Blogs

I am definitely challenged when it comes to certain domestic chores. I enjoy cooking and even doing dishes — but rugs, floors and other dusty surfaces? Forget it. So, yes, I confess: all manner of grit and dust bunnies tend to gather on the home front. And while we have a stellar, industrial-strength vacuum cleaner at the ready, we are not, um, consistent enough. To the rescue: Dyson DC44 Digital Slim, a lightweight (5 pounds) cordless wonder that has seriously rocked my world.

For any of you who have tried — and failed — to ease the drudge factor by way of a cordless cleaning machine, let me just say that this battery-powered vacuum is an entirely different species. Not only can it inhale easy stuff like crumbs on a hardwood floor, it takes on challenges like fine dust and carpets embedded with god knows what.

Guest blogger: Rosanna Casper, co-founder of Idojour.com, a 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 her favorite ways to announce your engagement.

Engagement season is upon us, and many of you ladies and gents will soon be changing your Facebook statuses from “in a relationship” to “engaged,” thus beginning a whirlwind of parties and planning and wedding wonderfulness.

But first thing first: How do you tell the world that you will be marrying the person of your dreams? Whether it be a digital card, a mailed announcement or a simple social media update, here are a few awesomely creative ways people have announced their engagement.

1. Scrabble + Rings = A simple and sweet announcement

It's official: Kim Kardashian is expecting her first child with Kanye West in 2013! Get all of the details here; plus, check out other high-profile couples who are rewriting the "first comes love, then comes marriage..." equation.  Check out more celebrity predictions for 2013 here!

1. Kim Kardashian

During a performance in Atlantic City last night, the 35-year-old rapper blurted out the happy pregnancy news to over 5,000 concert-goers. "Stop the music and make noise for my baby mama," he said, referring to his girlfriend of eight months, 32, who was in the audience. Naturally, the Kardashian clan was quick to confirm, tweeting congratulatory messages shortly thereafter. Big sister Kourtney wrote, "Been wanting to shout from the rooftops with joy and now I can! Another angel to welcome to our family. Overwhelmed with excitement!" Grandma-to-be Kris Jenner revealed that she is "A happy girl!!!!!!!! Wowza! Oh BABY BABY BABY."

The reality show star has been vocal about her desire to have kids: During an episode of Keeping Up, she received fertility treatments. Back in September, during an appearance on The View, Barbara Walters asked if she wanted to conceive with boyfriend West. Kim responded, "At the space that I am in life now, kids are definitely something I want...I think I fell in love so quickly and wanted that to be my life so badly [before dating West] but I just didn't take the time to find someone." E! News reports that Kim is about three months along, but there's a catch—she's still legally married to Nets forward Kris Humphries. In February, they will continue their divorce proceedings, so once that chapter of her life is finally over, we predict she won't wait long to become a Mrs. again.

"During my time at Bridal Guide, I've had the opportunity to browse thousands of gowns in our online gallery, editorial fashion spreads and designer ad pages. But nothing could prepare me for the surreal experience of actually trying on a wedding gown for the first time. One of the key things I learned was that trying on a variety of styles—even ones I never thought I'd wear—helped me a great deal. It also helped to have my go-to BG fashionistas, Rachel Dichter (fashion sales associate), and Noelle Gharbi (multimedia marketing coordinator), provide real, uncensored feedback. Here's an account of my dress shopping adventure through their eyes."

Congrats to Amy Rauch, Bridal Guide’s digital marketing director, on getting engaged!

You’d think that when one of our own “says yes,” she’d know exactly what kind of wedding gown she wants, right? Wrong! When you work at a bridal magazine, you become overexposed to thousands of gorgeous white options. That’s why we went straight to one of our favorite NYC bridal salons, Designer Loft, for help.

