Digby & Rose

Pop the Question, Then the Champagne

Men (and women) have been getting down on one knee and asking for their girlfriend’s hand in marriage for generations. From the awkward to the sublime, there are thousands, even millions, of different ways for guys to pop the question. And, thanks to the internet, there are now more than a few engagement videos out there which show off some of the more inventive ways people have gotten engaged. To some, these videos, pictures and stories are heartwarming, but for the guy looking for the mind-blowingly unique way to propose they can be pretty intimidating. Luckily, all of these videos work to illustrate the three simple rules to asking the question in the perfect way.

Set the Scene

Remember to choose the setting carefully. If the woman you love is a bit shy, you may not want to ask her in the middle of a crowd or where you’re likely to attract a lot of attention. But, if she loves attention or a certain public event or venue, play to your strengths. There’s a great story about a guy named Matt Still, who used a public place to his advantage when proposing to his girlfriend. Matt had always told his girlfriend, Ginny, that they would make the movies jealous. So, he hired a filmmaker to help him create a movie trailer, rented out a local movie theater and then offered to take Ginny out to the movies. Matt had invited Ginny’s close family and friends as well as some theater employees who were in on the surprise. When his engagement proposal trailer ran, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house and, when the lights came up, Ginny accepted and they were able to celebrate with their friends and family, which in retrospect was quite private compared to the attention the proposal would soon receive. The engagement was video-taped and played on YouTube and it wasn’t long before global news channels and talk shows, including Ellen, were picking up the story.

Make it Personal

While Matt’s proposal may have gotten him and his fiance into the national spotlight, the key to a truly memorable proposal is to simply make it personal. Inside jokes and shared passions are the best foundation for proposals that will have her not only saying yes but remembering that special moment each time she glances down at her ring. One of our favorite proposal stories around here is the infamous New York Times crossword puzzle proposal. Back in 1998, Bill Gottlieb actually hired crossword puzzle Guru Will Shortz to sneak in a personal message and proposal to his then girlfriend Emily Mindel in the New York Times crossword. Bill knew Emily was a huge fan of the daily puzzles and he sat quietly and nonchalantly reading the newspaper as she filled out the Wednesday crossword, as he knew she would that morning. Emily begin to take notice of coincidental clues and answers like her’s and Bill’s names, “A Modest Proposal”, “This Diamond Ring”, and then the answer, “Will You Marry Me?” to a clue. The final answer, and the one Bill had been hoping to hear for months, was “Yes” to 57-down.

Just ASK!

Don’t drive yourself crazy – or give yourself a case of cold feet – by over thinking the proposal. While creative proposal stories are fun to read and hear about, at the end of the day it comes down to the two of you. No one knows your girlfriend better than you. Plus, a simple proposal can be the best thing possible. Who needs a giant flash mob when you can propose over Twitter? While some people may say that proposing over the internet is tacky, keep in mind that it worked for Greg Rewis. Greg made it into the history books – and down the aisle – when he popped the first proposal via Twitter in 2008.

When you ask a girl to marry you, you’re giving her more than a ring. You’re literally giving her one of the most memorable moments of her life. No matter if your proposal takes place while curled up in front of a fire, sitting atop a Ferris Wheel or in front of a million football fans through the magic of Jumbotron, just remember to ask from the heart. It’s the only ingredient you need for a truly memorable engagement.

What’s your favorite proposal story? We want to hear about your own crazy proposals. How’d you get your girlfriend to say yes? Or what was it that he did that you just couldn’t resist? Tell us about your unique stories or amazing proposals you’ve heard about that left you laughing, crying or just completely shocked.

We’ll start… here’s a video of our clients, Ben and Kristi. Ben popped the question through chorus, choreographed dance and complete surprise at Disneyland! We’re proud to say we did the wedding invitations (fleur de lis) for this wacky and lucky couple, who even had their wedding at the happiest place on earth. Talk about a fairytale come true!

