Blogs

Editor-in-chief Diane Forden answers one reader's biggest etiquette question.

Photo Credit: Erin Johnson Photography

Q: My fiancé and his family think we should invite everyone to the wedding with a guest. What's the rule?

A: You needn't invite every single person to your wedding with a guest. In fact, most couples today don't —  unless they have an unlimited budget. You should, however, include partners of the following people:

► Everyone who is married (even if you don't know their spouse)
► Couples who are engaged
► Couples who are living together
► Guests who have had a steady significant other for so long that it would seem awkward not to include their partners.

The last instance is a judgment call, but in most cases, your gut will tell you what to do.

—Diane Forden

Guest Blogger: Natasha Scaramuzzo, Head Planner and Owner of Events by Natasha, has experience planning, consulting, directing, and coordinating events for weddings, social events, and corporate functions. Her passion truly lies in planning weddings. Weddings allow Natasha to provide her brides with the “worry-free planning” that they deserve, and it also allows her the opportunity to use her creative ideas in re-creating a bride’s dream into a reality. No event is big or small; brides on a budget seeking a lavish affair can count on Natasha’s passion and creativity to create a spectacular experience. She has hand-selected each vendor that she works with who have proven to be thorough and knowledgeable in the industry.

Wedding advice is always given to the bride, but what about the groom? He is the reason you're walking down the aisle, after all. In my experience, most grooms tend to just agree with everything the bride wants to keep her happy, but what the groom should be doing is getting more involved with the planning — your wedding is for both of you, not just the bride! Here, some tips for the handsome grooms:

We've heard at least five versions of the story of how Brad proposed to Angelina, so it comes as no surprise that there are new rumors about their wedding plans practically every week. But the latest crazy ideas are just too good not to share.

Several reports have stated that the couple will get married at their Chateau Miraval estate in the South of France at the end of May. Though previously reported that it'll be an "intimate and informal" affair, the couple's (now former?!) florist apparently spilled to U.K.'s Grazia magazine that the wedding has some seriously elaborate plans.

“Guests will travel past water fountains and Shetland ponies leaping as they go up the two-mile long drive to the house," said Michel.

And ponies won't be the only animal guests — the couple's kids requested eight elephants, one to represent each member of the family. “When the guests park, they'll see the family of elephants. Brad hopes it will make them smile."

Have you ever had a nightmare so terrifying, it took a good five minutes to realize it didn’t actually happen? I’ve always had a colorful imagination (even in waking life), but with only six months left until my wedding, so many movie-like plots have interrupted my slumber that I’d love to arrange a meeting with Mr. Spielberg. Among the most bizarre: I’m “outside” myself, watching my body walk into a house I’ve never seen before. Up the stairs, there’s a door with glowing red script. In a trance, as if possessed, I turn the knob against my will, even though every part of my body is screaming, “Don’t do it!” Then, I wake up.

Professional dream analyst Patricia Garfield, the author of The Universal Dream Key and Women’s Bodies, Women’s Dreams, explained to me that dreaming is like grand opera: it exaggerates and dramatizes in order to get our attention. Every dream has a purpose, whether it’s to warn us, inspire us, encourage us to slow down or get moving, and so forth. Dreaming is a biological rhythm that is triggered by REM (rapid eye movement) and it uses a deeper layer of the brain than the cortex (what we use most of the time when we’re awake), which is why dreams are highly emotional. “By coming to understand the images and messages within them, we become more aware of what matters to us,” said Garfield.

I’m not the only bride who tosses and turns 50 times a night—below, some of the most common nightmares our Facebook readers have had.

Each week, we feature wedding music recommendations from Scratch Weddings, the nation's leader with the best wedding DJs at affordable prices. This week's post comes from DJ FingerSmith. While most DJs have a sweet spot in a particular genre, FingerSmith's expertise stretches across a huge variety of tastes. When FingerSmith spins a wedding, he approaches each one with individuality and dedication. "Everyone comes to a wedding to celebrate. It's a joyous occasion where there's always a ton of fun to be had. Whatever a couple envisions for their celebration, it comes with a soundtrack, and I build a set to make that soundtrack come alive.” 

Photo Credit: Leigh Skaggs Photography

To create a great party atmosphere, nothing beats the music of America’s Party Decade: the 1970s. While they may have been released during the disco era, these songs are accessible to guests of all generations — retro gems for young guests, and favorite throwbacks for parents and grandparents. Nothing gets a dance floor united like everyone dancing and singing to a classic '70s jam. These selections will do the trick every time:

At the 85th annual Academy Awards, accessories took center stage (Quvenzhané Wallis' puppy purse! Hathaway's uh, perkiness! Dapper fiancés!). Here, the love it-or-leave-it looks that everyone couldn't stop buzzing about; which one would you like to see at a wedding?

1. The Back-lace

Jennifer Lawrence in Dior Haute Couture. Belle of the ball! The Silver Linings Playbook star was the epitome of bridal elegance in this dramatic fit-and-flare gown. When she turned the corner and we caught a glimpse of that showstopping Chopard necklace, she won our "Best Dressed" vote. Fun fact: She told Ryan Seacrest that she felt like "Steve Martin in Father of the Bride" while getting ready with her family that morning.

Photo Credits (from left to right): E! Online and Hutcher's Crown on Twitter

Nick Carter popped the question to his girlfriend of four years, fitness expert/actress Lauren Kitt, earlier this week while taking a boat ride to a secluded island on the Florida Keys. "I had the ring in my pocket for two weeks," Carter told People. "I was like, 'I don't want it anymore!' It was driving me insane. I just wanted to get it out of my hands and onto hers."

Photo via Instagram

I may have been slightly obsessed with the Backstreet Boys in middle school. So, in honor of my second favorite Backstreet Boy's engagement news, here's a list of classic songs from the group for your wedding:

First Dance Songs

►"I'll Never Break Your Heart" (Backstreet Boys)
"I'll never break your heart / I'll never make you cry / I'd rather die than live without you / I'll give you all of me / Honey, that's no lie."

► "As Long as You Love Me" (Backstreet Boys/Backstreet's Back)
"I don't care who you are / Where you're from / What you did / As long as you love me."

I would have been happy just to spend the rest of my life with my best friend, Claudia, but I've come to realize that the bond we share has become even stronger by blending our two families together as one. It was obvious from the beginning that something special was happening. Like many other couples, we spent those first few months laughing until it hurt and getting to know each other. We talked about our dreams, friends, goals, and families—especially our children.

I found it very meaningful that we each have two children, a boy and a girl, from previous relationships: Analicia (16), Carter (14), Juan (10) and Riley (10). Every couple who chooses to get married must learn how to create their own family unit, but the process becomes even more complicated when there are kids involved. We made the decision early on in our engagement that this wedding would be a celebration of the union of our family, not just the two of us. Here's a look back at how the kids have impacted our journey towards becoming husband and wife.

Photo Credit: Stephen Martin Photography