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Madonna Helps One Fan Propose to Her Boyfriend

During her July 8 concert in Amsterdam, Madonna heard a rumor that someone in the crowd was planning to propose that evening. And she gave the excited bride-to-be the chance to propose in front of a few hundred thousand other fans! 

"Do it with feeling. From your heart, baby," Madonna advised the woman before handing over the mic. 

Check out the proposal (starting at 1:00)!

Madonna's marriage advice for the happy couple? "Never go to bed angry."

Tell us: Would you propose in public? Would you want to be proposed to in public? 

—Kristen O'Gorman Klein

Get Gorgeous Hair for Your Wedding Day

wedding hair tips

We all want gorgeous locks on our wedding days. I sat down with bridal hair expert Mario Russo from Salon Mario Russo (considered one of Boston's top salons) for some wedding-day hair advice. As always, he did not disappoint. Following is a rehash of our bridal beauty conversation:

Best wedding hairstyles for a hot, humid day:
Generally, brides should choose a hairstyle that ensures the ends of the hair are either secure (tucked in with bobby pins) or blown out smooth, like a basic ponytail, bun or updo. When choosing a style, work with your natural hair texture. If you have curly hair, use your natural curl! And if you have straight hair, go for a smoother, sleeker look. Do not challenge your natural hair texture during a humid day by attempting to curl straight hair or smooth curly hair!

Best products to beat the heat:
An anti-humecant product will help retard frizz. We suggest trying Mario Russo’s Miracle Creme and Inflation (mariorusso.com). When choosing a hairspray, look for aerosol — using an aerosol spray over a non-aerosol spray makes layering easier. Finally, avoid using heavy products, such as spray waxes, pomades, and gels — they tend to weigh down the hair, especially on humid days.  

Music Monday: Cross-Generational Songs

scratch weddings Music Monday with Scratch Weddings is back! Each week, we feature music recommendations from the nation's leader with the best wedding DJs at affordable prices. This week, enjoy eight songs that'll get guests of all ages out on the dance floor!

When the guestlist includes both friends and family, you’re bound to have a wide variety of age groups to please. How do you get everyone out on the dance floor? Our DJs know those secret songs that no one can resist. Set the right groove with these cross-generational crowd-pleasers.

wedding dancing

Photo Credit: Viera Photographics

"Dance to the Music" — Sly and the Family Stone
The lyrics and funky beat send one message to your guests, young and old: Get up and dance!

"Now That We Found Love" — Heavy D & The Boyz
Now that you’ve found love... all your family and friends were there to see you get married. But now what? Well, it’s time to dance. Show your younger guests all those old dance moves you mastered and maybe learn some new ones.

Beauty Must-Haves for a Destination Wedding

Planning a destination wedding or tropical honeymoon? Here's a must-have list of beauty products for the smart traveling bride.

destination wedding beauty tips

1. Don't let summer heat destroy a good hair day. Be proactive and tame frizz with Borghese Salermo Silking Hair Oil. Bonus: Not only does it smooth hair, it also improves shine! ($12.99, cvs.com).

2. Looking for a styling tool that lets you take control of frizz and flyaways, giving you a polished look that's perfect for a romantic dinner on the beach? The Amika x Cynthia Rowley Ceramic Styler’s 100% ceramic plates radiate infrared heat that preserves moisture for silky, frizz-free hair — leaving you looking gorgeous. Plus, we love the happy floral design! ($110, sephora.com).

3. Before you hit the beach, you'll want to be remove all unsightly hairs. We love the new Nair Brazilian Spa Clay Roll-On Wax. Inspired by the hair removal and skin care secrets of Brazil, it's infused with mineral-rich clay and natural extracts for spa-smooth skin that lasts up to 8 weeks ($10.49, national drugstores).

4.  For when you're trekking through nature and need a quick cleanse, we love Bath & Body Works Anti-Bacterial Pocketbacs in Pacific Blue. It gently cleanses the hands while imparting a soft blend of moisturizing honey, coconut milk and olive fruit extracts that help nourish and soften the skin ($1.50, bathandbodyworks.com).

A Modern-Day Fairy Tale: Christian Louboutin's New 'Cinderella' Shoe

christian louboutin cinderella shoe


Photo Credit: Walt Disney Productions;  2012 The Walt Disney Studios via WWD

We doubt Cinderella would've left her slipper behind if she'd been wearing the latest Christian Louboutin design. The famed shoe designer, known best for his red-soled stilettos, unveiled a "Cinderella" shoe in Paris yesterday — and 1 lucky fan in the States will have the chance to score a pair for free.

