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The biggest wedding-planning challenge that my fiancé Jesse and I have encountered is choosing a location. We're currently debating between getting married in the central coast of California (which is our home), or Ireland (which was the first trip we took together). 

First, we threw around the idea of tying the knot in Ireland and making a vacation out of it. In addition to the beautiful scenery that you simply cannot get here in California, it's a special place for Jesse as he has traveled there a number of times to learn more about his family ancestry. Celebrating his family roots and introducing my loved ones to this amazing country would make for a memorable event. 

Check out some photos from our trip:

If you’re looking for a totally unique and fun way to set up your wedding registry then you’ll love this new site I recently came across, Blueprint Registry. According to Blueprint’s creator, Lizzy Ellingson, a recent bride who found her own registry process a bit "uninspiring," this innovative site "allows the couple and their guests a birds-eye view into the home and what’s needed room-by-room."

I love the visual experience this site provides. Blueprint is the first online wedding registry that allows couples to create a customized wish list based on the layout of their home. Now you can better assess and picture your needs as you shop room by room. How cool is that!

Jennifer Urs-Sullivan's walk down the aisle would have been a painful reminder of what she had lost. Instead, she chose to make it a funny tribute to the man who loved her first: her dad.

Her father Walter passed away two years ago from a heart attack and she writes on Facebook that "I dreaded walking down the aisle without him and wasn't sure how I'd make it through the moment. And yet it ended up being one of the most amazing/memorable moments of the day."

The diehard Miami Hurricanes fan settled for the next best thing — being escorted by the University of Miami's mascot, Sebastian the Ibis. What better way to honor her late father's football obsession? Harry Rothwell of allCanes.com even customized the mascot's jersey to include her dad's nickname on the back ("Big Walt").

Group fitness is a great way to have fun and still get an awesome workout. Exercising with your best friends and bridesmaids is even better!

Last weekend, my trainer and aunt, Bonne Marcus, held a Bridesmaid Boot camp for me and my bridesmaids. We went to a local school and set up on the basketball courts for what ended up being one hour of extremely intense training.

The six of my eight bridesmaids that attended this boot camp got a glimpse of what I do every week with Bonne. We started with 12 stations each with a different exercise we had to do for one minute before switching to the next station. The stations included:

1. Triceps extension AKA "skull crushers" with a 10 pound kettle bell
2. Plié squat with bicep curl using a bar
3. Mountain climbs on yoga blocks
4. An agility running drill
5. Chest presses with 12 pound dumbbells
6. Triceps slams
7. Kettle bell swings with a 15 pound kettle bell
8. Rowing with the band
9. Battle ropes
10. Step ups on the bench
11. Jumping jacks with a chest press using the medicine ball
12. Burpees

People's Sexiest Man Alive is off the market!

Maroon 5 rocker Adam Levine, 35, wed fiancée Behati Prinsloo on July 19 at Flora Farms in Los Cabos, Mexico. Over 250 guests celebrated the couple's "I dos" — the star-studded guest list included Robert Downey Jr., Jason Segel, Jonah Hill, model Coco Rocha and more. Stevie Nicks flew in for a special performance and Levine jumped up on stage to sing along with her!

UPDATE: E! News reports that Jonah Hill officiated the ceremony and sure enough, he had everyone in stitches. "Jonah was hysterical. He was telling so many jokes, but then in the middle would be so sweet and sincere," a source tells E! News exclusively. The couple wrote their own vows and the bride's dad, who is a minister, performed a blessing during the heartfelt ceremony.

Photo via Ryan Seacrest 

Photo Credits: Behati Prinsloo's official Instagram account

I wonder if all brides have thought about it. The temptation has been dangling in front of me like some sort of sinister little treat. It's saying, "Come and get it! Your shot at happiness is waaaiting." I'm talking about legally getting hitched months before the big hooplah of the reception.

Every couple gets overwhelmed at some point or another during wedding planning but how many brides have caught themselves daydreaming about buying a cute dress from the mall and showing up to a secret spot where their future husband awaits to tie the knot? Guilty as charged! I fantasize about my fiancé Chris and I finding a pretty location by the water that doesn't require a permit, thousands of dollars, or even shoes, for that matter. One of my best friends or Chris's relatives would be the officiant and — voilà — we'd become husband and wife without any drama.

