Blogs

Your Facebook feed is likely blowing up with engagement news right about now; we're in the midst of engagement season, after all. But few things can toy with your emotions quite like seeing that an ex just got engaged.

Now imagine reading that news in Us Weekly instead — when we saw that not just one but two of Lauren Conrad's exes just got engaged, we couldn't help but sympathize.

Jason Wahler and fiancée Ashley Slack (L), and Doug Reinhardt and fiancée Allie Lutz (R). Photos via Instagram.

Whether you're single, attached, or even happily married, it's a weird feeling when an ex proposes to someone else. It doesn't matter if you haven't spoken to him in ten years and never would've married him anyway. But if you dated him more recently and were starting to plan a future together, it hurts that much harder. Here, how to cope.

Whether you've been engaged for just two days or over two years, let's all take a step back and think about how far we've come in our relationships to get to this exact moment. The stationery pros at Wedding Paper Divas have put together a fun infographic on everything from when most couples first say "I love you" to where they'll vacation for the first time together as husband-and-wife. This is based on survey data they compiled from June 2011 to 2012.

I'm happy to see that 22 percent of receptions are held in an "other" venue (i.e. not a ballroom or barn), something we've witnessed in online real weddings submissions. It's not uncommon for us to receive gorgeous photos from around the world in courthouses, art museums, zoos, and more. (Check out our list of the craziest places couples got married in 2012.)

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:

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.

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.

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.

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

It's official: Kim Kardashian is expecting her first child with Kanye West in 2013! Get all of the details here; plus, check out other high-profile couples who are rewriting the "first comes love, then comes marriage..." equation.  Check out more celebrity predictions for 2013 here!

1. Kim Kardashian

During a performance in Atlantic City last night, the 35-year-old rapper blurted out the happy pregnancy news to over 5,000 concert-goers. "Stop the music and make noise for my baby mama," he said, referring to his girlfriend of eight months, 32, who was in the audience. Naturally, the Kardashian clan was quick to confirm, tweeting congratulatory messages shortly thereafter. Big sister Kourtney wrote, "Been wanting to shout from the rooftops with joy and now I can! Another angel to welcome to our family. Overwhelmed with excitement!" Grandma-to-be Kris Jenner revealed that she is "A happy girl!!!!!!!! Wowza! Oh BABY BABY BABY."

The reality show star has been vocal about her desire to have kids: During an episode of Keeping Up, she received fertility treatments. Back in September, during an appearance on The View, Barbara Walters asked if she wanted to conceive with boyfriend West. Kim responded, "At the space that I am in life now, kids are definitely something I want...I think I fell in love so quickly and wanted that to be my life so badly [before dating West] but I just didn't take the time to find someone." E! News reports that Kim is about three months along, but there's a catch—she's still legally married to Nets forward Kris Humphries. In February, they will continue their divorce proceedings, so once that chapter of her life is finally over, we predict she won't wait long to become a Mrs. again.

"During my time at Bridal Guide, I've had the opportunity to browse thousands of gowns in our online gallery, editorial fashion spreads and designer ad pages. But nothing could prepare me for the surreal experience of actually trying on a wedding gown for the first time. One of the key things I learned was that trying on a variety of styles—even ones I never thought I'd wear—helped me a great deal. It also helped to have my go-to BG fashionistas, Rachel Dichter (fashion sales associate), and Noelle Gharbi (multimedia marketing coordinator), provide real, uncensored feedback. Here's an account of my dress shopping adventure through their eyes."

Congrats to Amy Rauch, Bridal Guide’s digital marketing director, on getting engaged!

You’d think that when one of our own “says yes,” she’d know exactly what kind of wedding gown she wants, right? Wrong! When you work at a bridal magazine, you become overexposed to thousands of gorgeous white options. That’s why we went straight to one of our favorite NYC bridal salons, Designer Loft, for help.

All I want for Christmas is... washboard abs! You, too? That’s why I’m here; it's no exclusive secret, and it doesn’t take "perfect genes" — anyone can get them. It just takes the right training and the drive to do it. Here’s one of my newest intense ab workouts – go for it, and share your results and feedback! Plus, check out last week's video here, and subscribe to my channel for new, free workouts every week.

The Workout:

► 15 Full Sit-Ups
► 15 V-Ups
► 15 Bicycles (15 each side)
► 15 Reverse Crunches
► 15 Rower Crunches
► 1 Min Anti-Gravity Plank Hold

Do as many rounds as you can in seven minutes — or go for as many rounds as you can! Either way, you'll really feel this tomorrow in your abs. Leave a comment and share how many rounds you did. 

But don’t forget, the key to perfect abs is in the perfect recipe; it’s not just about the exercises, it’s about the right combination of the right diet, paired with the right workouts on the right days!