how to become mrs. purdue

glamour.com's "Save The Date" blog, subtitled "FOR BRIDES (AND THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE TO PUT UP WITH THEM)" is something that was just shared with me.  I don't like to say I'm surfing the wedding sites, but seeing as if I'm now a self-proclaimed professional bridesmaid, I might as well do some market research.


If you feel you've tried everything like making your computer homepage Tiffany's, or photoshopping your faces into a really great "mock" wedding photo, or saying you are a born-again virgin until you're engaged ... according to the staff at Glamour, you're clearly not trying hard enough.  You need to be making Engagement Chicken.


The article claims this charmed recipe has been passed around for 26 years now.  It all started when a then-fashion Glamour editor gave the recipe to an assistant.  She cooked it for her boyfriend and was engaged a month later (they now have three kids).  It's tried and tested (who knew!) and if you're like a few of my friends waiting on a sparkler, it might be worth a shot.


A recent blog post asked for readers to write in on the success of making Engagement Chicken.  I very much appreciated the first comment (what to try when the poultry doesn't work), but apparently girls are putting this tactic in their back pocket.


I'm not sure what I can offer if your man is a vegetarian, vegan or alektorophobic (chicken of chicken) ... but let me know if you try this out and need me to be your bridesmaid!


Engagement Chicken

Serves 2 to 3 (if you're into that)

• 1 whole chicken (approx. 3 lb.)
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• Kosher or sea salt
• Ground black pepper
• 2 lemons, plus 1 for garnish
• Fresh herbs for garnish

Place rack in upper third of oven and preheat to 400°F. Remove giblets, wash chicken inside and out with cold water, then let it drain, cavity down, in a colander until it reaches room temperature (about 15 minutes). Pat dry with paper towels. Pour lemon juice all over the chicken (inside and outside). Season with salt and pepper. Prick two whole lemons three times with a fork and place deep inside the cavity. (Tip: If lemons are hard, roll on countertop with your palm to get juices flowing.) Place bird breast-side down on a rack in a roasting pan, lower heat to 350°F and bake uncovered for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and turn it breast-side up (use wooden spoons!); return it to oven for 35 minutes more. Test for doneness--a meat thermometer inserted in the thigh should read 180°F, or juices should run clear when chicken is pricked with a fork. Continue baking if necessary. Let chicken cool for a few minutes before carving. Serve with juices. Garnish with fresh herbs and lemon.

so dudes read this too

For every bridesmaid and Maid of Honor, there’s a groomsman and Best Man. Often clueless and in need of handholding, they still play a big role in the special day.  I believe a good friend recently said the following of being a groomsman:

The bridesmaid’s job is to keep the bride happy on her wedding day.  The groomsman’s job is to make the bridesmaid happy, and then try to take her home.

The reason for this post?  I got the following email from a reader (who wishes to remain anonymous):

Subject:  Men's Guide to Weddings

Hola Handmaid-

I was hoping for some guidance for all the dudes - some Do's and Don’ts when it comes to attending and preparing for weddings.  I think we all could use a little modern day advice as to attire appropriateness, acceptable gifts (engagement/wedding), basically rules to follow so we don't get exiled by the fiancé from hanging out with the Lost Soldier post-nuptial.  Enlighten us!

Yours,

Bewildered Bro'

__________________

Bewildered Bro’,

Keep reading – I’ll make sure the male readers and wedding guests are allowed over for fantasy draft night, etc. You may not think you have to deal with the Bridezilla, but wait until you get the email with the Excel grid detailing your wedding weekend minute-by-minute. With wedding season in full effect it’s time to read up on what to do  - and more importantly what not to do.  For starters, if you’re clueless about an engagement or wedding gift – go with the registry.  The bride picked everything on there and so you can’t mess up (she may have even let the groom scan a thing or two).  You can find where a couple is registered on their wedding Web site, on the save-the-date, or very likely, on the bride’s Facebook page next to her wedding countdown app.


-HMOH

AND for those who have some good tips for guys attending weddings, feel free to post comments and suggestions here.  If you have questions you want addressed email handmaidofhonor@gmail.com.  You will remain anonymous … unless want to admit you have a sensitive side and see how many of the girls reading this email me for your number.


HMOH CASTING CALL:  To my many male friends that like to pretend they don’t read this, but know I’m too funny not to … I’m looking for guest bloggers who want to share their tips or “lessons learned” from being on the other side of the bridal party.  

real simple: 150 true friends

Read this in the current issue of Real Simple:

150. The maximum number of friends a person can keep up with, according to anthropologist Robin Dunbar.  And that holds for the social-media world: Dunbar recently completed a related study confirming that no matter how many online "friends" you have, you can really have only 150 true ones.

Now.  I'd like to get this Dunbar fellow started on a study to see how many of those 150 true friends could make you a bridesmaid ..


-HMOH

SIDENOTE: let me break it down for you

• Last night I downloaded a Justin Beiber song, and liked it.  Sure in my mid-twenties I still could have gave birth to him, but man can he sing. Which leads me to my next point ... 
• 16 and Pregnant is quality television and makes me feel really good about my life.
• There is nothing more rewarding than concocting an awesome grouping of ingredients to make the perfect salad.  I did this afternoon and felt accomplished for the rest of the day (despite the fact that my chosen items brought my salad to a $12 pricetag)
• Traveling for work this week.  I really enjoy showing my New York ID at airports/hotels/etc so the staff knows there’s a reason for my trip to Ohio and it’s not because I live there …
• The scale in my hotel room said I weigh 10 lbs less than the one at the gym.  Can I keep it?

