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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 Dan Chaves, who has been rocking dance floors across the US for well over a decade. .Dan's expert mixing skills keep the energy high, and his considerable music knowledge helps the couple to throw a party that reflects their personal taste. "I love the moment when I play that one song which gets everyone on the dance floor, young and old, and creates that special memory for the bride and groom."

Photo Credit: Muriel Silva Photography

When music is a very important part of your life, it’s especially key to find the right song to complement your first dance as a newlywed couple.

We recently stopped by Palermo's Bakery, one of New Jersey's top bakeries, to get the inside scoop on the latest wedding cake trends—and the secrets bakers use to make sure your cake stays standing throughout the night. 

Palermo's Bakery has been in business for nearly 25 years, growing from a small retail shop to one of the area's largest wedding cake bakeries. Many of the major catering halls in northern New Jersey work exclusively with Palermo's to provide cakes in their catering packages.

We sat down with Joanne Bruno, Chief Baking Officer at Palermo's. Check out what's "in" now for wedding cakes, and then get the inside scoop on how a wedding cake is actually constructed—and why it can cost as much as $18 per slice!

—Kristen O'Gorman Klein

Take it from me: You’ll make a lot of lists during your engagement. Guests, vendors, tips all get their own page or pages in your planning notebook. But one of the most fun is creating your registry. Presents! (Tip: Take your sister or your mom; they are way more into it than your guy will be. I can’t tell you the amount of Kardashian-style fights and groom eye rolling I witnessed on my Bloomingdale’s adventures.) It’s also nice to take out some planning stress on the price gun. Hey, it’s point and shoot. And while you may not need more dishes, sheets or for-his-eyes-only underthings (please! No more iPhone photos), one thing you’ll certainly want to put on your list is a piece or two of the newest collection of luggage from Hartmann. Made from seriously indestructible materials, the hard cases are so tough, they come with a whopping 10-year warranty. They also have TSA-approved lockage systems and cool packing compartments. And the cases spin on a dime. The only caveat is that if you are planning a safari spectacular (a la moi) or chartering a boat (a la moi for my last vacation) for your trip of a lifetime, the hard case is not suggested. The luggage hits stores in February. Go to hartmann.com for more info. And for my ultimate packing tips, go here. 

About a year ago today (Wednesday, November 16 to be exact), Kate Middleton and her prince made their formal engagement announcement at St. James' Palace. BG brides across the world, including our editors, became enamored with the couple, and couldn't help but wonder: What must Kate be thinking (and feeling) at that exact moment?

Now's your chance to play pretend! We heard about "Engagement," an interactive art exhibit at Stephen Friedman Gallery, created by Artist Jennifer Rubbell, via Cup of Jo. It features a life-sized wax sculpture of Wills standing in the same exact pose he struck for the cameras at the formal announcement.

Delighted visitors can mount the pedestal, slide their arms through Will's, and try on a replica of Lady Di's iconic sapphire ring. 

In honor of the Breaking Dawn film release this week, we have a very special treat for our BG brides, brought to you by the lovely Sonia Collett from wantthatwedding over in the UK!

She spent months putting together the magical photo shoot below, shot by the talented Chanelle at Segerius-Bruce Photography.

"I wanted to create something extra special, that beautiful something that brides-to-be would love and feel inspired by (even if they weren’t a Twilight fan)," said Sonia.

Mission accomplished:

Planning a Twilight-inspired wedding? We just found your perfect invitations: Hallmark released a replica of Bella and Edward's classic invitation, available for personalization on hallmark.com!

Once you've customized your invite, Hallmark will have it professionally printed on premium white paper with black lettering. You can even have Hallmark address, stamp, and send the invitations directly to the recipients. Or, you can print the invites yourself for as low as $1.29. 

“The Edward and Bella wedding invitation gives super-fans a unique opportunity to create a memorable keepsake from the movie for themselves and their fellow ‘Twi-Hard’ friends or even actually use it for their wedding day,” said Christine Taylor, Hallmark Licensing. “We also saw it as a fun way to invite friends to a viewing party for the Nov. 18th movie release.”

