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(Pictured above: Book cover)

When the time came for Carney Haberman to throw her daughter a bridal shower, she wanted to gift her something special that would endure throughout the years — past the pots and pans, stand mixers and flatware sets. Inspired by the buffet-style Sunday dinners that her late mother used to throw for the entire family (a group of 21!), she came up with the idea to create a bound cookbook with secret family recipes.

However, this wasn't your standard cookbook composed of ripped-out looseleaf sheets: She included the backstory of recipes, personal photos of the relatives who created them, and, in some cases, even the original handwriting itself.

(Pictured above: Book jacket)

Following the success of their Design Your Own shoes, NinaBridal has launched a collection of Design Your Own jewelry with Swarovski Elements. 

How it works: Choose one of four styles (shown below), including round, square, and teardrop. Then, select your plating (gold or silver) and stones. You can choose from 11 colors of genuine Swarovski crystals for your earrings, making it easy to match the jewelry to your color scheme. The earrings cost $50-$85.

Check out a few samples:

BG brides, you all loved the celeb-inspired save the date and wedding video we blogged about a couple of weeks ago. Now, the newest trend for grooms is to hire a paparazzo to take snapshots while they pop the question — all without their new fiancé knowing!

Here's how it works: Guys contact a service like Pap the Question (run by celeb-chaser-cum-proposal-maker James Ambler) to plan the proposal, so that the photog knows exactly where the couple will be positioned and can document them without being spotted. Then they edit the photos and send the prints (along with a DVD) a few weeks later to the unsuspecting, elated bride-to-be. 

James Ambler recently told The Today Show that, "The beauty of having pictures taken without being seen is that you're capturing raw emotion."

Your engagement day is so emotional that it often passes by in a blur — we love the idea of capturing this moment on film forever. Plus, if he proposes in private, your Mom and best friend can share in the joy afterwards by watching how the scene unfolded (or you can just look through them every day yourself for an instant pick-me-up any time you're feeling down!) 

First anniversary is paper, 25th is silver, 50th is... billboard? That's what Colorado resident Lee Bolin did to mark his 50th anniversary with his beloved wife, Mickey. 

                                Photo courtesy of Adweek

To unveil the billboard, Lee blindfolded Mickey and drove her to the location. She was completely surprised and says it's one of the best gifts he's ever given her. 

Check out the video!

—Kristen O'Gorman Klein

Say Yes to the Dress premieres tonight at 9/8c with a special celebrity guest: Kelly Ripa! The morning talk show host steps into the role of Kleinfeld bridal consultant (complete with slicked-back bun and head-to-toe black ensemble) to guide real bride Comora Robertson on how to select a dramatic, show-stopping wedding dress.

"I don't think Kelly has any idea how much really goes into a bridal appointment!" said Randy Fenoli, Fashion Director.

Watch this exclusive sneak peek from tonight's episode:

Ms. Ripa proves that this dream job (who doesn't want to look at bridal gowns all day?) isn't as easy as it looks, even for a starlet who's used to working with stylists. Will she be able to overcome her nerves and deliver the vision that Comora and her tough entourage are looking for? (Love the sassiness of the girl who says the bride-to-be looks like she belongs in a couture photoshoot, puffing on a cig in that dress!) We'll be tuning in and setting our DVRs to find out!

In the meantime, let's chat: If you could pick any celebrity to be your bridal consultant, who would you choose? 

—Stefania Sainato

While in the grand scheme of things, the color palette I choose will not make or break my wedding, it will be an opportunity to set the scene and determine the “feel” I want my wedding to have. I’ve been debating long and hard about a color scheme that would best suit my big day…and I still don’t have an answer. Feel like helping a girl out?

First, let me tell you a little bit about the venue: it’s got sleek, hardwood floors and exposed plumbing on the ceiling. There are ivory twinkle lights hanging over the ceremony space and strung upon beams in the reception area. I also have the option of shining a color of my choice up along the walls. This space is really conducive to almost any color scheme. 

Here are some more things I’m keeping in mind: I will have white, ivory or black tablecloths and either white or black chairs at the reception. My fiancé Corey also wants to wear a black tux.

These are my top contenders!

Option #1: All shades of purple + slate + ivory
 

We found this adorable craft project by Rhiannon Nicole from Hey Gorgeous Events and we've been itching to try it! These teacup candles would be perfect for a bridal shower; after the party, you could display them as decorative accents in your home. All you need are a few vintage teacups (hello, flea market), candle wax flakes and a little patience (it takes some time for the wax to dry).  

On a side note, we're loving the model's lilac nail polish—we wish we looked this stylish while doing our wedding crafts! All of the gorgeous photos below were shot by the über-talented Jenna McKenzie.

Supplies You Need:

• Vintage tea cups (any will do)
• Eco-friendly candle wax flakes
• A stove, a double boiler and bowl
• Oven mitts and a hot plate/trivet

Step 1: Make Wooden Wick Supports 

To do this, you can tape together two wooden sticks at the end. Slide in a wax wick so it sits in between the two wooden sticks and then clamp shut the opposite ends and tape together. You should have two sticks taped together at both ends with a wax wick clamped into the middle.

Photo Courtesy of zagg.com

BG brides, if you read this blog regularly, then it probably comes as no surprise to you that our honeymoon is going to be just as non-traditional as the wedding.

After our Vegas nuptials, our entire family (plus all of our friends) will join Luke and I to Anaheim, CA to take on Disneyland!

Before you jump to any assumptions, imagine this: Your loved ones spend $5,000 and leave their jobs behind for a few days (or even a week) to attend your destination wedding and support you on one of the most important days of your life. Would you have the heart to ditch them after the nuptials? Well, we couldn't.

We love our families to death and knew that no matter where we traveled, we would want them to be there with us. Both of our tight-knit families are open with us, as we are with them, so we told them upfront that there will be designated nights when Luke and I will want to have some "us time." Everyone is very accomodating and I am sure, like all families, that we will have some inevitable squabbles here and there. (You know what they say...the best way to learn everything about someone is to travel with them.)

This upcoming three-day weekend gives me more than one reason to smile: With only nine months to go until the big day, we can finally go to Bloomingdale's and start our wedding registry! Although having a two-year engagement can be beneficial, it also comes with one big disadvantage—WAITING. From the moment Mike proposed, I wanted to dive into all things wedding-related, but I was forced to pace myself. I used this waiting period to reflect on which items are essential to my registry and which ones I could do without. 

I originally thought I wanted to register for a KitchenAid 5-Quart Artisan Stand Mixer. This item seems to have its own fan base, making its way onto countless registries. At first, I was content to follow the crowd, but ultimately realized that I have no use for this gadget. Do I find it pretty? Yes, I adore the ruby red color. However, I had to ask myself: Is it worth the counter space when my baking skills consist of combining box mix, eggs, water and vegetable oil? I'm going to go with no.