As of last Friday, I officially have one year until I say I do! I can't believe how fast time went, and I can only imagine how quickly these next 12 months are going to go. Ah! Now it’s all really starting to sink in how close the big day actually is — and the need to lose the weight and plan the wedding of my dreams are both top priorities in my mind.

Last week, Rene and I attended a bridal expo on Monday and Tuesday night, where we met with various vendors and were able to schedule appointments and get information. So far, we decided on our florist and picked out the centerpieces, booked our photo booth (which was a must-have for Rene and me), and decided on a few little surprises we want to have at the reception. My next step to check off my list is finding a photographer and videographer. I know how important it is to find a great one, and I want to get my engagement photos done soon to get out my save-the-dates. Saturday morning, we met with a photographer/videographer, but I wasn't too impressed, so I need to make more appointments for this coming weekend. I need to find the perfect fit for us, and if it takes a few weeks to find it, then it’s all worth it.

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You don’t have to live in a cramped New York City apartment (as my husband and I do) to appreciate the mini-me-sized approach to design. These products pack mega benefits in petite packages. Here, five ways to live large in a small space.

Who wants to push around a mongo vacuum cleaner when the Dyson DC50 gets the job done so efficiently? It’s lighter and smaller than its full-sized sister models, yet packs the same high performance, along with a new and more sophisticated patented brush-bar technology that self-adjusts to clean fine dust from hard floors with carbon fiber filaments, while stiff nylon bristles remove dirt from carpets ($499.99, dyson.com).

With its click-on, click-off handles, Cristel — stylish, stainless cookware from France — transitions from stove to tabletop with ease. But what we really value is how each piece stacks and nests into another for space saving of the highest order (from $99, cristelusa.com).

Even though Tuesdays are never high on the list for a preferred wedding day, this Tuesday is different. Because of its sequential numbers, 11/12/13, many couples are choosing to tie the knot today.

We spoke with renowned event planner, Harriette Rose Katz, Founder and President of Events/Gourmet Advisory Services (gourmetadvisory.com), who has planned hundreds of dream weddings for 35 years, about this numerical phenom. “People like feeling special, no one more so than a bride!” says Harriette. “And this is a special date. Brides are competitive, and this is a unique one-off that can’t be beat beyond next year!” Harriette even heard of one couple who met on 7/7/07 and planned a long engagement so they could keep number patterns a part of their relationship. Because a mid-week wedding is often difficult for guests to attend, Harriette thinks couples may just get married on Tuesday and then have the bigger celebration on the weekend.

And the numerical fascination won’t end this year. In fact, Harriette already has couples booking for 12/13/14 and expects even more weddings on that day, since it falls on a Saturday, the most popular day for wedding celebrations. “This is a chance to really go all out,” says Harriette. “The entire day can be planned and themed around the date from the morning ceremony through to the evening celebration. The numbers can be incorporated into the event through table decorations, gifts or through artwork such as the monograms, the program and menu.” Harriette also recommends booking hotels and clubs, as they’ll already be decorated for the holidays (saving you lots of money!) and leaving only the table décor to think about.