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Photo Credit: Jose Villa

Elaborate elopements—costing anywhere from $10,000 to $100,000—are on the rise, according to a new article in the New York Times. Couples are choosing to avoid hosting guests in favor of glorified photo shoots that capture just the two of them. Picture: fantasy settings (farmhouse, mountaintop ice skating rink, private riverboat), fairytale elements (setting off sparklers, hiring flower girls to carry lanterns), and even a miniature three-layer cake to top off the celebration. Of course, all this would not be possible without a small army of wedding pros, who are there to capture the entire spectacle; not for children and grandkids down the road, but for digital bragging rites, admittedly.

Interviewing potential vendors is like going on an awkward first date — you both hope there's chemistry, but it can be confusing to know exactly what to say (even for a Wedding Editor like myself!). Follow our new "10 Questions to Ask..." blog series with experts from each field who will break it down for you step-by-step. This week, contributors Carissa Jones from JL DESIGNS and co-owners Christina Whittle and Zaid Arriola at Dolce Designs Studio teach us what to look for in a florist.

1. Is working within my budget feasible?

Before you schedule appointments with potential florists (search Photo of the Day and Pinterest for ideas), get a feel for their prices first.

"You don’t want to fall in love with the perfect floral arrangements for your wedding just to find out they won’t be able to work within your budget. After that, nothing will live up to what you’ve seen, and you will end up overspending on flowers for your big day," said Christina Whittle, co-owner of Dolce Designs Studio.

Open the lines of communication and tell the florist what your plans are (how many bridal party attendants you’ll have, the number of guests and/or tables, and what you have in mind for the décor), which should help them give you a solid "yes" or "no." Book with caution if you get a "maybe"—find someone with a similar style whose stellar services you can afford.

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 Eskada. Raised in Northern Virginia and now based in DC, she is quickly becoming known as the area's premier female DJ, spinning at clubs, live music shows, fashion events, and more. But her talents reach far beyond the turntables: Eskada is also a trained model, a theater actress, and a former Miss Jr. Virginia. Focusing on love, music, and family, DJ Eskada commits to creating the perfect atmosphere for every wedding she spins. "My goal is to build the right mix to get everyone excited. When I see a couple out on the dance floor with their entire family and all of their friends, all having a great time together, then I know I've done my job!”

Our fashion editor Robin is reporting live from the Chicago runways! Get the scoop on the latest bridal trends from each designer collection in 140 characters or less.

Maggie Sottero
Check out more Maggie Sottero dresses in our gown gallery!

@bridalguidemag: "Love this Claire gown @MaggieSottero!"

@bridalguidemag: "One shoulder slim and sexy Nina gown @maggiesottero. I can't decide which style I like most @maggiesottero, they are all so fab!"

Allure Bridals
Check out more Allure Bridals dresses in our gown gallery!

For years, it's been said that couples who live together before marriage are more likely to get divorced. But according to a new government study of 22,000 men and women, this is no longer the case.

About 60 percent of couples live together before marriage. "It's becoming so common, it's not surprising it no longer negatively affects marital stability," said Wendy Manning, co-director of the National Center for Family & Marriage Research at Bowling Green State University in Ohio. 

According to the study, couples who lived together while engaged had a 60 percent chance of their marriage lasting 15 years—the same as couples who did not live together before the wedding. But for couples who live together before the proposal? Their marriages were only 53% as likely to reach the 15 year mark. 

The study infers that the difference is related to feelings about committment. 

"Commitment has made a difference. In interviews with some women who have been married 20 years or more after living with their spouse first, firm belief in a future together was a common theme," reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

My sister doesn’t get to travel as much as I do. (I mean, who does really? It is, after all, my job.) So whenever she’s going on a biggie trek—to Dubai, Oz or, in this case, an awesome forbidden island—she often hits me up for some of my gear. Hey, isn’t that what sisters are for?

Generally, I don’t mind loaning out my wheelie bag, airplane pillow or money belt, but this time around, while she’s touring Colonial sites, I’ll be hobnobbing with some importante people in Mexico. Which means I’ll be needing my trusty travel tools.

Lucky for my sister, I just heard about the awesome plane-friendly products on offer at the Container Store. There are fuzzy blankie sets that have cool pockets to keep your electronics, slim converter sets and even mini-fans. My sister lives around the corner from a Container Store, so she’ll be able to peruse the selection before take-off on Saturday.

If you’ve got more time, all the goods are available online at the containerstore.com.

—Jenna Mahoney

We've been to so many wonderful previews in the last few weeks! Diane and I went to see the lovely designer Shana Farr debut her new jewelry collection Pure Imagination by Shana Farr at the Players Club on Gramercy Park. A fitting location, since Shana is not only a talented artist but also a gifted vocalist, having performed her supper club show Pure Imagination at the Metropolitan Room, Feinstein's Regency and at New York City Center.

Her exquisitely crafted collection of sterling silver charms and lockets all have an element of whimsy.

Her signature piece, the Fortune Cookie locket, opens to reveal a personal message inside.

I especially love her Chrysanthemum rings and bracelets in sterling silver, pink and yellow gold. 

Personalized Runner

Tell your story as a couple through your aisle runner. This amazing DIY, featured on Oh Lovely Day, started with photos of the couple as children and progressed through their six years of dating, highlighting special moments and memories along the way. Get step-by-step instructions to create your own!

The runner also provided a fun activity for guests prior to the ceremony—the couple placed a crossword puzzle within the ceremony program, with most answers to be found on the runner.

Photo Credit: The Other Sister Photography/via Oh Lovely Day

Spiral Aisle

Perfect for small, intimate weddings, a round ceremony setup gives each guest a front row seat for your walk down the aisle. It also creates a cozy feel throughout the ceremony as you're surrounded on all sides by your loved ones.

A recent study from Rent.com reveals some interesting findings about couples' behavior regarding combining households and their personal beliefs about married life. The majority of respondents (75%) said their overall quality of life has improved since moving in with their spouse. The other quarter of survey-takers cited the following as major sources of stress: not having their own space (all the more reason to actually let him have his own man cave), sharing household expenses, and splitting up household chores. When it comes to finances, 62% of couples report that they've improved (one rent bill, score), while 22% say they've actually gotten worse as a result of moving in together.

In addition to assessing couples' attitudes about matrimony, the survey also analyzed which cities are ideal to start your first home together. They ranked them against the national averages for cost of living (calculated from a baseline of 100 from the U.S. Census Bureau), mean annual income ($44,410) and the unemployment rate (8.5%, as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics) to score the following winners.

The 10 best cities to start your love nest

Photo Credit: iStock

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 Center, who spreads his signature sound worldwide, rocking audiences from Los Angeles to Barcelona with infectious sets. He's performed with music icons like John Legend, Estelle and Digable Planets, among others, as well as for corporate clients like Adidas and Gucci. 

From funk, hip-hop, r&b, reggae, pop classics to Latin grooves, Center flows through genres effortlessly. As DJ Center puts it, "Weddings are very special celebrations and I'm honored to entertain on the couple's big day. I create a custom mix that will keep everyone dancing all night long and then talking about it for weeks to come.”

Photo Credit: Amanda Marie Photography