It’s a moment all women wait anxiously for. It’s a moment to celebrate and relish. It’s the moment your best friend gets engaged.
As excited as you are, some girls are not sure what their initial response should be. Of course you are happy for her – but are there certain things you are “supposed” to do next? As someone who is potentially a maid-of-honor or bridesmaid, you likely want to start proving yourself immediately.
But instead of being a) the crazy, overwhelming friend or b) the seemingly uninterested friend…try these tips to show her how much you care:
1. Give her the response she is dying to hear from you – scream, cry, hug…no matter what the emotion is, it’s better than none at all.
2. Help organize initial celebrations – this doesn’t mean take over completely, as it is still her moment. But the post-engagement bliss can also be overwhelming for your friend, so feel free to make suggestions of organizing a rendezvous with friends or helping to spread the message to others.
3. Create a thoughtful gift – as a best friend, you are someone she will be excited to do all her wedding planning with. Kick start her excitement by providing her with all the best resources immediately after she gets engaged…think a basket full of wedding magazines, chocolates or cupcakes, a thoughtful congratulations card, and a bottle of champagne to celebrate!
4. Ask the “right” questions – people mean well, but naturally start asking a recently engaged woman everything she doesn’t know. Instead of bombarding her with more of the same questions, ask her things that will be supportive and stress-free to think about. This is a great time to just flip mindlessly through magazines with her and discuss colors, themes, dresses, and other items that are fun to think about right away.
Do you know someone who recently got engaged? What advice do you have for supporting them right away?
♥ HOF Girl
It might only be the end of February, but almost all of us are already thinking about Spring. And what better trend to support thoughts of warmer weather than floral prints and accessory styles.
Florals made a strong comeback in recent years – and as seen all over fashion magazines and runways, this style is here to stay. With that in mind, our designer Ilaria has been busy building onto our most popular diamond design, Beloved, with several new styles new to the Hearts On Fire collection.
With its subtle floral shape, the Beloved clusters of diamonds have huge sparkle with classic appeal. Plus, the new styles provide a line of elegant, chandelier diamond earrings that are popular with women around the world. Check out these beautiful Beloved Drop earrings!
Plus, I just have to add, with St. Patrick’s Day quickly approaching, this adorable Four Leaf Clover Pendant is perfect for adding a little extra sparkle to your favorite party outfit. Don’t you think?
What new trends or designs are you looking forward to wearing this Spring?
♥ HOF Girl
If you are a fan of the Olympics – as I am – you definitely know who Nastia Liukin is. But even if you didn’t watch her win the Gold Medal for the U.S. as the 2008 Olympic All-Around Champion, you’ve likely seen the smiling face of this beautiful, young woman on Subway commercials and much more.
I got the chance to meet this world renowned gymnast a few weeks ago in New York City (where she recently moved). I was immediately charmed by her big smile and sweet personality. But even I admit, I was surprised by how genuinely bright, funny and well spoken she was as well!
Nastia had let us know that her favorite Hearts On Fire design was the Illa Pendant (she loves the stars of the whole Illa Collection!) – and here she is with the necklace in yellow gold. We hope it becomes her new favorite accessory!
Even more, just last week Nastia lit up the runway with HOF diamonds at the 2013 Heart Truth Red Dress Fashion Show in NYC. She joined several other celebrities who helped kick off the start of New York Fashion Week with this famous event that is hosted by the National Institutes of Health – recognized as the annual all-star runway extravaganza that promotes heart health awareness among women. Look how gorgeous she was!
We are so excited to work with Nastia more in the future!
♥ HOF Girl
You can no longer avoid it…Valentine’s Day is coming fast. Only one week away now, men and women alike are in full swing brainstorming cute ideas and buying romantic gifts. While jewelry isn’t always the top gift given on Valentine’s Day, falling right behind chocolates and flowers, it is still the perfect gift perfect for many couples.
If you are shopping for a perfect Valentine’s Day gift that sparkles like no other, look no further. Just last week, one of our amazing Perfection Stylists took some time to jump on our Facebook page and chat live with our audience, sharing all of her ideas for great gifts. What did she have to say?…
Hearts are always perfect. And we have plenty of them!
If heart designs aren’t for her, don’t worry. There are other cute and trendy designs like stars and initials that make great, and still attainable, gifts for any woman!
And, finally, if you aren’t sure…just go classic. Think diamond studs, a simple diamond pendant, etc.
