This month user “WDWFigment” won our attention with his proposal story.  Dude went above and beyond in his proposal to his fiancé at Walt Disney World loaded with fireworks and all.   Check out the pics below and read details of his experience here

Check back often to get updates on the latest and greatest “happenings” in DudeNation.

In early 2010 Isaiah Webb got down on bended knee and proposed to his girlfriend Angela in Beijing, China where he is temporarily residing to complete a yearlong work assignment. Isaiah dug deep and a-planning he began six months before Angela would arrive in China for a visit. Read the complete proposal story here:

He managed to pull out all the stops and arranged a “Scavenger Hunt” for Angela in and around the local area integrating places especially unique to the happy couple. But he didn’t stop there. He put the “Flash” in flash-mob with his video incorporating scenes from their summer trip to Malaysia and friends stepping to Chris Browns lyrical rendition of “Forever”. Dude you killed it! And Lucky for our main man “The Hunt” will lead to a Wedding in October. The two will tie the knot on October 1, 2010 in a perfect little venue just north of San Francisco. Check out their Flash-Mob video here.

“Isaiah spent a lot of time and effort on his proposal and it really showed,” said Steve Roach, of DudeImGettingMarried.com. “The creativity he demonstrated on the details of the scavenger hunt and flash mob video sets a high standard for all guys.”

And when asked to shed some light on how to “Get the Girl” Isaiah’s advice: “It takes time to really know your woman, so take the time to listen to what she likes… Eventually I learned that if I ever proposed to her, it needed to be fun, not romantic. I also tried to incorporate some aspects of our relationship and things she really liked into the proposal. Each woman is different, so keep an ear out for what your woman wants (she’ll appreciate it much more if you do it the way she wants, than the way you think she wants).”

Congratulations Isaiah and Angela, We couldn’t have said it better ourselves!

Weddings in Vegas. They are as legendary and iconic as the city itself. Theme weddings, lucky streaks, and all the fun Sin City can provide for your honeymoon are just a few hours’ flight away. And since you’ve seen your bros get driven absolutely nuts by the whole wedding planning process, eloping is on your mind. Hop a flight, hit the strip, get hitched, head home. No drama, no (or low) stress, and some crazy fun. If you’ve already convinced your girl to give up the big traditional wedding, the hardest part is over.

Sure, Vegas weddings are quick and easy. Not to mention you can get married by aliens, Elvis, or just about anyone (or thing) you can imagine. But despite what Hollywood portrays in the movies, you can’t just show up one minute and get married the next. You’ve got one required pit stop on the way.

Anyone getting married in Nevada is required to get a Nevada state marriage license. The good news? There’s no blood test and no waiting period. If you plan it right, you could get the marriage license and get hitched the same day. Before you catch your flight or hit the road, just make sure you’ve got your photo ID, that you’re sober enough to know your Social Security Number, and if you’re divorced, that you know the exact date the divorce was granted. You don’t have to bring a copy of the decree.

Nevada has got to have the most customer-friendly marriage license bureau in the country. Go to the website at Nevada License Bureau and scroll down to the Online Marriage License Pre-Application Form. You can actually fill it out ahead of time, submit it online, and get a reference number that lets you go to the express window when you get to the downtown Vegas marriage license office. Sweet!

Plus, where else is the marriage license office open until midnight? The Las Vegas Downtown Office is open every day, including holidays, from 8:00 a.m. to midnight. It’s located at 201 East Clark Avenue, easily reached by taxi or public transportation (or limo if you’re putting on the Ritz). The license costs $60, with a $5.00 charge if you use a credit card.

If you’re getting hitched during a popular time of year, like Valentine’s Day, expect the downtown office to be busy and plan some extra time. If it’s convenient for your travel plans, you could get your license at one of the satellite offices in Mesquite, Laughlin, or Henderson. Those offices aren’t open the same house as the downtown office, so be sure to check the website link above before making the trip.

