There are no official statistics on how many people get engaged on Valentine’s Day, but I’m going to guess it’s a whole lot.

This time last year I was planning my March 2011 wedding and working on Mindy Weiss’s newest book THE WEDDING PLANNER & ORGANIZER which was very convenient, because I had no idea what I was doing and Mindy knows everything.

I wouldn’t say that I loved planning a wedding–but Mindy’s guidance made it tolerable. And in the end, it was an awfully romantic evening.

So, all of those newly minted fiancés out there, listen to an old married lady and do yourselves a favor: let Mindy help.

(You can also download Mindy’s e-short, DREAM WEDDING ON A BUDGET, for absolutely free until February 29.)

Congrats you crazy kids.

In celebration of today’s Workman Shorts launch party, Mindy Weiss—celebrity party-planner and author of The Wedding Book and Your Dream Wedding on a Budget (Barnes and Noble, Amazon)—has created us a custom cocktail! So, bottoms up! Cheers! Slainte! Prost! Salud! (How do you say “cheers” in Twitterese? We think as long as it’s under 140 characters, it’s a-ok.)

The @Twittertini

2 oz Skyy Melon Vodka
1 Honeydew Melon
1 Cantaloupe Melon

Cut up both melons and add to blender. Blend well and strain. Add Skyy melon vodka to a cocktail shaker half-filled with ice cubes. Add about 2-4 oz of the blended melon juice. Shake well, and strain into a cocktail glass. Add a melon ball for garnish, and serve.

We’re having a party!

Follow along at http://tweetchat.com/room/wkmnshorts

RSVP below!

*Enter Twitter ID Username in Your Name Box: @WorkmanPub
*Enter your Twitter URL in Your URL Box: http://www.twitter.com/workmanpub

Looking to get more quality time with your buddies? Don’t sit and watch the game by your lonesome on your high-def gewgaw with your nonworking remote, people! It’s time to TAILGATE with the man Oprah called “the gladiator of grilling.” Yup, it’s Raichlen’s Tailgating! 31 Righteous Recipes for On-the -Go Grilling, by Steven Raichlen, who personally curated 31 perfect tailgating recipes from his bestselling Barbecue Bible cookbooks for your mobile grilling pleasure. Download it at Barnes and Noble, Amazon, and other e-book retailers.

Newly engaged brides and grooms:  Once the mists of rrrrrrooomance have cleared and you’re ready to get down and dirty with some planning, do your and your family’s wallets a favor by checking out Your Dream Wedding on a Budget: 47 Cost-Cutting Secrets from America’s Favorite Wedding Planner by Mindy Weiss, featuring a goldmine of tips compiled from her be-all-end-all wedding planning resource, The Wedding Book: The Big Book for Your Big Day. Mindy may be known for her blowout celebrity to-dos (favorite piece of Mindy news from last year = story of Hilary Duff and the lost tooth!) but now that she’s planning her son’s wedding, you can bet she has budget on the brain! Barnes and Noble,Amazon, and other e-book retailers.

Say no to store-bought cakes, and a hearty yes to making loved ones of all ages feel ultra special on their birthdays. Bring on the balloons, the streamers, and the kazoos! Then get to (not so much) work by whipping up one of the tasty treats from The Cake Mix Doctor’s 25 Best Birthday Cakes: Easy Luscious Layer Cakes, Plus Frostings, Icings, Tips, and More by Anne Byrn. The doyenne of cake mix guarantees your guests won’t be able to guess it came from a box–but we defy you to resist the temptation of announcing it to all and sundry! Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other e-book retailers.

And finally, January brings the undeniable urge to start plotting the year’s escapes. Get cracking! In Perfect Island Getaways from 1,000 Places to See Before You Die: The Caribbean, Bahamas & Bermuda, discerning travelista Patricia Schultz gives you a foolproof access card to 53 destinations in paradise. Why waste hours, nay, days, combing through endless travelers’ reviews on the web when you can grab the authoritative, vetted, to-die-for bucket list with the click of a mouse? Barnes and Noble, Amazon, and other e-book retailers.

Because a launch isn’t a launch without a P-A-R-T-Y, we’re going to be feting these shorties and their fab authors with a virtual pub party featuring (virtual) cocktails, cake, bbq, and more! Stay tuned for details.