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My husband Jason and I recently passed the half-year mark and we came full circle by celebrating at the same restaurant where we had our rehearsal dinner. While digging into a plate of crab cakes and The Perfect Storm cocktails, we reminisced about all of the milestones we've had since saying "I do." The ink is barely dry on our marriage certificate and we still have a lifetime of memories to make.

However, even in this short amount of time, it's incredible to witness how much our lives have changed. Here's what we've learned so far — newlyweds, what other lessons would you add to my list? Everyone's experience is different!

Photo Credit: Josh Lynn Photography

1. Discuss expectations for being an awesome spouse.
During our first week back to the real world, I silently wondered what Jason expected from me now that I was his wife rather than his fiancée. Despite nine happy years of dating under our belt, a small and irrational part of me worried that I'd fail to balance everything: household chores, my career, our love life, friends and family, etc. I'd witnessed with other couples how resentment could build up over time because of a lack of give-and-take. Jason reassured me that he didn't fall in love with me because of how well I could iron his dress shirts or cook interesting meals. 

Photo courtesy of Jessica Simpson via Twitter

Arrivederci, Italia! Jessica Simpson and Eric Johnson have reportedly changed their minds about hosting their wedding in Capri, opting instead to hold the celebration closer to home in Los Angeles.

Although Capri is a meaningful spot for the couple — it was one of the first trips they took together — they realized it'd be "too much" to ask friends and family to fly to Europe for their wedding. A source revealed to Us Weekly that the couple decided a wedding in California will be "easier to plan" and "less expensive."

The best man's role is to plan the bachelor party, support the groom throughout the planning process, get fitted for a tux, hold the rings for safekeeping, sign the marriage license, give a toast at the reception and...save the day in the event of disaster? Cameron Scheuplein went above and beyond the call of duty for his niece, Christina Scheuplein, and her husband-to-be, Ray De Santiago. 

Photo courtesy of KTLA-TV

KTLA-TV reports that Christina and Ray's home in La Puenta, California was burglarized last Saturday — just one week before their wedding was supposed to take place — along with seven others in their neighborhood. (The intruder slipped in through an open bathroom window while the couple was out.) The $6,000 they had stored to help pay for day-of expenses was gone. What made the situation even more dire was that Ray had lost his job just two months prior, so the newlyweds-to-be were already struggling to make ends meet.

Panic-stricken, they immediately went into crisis management mode and thought of ways they could slash costs. They were prepared to cut flowers from the event, have their friends man the bar and rush to get a relative ordained since they could no longer afford the officiant they had booked. But before they could do all of that, Cameron had one last-ditch idea that would change everything.

Rejoice, DIY brides! Personalizing your wedding has just become even more fun and creative thanks to the Epson LabelWorks Printable Ribbon Kit ($69.99).

This nifty new product comes in a compact carrying case that holds the printer, two ribbon cartridges, six AAA batteries and an optional AC adapter (batteries and adapter not included.)

I love its versatility: You can make one-of-a-kind creations for a variety of wedding items by printing names and messages directly onto satin ribbons in different fonts, colors and styles. It’s ideal for gifts and guest favors:

and for labeling the candies and treats on your dessert table:

At the bridal shower (or reception), use a printed ribbon with the guest book:

Bridal's perennial favorite accessory: the flower. We're swooning over these floral-embellished gowns, perfect for the garden wedding. Floral accents have a super feminine feel, which works wonderful for bridal. We love the soft texture flowers imbue to any gown. This style is ideal for a spring or summer wedding. Here, a few faves from White by Vera Wang, Reem Acra, and Mia Solano.

—Naima DiFranco

Forget sparkling diamonds — the most grand proposal gesture of all might also be the most practical!

ERA Real Estate surveyed 1,000 people in committed relationships and found that 50% of female respondents in their 20s would rather forgo a diamond engagement ring and put that cash towards a down payment on a house. (In fact, 18 percent of participants said they had already skipped getting a ring for this very reason.) Interestingly, there appears to be a generational gap with this perception: only eight percent of women in their 50s and two percent of women in their 60s agreed.

Photo Credit: iStock

Furthermore, from those surveyed in the ERA study, 89 percent said their love bond was strengthened by buying a home together. With rising housing costs, socking away every little bit counts — according to U.S. Census data, the median sales price of new homes sold in the U.S. was $260,100 in January 2014. Factor in an unstable job market, student debt, and another potentially huge purchase to save up for — the wedding! — and our dollars are stretched now more than ever before. 

Oprah Winfrey's generosity is legendary — we're still kicking ourselves that we never got a chance to visit her talk show in Chicago (who could forget when her entire audience received new cars?). Now she's outdone herself once again by gifting the dress off her back to one lucky Twitter fan from Atlanta!

Brandi (who goes by the name @snobabi23) sent a funny tweet to the media mogul gushing over the stunning Brian Bennier dress that she wore on Essence Magazine's cover. Ask and ye shall receive:

To her surprise, a package arrived in the mail just one week later:

We can't wait to see a photo of Brandi on her big day! Props to her for scoring a wedding gown with such fascinating history.

Photo Credit: Twitter

Plus, read about another unbelievable wedding dream that came true recently.

Unleash your inner princess dreams with a frothy layered ballgown. Layers are incredibly graceful because of the way they flow and sway gently as you glide down the aisle. With the light airiness of a layered ballgown, you will appear to be floating on air. We love this style paired with an elegant dreamy veil. Soft waves in the hair add a modern edge to this look.

The key to looking good in a layered ballgown is ensuring the waist is tight and fitted. This gives you a gorgeous hourglass look. Here a few of our favorite frothy ballgowns by Watters, Oleg Cassini for David's Bridal, and Ella Rosa.

—Naima DiFranco

The sub-freezing weather makes me want to stay inside with comfort food and candlelight. Here are some ways to put a cozy spin on evenings at home. 

Le Creuset Heritage French Skillet
Growing up with this storied heavy-duty enameled cast iron cookware, the classic ombré-orange “Flame” was always my favorite color, but I’m now quite partial to “Quince,” pictured here (also available in “Flame” and “Cherry”). The skillet is based on a pan from Le Creuset’s design archives ($99.99, williamssonoma.com).

Dansk Kobenstyle Casserole
Vintage Kobenstyle pieces have been selling furiously on eBay, so thank goodness Dansk saw fit to bring back this groovy line of Danish cookware. Bonus points: The lid can also be used as a trivet for serving (from $80, dansk.com).

Birdkage Shibori Mini Bib Apron
These aprons are so gorgeous, I’d not only wear this for cooking, I’d keep it on for the finished meal — the perfect hostess-with-the-mostess wear ($90, birdkagestyle.com).