Blogs

It strikes when I least expect it: After a romantic, four-course meal; while I'm checking my news feed on Facebook; when I spot that Michael Kors bag I can't afford; during the meditation portion of yoga, when my eyes close and I finally give myself permission to relax and let go.

As I've gotten deeper and deeper into my wedding planning and it's time to select vendors, I notice that a budget-induced panic seizes me from behind and puts me in a chokehold during the strangest moments, when I'm not even consciously thinking about it. As a result, I find myself constantly bringing up the "B" word with a very perplexed Jason, my fiancé, who is much better at compartmentalizing subjects and doesn't understand why I'm thinking about which photographer we should choose while watching Planet of the Apes. Even though I try to rationalize that I know we can afford our budget, sometimes it just feels plain exhausting to be engaged.

I'm not alone: Every engaged or recently-married girlfriend I talk to seems to have had blowouts every time they communicate with their soon-to-be-spouse about money they spend on the wedding. I decided it was time to call in reinforcement: Farnoosh Torabi, a personal finance expert and fellow bride-to-be getting married next June in Philly! 

Another reason the bride and groom shouldn't see each other before the wedding: They might get their oufits mixed up?! Just kidding. We love a couple that doesn't take themselves too seriously, so we couldn't help but love Vivien and Ron's crazy pre-wedding shoot with Cream Pictures.

Once I discovered @ThatsMyFiancee on Twitter, I knew I had stumbled upon a comedic goldmine. Chris Winfield, the brave groom behind the account, documents his wedding-planning experiences with light-hearted, refreshingly honest messages that are 140 characters or less. "If the wedding is going to be fun, the planning should be also," Chris said. Here, he shares 10 exclusive things he's learned so far (Editor's Note: To my fiancé Jason, don't get any ideas!).

Last week, when a fan presented Madonna with hydrangeas, she was caught on camera telling a friend, "I absolutely loathe hydrangeas. He obviously doesn't know that."

Well, now Madonna has issued an apology to hydrangeas... in her own special way.

We don't really know what to say about this video... I guess remember to bring her roses next time??

We're curious: Which flowers do you hate? And which flowers do you  love? Tell us in the comments!

—Kristen O'Gorman Klein

Hola, my lovely BG.com ladies! From the title, I'm pretty sure you all know what today's topic is about. Being 20 years old and preparing for a wedding that will take place a few weeks after your 21st birthday is a slightly...what shall we call it..."different" experience.

The latest trend in wedding photography: after sessions!

An after session is an additional photo shoot, with you and your partner decked out in your wedding gear, that takes place anywhere from a few days to a few years after the big day.

Why would a couple want an after session? Consider these scenarios...

• You get your pictures back from your photographer, and you hate them.
• You ran out of time between your ceremony and reception to get all of the pictures you wanted.
• You want an excuse to wear your dress again, but you're not into the idea of a "trash the dress" session.
• You and/or your spouse dropped major pounds after the wedding and wish you had done it before the big day.

Caroline and Matt are the perfect example of scenario #4. The couple collectively lost 100 pounds during the three years after their wedding. With their anniversary approaching as they reached their weight loss goals, they decided to mark the occasion — and their accomplishments — with a wedding photo shoot. With the dress now several sizes too large, Caroline simply clamped the back so that it fit as perfectly as it did on the big day, without adding the extra cost of getting it fitted.

Photos from the actual wedding day:

Sherri's wedding special, Wedding Fabulous: Sherri Shepherd Gets Married, airs on September 13 at 9 p.m. EST on the Style Network. In this preview, we see Sherri trying on her Rivini gown, experiencing major sticker shock at the wedding bill (exclaiming "I've got to get another job!"), previewing the sleek, chic wedding décor, and having a scandalous bachelorette party!

Can you pinpoint the exact moment and location when you knew your fiancé was The One? Software engineer Ari Gilder can. He decided to pop the question by having his girlfriend, Faigy, re-live their entire love affair—literally. This tech guru constructed a 3.6 mile NYC route that covered everything from the memory of their first date at Magnolia Bakery to a new memory they were about to make on Roosevelt Island.

Watch what happens...

BG: How did you come up with the idea of proposing to Faigy through Google Maps? 
AG: "I wanted to do something really unique to both of us. A few months ago, I was trying to come up with a proposal idea and this one just intuitively popped into my head, since I work on Google Maps (they always say do what you know best, right?). I dismissed it at first, but while fleshing out the idea, I realized how much potential it had."