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In our new "Friday Favorites" column, we'll share our top five inspirations of the week culled from real wedding submissions, industry events, what's trending in the weddings world and more!

1. The hottest wedding venues at the moment are...dairy farms? 

Good Morning America reports that more cattle farmers are offering nuptials as part of their business plans due to high demand. While tying the knot to the sound of moos may not seem romantic to some, there are definitely pros to wedding on a dairy farm, including a homespun look, a budget-friendly price and delish farm-to-table cuisine.

Tony Azevedo, the owner of Double T Ranch in Central California — where Kelly Clarkson shot her "Tie It Up" video — told The Los Angeles Times that weddings have saved his dairy business from going bankrupt. "This Pinterest thing is my new business partner. Everybody wants to get married in a damn barn and have their picture taken with a cow," he tells the LA Times. Tell us whether you'd consider getting hitched in this offbeat locale!

It’s a given that not every wedding is a first-time marriage. In fact, many of you may be marrying someone who has tied the knot before, and you’ll become his children’s stepparent — about a quarter of all new marriages form stepfamilies. In order to help you navigate any potentially sticky situations down the road, we turned to Dr. Patricia Papernow, psychologist and Harvard instructor and author of Surviving and Thriving in Stepfamily Relationships: What Works and What Doesn’t. Dr. Papernow’s must-read book is filled with lots of sage advice for couples dealing with the emotional issues that often arise in blended families. 

We asked Dr. Papernow a few key questions about stepparenting issues. Here, her words of wisdom:

Q. What is the top challenge faced by a stepmother?

Brides are always searching for the next best way to inject unique style into their wedding design, myself included. Lately, I'm loving bold patterns and prints! The best part about them is that a little goes a long way. Carry the theme throughout your details by lining your invitation envelopes with a patterned design, tying a strip of fabric around your bouquet or opting to have your bridesmaids wear polka dots for instant sass.

If you're looking for inspiration, then you're bound to find stylish ideas at your nearest fabric store. Whether you gravitate towards black and white stripes or a colorful ikat print, there's a different print or pattern for every wedding vibe. Check out some of my favorite ideas below!

Chevron

This just might be my favorite pattern and with good reason — it's entirely universal as to the vibe it can give off. Pair it with black and white and it instantly becomes a modern design element. Add bold punches of color with backdrops and tablecloths (like the photos shown below) and your bash takes on more of a playful feel.

Bonus tip: Confused about the difference between chevron and herringbone? The two patterns are almost identical, but one way to always know if you're spotting chevron is if it makes a continuous zigzag shape.

After my Sunday training session with Bonne Marcus, I was sore until Wednesday. I pushed through and worked out on Tuesday and Wednesday, though. On Tuesday, my workout consisted of a spin class in the morning for 45 minutes, and when I got home from work, I went through the routine Bonne had given me again. The routine included squats, lunges, step ups, and a bunch of arm exercises using a body bar and dumbbells. It's a true full body workout. On Wednesday, I just took another spin class for cardio. It wasn't a great week for me workout-wise; I had a busy week, which I know is no excuse, but unfortunately I used it anyway.

My favorite meal of the week was turkey chili that was cooked in the crockpot. A warm bowl of chili is perfect on a crisp fall night, and I made a skinny version, so it wasn't too fattening. You can find the recipe here from Skinnytaste. 

As a family of loyal Honda drivers (they own more than 20 between all of their relatives), Mairead and Kevin knew they wanted to include Hondas somehow in their big day. When they asked a local dealer to loan them three CR-Vs for bridal party transportation, the company had something much bigger in mind. 

Honda sent eight cars, with each filled with an amazing surprise: The band they saw on their first date, a troupe of Irish step dancers, tons of registry gifts, and — the best surprise of all — Honda flew in their relatives from Ireland who previously could not attend the wedding.

