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This fun photo trend is a great way to incorporate special guests in your wedding portraits, like your child attendants or your moms. Just have your chosen pair hold up a decorative frame, have your photographer position you so that you're within the frame, and snap away! After the wedding, tie it all together by displaying the photo in your home with the same frame you used in the photo.

Photo Credit: Brooke Letourneau Photography

Photo Credit: Renaissance Studios

Last week, the travel world got all atwitter—ha—when the New York Times published their annual list of where to go in the coming year. The list has 45 exciting destinations that range from the I’ve-been-wanting-to-check-that-out-for-a-while spot (ahem, Panama and Tanzania) to the hmm-I-never-would-have-thought-of-that spot (Tibet, Glasgow, and Birmingham, England).

But what the list really did was make all the travel writers I know get out their calculators and see how many they’ve been to—and how many they plan to tick off their personal list. Since I’ve got 5 down (well, sort of 6, but I only spent about 3 hours surfing in one spot, and I only count it if I slept over), I’m down to 40. I think I’ll start at number one. And I may skip space….

#1 on the list: Panama (Photo courtesy of Tourism Authority of Panama)

—Jenna Mahoney

P.S. To read more about Panama, go here. And for info on hosting a wedding there, click aquí. 

Photo Credit: Sean Locke/iStock

Six different stores, 120+ miles, and countless online searches later, I’ve found my wedding dress. I love it! There is no doubt in my mind that I will continue to be in love with it for years to come, but that doesn't change the fact that there are hundreds of wedding dresses that I find to be beautiful. I realized while constantly stalking other brides' Facebook photos and browsing my favorite wedding-related sites, like BridalGuide.com, that I'm still in awe of a lot of dresses.

In a marriage, wandering eyes are forbidden—but when it comes to the dress, is it acceptable to peek? I’ve heard of some brides who suffer from dress regret and I’m happy to report that I'm not one of them. I don't intentionally seek out gowns online, but I do occasionally stumble upon one that wasn't available or that I somehow overlooked when shopping. When this happens, sometimes I can't help but feel a sharp pang of worry: Did I get the right dress? Is this gown better than the one I chose? Will I wish that I had went in a different style direction?

I’ve come to a realization: You can only love one man, but you can love multiple dresses—and that's okay! 

Talk about a labor of love: Atlanta-based photographer and filmmaker Walt Thomas spent 22 hours taking 2,600 posed photos and over two and a half days locked away in his "man cave" creating this super cute proposal video for his girlfriend of four years, Nealey Dozier. "He claimed to be working on an anniversary poem, which didn't raise any flags because he writes me one every year," she told HuffPost Weddings.

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 DJ Mike Sincere, one of the most-wanted DJs in LA. He has worked with music-industry legends, such as Russell Simmons and Missy Elliott, as well as up-and-comers, like Estelle and the Ting Tings. Mike Sincere connects with guests of all ages to create a feel-good, cut-loose wedding atmosphere. "My aim is to get every single person on the dance floor! I start out by gathering information from the couple. I come prepared and then read the crowd and adjust along the way to ensures that everyone is enjoying themselves on the dance floor."

Photo Credit: K and K Photography

We are already a week into the New Year, and I hope all of you enjoyed a fantastic holiday. And, to those of you visiting bridalguide.com for the first time, I’d love to extend my heartfelt congratulations on your engagement! Yep, holiday season is primo proposal time, and I know that there were plenty of sparkling rings being placed onto fingers shaking with delight! I’m sure it was beyond thrilling and you’ve been basking in all the joy and excitement. In fact, I ran into a newly engaged couple just last week in my local Barnes & Noble and they were so happy, it was contagious. (Of course, I was also happy to see that she was purchasing Bridal Guide to help get her started.) She admitted to feeling overwhelmed, so I told her to relax, put her feet up, read the issue and visit our website. Everything you need to know to plan a dream wedding is right here.

As you start planning your party of a lifetime, it will seem overwhelming at times, but if you stay organized and make it a point to really enjoy the process, it will be fun and exciting. And before you know it, the big day will be here, and you’ll be husband and wife! Here’s my best advice to help get you started:

1. Find Your Wedding Style

There are a thousand and one ga-jillon travel websites out there, and figuring out which one to trust can be a major time-suck. That’s where I come in.

Melanie Brandman is hands-down one of the glammest gals in travel. Sure, DVF may that whole “I’m a fashion icon” thing and a titled marriage going for her, but Melanie still may beat her in our little travel industry. As the head of one of the hautest travel PR agencies around, Melanie often spots trends in travel before the rest of us. It’s also her job to test the local waters while she visiting her clients or just jetting for fun.

Ever the savvy source, Melanie recently began an online journal of sorts highlighting her travels. The result is a chic insider view that she publishes monthly called The Travel Curator. In her monthly updates, Melanie highlights her must-sees, -dos, -eats and -experiences at some of her favorite destinations. She shares some of her secret spots, too, and of course, it is all so glam.

Sign up for The Travel Curator and read more about Melanie at thetravelcurator.com. 

—Jenna Mahoney