Make a wedding announcement fuss on your own terms - like Shilpa Shetty

Life for Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty must be quite confusing at the moment. The former Celebrity Big Brother housemate has been inundated with congratulatory phone calls and well wishes from friends and family excited about the big day on which she is set to wed fiance Raj Kundra. However, rather than left beaming like any would-be bride and unable to control her own anticipation, the actress is merely gob-smacked.

"I got to know that I was getting married this October from the media," the beauty explained. Despite widespread reports across the globe that wedding invitations are being sent out for the ceremony to take place in October, Shilpa has claimed she knew nothing about it. "I will be more than happy to make an official announcement the day we are ready for marriage but for now the congratulatory calls can be kept on hold," she commented.

This got me thinking about ways that couples could go about informing their loved ones of details related to the all-important nuptials. Surely an official announcement should be an important part of everyone's engagement and wedding plans?

Whether you are an A-list celebrity like Shilpa, or a checkout girl at Tesco, all blushing brides should be afforded that special right to inform those closest to her of her exciting news. Yes, a press statement from a publicist may be going a tad too far, but what about an intimate - or raucous -family gathering for dinner and drinks, where the best man can receive his stag do instructions and the bridesmaids given the task of trawling every bridal magazine on the planet for that perfect wedding dress?

For the majority of us, you only get married once, while many people out there are not even lucky enough to find their lifelong partner. Is it not only fair that we get to make a spectacular song and dance out of all aspects of the wedding - engagement, announcement and ceremony itself?