All I want for Christmas is... washboard abs! You, too? That’s why I’m here; it's no exclusive secret, and it doesn’t take "perfect genes" — anyone can get them. It just takes the right training and the drive to do it. Here’s one of my newest intense ab workouts – go for it, and share your results and feedback! Plus, check out last week's video here, and subscribe to my channel for new, free workouts every week.

The Workout:

► 15 Full Sit-Ups
► 15 V-Ups
► 15 Bicycles (15 each side)
► 15 Reverse Crunches
► 15 Rower Crunches
► 1 Min Anti-Gravity Plank Hold

Do as many rounds as you can in seven minutes — or go for as many rounds as you can! Either way, you'll really feel this tomorrow in your abs. Leave a comment and share how many rounds you did. 

But don’t forget, the key to perfect abs is in the perfect recipe; it’s not just about the exercises, it’s about the right combination of the right diet, paired with the right workouts on the right days! 

Join us every Friday for our Q&A column, where editor-in-chief Diane Forden answers one reader's biggest etiquette question.

Photo Credit: Misty Miotto Photography

Q. One of my bridesmaids lives in another state. Am I responsible for paying for her transportation to and from my wedding?

A. You’re not required to pick up your attendants’ travel expenses, nor are you expected to pay for any of their accommodations. You should, however, be mindful of how easily expenses can add up. After all, they are expected to contribute to the cost of the bridal shower, give both shower and wedding gifts and purchase a dress and accessories. They may even chip in on a bachelorette party for you! With that in mind, you should make arrangements for your out-of-state attendants to stay with you, with another member of the wedding party or with friends and relatives who graciously offer a room in their homes. And be sure to discuss travel costs with your bridesmaids now, so there is no misunderstanding about fi nances later on. If the costs will be too much of a burden for her, you may want to contribute to her expenses as a gift

—Diane Forden

Meeting your future in-laws for the first time is always a stressful occasion — but the pressure increases tenfold if you're meeting them for the first time at a holiday gathering with the whole gang. You want to make a good first impression — without looking like you’re trying too hard. Start with the perfect host and hostess gift! 

Send-Ahead Flowers
The problem with bringing flowers to a holiday party is that your hostess then has to scramble to find a vase and a place to display them. If you send the flowers ahead of time, though, she can find the perfect spot for them when she’s not also busy worrying about refilling drinks and dishing out appetizers. We love this cheerful arrangement from 1-800-Flowers:

Joyful Lights, from $44.99, 1800Flowers.com

Breakfast
After all of the cooking, baking, prepping, and cleaning required for a holiday party, your hostess is going to be pretty exhausted the following day. Make her life a little easier by with a breakfast basket:

The day after our wedding in Indianapolis, I woke up next to my husband Corey for the first time. That in itself was a wonderful feeling, but what made it even more exciting was the anticipation of departing for our Mexican honeymoon later that day! Check out some highlights from our romantic trip, below. 

Why we chose Mexico...
Corey and I had traveled to Mexico before and we loved it there, so we knew we wanted to go back for our honeymoon. We stayed at the Riu Palace Riviera Maya, an all-inclusive resort situated on the soft, sandy beaches of Riviera Maya, near Playa del Carmen. We chose a hotel chain that we were familiar with (we'd stayed at Riu's Cabo location before), so we knew exactly what to expect. Plus, the weather in Riviera Maya is beautiful, the flight is short (from where we live in Indianapolis), and the trip fit into our budget.

Plus, get more information on Where to Stay in Cancun and Riviera Maya.

Are you feeling sluggish and worn out in the final days leading up to your nuptials? Do you find yourself in a state of sheer panic over your inability to ban the bloat? Here, a last-minute fix to your final-stretch funk.

BluePrint Cleanse is the first 100% USDA certified organic juice cleanse and offers a wide array of nutritious and delicious fruits and veggies blended down into a lusciously liquefied confection. They offer three different degrees of intensity — so whether you’re someone who counts French fries towards your daily intake of vegetables or you’re a true juicing junkie, there is a program that caters to everybody. I chose the beginner level, Renovation: