by On Bended Knee | May 24, 2012 |
Okay, so I’m taking a quick break from my marathon editing session (two weddings, a sweet 16, motivational speaking video, and convention promotions for CRN- tho today I’m trying to finish the Sweet 16!!)- to write about the new show, Duets.
I had the opportunity to film a red carpet event promoting the singing competition/reality show with Glamour.com correspondent, Jessica Radloff. We had a great time, and I must say, I’m really looking forward to watching it tonight.
It stars Robin Thicke, who is super cool and much more down to earth that I honestly would have thought… Kelly Clarkson, who is as sweet as could possibly be and so easy to like… John Legend, who while soft spoken to a degree, is a very cool dude… and lastly Jennifer Nettles, who I wasn’t familiar with before hand, but after meeting her and listening to her for a few minutes, I suddenly want to run out and buy her Sugarland CD. She was super witty and sweet.
Anyway, all coolness aside, the show’s premise sounds fun, where not only the contestants are competing, but also the mentors. (I met every contestant as well, and they are seem extremely humble and gracious, and they are all YOUNG, so I look forward to seeing what they have.) That said, I recommend if you have nothing better to do tonight, you check out the series premiere on ABC. I believe at 8pm.
Okay…
So that got me thinking, music is such a moving art form, and draws from and elicits so many different forms of emotion. How great would it be for a couple to sing a duet on their wedding day? I was about to write I’ve never seen it done, until I just remembered Sylvia and Michael, who sang along with Paul McCartney and the Beatles after their grand entrance a few years back. BUt how about a true duet?
Anyone out there daring enough to try and pull it off? Any karaoke singers who think they could use the bar as a practice setting? I think a duet, sung by a bride and groom, would be amazing….
I digress…
So how do we make this a proposal idea?
Okay, this will be an idea for anyone out there with experience singing.
This will probably be most easily done at a karaoke bar…. a piano bar would be a good choice as well. But hey, if you wanna sing A capella, anywhere will suffice.
Figure out a song you’d like to serenade your girlfriend/boyfriend to. Preferrably a song you both have emotional attachments to, and/or a song you have sung together previously.
Now, the trickiest part… REWRITE at least one verse in the song. Replace the words, using the same musical score, with your proposal speech…
Just think of it as your own “Roses are Red, Violets are Blue” poem, but set to music.
A lot of love songs may already spell out what you want to say, and if you have one like that, maybe you only need to change a single word, or NAME in the lyrics. Either way, make it your own.
Second, plan it out with the restaurant or bar owner. Heck, you could even have a string quartet pre arranged to accompany you. BUt make sure management knows about your plan, and are helping you stage and execute it properly.
As for the duet part, it gets a little trickier. If you aren’t both singers, and or one of you is shy and doesn’t love singing… well A) this might not be the right proposal idea, or B) make it as easy as possible on him/her. A few drinks before the big moment will always make for an easier transition from listener to duet partner, but so will a little preparation.
Go to a karaoke bar and feel out the comfort level, or lack there of. If it ends up being a solo act, no worries, that’s just as good. Truth be told, I just had to segue from duets to a proposal idea, so it fit… but a singing proposal, especially with hit tv shows like “Glee” and “Smash” today, would be a winner, either way you slice it. If you get your soon to be fiance to join in midway through, that’s icing on the future wedding cake.
Bottom line, when you get to the moment of truth, and the lyrics bring you on Bended Knee, the words, or your voice, or the place… won’t matter nearly as much as the touch of your hand, and the look in your eyes.
Happy song writing, and have a great Memorial Day weekend!! I am back to editing now!
by On Bended Knee | Apr 25, 2012 |
Take your girlfriend or boyfriend to a place you have never been. A place where you have both dreamed about, or at least, talked about visiting before. A beautiful country or a winter cabin… Just make it somewhere memorable and special.
