Blogs

Guest blogger: Joanne Barken
Joanne Barken is the CEO of The Bach, the first online platform for planning bachelorette parties. Joanne, who lives in New York City — one of the country's top choices for a special night out with the girls — has helped plan over a dozen bachelorette parties before launching The Bach.

The Kentucky Derby, taking place on May 3 this year, is known for more than just the exciting two-minute thoroughbred horse race. With its own fashion style and signature cocktail, it always makes for a great party. Whether your group actually attends the races, like Miranda Lambert’s bachelorette crew did, or just wants to throw a themed event at home, here’s how to Get Down & Derby at your next bachelorette party.

Set the Tone with the Right Invitations

Give your guests a heads up on the Kentucky Derby theme with these adorable invites.

Photo Credit: Etsy

This may be the most romantic Ferris wheel ride we've ever seen!

After dating for six and a half years, Aaron Talmage decided to propose to his high school sweetheart, Ashley Clark, over spring break in Myrtle Beach, SC, using the 187-foot tall SkyWheel to make it especially memorable. As Clark rode the wheel with her friends, about 20 loved ones were hard at work on the beach, lighting candles to spell out "Ashley, will you marry me," which she'd see as the wheel made its final loop around.

Upon seeing the message, Clark burst into tears — then laughed, "That's why he was being weird!" 

Talmage came up with the idea while working at the KOA in Myrtle Beach over the summer. As he rode the SkyWheel himself, he noticed how you can see the entire beach from the top and began hatching his plan to light up the sand.

After Clark exited the ride, she collected a flower from each helper as she wandered along the path to Talmage. Watch the sweet video:

Plus, the bride-to-be's parents were in attendance and shared some helpful advice for their daughter's fiancé: "Wake up every day and think, before he gets out of the bed, how to make her day every single day," said her mom. "That's all I can ask." His dad laughingly added:  "Treat her as well as he treats his mother — or else."

—Kristen Klein

When Jim Zetz, 62, was diagnosed with stage IV pancreatic cancer, he was heartbroken for his 11-year-old daughter, Josie. Not only would he likely pass away before her next birthday, but his dream of walking her down the aisle at her wedding some day was all but shattered — that is, until wedding photographer Lindsey Villatoro of Love Song Events & Photography helped the family celebrate that special moment now, while they still can.

The photographer was originally hired to capture one last family photo session. During the session, Josie expressed how upset she was about all of the "memories down the line" her father would miss. Villatoro was so touched by their story that she secretly reached out to her local vendors and organized a special ceremony, where Jim would get to walk his little girl down the aisle. In just 72 hours, she'd secured a wedding dress, tuxedo, cake, catering, flowers, and even hair and makeup for Josie.

'"One day [you] wake up and realize you’re given the opportunity to change someone’s life for the better. 'You get an idea, don’t think twice and run with it," Villatoro wrote.

After meeting online, Jennifer and Chris initally bonded over their love for the San Diego Padres. Many of their initial dates were to Padres games, where they'd spend the games talking and getting to know each other better. So when Chris decided to propose, he knew he wanted to pop the question in the Padres' stadium, Petco Park. The company he worked for at the time sponsored the park and occasionally raffled off tickets to the employees. He never won, but he was able to make Jennifer believe he did — he even sent her a fake confirmation just to get her to the game! 

At the top of the fifth inning, a message flashed on the scoreboard as Chris got down on one knee: "Jennifer, I can't wait to come home to you every day. I love you with all of my heart. Will you marry me?" She, of course, said yes! 

When it came time to take their engagement photos, they decided to return to the ballpark (with a little help getting through the door from Chris' employer). Check out their gorgeous photos!

Photography by Joe Latter Photographer.

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 >>

At-home weddings are romantic, intimate, and always memorable, but they come with their fair share of challenges. Opening up your home (or the home of a generous friend or family member) means dealing with logistical considerations you wouldn't encounter at a traditional wedding venue (bathrooms, anyone?). Here are some things to keep in mind:

How do you make your bestie of 19 years feel special on their wedding day? If you're Bradley Bredeweg, then you give guests a glimpse into your friendship with a heartfelt toast...that erupts into a choreographed Britney Spears performance!

