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New Year's Day marks the start of a brand new year and exactly six months until Michael and I become husband and wife. With wedding bells ringing in my ear, it's only natural that my resolutions for 2012 reflect our upcoming nuptials. My first resolution will help to ensure that I’m healthy for our big day. I plan on resuming my workout regime, which has come to a complete halt in recent months. I only have four pounds to go until I reach my target weight! Exercise is the push I need to be fit and trim for my walk down the aisle and energetic for the long hikes Mike and I have planned for our honeymoon.

My second resolution is necessary during these next few months of planning and celebrating. I promise to live in the moment. The past year and a half, I've constantly been focused on the future. Which vendors should I book? When’s the next deposit due? What's next on our to- do list? I know you ladies know the drill, but this upcoming year, I plan on cherishing every moment—something I should have started doing a long time ago. I don't want to miss out on any of the days leading up to our wedding. Big changes will be occurring (moving out of my parents' house for the first time ever and house-hunting with my soon-to-be husband), and I want to be sure that I appreciate each and every moment, big and small.

Along with the holidays come candy canes, presents, cookies, and (inevitably) engagements. It can be difficult to shop for someone who is engaged if they haven’t registered for gifts yet. I wanted to share some easy, relatively inexpensive options that can be purchased at the last-minute for those love birds in your life.

For the Lady

I am in love with this Say Yes "Mrs." Necklace from Kate Spade. Sure, she might not be able to wear it just yet, but as a real bride blogger, I’ve discovered that I’m obsessed with anything marriage or wedding-related right now, and I don’t think I’m alone on that one. 

Another option for the bride would be something practical. She’s likely cutting back on costs in order to pay for upcoming nuptials or a honeymoon so a practical gift will be much appreciated. Try a cozy scarf and gloves or an oversized sweater.

For the Lad

If you truly want to show a friend, coworker or family member you’re happy for him and his future wife, how about a toast? Try gifting a case of beer from a local brewery paired with drinking glasses embossed with his favorite team’s logo. My sister bought Corey this Pittsburgh Penguins 2 Piece Glass Pilsner Set a few years back and they were a hit!

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 Alkimist. Originally trained as a classical violist, Alkimist's firm grasp of music theory allows her to create seamless transitions between songs as diverse as a 60's pop hit and a house-inspired club remix. She loves to stretch her limits. "I will play exactly what a couple wants – if they want to get specific, that's great, but even if they just communicate the feel they are going for, I can create an entire playlist based on that vibe.” Alkimist's keen ear and effortless DJ style are quickly earning her the distinction of being one of DC's rising DJ stars.

Photo Credit: K and K Photography

Christmas is just two days away, but when we spotted this genius idea from a real wedding shot by Two Chics Photography, we immediately thought of all our BG brides who are plotting holiday weddings for 2012!

In lieu of a traditional guestbook, couple Chad and Lucy came up with the concept of a "wishing tree," where guests sign an ornament with their name and advice or wishes for the newlyweds.

Every year, around their anniversary, they can hang the ornaments on their Christmas tree together and it will remind them of the happiness of their wedding day.

Tell us: What's the best idea for re-usable wedding decor that you've seen recently?

Want to get a headstart on your wedding planning in the New Year?

Santa Clara brides, we've got just the ticket: Join expert celebrity planners Preston Bailey, Sasha Souza, Nikki Khan and Bryan Rafanelli at The Wedding Faire & Symposium from Jan. 6th - 8th!

They'll share their expertise and all of the newest wedding trends during special workshops throughout the day. The Wedding Faire will also include 100+ photo booth displays and vendor exhibits, as well as bridal fashion shows (it's the largest wedding planning event in NoCal). Get additional info and purchase your ticket at wedding-faire.com.

If you can't make the event (is it too late for the BG editors to hop on a plane from NYC?), we've got an exclusive sneak peek at some of the trends that will be featured in Faire. They also offer wedding planning tools for brides across the country.

1. Incorporate Color Into Your Gown

At New York Bridal Fashion Week, we saw gorgeous gowns in a variety of hues, from pink to icy blue to black for 2012. If you're dead-set on wearing a white dress, you can still find ways to include a pop of color in your bridal ensemble.

Janet and Cameron rang in 2011 with a beautiful snowy wedding in Park City, Utah. Check out the amazing photos from photographer Rebekah Westover!

Right after Thanksgiving, photographer Melissa McCrotty announced a contest where she'd give one couple a free photo session. Lance, who first fell in love with his now-fiancée Kathryn in fifth grade, entered immediately. In his email to Melissa, he wrote:

"I don’t know if this will make any difference, but I just bought Kathryn a ring, and if you happen to pick us for the contest, I will propose at the end of the session."

That won over Melissa, and they began planning this super cute Christmas-themed photo shoot! 

The spirit of the holiday season reminds us of the importance of generosity—not just around Christmas and Hannukah, but all year long.

That's why we love this story: Jodi Guber, the founder of Beyond Yoga, is giving away the dreamy Vera Wang gown that she wore at her own nuptials to one very lucky and deserving bride-to-be! A firm believer in paying it forward, Guber wants to help create a "Beyond" special moment for someone else that is as meaningful as her wedding day was to her. 

Enter the giveaway by sending your contact info and story about why you should win to [email protected] by January 31. Please include "Beyond Beautiful Bride Giveaway" in the subject line. The winner of the tulle-and-organza stunner will be notified on Valentine's Day—thereby bypassing jewels and chocolates as our preferred gifts of choice.

Good luck, BG brides!

—Stefania Sainato

I don’t typically wear perfume (body splash and scented lotion will do), but I think such a special occasion is worthy of a special scent. My mom and I visited Sephora recently and began sniffing around. Lost in a cloud of several fragrances and on the verge of a headache, I was nowhere near making a decision 15 minutes into my visit. Then a sales associate kindly asked if I needed help. Once I explained why we were there (and how we had narrowed it down to some favorites, but they started to confuse my nose), she offered to put together samples of all the scents I was considering—how awesome is that?

I've been wearing the samples ever since in an attempt to make a decision. Want to help?

Marc Jacobs Daisy

Marc Jacobs Daisy is sweet and sophisticated; I can’t say whether it smells just like a daisy, but it certainly is floral. Don't get me wrong, it isn't too sweet (I don't like overly sugary scents) but it does have some feminine notes.

Here's a negative: I asked Corey to sniff each perfume in their little sample baggies and he said this reminded him of rubbing alcohol. Not good. However, later when I wore it for a day and asked if he liked it, he said yes. Oh fickle fiancé!

Hello, my gorgeous BG.com readers! Hope everyone is enjoying the festive season. I am sending happy holiday vibes to all of you!

Today, I thought I’d talk about certain wedding truths no one wants to tell you, since I'm officially a wedding planning veteran. Here it goes...

1. There are going to be times when you seriously question your sanity. 

This is okay. There is a reason why they came up with the word "bridezilla"—planning your wedding can be a stress-inducing experience. It's easy for us to get sucked into an unattainable ideal of perfection. Then you've got the anxiety of actually paying for it all, coupled with the desire to bond with your new in-laws. It's inevitable that we have meltdowns from time to time! Here are 20 easy ways to de-stress for the times when it all feels like too much to handle.

 Photo Credit: Jayd Gardina Photography

2. You will become obsessed with looking at total strangers' weddings (on Pinterest, Facebook, etc.) and want to steal their genius ideas.