As I have started to explore parts of the world I never thought I would growing up, I realize how eye opening, and enlightening it can be. And while pictures do their part in preserving memories, nothing could top a proper proposal (hmmm, say that 3 times fast)… at a destination you’ll already never forget.
So pick a place. A place she’s dreamed of visiting.
Pick a date. A date where the excuse for going is believable, and a proposal is not so easily expected or detected.
Pick a ring. A ring she will love. 😉
Book it.
Plan for it. Plan the details for the night you’ll propose.
A limo? A ferry ride? A rooftop restaurant overlooking Paris?
Make it all happen… and when the time comes…
get down On Bended Knee…
And try to make sure someone is warned and armed with a camera to snap a few pictures of that moment. There will be very few in your lifetime more worthwhile of the click of a camera.
by On Bended Knee | Apr 2, 2012 |
Okay, so yesterday was April Fool’s Day, so I hope noone proposed as a joke, cuz well, that just wouldn’t be funny… Conversely, if someone did propose and mean it, I hope noone said no, and then said “April Fool’s!” Well, maybe not, that would be funny.
Okay, so an original proposal idea. It’s been a while, and this will literally be spur of the moment, off the top of my head, so forgive me if it’s out there.
Okay, here it goes…
Still thinking….
Zzzzz…
Okay.
Top of the head.
I’ve been really enjoying the television show Leverage lately, in fact, it eats up about 45 minutes of edit time each day between 11 and 12. (I still work during commercials) That in mind, let’s trick her.
The idea. Figure out a way to get her to a place that sells diamond rings, without her knowing. I’m not talking, “I’ll take you here, but it’s a surprise either.” I’m talking, she doesn’t know you’re involved, and she shows up, where you are waiting for her.
Why would she go to a place that sells diamond rings without you, and/or not think you’re involved? Good question.
She won’t know. She’ll think she’s going somewhere entirely different, for a completely different reason.
So, first step. You need to create an official looking letter head and envelope for an agency, business, or something that you know would relate to her and grab her interest.
Maybe you send her IRS letters, if that’s relevant (tho convoluted). Maybe scrapbooking event stuff? Movie premiere. A sale at a store she loves. A spa certificate. Anything that will make her inquire.
Next step, get her to commit to whatever “fictional” event you have going. You’ll probably have to bring in friends and/or even actors to help you pull this off. Maybe a good friend’s girlfriend can play the role of whoever you need to have your own girlfriend call. (Your friend’s girlfriend will know how to greet the phone based on whatever phone number you give her to look out for).
Quick example…
Allow her to book a massage at a spa nearby (You can substitute anything else relevant to her for the spa here), by using the real phone number of the massage, (or the friend) but giving her the address of the place that sells diamond rings. (May be easier to use friend as spa rep in case your girlfriend asks for the address over the phone).
When she shows up to the place for a massage, make sure you or someone else is nearby to direct her to the store. Obviously if the spa or wherever else she thinks she is going is not at the address she has arrived at, her suspicions will be on high alert, but she’ll have no clue it’s actually you waiting to buy her the ring of her choice.
If you’ve pulled this off properly, she’ll walk into the address given to her by you via various channels, not knowing what on earth is going on. The confusion and anxiety alone will cause your sudden appearance to be all the more surprising and assuring.
Ideally, you could let someone in on it at the store, and have them help you by greeting her once inside, and gradually getting her to the ring area. That’s where you will be waiting, On Bended Knee, with an empty ring box.
You can open it, and then tell her to pick one.
This might not be such a simple plan to pull off, but with a little help from your friends, I think it would be well worth it.
I also realize now, after having written this, that the ending is a bit like the proposal in that Reese Witherspoon movie…. ummmm. Sweet Home Alabama.
BUT, I think this is much better. The surprise factor while her guard is up will make the whole surprise all the more exhilarating. If anyone happens to pull this off, please let me know.
That said, happy April everyone. The Wedding Season is upon us, and my days are about to get even busier!
