ENGAGED!

I have been very, very neglectful of this blog! But for a very, very good reason!! I’m ENGAGED!! And I couldn’t be happier!

Stas proposed on Christmas Eve as we were exchanging gifts. He handed me a large, heavy box, which contained a smaller box. I opened that box to find two smaller boxes. He pulled one out and got down on one knee, opened the box and asked, “Shushka, will you marry me?” (he doesn’t remember saying “Shushka” but I remember it clear as day!)

Although I had suspected there was a ring in that box, I was in shock and disbelief when it actually happened. I cried and cried and cried and kept asking, “Is this real?!”

… and it was! I said yes, of course. And now I’m engaged!

I absolutely love my ring. It looks like the one above – 14k white gold band with a 1.5 ct. round cut diamond. Oh you should see it sparkle!

So now I’m in wedding planning mode, trying to get a venue squared away. We’re hoping to have the wedding on September 5, 2009. To Stas, it’s ridiculously far away. For anyone who has planned a wedding, and for the venues I’ve called, it’s close! A lot of places are already booked solid for the summer months.

And the other consideration, of course, is cost. Weddings are expensive! But I’m trying to find ways to cut cost here and there, whether it be hiring a friend to be our photographer or assembling the invitations myself. We’re going to start touring venues on Friday – we have 1 on Friday and 2 on Saturday. I’m not going to name my dream venue (which we’ll be touring on Saturday) because I don’t want to jinx it. But cross your fingers for me! I’m hoping we’ll be able to afford it.

In the midst of this wedding planning, I’ll continue to post about food, but I’ll probably also throw in some wedding-related posts as well. Stay tuned!

I LOVE YOU, STAS!