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Each week, we feature music recommendations from Scratch Weddings, the nation's leader with the best wedding DJs at affordable prices. This week's post comes from DJ Jon Blak, whose client list includes Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Jermaine Dupri and Ryan Leslie. He describes his style as "retro/future”, a seamless blend of old and new that translates well to wedding guests of all ages. "I love the challenge of crossing genres and generations and playing a diverse mix that's totally seamless. At the end a wedding, I'd like the bride and the groom to be exhausted from dancing!" Jon is known infusing any event with energy and cool, while always keeping the client's musical preferences front and center in his music selection.

Photo courtesy of Antonia Christianson Events

I'm very lucky to have four awesome bridesmaids who will stand by my side during my wedding. Although our special day is supposed to be about my fiancé Corey and I—the love we share and the life we're planning together—it's important to us to include loved ones in the planning process as well. Bridesmaid dress shopping was no exception. I know that the notion of finding one dress to fit multiple ladies (all with different body types and style preferences) can be nerve-wracking and challenging, but I'm happy to report that it can be done! Here, some considerations to keep in mind that I learned from personal experience.

1. Remember that no two bridesmaids are built the same. When choosing a dress, it’s important to keep the ladies’ body types in mind. All four of my 'maids are absolutely gorgeous, but they have different body shapes and heights (one bridesmaid is 5’2 while another is 5’11). No matter how fit or beautiful your bridesmaids are, not every dress style looks good on every woman—ask them in advance if there are any particular necklines or silhouettes they find to be unflattering. One of my bridesmaids didn’t think halters looked good on her figure, so we stayed away from that particular style.

Nikki and her sister Allison

Just goes to show you that you if you’re looking for an upgrade, you should dress like you belong in the upper class cabin. Pete and Penny the penguins rode from San Antonio to Atlanta the other day in first class. 


Now, I realize I’m making a bit of a joke here, but seriously, some airlines refuse to upgrade unkempt passengers. My traveling companion was denied access to business class on a flight from Bombay to Brussels because he was wearing shorts. And on a trip to Paris last year, I saw a few men in suits get the nod from the flight attendant.

So what's the real secret to scoring a flight upgrade? Wear a jacket—or even a suit. At the gate, mention you're on your honeymoon and ask if the flight is full; then say, very very sweetly, would it be possible to be put on the upgrade list? 

Also remember—you’re never fully dressed without a smile.

—Jenna Mahoney

In the latest issue of Us Weekly, Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi reveals she wants a Jersey-fied fairy tale wedding (after her guido or guidette baby arrives!), complete with fireworks and "a princess-type gown with a huge train." Finding the perfect wedding dress for our favorite pint-size meatball was difficult, but we're guessing the future Mrs. Jionni LaValle will be choosing her gown from one of these three designers.

Pnina Tornai

With its semi-see-through and completely curve-hugging corset, we can totally see Snooki fist-pumping down the aisle in this dramatic style.

Check out more Pnina Tornai styles in our gown gallery. 

Coco Anaïs

We're delighted to introduce our newest contributor, Amy Brueckman, resident DIY goddess and web intern extraordinaire. Love the exclusive craft that she created below? Check out more style musings and do-it-yourself tips at her blog, Letters from the Lighthouse.

Spring is just two weeks away and bouquets of daisies and tulips are already starting to crop up at the florist’s. Passing those flower stands on the street inspired me to create a do-it-yourself boutonnière for BG brides that can be customized to fit any wedding theme. For an all-natural rustic wedding, use materials like twigs and leaves. For a colorful look, bright flowers and beaded sprigs can add a hint of glitz. From buttons to fabric shapes to fresh flowers, the possibilities are endless. Search Pinterest for ideas and get creative! Plus, unlike store-bought versions, which can be costly, this project only rang us up to around $25.  As long as you can tape a few flower steps together, then this craft will be a breeze. 