Now you’ve got the paper, so what’s next? The fun stuff. You get to choose where to have the ceremony and just how crazy to get. There are 24 choices on the strip alone. You can get married in an ancient-Roman themed get-up at Caeser’s Palace, at a quaint chapel in ‘Paris,’ or surrounded by the glitz of old Hollywood. You can even rent all the duds you need – even her dress. Now you can spend all that money you saved in the casino with the new Mrs.  Here is a link to help you search the Vegas Wedding venue options, VegasWeddingVenues.

Not to be out done by all the media frenzy and Team Pink vs. Team Yellow (yes they come donning their “Team” colors) we couldn’t go empty handed.  So with hot chocolate and donuts in hand, off we RAN – talk about guerilla marketing, right. We made some great contacts, talked to many soon-to- be- brides introduced them to DudeImGettingMarried.com and welcomed their guys to join DUDENation.  We CAME – we SAW – we RAN! Mission Accomplished!

You gotta check out the video of the opening of the doors and the hundreds of brides storming in, on our YouTube page, Running of the Brides vid.

Here are a few pics from the event:

Additional pictures compliments of Amanda Carol

“Dude,” you’re thinking, “Are you serious? Wedding insurance?”  Yes, man, I’m serious. You’ve spent thousands of dollars on your wedding event so far – and will spend thousands more on the honeymoon and photos before it’s over. The average wedding in the U.S. costs $27,000. Would you spend nearly thirty grand on a car and not insure it? I’m betting the answer is no. Wedding insurance can cost as little as a couple hundred dollars for basic coverage and can add serious peace of mind. Here are just a few possible scenarios that demonstrate why you might want to consider it.

•     Bad weather moved in the night before the wedding, closing all roads leading to the reception venue. The ceremony happened, but the rest – cancelled.

•     There is a sudden illness or injury to the bride, groom, or immediate family member which causes you to postpone the wedding.

•     The wedding venue is undergoing renovations that you were told would be done before your wedding. Surprise – they’re not done in time, forcing you to postpone.

•     The photographer’s camera – along with all your photos and video footage – gets stolen at the reception.

•     A hurricane hits your honeymoon destination the day before you’re scheduled to leave.

•     Your band never shows up – neither does a refund on your deposit.

•     All your wedding gifts magically disappear from the reception hall – and no one saw a thing.

•     One or both of you are in the armed forces and get called back to duty when you should be on your honeymoon.

For all those things you can’t control, wedding insurance could literally save the day. But there are other reasons wedding insurance could come in handy. Like a few hundred of them – your wedding guests.

Want to know who will be charged if the guests spill red wine on that white carpet at the reception hall? Or if someone has a few too many and decides to party at the hotel like it’s 1999? The not-so-happy couple may be expected to foot the bill for these events. Or, as much as you’d hate to think it, a guest could drink too much and fall down the stairs or get in a wreck on the way home. And their lawyer decides to try to hold you accountable. Wedding liability insurance can protect you in all of those scenarios.

Last, but certainly not least, there is that remote possibility that happily engaged couples don’t like to think about; one of you could change your mind. Sorry to say it, man, but it could happen.  Most wedding insurance policies don’t cover ‘change of heart’ scenarios. But a few offer the coverage as an optional rider. One of those policies could protect you from the added misery of having to pay for being jilted last minute.

•     Determine if it’s legal. Many counties won’t let you serve your own liquor without a license to do so.

•     Find out if your reception site will allow it. Some will, some won’t. Some will with conditions like a cork fee (pouring fee), or as long as you use their bartending and wait staff to serve it. If you found out pouring your own is illegal, these conditions might actually solve the problem.

•     Hire professional bartenders. No man, don’t ask that friend from college who used to be a bartender to do it. You’re saving the dough on the booze, so splurge on the help. A good rule of thumb is a minimum of one bartender for every 50 guests.

•     Set a realistic budget for alcohol. Probably around 75% of your adult guests will drink. Figure out that number and multiply it by the number of hours your reception will last. This gives you a ballpark number of drinks you’ll want to supply. Add a couple bottles extra if your friends are hardcore partiers.

•     Decide if you will serve just beer and wine or hard liquor too. Limiting it to beer and wine can save a ton of cash if you’re worried about the bottom line.  If you do serve liquor, can you afford premium brands? Only domestic beer or imported too?

