Right after Thanksgiving, photographer Melissa McCrotty announced a contest where she'd give one couple a free photo session. Lance, who first fell in love with his now-fiancée Kathryn in fifth grade, entered immediately. In his email to Melissa, he wrote:

"I don’t know if this will make any difference, but I just bought Kathryn a ring, and if you happen to pick us for the contest, I will propose at the end of the session."

That won over Melissa, and they began planning this super cute Christmas-themed photo shoot! 

The spirit of the holiday season reminds us of the importance of generosity—not just around Christmas and Hannukah, but all year long.

That's why we love this story: Jodi Guber, the founder of Beyond Yoga, is giving away the dreamy Vera Wang gown that she wore at her own nuptials to one very lucky and deserving bride-to-be! A firm believer in paying it forward, Guber wants to help create a "Beyond" special moment for someone else that is as meaningful as her wedding day was to her. 

Enter the giveaway by sending your contact info and story about why you should win to [email protected] by January 31. Please include "Beyond Beautiful Bride Giveaway" in the subject line. The winner of the tulle-and-organza stunner will be notified on Valentine's Day—thereby bypassing jewels and chocolates as our preferred gifts of choice.

Good luck, BG brides!

—Stefania Sainato

I don’t typically wear perfume (body splash and scented lotion will do), but I think such a special occasion is worthy of a special scent. My mom and I visited Sephora recently and began sniffing around. Lost in a cloud of several fragrances and on the verge of a headache, I was nowhere near making a decision 15 minutes into my visit. Then a sales associate kindly asked if I needed help. Once I explained why we were there (and how we had narrowed it down to some favorites, but they started to confuse my nose), she offered to put together samples of all the scents I was considering—how awesome is that?

I've been wearing the samples ever since in an attempt to make a decision. Want to help?

Marc Jacobs Daisy

Marc Jacobs Daisy is sweet and sophisticated; I can’t say whether it smells just like a daisy, but it certainly is floral. Don't get me wrong, it isn't too sweet (I don't like overly sugary scents) but it does have some feminine notes.

Here's a negative: I asked Corey to sniff each perfume in their little sample baggies and he said this reminded him of rubbing alcohol. Not good. However, later when I wore it for a day and asked if he liked it, he said yes. Oh fickle fiancé!

Hello, my gorgeous BG.com readers! Hope everyone is enjoying the festive season. I am sending happy holiday vibes to all of you!

Today, I thought I’d talk about certain wedding truths no one wants to tell you, since I'm officially a wedding planning veteran. Here it goes...

1. There are going to be times when you seriously question your sanity. 

This is okay. There is a reason why they came up with the word "bridezilla"—planning your wedding can be a stress-inducing experience. It's easy for us to get sucked into an unattainable ideal of perfection. Then you've got the anxiety of actually paying for it all, coupled with the desire to bond with your new in-laws. It's inevitable that we have meltdowns from time to time! Here are 20 easy ways to de-stress for the times when it all feels like too much to handle.

 Photo Credit: Jayd Gardina Photography

2. You will become obsessed with looking at total strangers' weddings (on Pinterest, Facebook, etc.) and want to steal their genius ideas.

Whenever people ask me where my favorite place to travel is, I often respond, “Destinations are like children; it’s hard to name a favorite.” I’ll spill the secret here, though, and tell you that a few of my top choices are the walled city of Carcassonne in France, the ancient ruins of Tulum, and Arenal in Costa Rica. 

What is so cool about the Arenal site is the fact that there is an active, lava-spewing volcano that’s visible from nearly every vantage point in town. And with the geothermal activity comes ah-maze-ing natural hot springs. There are cool rock formations that create pools for dipping, luxuriating, and oh-so-conducive to some couple time. There are public pools, but the ones at Tabacón Grand Spa Thermal Resort are set in a luxurious setting complete with 11 outdoor spa treatment rooms, a menu of indigenous-inspired spa treats (the mud wraps are awesome), and Ayurvadic offerings. There are also places to enjoy delectable spa cuisine and time together.

After several months of browsing and researching, Michael and I have finally completed our wedding registries! With the holidays in mind, we included products that are ideal for entertaining. (Check out part one of our wedding registry list here.)

Make your job as hostess hassle-free with our picks below:

1. Wedgwood Vera Wang Gilded Leaf 20-Piece Dinnerware Set

Michael and I were looking for a china pattern in a neutral color palette that wasn’t overly feminine. We really loved the combination of gold and silver in this set, as well as the delicate leaf detail.

2. Monique Lhuillier for Royal Doulton Atelier 77-Ounce Decanter

We searched for a decanter that was sleek with bold details — Monique Lhullier didn't disappoint. We adore the narrow neck and circle accents.