The best man's speech for pal Stephanie Huntington at her wedding reception on February 23rd began innocently enough when he explained to the crowd that Brit-Brit has been the "soundtrack of their lives." He then went on to say that "We also know that marriage takes work," but he didn't even have to finish his sentence, because based on the bride's shocked expression, she had an inkling what was coming next.

As soon as "Work B**tch" began to play, the "wait staff" (who were actually hired professional dancers in disguise) put down their trays of champagne and sauntered onto the dance floor. Watch the performance below and tell us what you think!

The hilarious video has already been viewed over 266,000 times and it even got the Princess of Pop's seal of approval:

Plus, check out what the Internet has crowned "The Best Father-Daughter Dance of All Time."

—Stefania Sainato

Warning: Spoiler alerts below!

The long-awaited conclusion of How I Met Your Mother may have been polarizing, but if there's one thing we can all agree upon, it's that Tracy's wedding dress (aka "The Mother") was legen — wait for it — dary. After being teased with flash-forwards for 208 episodes, it was beyond satisfying to see Mr. Mosby walk down that aisle, even if it took him five years after proposing to Tracy to finally do it. (Lily's toast summed it up best: "here's to a man with more emotional endurance than anyone I know.")

Our favorite moment: When Ted saw Tracy in her wedding dress for the first time at MacLaren's Pub, he almost lost it! Their nuptials take place years from now, so the show's stylist, Reiko Kurumada, wanted a timeless look á la Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy that would still hold up in the future. We found a gorgeous simple gown in the vintage section of a costume house… The dress fit​ her perfectly. No alterations needed at all. It was meant to be!” she revealed to E! Online.

Love the less-is-more gown? Check out similar styles below:

Photo Credit: Andrew Rich/iStockPhoto

Small changes can yield huge results. Try one new thing each day in April.

1. The Rose Challenge
Buy yourself a rose, and when the petals begin falling, do a squat to pick each one up (or, better yet, take off all the petals at the end of the day and squat to pick up each one).

2. Be Adventurous With Your Omega-3s
For dinner, cook a type of fish you've never had before. 

3. Play the "Fiancé" Game 
Every time that someone says "fiancé," do a posture check. Make sure you're standing up straight with your body aligned.

4. Let Go of Stress 
Every time that you say "fiancé," drop your shoulders from your earrings (all of that wedding-planning stress tends to strain your shoulder and neck muscles). 

5. See Yourself in the Best Light
Make sure that the mirror you use most frequenty is a flattering one with good lighting (your mental perception of yourself can do wonders).

6. Double Up on Veggies
Eat two different types of vegetables with lunch and dinner.

7. Hungry or Just Thirtsy? 
Put a 16 oz. glass of water in your fridge. Every time you open the door, drink the water before you eat anything. 

8. Think Beyond Apples
Buy and eat an exotic fruit that you have never tried.

Photo courtesy of Swimmingly via Twitter

Proposing in a ballpark doesn't mean you need Kanye's unlimited budget (he reportedly spent $200,000 to rent out AT&T Park, home of the San Francisco Giants, for his proposal to Kim Kardashian). 

In celebration of MLB's Opening Day today, Swimmingly contacted all 30 MLB teams to find out what they charge for a public proposal. Some highlights:

The Least Expensive: Proposing during a Pittsburgh Pirates game will set you back just $39 for a message displayed on the scoreboard. 

The Most Expensive: For $2,500, you can have your proposal featured live on the video board during a Los Angeles Dodgers game (or, for $75, you can simply have a message displayed on the scoreboard).

On-Field Proposal: The Cleveland Indians are the only team that offers an on-field proposal on game day; for $400, you can pop the question on Progressive Field during one of their 15 games that feature post-game fireworks. 

Photo Credit: FilmDistrict

Following Depp's proposal to actress Amber Heard, his fiancée hasn't been the only one spotted wearing a diamond ring — the Pirates of the Caribbean star has been sporting one as well. When questioned about the engagement while promoting his latest film, Transcendence, earlier today in China, he replied, "The fact that I'm wearing a chick's ring on my finger is probably a dead giveaway. Not very subtle."

So is the star actually trying to start a trend of men wearing engagement rings? Not exactly. Turns out, the ring he originally purchased for Heard was too big; but instead of getting it resized like a regular person, he decided to buy her a new ring and wear the original ring himself (stars... they're just like us).

Tell us: Would you want your fiancé to wear an engagement ring?

—Kristen Klein