Blogs

Getting burned — literally — by some limes probably doesn't top your list of concerns for your bachelorette party. But one Florida bride-to-be learned that it's a very real possibility.

After her bachelorette party, where she and her friends enjoyed a boat ride with some margaritas, Erika Lotterhos noticed red marks on her legs that she attributed to sunburn. But two days later, those seemingly-harmless red marks had turned into serious blisters.

Since the marks were in a drip pattern, she traced it back to the margaritas — she knew some lime juice had dripped on her knees while they were blending the beverages. After doing some research online, she found out she'd developed Phytophotodermatitis, also known as ‘margarita burn.’

Dermatologist J. Matthew Knight explained, "It basically is like a sunburn, and when you have some sort of photosensitizer — in this case limes — followed by ultra violet A, it activates the substance, and you end up with a really bad sunburn-like reaction... We've see it a million times before. It has this particular pattern to it and we say, “Ah ha! You've been drinking limes.’ Or, ‘You’ve been drinking Coronas haven’t you?’"

Other photosensitizers to be careful about: Lemons, oranges, celery, fig, parsnips, parsley, carrots, dill, and perfumes.

The hyper-pigmentation can stick around for a few weeks. Luckily, this bride's burns will be covered by her gown! "I'm getting married in a month. I'm really thankful I'm wearing a long dress," said Lotterhos.

Construction isn't even complete yet on the new home of the San Francisco 49ers, but Levi's Stadium has already hosted its first marriage proposal!

Scott Onick and Sarah Cookson are both huge 49ers fans, and they were lucky enough to score a tour of the new stadium before its completion. Onick decided it'd be the perfect place to propose to his girlfriend of three years. "Just like the 49ers are going to the next chapter, this is the perfect place for us to start the next chapter," he said while proposing. Watch the video: 

49ers Fans Get Engaged at Levi's® Stadium from Channel 1 Media on Vimeo.

—Kristen Klein

Last weekend, I had another amazing workout with Bonne Marcus — and my fiancé Rene joined us this time. We were able to work out outside again, which was so nice, and Rene got to play with all of the new toys I had the pleasure of working with the week before. Bonne incorporated a few new moves, including an exercise where we went across the tennis court doing walkouts into planks the whole way down (it hurts!). We threw medicine balls down, which is a great workout for the triceps, and did tons of moves on the Bosu ball and Equalizer bars. We also did a lot of lunges and rows with resistance bands, which really work both the legs and back.

I’m also obsessed with this new shirt my mom got me — “Sweating for the Wedding.” So fitting, right?! She ordered it from a shop on Etsy, and they have it in all different colors.

Loverly is the heart of weddings: a visual inspiration search engine designed to help brides discover ideas, people to hire, and things to buy. Loverly makes finding beautiful wedding inspiration easier than ever! Their images are powered by the best wedding publishers and wedding shopping partners on the web. Find Bridal Guide on Loverly >>

With the days getting longer and warmer weather on its way (maybe?), it's the perfect time of year to let love bloom! Grow your budding romance with these spring date ideas.

1. Research the prettiest public gardens in your area, and plan an outing.

Guest blogger: Bonne Marcus
A fitness industry expert for 27 years, Marcus holds numerous certifications from the Aerobic Fitness Association of America (AFAA), including Step, Spin, Bosu™, Pre/Post Natal, Youth Fitness, Aqua, and Personal Training. She has taught for New York City’s top health clubs, including Crunch, New York Health and Racquet, and Reebok Sports Club. A recognized name on Long Island, Bonne has taught at Dany Holdstein’s Two Worlds, North Shore Health Club, LA Fitness, Sport time, Equinox and currently teaches at the Sid Jacobsen JCC in Roslyn. Learn more at getfitwithbonne.com.

Photo Credit: iStock

Desiree Hartsock charmed millions of viewers across America with her candor and relatable, down-to-earth persona as The Bachelorette, and we're happy to report that she's just as lovely in real life. Now that she's found her happy ending with fiancé Chris Siegfried, she's determined to help other women find "The One" — their wedding dress, that is. 

She's teamed up with Maggie Sottero to design a collection of six to seven styles and, if her custom evening gowns from the show are any indication, they're going to be incredibly gorgeous! 

Des (we're on a first-name basis now) gave us the scoop on her upcoming big day, what advice she'd like to share with her fellow brides and more:

Once Upon a Time co-stars Ginnifer Goodwin and Josh Dallas tied the knot on April 12 in a hush-hush ceremony in Venice, California with only 25 guests and nary a paparazzi pic to be found. Now the new Mrs. is finally opening up about her wedding to Prince Charming!

During an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! last night, the actress declared that "it was the most stress-free, relaxing, beautiful day," despite an unexpected mishap — their wedding planner's car had been robbed.

Watch the interview here!

"'What could be in the car that actually would matter?' And she's saying, 'I've been on the phone with people in Israel,' and I'm like, 'Okay, the rabbi was not kidnapped.' And she says, 'I've sent people to art supply stores.' I'm like, 'Well, if my dress was stolen, I can just bring a sheet or something. I will be fine,'" Goodwin recalls.

The missing item in question turned out to be their ketubah (a religious contract used in Jewish ceremonies). In a turn of events that reads like something out of a rom-com film, two Jews were walking down the street in Hollywood and picked the paper up. They happened to be fluent in Hebrew and understood the importance of getting the document back to the rightful owners ASAP.

"They Googled who represents Ginnifer Goodwin, found my reps at home on a Saturday, and got us back our wedding ketubah," Goodwin says. 

Photo Credit: Larsen's Photography

Marriage is wonderful... weddings are beautiful. There’s the thrill of being in love and sharing your commitment with family and friends. There’s the joy of planning a day that’s uniquely yours and the happiness of celebrating with guests. And then there’s the after-the-wedding-day reality that inevitably sets in. After all, your marriage is bound to be an adventure, a roller-coaster ride filled with ups and downs, highs and lows and all sorts of unexpected detours and surprises. And if your relationship is solid and you two are truly the best of friends, committed to staying together and working through any difficulties that arise, then the rewards will be plentiful.

Which is why my blog today focuses on a couple of key points that both of you need to address — if you haven’t already — in these months leading up to the big day. We spoke with attorney Jennifer E. Paternostro, from the Sodoma Law firm, a leading family law firm in Charlotte, North Carolina, for some expert advice. Here, her “I Do To-Do List.”

If you're fortunate enough to find true love, it never truly ends.

That's the poignant message behind the first mini-documentary by Humans of New York creator Brandon Stanton. His blog-turned-book project is dedicated to stopping strangers  on the street in the Big Apple and getting a fascinating glimpse into their lives. Over the past three years, he's collected over 5,000 portraits and generated a tremendous response with viewers online (he has over 4.6 million fans on Facebook alone!).

The interview subject in the video is centenarian Shirley Hyman, who recounts falling in love with her husband, Moe: "We didn't say we were going to get married, we just knew it. It was a meeting of the souls."  Brandon revealed to The Huffington Post that meeting Shirley "was the one time I ever cried on the street."

Her incredible story also moved us to tears — watch it below!

When Moe got sick and they knew he didn't have much time left, he wanted to ensure that his wife would continue to love and be loved, long after he was gone. "I said, 'Moe, what will I do without you?'" Shirley recalls. "He gathered up all the energy he could and he said, 'Take the love you have for me and spread it around. When love is spread around, beauty is found." What a beautiful example to strive to live up to in our marriages!