Plus, what holiday could be more romantic for an engagement? We are so excited to hear all of the stories of happy couples who get engaged next week…so please be sure to share your stories and beautiful pictures with us!
♥ HOF Girl
I have to admit, January flew by! And in our world…that means Valentine’s Day is right around the corner.
When it comes to this romantic holiday, how do you celebrate? Are chocolates and roses your Valentine’s Day staple? Do you dream of pink cupcakes and cute heart-shaped items? Whether you are a hopeless romantic or not, the new, popular trend of rose gold might just be perfect for you!
This honestly has to be one of my favorite trends to come along in several years. Not sure if you buy into a “pink” colored metal for your jewelry? Don’t worry…rose gold is actually an extremely subtle and classy look. Think more of a pastel hue paired with a subtle metallic overlay that makes for a sophisticated, wearable, material that’s right on trend.
And for all you fashionistas out there, rose gold is a dream come true. It is the perfect metal to mix and match with other metals (yellow or white gold), and it looks beautiful stacked or layered alongside other pieces of jewelry.
Plus, what could be more romantic than a beautiful piece of diamond jewelry in rose gold coloring? I know I’m dreaming of rose gold for Valentine’s Day…are you?
♥ HOF Girl
As many of you know, I got married this past summer – and the first year or so of this blog chronicled my adventures of being engaged and wedding planning…and all that comes along with it.
Unlike some women, I loved being engaged and was in no rush to get married. I wanted to enjoy the entire experience…and I did. Check out a recap from my wedding and honeymoon for inspiration.
But after the wedding…what happens next? I’m young enough that I’m not racing to have kids (the next big life step), so I’ll admit that the past few months have been “weird” (for lack of a better word). People are constantly asking, “What’s different,” and, “What does being married feel like?” Truthfully, for me it’s not that different.
But that’s not a bad thing and it doesn’t mean anything is wrong. It’s just that my husband and I have dated for so many years, and lived together for a while, and been through so many huge life ups and downs already.
So, with that in mind, what advice do I have in the first six months of being married? It’s to not overly stress about changing anything. I’m simply proud to call him my husband, and I still get excited to think about that this is the person I will be with forever. We communicate well, make each other laugh, support each other, and always have a ton of fun, and to me those things are most important in a long and happy marriage. And those are things we cherished in the years leading up to our wedding.
So in honor of the holiday season…a season full of love, romance and wedding engagements…just have fun and love those around you, no matter what stage of life you are in.
♥ HOF Girl
Searching for the perfect way to spice up your holiday outfit this season? No matter whether it’s a big Christmas party, or a New Year’s Eve night out…all ladies are looking for a bit of extra holiday glam this time of year.
Our Hearts On Fire diamond jewelry designs have no shortage of sparkle to them, but there are some picks that dazzle even more than others.
Diamond Hoops – Want to add easy extra sparkle? Skip the studs and
put on a pair of diamond hoop earrings instead this year. You can choose classic hoops like the Hooplas, or a fun, trendy look like the Illa Constellation Hoops.
Right Hand Ring –Many women put all the focus on their engagement rings and wedding bands, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for a beautiful diamond ring on your right hand too. Slip one on for a fabulous holiday party, but know that this ultimate accessory really works for any occasion – like the beautiful Intermingle Right Hand Ring featured here.
Diamond Line Bracelet – This is every ladies’ dream, and an accessory that gives big bling. All eyes are sure to be on you with a diamond bracelet, no matter what you wear. Check out the sparkle on this Dream Line Bracelet! 
What will be your choice of added accessory this holiday season?
♥ HOF Girl
SJ’s Style Compass Blogger Dishes On Her Holiday Favorites
As we go full swing into the 2012 holiday season, I got a chance to recently chat with the amazing fashion blogger Stephanie Johnson from SJ’s Style Compass to hear all about her holiday favorites! She’s too much fun…enjoy my Q&A with her below! 
HOF: Where do you like to do your holiday shopping?
SJ: I’m a sucker for J.Crew online (they have the best holiday sweaters ever) and I love gifting books and cookbooks from Costco! However, some of my best shopping is the unexpected item that I find during my travels, and Stephanie Johnson cosmetic cases of course!
HOF: What is on your wish list this year?
SJ: RIMOWA luggage (amazing German brand)! I borrowed a friends and I am now obsessed. I’m also hoping to find Hearts On Fire ILLA star diamond studs under my tree this year!
