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For years, I could not sit through the charming family movie Father of the Bride. Despite its warmth and humor, I would actually leave the room whenever it came on television. I suppose the story of a loving father who didn’t want to face his daughter’s impending marriage hit a little too close to home.

On May 28, 2010, my desire to run away from the thought that my little girl would someday get married came to a screeching halt when a young man named Eduardo met with my wife Juliana and me to ask our blessing to marry Persephone. And, as tempted as I was to behave like Steve Martin, I knew he was the one. 

Photo Credit: Unique Design Studios

Two years of engagement and preparation flew by astonishingly fast. Here's what was going through my mind throughout the process:

While Shopping for the Gown

Everyone knows that the ladies plan the wedding, so I didn’t expect to be consulted on much beyond the budget. Yet to my delight and shock, Persephone actually asked me to accompany her dress shopping! 

“I am sure when you see the right dress, you'll know it," I assured her on a beautiful Saturday in August, as we strolled through midtown Manhattan.

Long before she met her groom, every bride had another man who stole her heart: her dad. With all the excitement and stress of planning a wedding, it's easy to forget about the special relationship you share with him. But from the day their little girl is born,  so many dads dream of a dedicated father-daughter wedding moment. 

Including a father-daughter dance is the perfect way to celebrate with your first love, creating a memory you will cherish for a lifetime. Gone are the days of strictly sentimental ballads — brides and their dads are hitting the dance floor like never before! From tender slow dances, energetic freestyles, and even a few choreographed gems, these father-daughter dances, compiled by HooplaHa, highlight some of the best wedding moments. Take a look:

Tell us about your own father-daughter moment!

—Gabriella Rello

Ever see those street photos from the 1940s of lovers strolling down the cobblestone streets of Paris, arm in arm? Maybe stealing a kiss while seated at an outdoor cafe? Huddled in an embrace? I believe those images hold the key to how to make your wedding photos timeless.

Think for a moment about the posed shots you've seen in your parents' and relatives' wedding albums; some common shots in the '70s, '80s, and '90s were the best man mopping the groom's brow as he nervously looked at his watch, the bride fawning over her bouquet she caressed in her arms like a newborn baby and, of course, the obligatory double-exposed shot of the wedding couple superimposed over their ceremony. They were cute the first time around, but by now, they tend to get mocked because they've become cliché.

Today, some of the stock poses are of tightly-cropped photos of feet that showcase the shoes the couple wore, brides and grooms jumping in the air, and heads cut off in photos at the neckline showing only the torsos. I'm sure you've seen these, too.  And they were cute the first time around as well.

Loverly is the heart of weddings: a visual inspiration search engine designed to help brides discover ideas, people to hire, and things to buy. Loverly makes finding beautiful wedding inspiration easier than ever! Their images are powered by the best wedding publishers and wedding shopping partners on the web. Find Bridal Guide on Loverly >>

The vows you and your groom state to each other and share with your guests are the most important hallmark of any wedding. But one aspect can truly put your ceremony over the top: A beyond-gorgeous backdrop.

Saying “I do” on a cliff overlooking the gorgeous blue of the ocean is sure to take your guests’ breath away. The same is true of a rustic ceremony held in a field, complete with a one-of-a-kind altar. These backdrops may cause your guests’ eyes (and possibly your own!) to wander, but beauty is worth a glance.

It was hard to choose, but we’ve rounded up 10 of our favorite ceremony backdrops from Lover.ly that can only be labeled as beautiful:

A wooden altar, poms, and flowers create a rustic look that is simply stunning.

Over the weekend, Princess Madeleine of Sweden married New York banker Christopher O'Neill in a "lavish and emotional" ceremony in Stockholm, according to People. The princess — who is fourth in line to the throne — wore a lace-top Valentine gown. A children's choir sang as she walked down the aisle before 470 guests, and Roxette singer Marie Fredriksson and Broadway's Phanton of the Opera star Peter Joback also performed.  

With a guest list filled both with royalty — Earl and Countess of Wessex, Prince Edward and Sophie, Princess Takamando of Japan, and princes and princess from Norway, Denmark, Greece, Luxembourg, and Monaco — and ulra-rich businessman — Cadbury chocolate heir Joel Cadbury, Colombian billionaire Alejandro Santo Domingo, Duran Duran band member John Taylor, and H&M's CEO Karl-Johan Persson, among others — their wedding registry with MyRegistry.com was expectedly luxurious. Here, some of our favorite items from the list.

