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Every bride wants the best wedding-planning advice, so along with all the great info you get from Bridal Guide, you should also check out this fab new book from author and wedding expert Diane Warner, the Complete Guide to a Traditional Wedding: Everything You Need To Create Your Perfect Day: Time-Tested Toasts, Vows, Ceremonies and Etiquette (New Page Books, $16.99).

This step-by-step guide covers every aspect of wedding planning — from engagement to the honeymoon. Each chapter not only spells out just what you need to do throughout the planning process but also offers money-saving tips and invaluable etiquette advice. I especially love Chapter 12, “Sticky Situations,” in which Diane addresses very real concerns about money problems, gift problems and people problems. (Who takes charge if a guest gets drunk during the reception? answer: Commission the best man and groomsmen ahead of time to discretely take care of the situation.)

There’s also advice for grooms (hey, guys, we know you’re a part of this wedding planning, too, so listen up!). As Diane says, “Although your bride and her mom may carry the biggest load, you will be drawn in by default.” Here, Diane’s top tips for grooms:

1. When you and your bride are establishing gift registries, don’t hesitate to register for your honeymoon with a travel agency or honeymoon website. Even if only a few friends and family members contribute, that’s money in your pocket.

After being stationed overseas in Syria, Navy sailor Dylan Ruffer couldn't stand to waste another moment being apart from Madison Meinhardt — they wanted to get married right away. When he landed at Reno-Tahoe International Airport on Nov. 19th, he was amazed to realize that his wish had been granted. His fiancée was waiting for him at the arrival escalator wearing a wedding gown, and she was accompanied by an officiant and all of their loved ones.

"You waited 11 months for this, you may now kiss your wife," the officiant proclaimed.

Photo Credit: CBS News

The 19-year-old high school sweethearts planned to marry last year, but Ruffer's deployment unexpectedly got extended, forcing them to postpone. When the groom was granted a six-day vacation, he excitedly booked a ticket back to the U.S. 

"Dylan asked me what I was going to be wearing at the airport [at the reunion] and my dad joked around, saying that I should wear my dress. Then it wasn't a joke anymore when it actually happened," Meinhardt told CBS News.

Photo courtesy of Reno-Tahoe International Airport

The bride contacted the airport three weeks before the big reunion date, asking if it would be possible to get married right then and there.

A match made in teen TV heaven — Leighton Meester and Adam Brody, who both starred in Josh Schwartz-created shows (Gossip Girl and The O.C., respectively) are getting married!

According to Wonderwall, the couple of about a year celebrated their happy news with friends and family at an engagement party on November 10. A source told Star, "Leighton and Adam are crazy about each other and have talked about getting married eventually. But she had no idea he would propose so soon! It was the surprise of her life and she’s ecstatic!"

The happy couple became close friends while filming The Oranges in 2011 but didn't start dating until earlier this year. They're also working together on the upcoming movie Life Partners. Early reports say they're planning a summer wedding and are deciding between a destination wedding and marrying in Southern California. 

—Kristen O'Gorman Klein
 

Photo Credit: WireImage

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Guess what? I found my dress!

A few weeks ago, my mom drove down to Tallahassee with one mission in mind: Dress shopping. Because she lives in Pittsburgh, we were determined to find something by the end of her visit. So, we were doing three stores in three days. The process of shopping and trying on wedding dresses was interesting and I wanted to share what I learned with you.

Photo by: Vanessa Joy Photography on Style Unveiled via Lover.ly

1. Put any preconceived notions aside.
Going into this experience, I told all of the sales associates I worked with that I was fairly open to trying on different styles (within reason, of course). I didn’t want anything too poufy or with so much fabric that I could barely walk without having my bridesmaids carrying the dress behind me.

But, I definitely still had some thoughts. I thought I wanted a simple, A-line, lightweight dress. I didn’t want anything that was super tight and A-line seemed to be the best for my figure. And I wound up with a ball gown.

