our relationship, and I don't mean the financial aspect of the word. The true definition of prosperity is having a deep sense of comfort and contentment with what you have. Those who have money and no peace don't have prosperity. They have money and no peace. They're unable to enjoy all they have. So prosperity is one of the perfect words for the great gift I enjoy every day, of being joined with this wonderful man. Shanghai Jazz was where we had our first date, actually. So how fun to return to the scene, see those two bar stools where we sat and talked, and remember how very impressive it was that Joe -- on our first date -- took a moment to watch the musical performer before looking around for me. I still get butterflies thinking back to that...

Right now, I'm editing 'What's Your Bridal Style,' which I wrote with Casey Cooper of Botanicals in Chicago (www.botanicalschicago.com) and it's always a kick to revisit material from so many months ago. We have to cut a lot, since we're almost at 2x the word count allowed, so it's a painful thing to see my birthmonth flower chart go, and whittle down some really great work. I'm chunking out some sections as articles we'll use to promote the book, so at least they'll have a second life! It's windy outside and chilly in here (old Victorian house), so I'm off for a Dunkin Donuts hazelnut decaf and a cozy corner in the library where my frozen little fingers can defrost and work some magic on the edit.

Where to get Wedding Vow Renewal invitations

For the absolute BEST line of wedding vow renewal invitations -- at the best prices and the best customer service I've ever experienced (Linda, you're incredible!), PLUS the option to have a % of your order donated to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, shop at http://www.invitations4sale.cceasy.com/order/CasPage1.cfm?prev=1&TempPrev=0&blnPreviewRequestSubmitted=0&recordsperpage=12&CompletedOrder=0&sBasketID=0&alogo=1&menu=none&morethanonepage=YES&HostDomain=0&FirstTimeThrough=1&option=CasPage1.cfm&format=AAGCasEnsDT26&CFID=18366714&CFTOKEN=70920376

I've featured Linda's company in several of my books, and I can't emphasize enough how terrific this woman is! I consider her a dear friend and a sister in the fight against blood cancers, so I've chosen her line as my officially-endorsed Wedding Vow Renewal invitation source.

Enjoy!