Try not to tear up as you watch this video:

—Kristen O'Gorman Klein

Feeling thrifty? All of these amazing wedding shoes are under $70! You don't need to spend a fortune to look like a million bucks. When selecting your shoes, don't skimp on style to stay in budget. DSW recently created a wedding collection of heels on their site. I browsed the collection and found quite a few heels I love. Here, a few of my favorites. 

Credits left to right: 1. Audrey Brooke "Easton" platform pump, $49.95. 2. Lulu Townsend satin pump, $49.95. 3. Seychelles floral "just because" pump, $69.95. 4. Audrey Brooke "Jacob" sandal, $49.95. 5. Cara "tropical flower" hair clip from Nordstrom, $36.00 6. Audrey Brooke "Earth" d'orsay pump, $49.95. 7. Audrey Brooke "Candace" sandal, $59.95. 8. Audrey Brooke "Stacey" satin sandal, $69.95 9. Caprarros Luxe platform lace sandal, $64.95. (All shoes available at dsw.com)

Tell us: Which is your favorite? 

—Naima DiFranco

Photo Credit: Chelsea Clair/Facebook

All of us newlyweds promise to love our spouses in sickness and in health, but one Indiana couple's amazing story was actually born from the ultimate sacrifice: Donating an organ to a stranger.

Chelsea Clair, 26, met Kyle Froelich, 23, at a car show four years ago. He was diagnosed with a fatal kidney disorder when he was 12 years old, and doctors estimated that the then-senior in high school only had one more year to live unless he could obtain a successful kidney transplant. Many of his family members and friends were tested, but none proved to be a perfect match.

That is, until he met Clair, who heard his story through a family friend, and declared on the spot that she would give him her kidney. Froelich had guarded himself from getting his hopes up — according to the United Network for Organ Sharing, only slightly more than 50% of people on the national waiting list receive an organ within five years — but a month later, test results gave them the green light to move forward with a transplant.

Clair told ABC News that her father passed away from cancer having never received the bone marrow transplant that could have potentially saved his life, so she felt a personal connection to Froelich. "I just felt like I would have wanted somebody to step up [for my father], so I just wanted to help him," she says.

In our new "Friday Favorites" column, we'll share our top five inspirations of the week culled from real wedding submissions, industry events, what's trending in the weddings world and more!

1. Cinderella-meets-Captain America wedding. This has to be one of the most stunning bridal portraits we've seen! The Utah bride says that "Pepper [her photographer] indulged my fairy tale fantasy in taking pictures of me running down the stairs at the state Capitol building with one shoe behind me. I loved every second I spent in that dress [she wore Cotin Sposa], and I wouldn’t have felt anywhere near as incredible in anything else!"

Check out more photos and read the couple's love story on The Bridal Detective.

Photo Credit: Pepper Nix Photography via The Bridal Detective

2. Get a headstart on those holiday cards. Minted, one of our favorite budget-friendly resources for wedding invites, save-the-dates, and more, has launched a "Newly Married" holiday collection. It features 43 different customizeable designs — I've featured a few of my favorites below. Aren't they lovely? I'll be adding this to my to-do list once I get all of those wedding thank-yous mailed out.

I'm blushing ... over these ultra-romantic pieces — perfect for a dream wedding! Petal soft accessories and confectionery pinks are sure to make your wedding sweet. Here a few of my favorite pieces, sure to charm the girly-girl in you.

Credits left to right: 1. Silk floral headband by Alannah Hill 2. 18k rose gold heart earrings by Tiffany & Co.  3.  Light pink minaudiere by Marchesa. 4. Chantilly lace corset gown with full fishtail tulle skirt by Marchesa. 5. Tulle, lace and organza one shoulder ballgown by Vera Wang. 6. Gianvito Rossi Rhinestone Peep Toe Sandal. 7. Ursula Satin Strappy Platform Sandals by Charlotte Olympia. 8. Alexander McQueen pink flower box clutch. 9. Double bridal comb set with flowers and crystals by Erica Elizabeth Design.

—Naima DiFranco