Important Note: Try to make your boutonnières the day before or, if possible, the day of the wedding. 

At the San Francisco Wedding Fair earlier this year, wedding and event planning company Floramor created these incredible tables inspired by some of today's hottest pop-stars—Britney Spears, Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, Katy Perry, Jennifer Lopez, and Fergie.

"Music is such a major part of what creates a mood and a successful event, and each of these ladies is so hot right now that it just seemed perfect," said the designer, Laura Little, of Floramor. "Each of the tables came from my perception of how these ladies project their personal style into their videos, performances and public appearances."

Take a look—and let us know which is your favorite!

Britney Spears

The pop princess's romantic table display is accented with roses, pearls, and hanging candles. A mirrored tabletop adds a modern touch.

Guest blogger: Rosanna Casper, co-founder of Idojour.com, a new wedding website where brides, grooms, family and friends can purchase a stylish and affordable mix of beautifully curated pieces. Designed to make wedding planning all the more inspiring and enjoyable, Idojour offers accessories and apparel for your wedding weekend, complemented by both inspirational and practical content. Rosanna oversees content, among many other things, and makes sure that everything comes together beautifully on the site.

Here, Rosanna shares one of her favorite new wedding trends.

It’s a bit bold and a tad daring, but we at idojour.com love the idea of brides dressing their 'maids in pretty frocks with prints and patterns. The big question is, how do you work with prints as part of a cohesive look, especially when you factor multiple girls, shoes and flowers? We decided to ask the folks at Ellis Flowers for their expert advice on what accessories they would pair with these five very different but beautiful looks.

Printed Blues

When working with graphic pattern, such as these gorgeous blue dresses, it's best to accessorize with a single color. We love the idea of pairing these dresses with a bold contrasting color, like orange.

Photo via New York Daily News

Back in 1952, Isidore and Joan Schwartz tied the knot at New York's famed Waldorf-Astoria hotel. And now, the happy couple will be returning to celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary for just $16.80—the same price they paid on their wedding night (today, room rates start at $319). “I’m going to see if anything looks familiar,” Isidore, 88, told the New York Daily News.

Why did this couple score such a steep discount? Turns out, the Waldorf has a little-known policy that allows a couple who spent their honeymoon at the Waldorf to celebrate a milestone anniversary (50 years or more) at the original room rate—all they need is their receipt. Not many people know about the deal—about two or three couples take advantage of this amazing perk every year.

Isidore, 88, and Joan, 82, met on a blind date on Thanksgiving 1950, and were married 16 months later. Recalling their reception: “I remember standing on some sort of balcony, looking down at the wedding party, and seeing all my relatives grabbing at the food,” Joan said. $4.75 covered a steak dinner for one, and ice sculptures at the reception, too.

“It was a great party. Everyone had a great time,” said Isidore.

We recommend saving your wedding night receipt—just in case!

—Grace Gavilanes

Although my fiancé Corey and I haven’t registered for gifts yet, we’ve started to think about where we’d like to register and what we’d like to register for. We want to keep our registry as streamlined as possible, so finding a store that offers everything we need for each room (bedroom, kitchen and bathroom) all in one place is important to us. We found that Kohl’s is a great option because they have tons of locations, so out-of-town guests are sure to find a convenient one near them. Plus, they just unveiled their new Ever After Rewards Program, where you can earn 10% rewards on gifts purchased! We took a trip to Kohl's recently to get some registry inspiration and found some great items that fit our hectic yet down-to-earth lifestyle perfectly.

Corey has been traveling for work a lot lately and didn’t have any luggage of his own, so he was thrilled to receive the Delsey® Air Energy 2.0 21-in. Expandable Wheeled Carry-On as a Christmas gift. We found out that the full Delsey luggage set is available at Kohl's, so we look forward to registering for more pieces from that line. That way, we have all of our bases covered for future trips. Luggage should last for decades, so you want to make sure you register for top-quality brands like Delsey.