HOF: What are your fashion staples that work day to night during the holiday season?
SJ: Shiny brocade pants feel so now. Wear with a black sweater and ballet flats or dress up with a strappy heel and silk halter top.
HOF: What is the best nail color for the season?
SJ: You cant beat a classic red nail for the holidays. I’m loving The Spy Who Loved Me by OPI. Candy Cane red!
HOF: What is your all time favorite holiday movie?
SJ: ELF with Will Farrell is hilarious. Can’t wait to watch it!
HOF: The Nutcracker or The Holiday Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall?
SJ: Both. I have already taken my daughter to see both of these this season. They are New York traditions!
HOF: What is the best gift you ever received?
SJ: Nothing beats gifts with thought, like the dishwasher size box of peanuts in the shell I received one year. Unexpected and showed how well they really knew me!
HOF: Vail, Colorado to ski or the Caribbean to swim?
SJ: Both! Who can beat one week in aspen followed by one week of basking in the sun in nevis?
HOF: Who is your favorite other person to shop for and why?
SJ: My daughter of course. There is nothing quite like shopping for a four year old girl. Princesses and fairies are VERY holiday!
HOF: Do you do your shopping early, or are you a last minute shopper?
SJ: Always last minute!
HOF: What is the best holiday outfit you’ve ever worn? (Holiday party, New years, etc.)
SJ: Last year I wore a black sequin short jumpsuit and it was pretty fantastic – equal parts sexy, fun and holiday. Years ago (ok, decades ago) I spent 6 hours having my hair braided on top of my head and then made into a ‘basket.’ That was definitely a head turner!
♥ HOF Girl
P.S. Stay tuned for Stephanie’s Top Holiday Picks Coming soon!
So after all these Black Friday/Cyber Monday shopping bonanzas of the past few days, I have to admit that all I can think about are holiday wish lists. What do I want this year…what do I want to get other people this year?
A few thoughts…
Something classic – You can’t go wrong with a staple item…something that will never go out of style. These are the items people are usually most willing to spend more money on, since it’s something that you’ll use again and again. My pick for the diamond jewelry world? Diamond stud earrings. You just can’t go wrong with these.
Something trendy – On the flip side of classics, especially when you’re as engrossed in the fashion world as we are, are all of the raging trends around us. The things that catch our eyes on the streets or the pages of magazines. Want to add something trendy to your wish list but not go overboard? Try a new star-shaped ILLA design.
Something you’re dreaming of – Every girl has an “I would die for this” list in the 
back of her head. Something you have always wanted, or would be over the moon to receive. For many women, it’s likely a beautiful diamond engagement ring. For those already married, think of a big, right hand, cocktail ring…(sigh).
Something glamorous – The holidays are the perfect time to let your personality shine. Use this opportunity to invest in a bold and dazzling design that can dress up any great party outfit. Thinking of New Year’s Eve? Try a pair of diamond hoops or drop earrings for major impact!
♥ HOF Girl
The Thanksgiving holiday used to simply represent family, friends, football and lots of good food. However, in more recent years, this amazing holiday also represents one major event – the official start of the holiday season…and with it…holiday shopping!
While I have to admit that makes me incredibly excited, some people don’t enjoy it as much. But if you’re on the fence about getting involved or not this upcoming weekend, here are the three main holiday focal points that kick off the holiday season!
Black Friday – The biggest shopping day of the year that occurs the Friday after Thanksgiving. However, this day is one of the biggest causes of shopping stress…as the deals kick off earlier and earlier each year – many starting on Thanksgiving evening itself! But don’t let the stress get the best of you, as the deals can truly be amazing!
Small Business Saturday – This new holiday is one that many people are still unaware of…a day that encourages consumers to get out and support small business’ across the country! There may not be as many deals as Black Friday, but this feel-good occasion is definitely worth supporting (plus you can visit on of our amazing retailers and show them some love!).
Cyber Monday – With the influx of online shopping in recent years, Cyber Monday is almost overtaking Black Friday for the biggest shopping day of the year. With amazing online deals that are hard to resists, consumers can complete their holiday shopping without even getting off the couch.
However, if this stresses you out…
Maybe stay at home this Black Friday…or wait until Saturday to get out and support small businesses!
Or if you are looking for a bit more sparkle this holiday season, visit us on Cyber Monday for a special holiday event that can’t be missed (for the first time ever at heartsonfire.com!).
Happy Thanksgiving!!
♥ HOF Girl