Kitchen tools
Even a princess cooks once in a while — if she has top-of-the-line appliances, that is. 

Guest blogger: Nicole Lapin, Editor-in-Chief of Recessionista.com. She is the founder and CEO of Nothing But Gold Productions, a multimedia production company focused on creating accessible financial content across television, print and digital platforms. Lapin is the former anchor of CNBC’s "Worldwide Exchange," the only global show on the network. Lapin was also a contributor on MSNBC and served as a personal finance expert on NBC’s "Today Show." Prior to CNBC, Lapin was the youngest anchor ever on CNN.

According to the Marriage and Homebuying Study by Coldwell Banker Real Estate, nearly a quarter of millennial couples aren’t just shacking up before getting married — they’re buying their first homes together. Now don’t get us wrong: nesting is a beautiful thing. But this is a big/huge/GIGANTIC investment, and you don’t want to get burned by it down the road. Read on to cover all your bases…

Here is an exclusive book excerpt from 13 Things They Won't Tell You. Every month, Reader’s Digest Magazine asks selected experts from a different profession to spill their secrets. Readers walk a mile in their shoes and see things that are enlightening, horrifying, and give them a whole new perspective on the people they trust with their food, health, family, money, and home. They walk away with the keys to awesome backdoor deals, insider knowledge that saves them tons of money, and invaluable advice for getting better service anywhere they go.

Now, for the first time ever, this wisdom has been collected into one comprehensive volume, complete with updates, all new interviews, and tons of additional secrets that have never appeared before.

Wedding planners and pros from across the country reveal the messy side of making your wedding day unforgettable. Here's what they wish brides knew.

They say it's good luck to have rain on your wedding day...but we know that's little consolation to the bride who always dreamed of having an outdoor wedding and has to move it inside at the last minute. On the plus side, though, there's something so beautiful about a photo in the rain. As we gear up for yet another rainy weekend here on the East Coast, we asked two of our favorite photographers to share how they work with the rain to achieve stunning wedding pictures.

Don't Be Afraid to Get a Little Wet

Photo Credit: Hoffer Photography

"If you're trying to take photos in the rain while keeping your dress dry, you might as well forget it," said Tony Hoffer of Hoffer Photography. "The reality is that if you're going to get cool photos in the rain, you're going to get a bit wet. That's the fun part! Get out and act like you're on the poster for The Notebook. It looks way more interesting that way anyway!"

Photo by: Leo Evidente Photographers on Leo Evidente Photographers via Lover.ly

Q. My fiancé and I live on the West Coast, as does my entire family. However, his relatives live on the East Coast. We both want to marry near our families and can't agree on the location. What should we do? 

A. Unfortunately, there's no easy solution. I do understand your fiancé wanting to have his members in attendance and undoubtedly, traveling across country would be difficult for many of them. However, weddings are traditionally held in the bride's hometown, and since you — and most of your relatives — live on the West Coast, this would seem to be the logical choice. Also, if your parents are helping to pay for part of the wedding, you need to take that into consideration.

Lena Dunham of Girls fame shared a revealing childhood sketch with her Twitter followers detailing what her dream wedding would consist of someday. I don't watch the acclaimed HBO series so I don't know too much about her, but anyone who wants a pasta bar at their reception is a girl after my own heart! The White Stripes were slated to make a live performance so she must have had an inkling that her comedy-drama TV pilot would eventually get picked up by a major network. 

Photo Credit: Lena Dunham's official Twitter account

This glimpse into the actress' private life poses a fascinating question: When you were a child, what did you think getting married would be like? If I were to unearth the drawings from my elementary school keepsake box, I'd be hard-pressed to find a poufy white dress and handsome Prince Charming anywhere. The one thing I remember thinking as a little girl was that I absolutely had to arrive to my wedding in a horse-drawn carriage, just like my cousin did on her big day in the '90s. Other than that, I was too busy doodling my future apartment, where I'd go to Harvard, drive a red Mustang and own an adorable cocker spaniel just like the one in Lady & the Tramp. None of those things came to pass (sorry, past self!).