Disney teamed up with Louboutin in anticipation of the Blu-ray release of the classic Disney film which is scheduled for Oct. 2.

Women's Wear Daily reported that Louboutin used white lace and Swarovski crystals to create a modern version of the Cinderella's glass slipper. 

"Cinderella is not only an iconic character when it comes to beauty, grace and fairytale love, but also shoes," he said. 

And what better occasion to wear a pair of Cinderella shoes than your own real-life fairytale? Details of the giveaway are scheduled for release on August 17, so stay tuned!

—Paulette Safdieh

Jessica Simpson is Launching a Bridal Collection

jessica simpson maxwellJust two months after giving birth to daughter Maxwell, Jessica Simpson is back in business. The 31-year-old singer and fashion designer announced her plans to launch a line of wedding dresses. While details are still under wraps, we’re excited to see what she has planned.

We first noticed Jessica’s eye for design when she launched the Jessica Simpson Collection in collaboration with Vince Camuto back in 2005. Her high-heeled shoes have been a staple for the bride (and bridesmaid) on a budget ever since.

But Jessica, who wore an unforgettable lace number by Vera Wang when she married Nick Lachey in 2002, said she won’t be donning a Jessica Simpson-esque gown to her upcoming wedding to NFL-player Eric Johnson.

“It won’t be like a Jessica Simpson Collection dress,” she told Extra last year when asked about plans for her own wedding gown. She also added that she wants to have a "major say" in the design process.

Good Spirits

Selecting libations for your reception and pre-wedding parties can seem a bit daunting with hundreds of options to choose from. Here’s one that I recently discovered and loved:

bartenura wine

Bartenura Moscato, a semi-sweet Italian wine, is super-smooth, refreshing and perfect with desserts, fruit or just on its own. Apparently, it’s a new fave of all the cool hip-hop and rap dudes and was named “the new Cristal” in a New York Post article.

The Sparkling Moscatos are ideal for wedding toasts, too. There’s the pretty blue bottled bubbly, a refreshing sweet and citrusy combo.

The Bartenura Piemonte, a semi-sweet sparkling wine that also pairs well with Asian and medium spicy dishes

And the sweet Sparkling Moscato Rosé is ideal with fruit, cheese and, of course, dessert!

For more information and some fab Bartenura cocktails to concoct, go to bartenura.com.

And while we’re on the subject of toasts, a few words of advice: Keep it short, sweet and simple. It’s a good idea to give the best man and your maid of honor a little guidance. Ask them to keep their toasts to no more than three minutes. They should prepare, practice and definitely use note cards, especially if they’re nervous speaking before a crowd.

wedding toast

Chad Ochocinco Live Tweets From His Wedding

Football player Chad Ochocinco is quite the catch. The Miami Dolphins wide receiver got married yesterday to his girlfriend of two years, Evelyn Lozada, while documenting his thoughts as they occurred for the last 36 hours.  

Not all of his 3.5 million-plus Twitter followers enjoyed the constant stream of tweets. But Ochocinco had reasons for his actions.

chad johnson wedding tweet

Despite complaining that he didn't "recall sending the butterflies in my stomach an invite," the 44-year-old said he's encountered worse nerves before. 

chad johnson wedding tweet

While Ochocinco's thoughts continued to wander, he made sure everyone at home knew that he looked good throughout the day's events. He added that his shoes of the day were "personal red carpets," a.k.a Christian Louboutins. 

Why We Married Before My Husband Left for Afghanistan

On the day of our wedding, I wasn't nervous at all. I painted my nails, shaved my legs and hung out around the house with my soon-to-be husband, Michael. When I was ready, I walked down the stairs and saw him waiting at the bottom, wearing a black suit that looked too big around the ankles and a nervous smile. The entire thing lasted eight minutes. All I remember is swaying back and forth nervously, crying a little (cautious not to smear my mascara), clicks and flashes going off from our moms' cameras behind us. We kissed and danced in the living room to Zac Brown Band's "Whatever It Is," like it was the most natural thing to do. As we toasted to our marriage, I don't ever remember being happier than I was in that moment. We couldn't believe that we pulled it off.

wedding

However, making the decision to get married after five weeks of being engaged wasn't simple.

When Michael got word of his impending deployment to Afghanistan, we knew we wanted to make it official. In September 2011, he proposed to me in a hotel room over Vietnamese food, during one of my visits to Fort Lewis, WA. I knew all along that we were going to get married right away, but I didn't tell anyone else because I was afraid they'd think we were crazy. The last thing I wanted to do was defend myself or my actions. 

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