What we love: Fellow Twihards will instantly recognize it as the Breaking Dawn invitation. But your less in-the-know guests will just see it as a nice, classic invitation. 

Also: Hallmark has released 20 Twilight-themed greeting cards for birthdays and other special occasions, plus a Christmas tree ornament, stickers, magnets, bookmarks, and more. Who's ready for Breaking Dawn?!

From the moment you are transformed from girlfriend into fiancée, your life can become one never-ending to-do list. Often, brides-to-be can forget to add their own well-being to the agenda. The result? More stress and, consequently, not-so-pretty wedding photographs. To ensure that you are flawless on your wedding day, stop depriving yourself and treat yourself.

Take a cue from my guide below and say “I do!” to a better you!

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Skincare

Since the engagement, I’ve been visiting my favorite dermatologist every two months. Not only does she take the time to clean my pores (which helps prevents future breakouts), but she also prescribes creams and washes that leave my skin glowing. In addition to finding a great skincare pro, always remember to take off your makeup and wash your face before going to sleep (and once more when you rise in the morning). Your skin will thank you!

Diet

I purchased my gown last February and realized by August that I had put on nine pounds since then! To ensure that my first fitting is a positive experience, I’ve been more mindful of my food intake. I try to eat smaller portions more frequently and limit my snacks to twice a day (I try to keep them around 100 calories). I stopped going back for seconds and limit myself to the food that first made it on my plate.

Right now, Corey and I are in the middle of deciding who we want to DJ our big day; it’s a big decision! Here are some dos and don’ts we're following to find the best vendor for our music preferences.

Photo courtesy of Scratch Weddings

DJ Dos:

1. Make it a party! A DJ acts as your wedding’s emcee or host. Their enthusiasm (or lack thereof) will guide the overall feel of the entire reception. If they sound excited, your guests will act excited. I want a DJ who will lead the party and make it fun.

2. Play the requested songs. If you’re like me and have a very specific list of songs you want to hear at your wedding…then they should be played! Select a DJ who will spin your desired tracks at some point during the festivities. Whether it's you and your hubby, parents, or family members, someone is spending good money for their services, and it will only stress you out if you choose someone who demands free reign.

Hot off the presses! Our January/February 2012 issue, on the stands now, is filled with a whole new world of wedding news.

We asked some of the country’s top wedding pros to reveal the biggest trends for the upcoming year—from invitations to flowers to menus, cakes, music and more.

You’ll find out what’s in, what’s out, and get inspired by some of their totally cool ideas.

We also have plenty of gorgeous gowns to choose from as well as savvy dress-shopping tips from TLCs “Say Yes to The Dress” star, Randy Fenoli. I’ve known Randy for many years and not only is he a true fashion guru but he’s also just written a terrific book, It’s All About the Dress (Grand Central Publishing). Randy’s a delight and a very talented designer himself: Trust me, he really knows how to make a bride look her very best.

Randy also has a new show, "Randy To The Rescue," scheduled to premiere next summer! 

Almost engaged or haven't picked out a ring yet? Then consider us officially green with envy: The latest baubles from Vera Wang Love at Zales are just as gorgeous as their price tags (most are $5,000 or less).

The capsule collection includes over 40 different engagement rings that feature round, cushion, and princess-cut stones, as well as wedding bands. Plus, each ring contains a trademark sapphire in the setting, which is visible no matter which way you turn your hand (you can spot it in some of the photos below).

Vera designed the line with different personalities in mind—whether your style is classic, vintage, or unabashedly glam, you'll find a ring suited to your style. "I believe in simple, elegant designs that enhance the beauty of any bride," she said in an official statement.

Here are 15 of our favorites, from simple to major shine factor:

1. 1/4 CT. T.W. Diamond Anniversary Band in 14K White Gold

$649.99

2. 1/2 CT. T.W. Diamond Three Row Anniversary Band in 14K White Gold

$1,299.99