I HIGHLY recommend that you start out with a lower level machine...i.e. a Brother for less than $200 from WalMart!! They last for a few years, and you can get one with extra functions that you probably won't even use at first.
I absolutely would wait to buy a high $$ machine until you have some experience (at least 2 years!) so you know what you REALLY want in a machine. Don't be hasty...you could end up with a machine that you don't really want.