Tara

And by Christmas Eve, I mean the crack of dawn in the morning on Christmas Eve because we were working 4pm to 1am at the time. I have always been a Christmaholic and decorate our house so that it glitters like the north star. Poor Hiram tolerates it and spends the month from Thanksgiving to Christmas dodging tinsel. We got home from work at about 1:45am on December 24th and decided that we should probably do our gift giving with each other then because we knew we would need time to wind down before going to bed. Both H and I have divorced parents so our holidays are very rarely spent together because we have so many families to visit. Since we knew we would have to get up at a reasonable hour (as compared to our usual days off on this shift) to head to our respective families' for Christmas Eve celebrations, we thought this would be the best time to exchange gifts. Now this was also the first year that we had enough of an income to spoil each other with gifts so our tree was littered with junk we had purchased for one another. That alone made it exciting enough. Anyway, we had talked about getting engaged for some time but nothing ever really came of it. So I hand Hiram his last present (nintendo DS handheld with a few games) and after he opens it and squeals like a little boy, he hands me my last gift. So the box is deceiving, much lighter than it appeared it should be and this should have given it away, but I'm pretty blonde sometimes. Anyway, I unwrap it and find a box for a 19" flat screen monitor and giggle like a school girl. So when I bust the thing open, I'm truly disappointed to find a smaller box and not a monitor. Poor Hiram must have been devastated. So I unwrapped the second box and there was a third, much, much smaller box. Now most girls would be busting at the seams to see a small ring box, but I know Hiram is a joker and I'm still feeling pessimistic. As I begin unwrapping the last little box I see him dropping to his knee out of the corner of my eye and he asks if I would give him the honor of spending the rest of my life with him. And here we are!

Oh! That will be beautiful. We'd love to get married in Italy, but Jamaica is enough of a stretch for us with finances and wanting others to come along. I'm so jealous. Best wishes and congratulations!

Congrats! And best wishes!

Congratulations and happy planning!

Congratulations and best wishes!

Awe, I'm so sorry. I definitely agree with the others that you should do what it is that you two really want. We are still 9 months away and there are lots of "of course we going" and "we wouldn't miss it" comments from friends and family, but when the time comes, I think it may just end up being my dad and his lady friend, H's dad and step-mom, and his mom and brother. We shall see, I could be wrong. And who knows! It may end up being just the two of us. Either way, I wouldn't change a thing about what we are doing and you shouldn't either. Hiram and I started planning a traditional wedding and realized that it wasn't for either of us. We've never been on a vacation together and really wanted to go away and do things our way. It's very tough to think that these people cannot make it to your big day, but that doesn't mean that they don't love you and want the very best for you and your future husband. Best of luck! Remember, this is your day.

I read about this in Fodor's guide to Jamaica. It is best seen in Jamaica from the cliffs in Negril. There is an awesome close up explanation of the green flash in the guide. I really hope we are lucky enough to have the opportunity (and the right atmospheric conditions) to see it while we're celebrating in Jamaica.

17 inches is amazing! I am so jealous. No matter what I do it feels like my weight and inches are impervious to workouts! I could fast for 3 days and gain 10 pounds. Darn genetics! Awesome job!

That's a beautiful dress, Ana. It looks lovely on you. Much better than the model shots.

Do they ever play music videos anymore? Wasn't Mtv once the MUSIC television channel? I think I might prefer it if VH1 were doing it. Hehehe!

Thank you all for the well wishes and welcomes! Much appreciated.

Asteff and Hollisandsteph, you both have beautiful pictures. Our SGOR wedding is not until 3/23/2009, maybe I'm starting to neb too early but I'm getting some wonderful ideas from your reviews. Thanks a bunch! You're weddings looked beautiful.

That is so sweet. I always get chills reading or hearing the engagement stories of others. How romantic! He's a keeper.

Before we were engaged... It was 5 years and 3 months we were dating. Had to stop and think, seems like it's been forever that we're been engaged now. By the time we're married it will be almost exactly 7 1/2 years.

Hi everyone! My name is Tara and I will be marrying my best friend, Hiram, March 23, 2009. Our destination is Sandals Grande Ocho Rios. Hiram and I have been dating for 6 1/2 years and have been engaged for over a year now (since Christmas Eve 2006). We met in high school (I dated his best friend who later hooked us up). Coincidentally the high school we went to is the same one that my parents and his mother graduated from, as well as my paternal grandparents. Anyway, enough about us... I have been browsing the forum for the last couple days and soaking in everyone's wonderful ideas and insights. I cannot wait to get started! Hope to talk to everyone soon. Best wishes!