•     Don’t forget the champagne – you’ll want enough bottles for every adult guest to have a glass for traditional toasts. And don’t forget to hide at least one bottle to take with you back to the hotel!

Getting your marriage license is one of the last steps you have to take before the actual ceremony. If you’re here, you’re close to the finish line, bro! The good news is, if you go prepared, the whole process should be painless. One word of caution: this information gives you an overview of what is likely to be required in your state – so be sure you check out the facts a few weeks before you and your gal head to the office. Here are some tips.

•     Go together. Yeah, I’m saying it just for that one guy who thinks he can sit out this part. Would you really want someone to be able to get a marriage license with your name on it without you there?

•     Make sure you know where you’re supposed to go. Sounds like a no-brainer, but some states require that you get the license in the county where you live and some require that you get it in the county where you will be getting married.  Here is a great resource which will give you all the current state specific marriage license information, State_Marriage_Laws.

•     Ask if there is a waiting period – either before or after you apply. Imagine going to get the license two days before the ceremony only to find out you have a three day waiting period – don’t let it happen, man.

•     Find out whether or not a blood test is required in your state. If so, you will have to make appointments to get that done too, so factor that into the time you’ll need.

•     Expect to have to show proof of identity and age – at least a driver’s license but more likely a birth certificate.  If either of you are under 18, some states will still let you marry with permission from the minor’s guardian.

•     If either of you have been married before, you’ll have to bring proof of dissolution of the marriage. In some states knowing the court date is enough – in others you’ll need the paperwork to prove it.

You’ve invested some cool cash in the ring you gave your lady, so what can you do to protect it? Don’t wait until that diamond ring is lost, stolen, or damaged to find you don’t have the protection you need. Think ahead, bro, and consider buying wedding ring insurance.

Engagement ring and wedding ring insurance can usually be purchased as a rider on your homeowner’s or renter’s insurance. You thought you were covered? Check out your policy. You’ll find that most standard homeowner and renter insurance policies place a limit on the amount that will be paid to replace jewelry. That limit is usually just $500-$1,000, and might not cover every way in which the loss could occur.

So when you decide to protect the ring by getting additional ring insurance, ask a few questions before signing up.

• If there’s a deductible, how much is it?
• What isn’t covered? For example, if you lose it on vacation, is it covered? If it falls off into the garbage disposal and gets mangled, is that covered?
• Is an appraisal required? If so, is there a certain type of appraisal you need?
• How will it be replaced? Do you get the cash or do you have to buy the replacement and get reimbursed?
• Will you have to make a police report or provide some other kind of proof of loss?

Good news is, wedding ring insurance is not usually too expensive. Normally it costs between $10 and $20 per $1,000 it would cost to replace the ring. So if you spent $5,000 on the ring, expect to pay between $50 and $100 a year. In cities with higher crime rates, it could be a bit more.

Finally, a couple of hints – common sense things, man, but just in case. Make sure you keep the appraisal and insurance documents in a safe place, like a fire-proof safe or a safe deposit box. Ask her to leave the bling at home when traveling – especially internationally. And last, encourage good habits about when and where she tends to take off her ring – and maybe invest in some good pipe wrenches, bro!

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Romeo, Romeo… Wherefore art thou Romeo?

Welcome to the first official Dude I’m Getting Married Contest; the first of many to come. This contest is for those of you who’ve already popped the big question. She’s already told her family and friends about it. It comes up at dinner parties, cocktail parties and each and every anniversary you share. Yep, we’re talking of course, about your Proposal Story.

The winner takes home a sleek black Flip UltraHD Camcorder. This slick little gadget from Flip Video will help you capture all of those “for better or for worse” moments in the years to come.

The rules are simple. From now until May 1st, 2010, we’ll keep an eye out for Proposal Stories posted within the Engagement portion of Dude I’m Getting Married. Following the deadline, we’ll take your stories to our panel for the final verdict. Don’t be shy; we want pics and all the crafty details.

We will feature the winner here on our blog along with some of our other favorites. We will link to these Proposal Story experiences and feature a photo of our contest winner sporting his new Flip UltraHD Camcorder.

Not yet a member? It’s a cinch to get started.

Game on. Good luck gentlemen.