Welcome to the inaugural post of the BridesmaidEssentials.com blog! I think it's only appropriate that the first post for a bridesmaid web site is about becoming a bridesmaid... and not only will I be a bridesmaid next summer, I'll be a -- cue dramatic music -- MATRON OF HONOR.

My sister, Margaret, got engaged today! I had a feeling it would happen... She and her now-fiance, Jamie, are in Arizona on vacation and were supposed to arrive back home this evening but she called to tell me they missed their flight. Evidently, Jamie hadn't found the perfect moment to pop the question and time was running out before they had to leave for the airport. So he decided they should have one more quick trip out to see the huge boulders behind the hotel (which was aptly named The Boulders Resort). At that point, he asked her the big question and she, of course, said, "yes!"

I'm absolutely thrilled for the two of them. I'm excited they found each other and have brought each other so much happiness.

So it's now sort of a case of "life imitating art" -- I'll actually be a bridesmaid while I'm creating a web site for bridesmaids. This will be so helpful and I can write down ideas as they happen to me as a bridesmaid instead of relying on my not-so-sharp memories from past trips down the aisle.

I'm on this bridesmaid journey with many of you so email me and tell me about your current bridesmaid experiences Hello@BridesmaidEssentials.com. As I learn something new, I'll share it with you all and I hope you'll do the same.