Here is an exclusive book excerpt from 13 Things They Won't Tell You. Every month, Reader’s Digest Magazine asks selected experts from a different profession to spill their secrets. Readers walk a mile in their shoes and see things that are enlightening, horrifying, and give them a whole new perspective on the people they trust with their food, health, family, money, and home. They walk away with the keys to awesome backdoor deals, insider knowledge that saves them tons of money, and invaluable advice for getting better service anywhere they go.

Now, for the first time ever, this wisdom has been collected into one comprehensive volume, complete with updates, all new interviews, and tons of additional secrets that have never appeared before.

From hosting an open house to getting an estimate of your property's value, these real estate tips from the experts ought to help in today's tough market.

1. If I'm hugely successful, you may not get the benefit of my experience. A well-known agent may pass you off to a junior agent after you sign the contract. Ask me exactly who will be handling your phone calls, marketing your house, and taking you to look at homes before you sign to ensure you get exactly what you're paying for.

BG staffers had the honor of meeting Federico Calce, hairstylist to the stars, recently at his chic uptown salon. He came to New York from Milan in the early eighties and became a fixture at runway shows including Fendi, Valentino and Armani. Since then, he's cultivated a celebrity following: his clients include Kelly Ripa, Eva Longoria, Nicole Richie, Catherine Zeta-Jones and more! (If he could work with any celebrity bride, it would be Angelina Jolie).

The pro hairstylist sat down with us and gave us the inside scoop on what he recommends for all of his brides, famous or not.

1. Why is your wedding-day hairstyle important?
"Hair is an extension of personality. It's the first thing a person notices when they look at a face," said Calce. It's important to look like yourself on your wedding day; for example, if you usually wear a sock bun or a ponytail, then a top knot would be a fabulous wedding hairstyle idea for you. However, if you never put your hair up in your day-to-day life, it's probably not the best idea to start on your wedding day.

2. What advice do you have for the hair trial?
Calce recommends trying five different looks at your hair trials. Take photos of each hairstyle — "In person, they may appear one way, but the camera will give a different effect," said Calce. 

Scratch Weddings is the nation's leader with the best wedding DJs at affordable prices. For more info, visit scratchweddings.com.

Photo Credit: Studio Stem

Add a few of these patriotic summer jams to your playlist, curated by the music experts at Scratch Weddings! 

This week was filled with firsts, challenges and triumphs as part of my ongoing mission to slim down and get in shape for my wedding day. Here, an inside look at my eating and exercise diaries.

Monday, June 24
I had my usual breakfast this morning of two egg whites and a skim latte. I brought a homemade veggie burger and sweet potato fries for lunch. The fries are amazing! Here's how I make them: I peel and cut up sweet potatoes; I sprinkle some salt, pepper and olive oil on them; then I pop them in the oven for about 40 minutes. 

For dinner, my meal was even better. I made Butternut Squash Pasta and Sausage, a recipe I found on my favorite website, skinnytaste.com. You couldn't even tell the creaminess came from a vegetable. 

My fiancé Rene and I went for a half-hour walk after dinner and did some jogging, too. My shins were really bothering me but I pushed through it anyway. Luckily, Rene's back is feeling much better! P.S. Next time I need to remember to wear bug spray — I got eaten alive out there.

Tuesday, June 25
My wake-up call was at 4:45 a.m. to do my workout from Bonne Marcus because I knew I wouldn’t have time to exercise at night. I woke up in excruciating pain with terrible shin splints. It hurt just to walk down the stairs to let the dogs out. Not good! 

My now-husband Jon and I used to live in Washington DC, and it was there that we met via a mutual friend who organized a group outing one night. Jon had never said "I love you" to anyone before, but earlier that evening, he happened to tell his friends, half-jokingly: "Guys, I'm going to fall in love tonight, I know it." Oddly enough, he was right!

Later, we both admitted that we had it bad for each other since day one. When Jon moved all the way across the country to California for school, we were both ready to take on the challenge of a long-distance relationship...but what made it a lot easier was that he proposed during my first visit out to see him!

We quickly decided that we wanted to celebrate with two weddings: an Indian ceremony and reception, and a traditional Christian ceremony with a separate reception as well. So we kicked off the wedding planning while being engaged long-distance for six months before I moved to California myself. In March, we had wedding #1, which took place in Seattle, Washington. In late September of this year, we'll celebrate our six-month anniversary with a second wedding in Columbus, Ohio! Here's what I learned from planning not one, but two different cultural celebrations.

 
Photo Credit: Jaquilyn Shumate Photography

During my three years as Bridal Guide’s Fashion Advertising Associate, I’ve probably swooned over hundreds of wedding gowns. Each time I sat through a runway show, I imagined how each dress would look on me. When my fiancé, Steve, surprised me with an engagement ring in February, I immediately started thinking about what my wedding dress will look like (once I got over my initial shock!).

However, I forced myself to wait a few months before making my first bridal appointment since my wedding isn't taking place until October 2014, so I have plenty of time. I decided to start my dress shopping journey at Bridal Reflections in NYC; the salon not only carries gorgeous gowns, but also provides excellent, one-on-one service. Here's what I learned!

1. DON'T make your appointment on a Saturday.
I knew I’d be shopping with a pretty big entourage, so it was great that we arrived early on Sunday before the salon got too busy. It’s also a good idea to ask for the salon’s first appointment of the day. Our appointment was at 11 a.m. and we were the only people in the salon. I didn't feel rushed at all, and I was able to try on about 10 gowns!

2. DO bring people you trust (and who will tell you the truth).
I brought my mom, sister, aunt, future mother- and sister-in-law, and two of my bridesmaids. I know this sounds like it might be overwhelming, but I knew that they would all give me their honest feedback. For example, my soon-to-be mother-in-law told me that one of the glitzier dresses made me look like a Vegas showgirl!