Photo Credit: Panama City Beach Weddings on Grey Likes Weddings via Lover.ly

Who says marriage is a romance buster? According to a survey done by LivingSocial, married couples are 26% more likely to go out on dates than those that are not married.

Marriage undoubtedly influences your finances, and with the added bills and responsibilities many newlyweds and engaged couples think they need to sacrifice their weekly date nights to keep their spending in check. Time to re-think those date-night ideas and consider these fun and affordable ways to carve out some special time with your significant other!

Photo Credit: Ryan Hunter Photography on Glamour and Grace via Lover.ly

LivingSocial is happy to report that 46% of Americans believe it is perfectly acceptable to use a coupon on a first date! “There’s no shame in getting a good deal on a good time," said LivingSocial's Elizabeth Hebda. 

Sites like LivingSocial have great dating options no matter your budget, Hebda told us, "Most of the dating events and activities we offer, such as wine tasting, skating, and water sports, are between $10 and $50. If you’re looking to go all out for the one you love, we have luxe options that cost a little extra."

If you love all things Disney this adorable proposal story will make your day. Jehan a Sri Lankan videographer popped the question to his girlfriend, Vish, with a choreographed performance incorporating all of her favorite things — Beyoncé, Michael Jackson, Will Smith, Rajinikanth (an Indian actor) and Mickey Mouse!

The elaborate rouse begins with one of Vish's friends showing her a music video of Mickey and Minnie dancing to her favorite song while a camera on the front of the phone captures her excited reaction. All of a sudden, the dancing stops and a message saying, "Vish… you should probably answer the door" pops up on the screen. When Vish opens the door she is shocked as a man dressed in a Mickey Mouse costume leads her to a chair in front of her house.

There, with the help of six friends dressed as Mickey, Jehan dances in the street to "The Way You Make Me Feel" by Michael Jackson, "Jump on It" by Will Smith and "Crazy in Love" and "Love on Top" by Beyoncé as Vish looks on hysterically laughing.

Skip ahead to the 2:00 minute mark to see the Mickey's bust a move:

At the end of the routine, Jehan revealed himself as one of the dancing Mickey's and in front of all their friends and neighbors takes out a ring and asks Vish to be his wife. He barely gets down on one knee before the bride-to-be excitedly says yes and pulls him in for a hug. 

Congratulations to the lovebirds!

— Mary Gillen 

Iceland is renowned for its awe-inspiring landscape — think lunar-looking lava fields, expansive glaciers and geothermal pools. As if we needed one more reason to visit this tiny Scandinavian country, one couple's Icelandic elopement photos have gone viral, and they're nothing short of magical.

Sarah and John Walk were supposed to get married in their Ohio hometown but they scrapped their original plans after it became "too much about the presentation," opting to elope on June 16th in Reykjavík, Iceland (their honeymoon location), instead. "Eloping simply felt right for us and our relationship. It better exemplified what we believe marriage should look like — the celebration of the covenant between two hearts," the bride tells BG.

The experience was indescribable: "Everywhere we turned, we were surrounded by an exhausting sense of beauty. Our wedding day was the definition of perfection...we remember every moment, every thought, every feeling. Not many couples get to say that about their wedding day!" she adds. The couple's wedding photographer, Gabe McClintock, tagged along for the journey. 

Check out their gorgeous wedding album below by Gabe McClintock Photography:

Loverly is the heart of weddings: a visual inspiration search engine designed to help brides discover ideas, people to hire, and things to buy. Loverly makes finding beautiful wedding inspiration easier than ever! Their images are powered by the best wedding publishers and wedding shopping partners on the web. Find Bridal Guide on Loverly >>

We've all heard the "bridezilla" horror stories; the bride whose crazy-high expectations stress out everyone around her. (Mandatory bridesmaid diet, anyone?) But in the past year, we've seen another type of bride emerge, out of a fear of being labeled the "b" word; she's the cool, laid-back, just-wants-you-to-be-happy bride who doesn't have any demands. She's so chill, she's actually too chill...she's a bridechilla.

While the bridechilla thinks she's doing her bridesmaids a favor, she's actually making life harder for them. By refusing to take a strong stance or "burden" anyone, she avoids making the tough decisions at all...which then becomes a major issue.