Congratulations to all newly-engaged and soon-to-be-engaged brides-to-be! We know you’re over the moon and super-excited about marrying the love of your life. We also know that many of you may be feeling just a teeny bit overwhelmed right now (OK, maybe a lot). After all, you hope to find the perfect dress, plan the best wedding, determine your favorite honeymoon spot and not go broke in the process! Relax. Our January/February 2014 issue addresses all of your fashion, planning, budget and honeymoon needs.

Plus, as an extra bonus, you’ll get a free Destination Wedding planner!

Everything you need to know about marrying away is in this handy guide, from a step-by-step planning calendar and answers to your etiquette questions to tips for your guests and budget advice. Your dream of exchanging vows on a romantic, tropical beach can come true!

Speaking of exotic locales, you’ll also love the destination-perfect dresses featured in this issue. These chic, sexy styles are ideal not only for weddings away but also for celebrations close to home.

Whether you're the bride or the bridesmaid, planning a bachelorette party isn't always easy. As a bride, you want to give your girls the freedom to plan a surprise for you — while still setting boundaries to make sure that you have a great time. And as a bridesmaid, you not only need to worry about making the bride happy, but you need to make sure you're keeping the party within a budget that everyone can afford, you're choosing a date that works for everyone, and you're inviting (and not inviting) the right guests. We checked in with Joanne Barken, founder of The Bach, an online platform that makes planning a bachelorette party so much easier, for the top dos and don'ts when it comes to planning your ladies' night out.

For the Bride:

Do discuss with your bridesmaids any concerns you have about the bachelorette party. If you want it to stay within a certain price range so that everyone can attend, or you want to avoid having a stripper show up, be sure to let them know so that you are comfortable with the event.

Don't take over all of the planning or micro-manage the festivities. Your friends likely want to include some fun surprises to make the bachelorette party feel special, and you don’t want to miss out on that!

Guest blogger: Dana LaRue, creator of thebrokeassbride.com.
Dana LaRue is the creator of The Broke-Ass Bride, helping brides use creativity as currency to rock bad-ass weddings without breaking the bank. Her sassy, savvy approach to weddings and money delivers entertaining and informative outside-the-box planning inspiration. Because it’s not about how much you spend, its how you spend it!

I’ve been a wedding blogger for nigh on five years now, and I’ve seen more "wedding tips" and "helpful wedding advice" than you can shake a stick at. Some pointers are in fact, extremely helpful, while others are almost criminally misleading. Here are five wedding planning tips that I really believe should come embossed on the inside of your engagement ring, and five that you should avoid.

The Best Advice:

1. Don’t forget that it’s just one day.
You can spend YEARS planning your wedding, you can agonize over every single detail for hours, you can lose all sense of time and trip into a Pinterest wedding pic rabbit hole for months on end — but your wedding day will whiz by just like any other. It’s tragic, but it’s true.

When wedding planning stress is totally getting to you, use this as your mantra: "It’s just one day." Whether your wedding planning journey seems crazy hectic, or sublimely perfect, just remind yourself to breathe (frequently), and take it all as it comes.

As of last Friday, I officially have one year until I say I do! I can't believe how fast time went, and I can only imagine how quickly these next 12 months are going to go. Ah! Now it’s all really starting to sink in how close the big day actually is — and the need to lose the weight and plan the wedding of my dreams are both top priorities in my mind.

Last week, Rene and I attended a bridal expo on Monday and Tuesday night, where we met with various vendors and were able to schedule appointments and get information. So far, we decided on our florist and picked out the centerpieces, booked our photo booth (which was a must-have for Rene and me), and decided on a few little surprises we want to have at the reception. My next step to check off my list is finding a photographer and videographer. I know how important it is to find a great one, and I want to get my engagement photos done soon to get out my save-the-dates. Saturday morning, we met with a photographer/videographer, but I wasn't too impressed, so I need to make more appointments for this coming weekend. I need to find the perfect fit for us, and if it takes a few weeks to find it, then it’s all worth it.