Editors note- I strongly urge you to use your best judgement as to what tactics to use to get your girlfriend (or boyfriend) to the location you want him/her at. If you know they don’t like surprises, maybe go a different route. If they stress easily, don’t use any ruse that relates to money or legal stuff….
Afterwards, you can take her to another spa, or wherever else she want to go, and you can celebrate together.
by On Bended Knee | Feb 29, 2012 |
Happy Leap Year everyone!
It’s kind of crazy isn’t it? Imagine the calendar only naming your birthday once every four years. It’d be great if you only aged once every four years tho right? Ahh yeah, that’s not the case, so what else is there to do on February 29th every four years?
How about propose? I’d say get married, but I don’t think many brides would appreciate an anniversary once every 4 years. However, when it’s your proposal date, it makes it a bit more special. I doubt many people celebrate the dates when the initial proposal occurred, much less remember it. But if it only happened one time every four years, something tells me it might entice a romantic evening.
Even if it’s not entirely planned, a special place will become wherever you are at the moment the question is asked.
I mean, when a baby is born, that date becomes the date you remember forever, and that’s why we have birthdays. But what about that first moment you found out you were going to be a parent? That first day you found out you were pregnant? That was a pretty special day in your life I’d bet. Your proposal day should be no different, so why not make it happen?
It may be too late for 2012, but hey, you’ve got four years to plan for 2016. And if any of you guys out there are debating a proposal, today is as great an excuse as you’ll get for an impromptu proposal as there ever will be.
So think of a romantic setting, a nice restaurant, or a place you know you won’t mind going back to every four years, take your significant other there, and get down on bended knee.
Congrats, you’re ready to take the “LEAP!”
ps- Credit timely pun to Meredith. 😉
by On Bended Knee | Feb 25, 2012 |
Okay, so this flu has been by far thew worst I’ve ever experienced. I think a big reason was that I was detoxing when it hit me, but still. Phew. I am close to putting it completely in the rear view mirror, at last. (No wedding song pun here, nope, not at all).
Anyway, I meant to post this one a week or so ago, but have been avoiding the computer the past week. This idea is in honor of Paul and Jami, who got married one year ago, with their wedding reception being on the Norwegian cruise liner, The Sky.
This can be for cruise enthusiasts, or first timers. It’ll be easier if the proposer is an experienced cruiser though, as you’ll be better prepared for the routine of each day on a cruiseship.
First, make sure you bring roses, or are sure youll be able to find them on the ship. Second, make sure to bring the ring.
The key to this, is to convince your soon to be fiancee that you have gotten sea sick, or otherwise need to go back to the room, and you must do so alone. Your best bet is at any of the main meals you will eat during the day, preferably at night, and just cringe and hold your stomach. Excuse yourself from the table and say youll be back.
Work fast. You’ll want to get back to the room quickly, and immediately get out the roses. Rip off each rose petal, and spell out, Will You Marry Me” on the bed of your cabin. a pathway of roses can also be left from the bed to to door, and perhaps even from the elevator to the cabin door, if you can get away with it.
Take a picture if it too, in case it gets out of order later.
Armed with the ring in your pocket, you return to dinner. You know the rest.
Obviously if she is following a path of rose petals to the room, she might be on to you. You’ll do your best to SWEAR these weren’t here just a few minutes ago. Once inside the room, as you open the door for her, allowing her in first, you get the ring ready, behind your back.
When she turns from the bed, after reading it it, there you will be, on bended knee.
Open the ring box.
Lastly, make sure to do this at the beginning of the cruise. Don’t wait till the cruise is almost over. You want to enjoy the entire trip and celebrate it!
Here’s some cruiseship #’s to start planning:
Norwegian: 1.866.234.7350 (www.ncl.com)
Carnival: 1-800-764-7419 (www.carnival.com)
Princess: 1-800-774-6237 (www.princess.com)
Royal Carib.: 1-800-398-9819 (www.royalcaribbean.com)
