I have reached that period in life where my friends are beginning to get engaged and plan weddings. So far, I am lined up to be a bridesmaid in two weddings — still a few years away, but I hope that old adage doesn’t come true for me, “Always a bridesmaid, never a bride!” And, through networking sites like Facebook, it is easy to keep up with the marital status of old friends I have lost touch with. Seems like every month, another girlfriend is getting hitched! It is definitely fun helping friends plan weddings. Last weekend, my recently-engaged friend, Melissa, asked me to join her at a bridal show at the Princeton Marriott. It’s like the NBTA Conference for brides. Different booths hawked invitations, photographers, florists, entertainment, venues, jewelry, make-up and more. My personal fave was trying out the different cake options. A fashion show featured wedding dresses, tuxedos and bridesmaids’ gowns. All the brides-to-be proudly strutted around in pink t-shirts, and prizes galore were being given away. I also enjoyed checking out the carat sizes on those left ring fingers! Another popular theme at the show was the destination wedding, which is becoming increasingly popular these days. I have a few friends who have mentioned they want to run away to an island and have a small, intimate, tropical wedding. It seems 2009 may be the time to plan your destination wedding, as travel deals are everywhere you look. Another popular topic at the show was honeymoon destinations. Melissa is set on Ireland, but destinations all over the world were on display. Travel is as big a part of the planning process as the ceremony! In unrelated news, February marks Global Traveler‘s fifth anniversary, and we are bringing the blogs into the celebration! For the month of February, we will be featuring anniversary-themed blogs Monday-Friday. All your regular bloggers, plus many more members of the GT family, will be sharing their favorite stories and memories with you all month long! Enjoy, and thanks for being such loyal members of the GT family — we wouldn’t be celebrating five years without all of you. -Kimberly Krol, eFlyer editor, circulation and public relations executive