January 7th

Photo Credit: Crimson and Clover Photography

Tip of the Day: Want to be the best maid of honor ever? Above all, be a great listener. Encourage the bride to confide in you about anything (or anyone), with the promise that your lips are sealed. Every bride needs a reliable person she can vent to, which helps get all of that wedding stress out.

Show that you care about the bride's wedding plans by sending her a quick text message or giving her a call after an important appointment. In turn, brides should make their MOH feel involved in the plans by telling them specific tasks they need help with (e.g. choosing a centerpiece design, shopping for their gown).

Follow these five secrets of being an awesome bridesmaid.

January 5th

Photo by: Papered Heart Photography on Wedding Chicks via Lover.ly

Tip of the Day: It may be too chilly for an outdoor wedding in December, but you can still decorate the outdoor areas of your wedding venues. In addition to wreaths, garlands and other traditional winter décor pieces, look to the trees along driveways and walkways as the perfect spot for displaying sweet and sentimental signs.

Adorable Save-the-Date Idea

Without further ado, I'm thrilled to share my save-the-dates with you all, which went out in the mail today! After receiving my engagement photos from my photographer, Josh Lynn, I had a hard time choosing just one. I thought to myself, Why not use three, four, or even five—no sweat, right? However, every printing store or website I searched said it couldn't be done because their existing save-the-date layouts were limited. Exasperated, I was ready to give up my creative aspirations, until my coworker Kristen introduced me to Pear Tree Greetings.

Not only do Pear Tree designs accomodate more than one image, but their "love letter" tri-fold style was unlike any save-the-date I've ever seen before (which speaks volumes, since we receive countless ones at Bridal Guide). As the Web Producer at BG, the theme was a fitting tribute to my occupation, but it'd be great for any couple who wants to reveal more than just their date and "formal invitation to follow." How adorable is the "he proposed" button?

Front View:

10 Ways to Save Thousands on Your Wedding

Guest blogger: Sharon Naylor, bestselling author of over 35 wedding books for brides, bridesmaids and the mothers of the bride and groom. Her titles have spent time in the #1 book, e-book and wishlist spots on Amazon and BN.com for their categories. Here is an exclusive sneak peek from her new book, The Bride's Guide to Freebies: Enhancing Your Wedding Without Selling Out.

Registry Road Test: Cordless Vacuum Cleaner

dyson dc44 animal cordless vacuum cleaner

I am definitely challenged when it comes to certain domestic chores. I enjoy cooking and even doing dishes — but rugs, floors and other dusty surfaces? Forget it. So, yes, I confess: all manner of grit and dust bunnies tend to gather on the home front. And while we have a stellar, industrial-strength vacuum cleaner at the ready, we are not, um, consistent enough. To the rescue: Dyson DC44 Digital Slim, a lightweight (5 pounds) cordless wonder that has seriously rocked my world.

dyson dc44 animal cordless vacuum cleanerdyson dc44 animal cordless vacuum cleaner

For any of you who have tried — and failed — to ease the drudge factor by way of a cordless cleaning machine, let me just say that this battery-powered vacuum is an entirely different species. Not only can it inhale easy stuff like crumbs on a hardwood floor, it takes on challenges like fine dust and carpets embedded with god knows what.

dyson dc44 animal cordless vacuum cleaner

Awesome Ways to Announce Your Engagement

Guest blogger: Rosanna Casper, co-founder of Idojour.com, a wedding website where brides, grooms, family and friends can purchase a stylish and affordable mix of beautifully curated pieces. Designed to make wedding planning all the more inspiring and enjoyable, Idojour offers accessories and apparel for your wedding weekend, complemented by both inspirational and practical content. Rosanna oversees content, among many other things, and makes sure that everything comes together beautifully on the site.

Here, Rosanna shares her favorite ways to announce your engagement.

Engagement season is upon us, and many of you ladies and gents will soon be changing your Facebook statuses from “in a relationship” to “engaged,” thus beginning a whirlwind of parties and planning and wedding wonderfulness.

But first thing first: How do you tell the world that you will be marrying the person of your dreams? Whether it be a digital card, a mailed announcement or a simple social media update, here are a few awesomely creative ways people have announced their engagement.

1. Scrabble + Rings = A simple and sweet announcement

January 2nd

Photo Credit: A Magic Moment

Tip of the Day: Throwing an engagement party? It doesn't have to be pricey—a new trend is get-togethers that are centered around a fun activity like bowling, laser tag, or even mini golf. If you plan on hosting a formal affair at a later point in time, it's still a good idea to organize a casual event for close friends and family members immediately following your engagement. That way, everyone can congratulate you as a group, so you won't have to schedule individual visits with well-wishers. Plus, it gives you all the chance to celebrate while that giddy feeling is still new and exciting.

Plus, avoid these five "don'ts" after getting engaged.

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