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Posted in Wedding Resources

Hockey Bar Mitzvah Invitations

Sports Themed Invitations

For any young man celebrating a significant milestone in his life, he’s going to want to do it in his own style, with his own personality. Pretty pink invitations may not be the way to go, but adding a fun and colorful graphic of his favorite sport to the invitation can give the whole event a personal touch. So for this young hockey lover being called to the Torah, it was time for a unique invitation with a personalized NHL-like emblem that included his initials overlapping two hockey sticks.

The Significance of a Bar Mitzvah

When a Jewish boy turns 13, he’s not just becoming a teenager, he’s becoming a man. While the term Bar Mitzvah has become more commonly used to refer to the rite of passage ceremony, traditionally and technically it defines the boy who is coming of age. In Hebrew, Bar Mitzvah translates to “an agent of the law” or “son of the commandment.” When a young man is called to the Torah as a Bar Mitzvah, he is officially recognized as being accountable for his own actions from then on. A very serious rite, but also a fun and joyous celebration!

Personalized Invitations

Your little boy may be becoming a man, but don’t worry, he still has his little boy charm and childhood dreams! If your son dreams of becoming a hockey star or just loves the sport so much it’s all he talks about, then why not show that side of him through personalized hockey Bar Mitzvah invitations? The first step in finding the perfect custom invitation is to give us a call. We can work with you to design a truly unique and personal Bar Mitzvah invitation that best represents your son. From choosing the right paper, color of the card and lettering, fonts and graphics, we can turn your creative image into a memorable keepsake.

Posted in Bar Mitzvah and Bat Mitzvah Invitations, Custom Letterpress Designs

From Norman Rockwell to South Park – How the Holidays Grew Up

The Christmas holiday season brings with it an amazing combination of tradition, spirituality and consumerism. No other holiday season is embraced by such a diverse cross section of the public and, as a result, controversy surrounding the holiday is bound to make local headlines during the season. Often, the grumbling has to do with how ‘adult’ Christmas has become. Traditionally, Christmas and the entire holiday season has been treated with a kind of childlike wonder. Card companies and retailers would play up the images of the ‘Good Old Days’ and most decorations and themes revolved around a Normal Rockwell kind of Americana. Families gathered around a golden brown turkey, children cuddled on a couch playing with toys, dogs lounging by a fire. But, as society has evolved so, too, has the way we think about these holidays. These views typically poked fun at the traditional scene and instead focused on themes of families fighting over the last drumstick, children wailing because their batteries have worn out already and dogs rifling through the holiday kitchen garbage in the middle of the night.

The Vision vs. The Reality

The truth is that this ability to embrace the holiday season with a ‘warts and all’ attitude can go a long way in making people feel better about their own crazy families. When cards, decorations and the like all focused on the idealized family holiday, it drove some revelers straight over the edge. But the 90s brought with it a relaxation of these ideals, a point driven home every year on the national scale with the popularity of family shows like Married with Children and Roseanne, which featured episodes focused on the family drama and stress associated with the entire holiday season.

The Cards You Might Not Send to Grandma

This relaxed and more open attitude can be seen in a variety of holiday decorations and shows but, by and large, the easiest way to see it is by checking out modern Christmas and Holiday cards. Initially, the market branched out simply to include other religious, spiritual or cultural holidays and, since then, has branched out even further. From Kwanzaa to Festivus, every conceivable holiday is now covered by a selection of greeting cards. On the other end of the spectrum, there are cards featuring rude and crude cartoons, scientific explanations to disprove Santa and, of course, a host of cards which celebrate the FUN in dysfunction.

This progression towards the inclusion of adult themed and more tongue in cheek holiday greetings work not to divide the holidays, but to actually bring them closer together. The winter holiday season appeals to a wide variety of people across social, religious and economic backgrounds. As a result, the things we all use to celebrate the holidays—from home decorations to greeting cards—have expanded to reflect everyone who celebrates the season in their own way. The wide array of new holiday cards also gives people the chance to really customize their own celebration of the holidays. After all, you might not send the South Park Mr. Hanky the Christmas Poo card or the Festivus card to your Grandma, but it’ll do nicely for the best friend who sends out a card declaring ‘The Grinch Had it Right the First Time’.

Posted in Washington DC Event Resources