Hello, lovely ladies! I’m back! Can you believe it? In a few short days, I will have been married for a whole month...crazy!

My destination wedding in Vegas was a whirlwind and coming out of it married to my best friend was probably the highlight. However, when we were in New York (the only stop we made before the wedding), we got some engagement photos taken by the lovely Dina Kantor of Sam and Gertie Photography.

I thought I’d share my engagement shoot with you today while we wait (im)patiently for all of our wedding photos!

How's this for a daring ceremony idea? The couple, who performed together as a tightrope act in a circus, tied the knot 60 feet above a gathering crowd — sans nets — in Toulouse, France. Their officiant climbed up a fire ladder to perform the ceremony. The best man, "the man with the worst job of the day," later joined with the rings before walking the tightrope with the groom. Check out the video!

via Jezebel

—Kristen O'Gorman Klein

Once you and your groom reach the ten month mark, it’s the perfect time to begin your save the date search. Selecting your save-the-dates is such an exciting process because the options are truly endless. More importantly, you are formally announcing to family and friends that your upcoming nuptials are fast approaching — and they better mark their calendars!

For our save-the-dates, Michael and I opted for a matte 4x6 announcement that featured the New York City skyline to give our guests a preview of what to expect on our wedding day (see below).

I love the idea of selecting save-the-dates that are entirely different from your wedding invitation, especially for brides who want to play it safe with their formal invites (myself included). Opt for fun and engaging announcements that leave your guests eagerly anticipating your big day. Not sure where to start? Check out these unique trends and don't be afraid to experiment!

1. Make it Stick

Ensure that your save-the-date doesn’t get misplaced by sending a magnet featuring your pretty mugs. “Stamp of Love” Photo Magnet, available at agiftfulheart.com, starts at $54.

2. Jot it Down

Have your family and friends “pencil you in" with this letterpress save-the-date, available through melangerienyc.com. Prices start at $1,300.

Each week, we feature wedding music recommendations from Scratch Weddings, the nation's leader with the best wedding DJs at affordable prices. This week's post comes from Damian P. Based in NYC, Damian specializes in blending songs across all generations. He is the DJ of choice for exclusive fashion events with Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors, Guess, and many more. Damian loves bringing his mixing skills and energetic style to modern weddings. "Spinning for a wedding is the ultimate challenge as a DJ. You have to know how to please all guests — young and old — while keeping the dance floor moving. It's a process I truly enjoy.”

Photo Credit: Solar Photographers

When the time came for bride Joyce McDevitt, 64, to choose her bridesmaids, she was faced with quite a dilemma. She comes from a large family; plus, Joyce and her husband, David, have seven kids and eight grandchildren between them.  "I had 22 bridesmaids from my side of the family, plus David's two daughters Ruth, 41, and Katie, 30, and his granddaughter," she told the Daily Mail. Plus, she couldn't see getting married without her five lifelong friends by her side. The result: 30 bridesmaids, two on stand-by, and a ceremony spot picked special to accomodate this super-sized bridal party. 

Photo via The Daily Mail

Read the full story here. 

What do you think—how many bridesmaids is too many?

—Kristen O'Gorman Klein

P.S. Joyce didn't even come close to the world record, set by Jill Stapleton in 2010 with 110 bridesmaids.

Photo Credit: Jason Kaczorowski Photography  

If you’re one of those girls who has been daydreaming about your wedding for years, did you ever stop and think about the size of the wedding you wanted? I never really considered it, but have been thinking about this a lot as of late. There are pros and cons to each size wedding that you’ll want to keep in mind.

Small Wedding
 

2 – 50 guests. If you're having a destination wedding or civil ceremony, 50 people might sound like a lot, but think about it: You’ve got mom and dad (times two), grandparents, aunts, uncles, friends, co-workers. The numbers are starting to get up there, aren’t they? The major pro of a small wedding is that you can make it extremely intimate and personal—you'll spend a significant amount of time with each guest.

[Editor's Note: This week, real bride guest blogger Jessica Lubin Hall explains why she and her husband James decided to have a second wedding reception. We thought her story was fascinating—she makes a compelling case. Take it away, Jess!]

While our wedding took place this past June in New York, there were a lot of people from my hometown of Phoenix who either couldn’t make it or we weren't able to invite because of size. So my parents hosted a second reception at their home last month. We had an absolute blast catching up with friends I’ve known my whole life. And we even had a signature cocktail, dubbed the J & J Cocktail, with vodka and watermelon puree. It was divine.

We put out a copy of the invitation that my cousin-in-law's mom painted for us and the guest book for everyone to sign. Our invitations were essentially the same, just without a response card and ribbon detail (RSVP info was listed on the invite). 

My mom and I really wanted to echo the wedding at the house. While we couldn’t be in the beautiful Hudson Valley, we reused my wedding candles throughout the house on tables and mantles. My mom also bought luminarias that we put out by the pool and lit when the sun went down. They really helped create more ambiance, and light, to the outside.