Summer wedding for Idol's new judge Kara DioGuardi - thanks to her late mother's spirit!

The 38-year-old songwriter's 34-year-old contractor boyfriend, Mike McCuddy, popped the question on her birthday in early December - and she said yes!

The two are planning a summer wedding - after the eighth season of AI wraps. Fellow judges Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell all will be invited to the happy event.

Kara and Mike have been dating for a little more than a year - and Kara firmly believes that her late mother helped fix her up with him from beyond the grave.

"I have a place in Maine, and basically he was the general contractor on the house next door to mine," she said recently. "I met him on the eve of the 10-year anniversary of my mother's death.

"It was kind of like my mom said, 'You've been dating a lot of dogs lately - I'm going to send you a present.' "

UPDATE: "Kara & Mike  were engaged on December 8th while on holiday in Mexico,”  her rep confirmed.