-HMOH

HMOH tip #419: heard you got engaged

I once found an amazingly funny card that read something along the lines of, “I heard you got engaged” and the inside said, “Bitch.”  I swear I need to work for Hallmark.

With wedding season in full swing, it also means that engagements are all the rage (if I had a nickel for every engagement in the past few weeks ...) There was a time when they were more spaced out, but I’ve reached a point where years have passed and engagement news is what I like to call ... “Saturday.” Regardless, it’s very exciting to hear that a friend will be planning a wedding and it’s nice to be around them when they’re floating on Cloud 9.

 

Back when popping the question for my friends was a new thing - like paychecks, working with a hangover, utility bills and changing your Facebook status to "in a relationship" - the news was earth shattering; in a good way.  I’d imagine it’s like our parents claim they felt when JFK was assassinated, you will never forget where you were (I mean maybe you will, but I’m being dramatic here. Go with it).  When we learned that Missy had gotten engaged we were cruising in the back of an open Jeep Wrangler driving around LBI on the Jersey Shore.  We all started screaming and crying (fist pumping wasn’t invented yet).

Or, since Will’s first gift to Kelsey in college was a piece of wood signed by a “world renown Lumber Jill”* (questionable; he had to prove his worth before we allowed them to continue dating) … our first question after they got engaged was to confirm that he had remembered to get a diamond and not some Indian turquoise.  Missy and I had scoped out flights in case we needed to make the trip to Houston for a Ben & Jerry’s kind of weekend – but as expected (well, kind of) he pulled through and the ring sparkles.

Engagement parties may or may not follow the announcement and there’s also the bridal shower for gift gifting.  If you're like me - a registry is practical but nothing beats personal gifts.  For close friends (one you perhaps will be a MOH for) the following are great, thoughtful ways to send your best upon engagement news:

• Year subscription to Brides magazine - gets the Bride up on the newest trends, styles and how much this is going to cost
• Martha Stewart Keepsake Wedding Planning Binder - ringed binder to help organize (LOVE organization) the bride-to-be and get started on all the nitty gritty that comes with planning a wedding; includes plastic pages for business cards, clippings, etc.
• Family Labels – great for couples who cohabitate (with NYC rent it’s pretty much a given here); you’re able to personalize labels for the bride-to-be and groom.  So useful since they’ll be sending tons of thank you’s over the course of the next year. Check out their wedding ones here.
• and my favorite: Personalized pillows - I got Kelsey and Will this one here (below) from Etsy.com.  It was a little smaller than I would have liked, but I love the concept and it was all too *fitting for the engaged couple. 

 

-HMOH

ready to carrie on

College Spirit Day

I'm so excited because my friends and I are currently planning a big flock to the South when two storied football programs meet again for the Bama vs. PSU game on September 11.  Lucky for us we have two native Bamans to show us the ropes ... and I'm hoping that the Lions can hold their own (a girl can dream).  With a strong combination of some Yankee attitude and a little Southern charm - throw in a party bus tailgate, Firefly, American Honey Shots (still going to need to learn what those are) and school spirit - I'm thinking it's going to be better than having Artisinal's macaroni and cheese for dinner (with a side of pizza and french fries) AND having the waiter tell you it's 100% fat-free.

So one of our gracious hosts for the game, Alabama slammer and reader, Jennie sent in the above photo (thanks!) from the current issue of Southern Living.  Poll:  What is the most essential part of a Southern wedding?

• 33 percent responded "DOZENS OF BRIDESMAIDS"
• 37 percent responded "AN OBEDIENT GROOM"
• 30 percent responded "PLAYING AN SEC FIGHT SONG"

If you asked the same question here in the Tri-State area I'm pretty sure you wouldn't net out with the same answers (except for the Obedient Groom one) ... BUT while we're on the subject - it seems "Southern class" includes playing your college fight song at the reception.  I spend many a Saturday showing school spirit, but I'm pretty sure (I know) I couldn't make it a wedding theme.  But judging by the massive amounts of photos that come up when you Google image "Penn State Wedding" ... there seems to be plenty of people who play Zombie Nation at their party.


Big Ten is still defending its superiority in the NCAA and SEC gets all the glory.  I'm not drinking the juice.  We have some recent and upcoming wins to write home about ... like the recent Capital One Bowl (PSU vs. LSU) ... and today at my agency's "College Spirit" Day.  Yep, you read that right.  College Spirit today where the majority of us publicists are sporting shirts branded with our Alma Maters.  And the kick?  A beer pong tourney in our atrium starting at 4:45 p.m.  I KNOW Big Ten is going to crush any SEC folks here (I'm a little rusty, but beer pong is like riding a bike)... because while the SEC girls were planning their weddings, we were rocking out at Frat parties and eating late night pizza.


Stay tuned for a recap as Renae and I represent the Blue and White/Big Ten and crush through the bracket of opponents.


-HMOH


Find something interesting you want to share?  Be sure to send along photos, thoughts, questions, etc. that you think have a place on this blog.  You can email me at handmaidofhonor@gmail.com.