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As I write this, I am just a few days away from my wedding. I loved sharing my journey with you all for the past year. It feels surreal that it will soon be over and I'll finally be married to the man who makes me happier than anything in the world! Here are 20 lessons and tips I've learned along the way.

1. Think beyond the altar.
The wedding is more than just a party; it’s about your decision to share your life fully with another person. We’re talking forever, brides. Make sure you and your hubby-to-be discuss your future plans (where you'll live, how you'll raise your kids) in addition to seating charts and honeymoon destinations.

Photo Credit: Joy Marie Photographers

2. Make it personal. 
The last thing I wanted was a ceremony and reception that could have worked for any couple. I’d suggest adding as many small, personal touches as possible so your wedding is uniquely yours. Some ideas I love: asking for song requests, creative table numbers, and serving unexpected treats, like cookies and milk. 

Guest blogger: Rosanna Casper, co-founder of Idojour.com, a new wedding website where brides, grooms, family and friends can purchase a stylish and affordable mix of beautifully curated pieces. Designed to make wedding planning all the more inspiring and enjoyable, Idojour offers accessories and apparel for your wedding weekend, complemented by both inspirational and practical content. Rosanna oversees content, among many other things, and makes sure that everything comes together beautifully on the site.

Here, Rosanna discusses one of her favorite gown trends right now.

The peplum; It's a dress with a short skirt-like overlay or ruffle sewn at the waistline that became a popular look on the bridal runway this year. It's an ultra-feminine and fashion-forward trend that creates a curvaceous silhouette on the bride. Peplum gowns come in a number of different fabrics and styles. Here, a few of our favorites.

Airy and Light:

Left: Amy Kuschel; right: Watters

Each week, we feature music recommendations from Scratch Weddings, the nation's leader with the best wedding DJs at affordable prices. This week's post comes from DJ Z, a Chicago native known for creating his own unique style of mashups, remixes, and party breaks at every social and corporate event he headlines. His eyes never come off the dance floor, guaranteeing that he'll play the music you want, not just what he wants to play! His professional personality, can-do attitude, and drive for success has led him to perform all over the world, including events for The Bacardi Live Tour with Mix Master Mike, Norwegian Cruise Line, Nike, McDonald's, and many more. 

Photo Credit: Kimberly Chau Photography

Weddings are a special time for the bride, groom and their families, so most couples want to make sure their special day is unique and reflective of their style and personalities. However, when it comes to music, most couples tend to play it safe. But why not get a little creative here and throw your guests a few musical curve balls that will surprise and delight them all the way to the dance floor?

I do love shiny, pretty things, so it was a real treat to get a sneak preview of David Tutera’s new jewelry collection, David Tutera Embellish, available exclusively online at davidtuteraembellish.com. David never ceases to amaze me with his incredible style and his understanding of what brides need, want and must have! And this collection proves just how on target he is; it is simply gorgeous. There are so many pieces and styles to choose from and the prices, ranging from $15 to $200, definitely won’t break your budget! As David says, “There’s truly something for everybody and every style.”

Take a look at some of these fantastic selections:

I love the sophistication of this collection. It’s ideal for anyone having an evening wedding or a black and white theme.

The “Elle” cuff and the “Aubrey” earrings are stunning and can definitely be worn again for any dressy occasion.

Have you discovered Lover.ly yet? It's the ultimate visual search tool for weddings—we're hooked. Unlike Google Images, photos are hand-selected and only the most gorgeous make the cut, so you're not stuck scrolling through 15 pages of so-so results. Each image also gives credit to the vendor who created it, making it much easier to actually buy that wedding program or flower girl dress you found online.

We're happy to announce that we're an official Lover.ly partner, so now you can search and save all of your favorite BG images. Organize them into groups called "bundles," which unlike Pinterest, you have the option of making private (take that, wedding snoops!). To celebrate and help you get started, check out some of our color bundles below.

1. Red Wedding Ideas

If you love red: You operate by the M.O. that bold is always better. Passionate, fiercely loyal, impulsive, and a natural-born leader, odds are that your wedding will be luxe and dramatic (in the best possible way).

Search more red wedding ideas from Lover.ly here.

We hope you have something fun planned for your last weekend of summer! Today, our site's VP/General Manager Jen is attending the city hall wedding of her daughter's first au pair. The happy couple is blending two different cultures — Thai and Jewish — and will be throwing a second wedding later on back in Thailand.

And I have to give a quick shoutout to our web producer Stefania — tomorrow marks one year until her big day! 

If you've also had a busy week, catch up now on our hottest features this week.

Every bride wants to look like a million bucks for her big day, because those photos last forever. For me, exercising is important not only to feel confident on my wedding day, but also to combat stress. If I put in the work now for the body that I want, I won't have to worry about sucking it in while I traipse around in a bikini on my honeymoon! Here's how I got into better shape just one month before my dress fitting.

1. Make your fitness routine a priority—not just a hobby.
Before my internship at Fitness Magazine this summer, all I cared about was fitting into my clothes and relieving some anxiety from grad school. Next thing I knew, I was testing different workouts in fancy gyms (that's me pictured on the right, with a professional Zumba instructor!) and doing exercise DVDs at home. It felt great to get my blood flowing after sitting at a computer all day; it also put me on a regular sleep schedule and distracted me from missing my husband, Michael (he's deployed overseas). As soon as I noticed the positive changes in my body and attitude, it gave me the encouragement I needed to maintain my ramped-up routine.

2. Use exercise as a way to get together with the girls.
Instead of bonding over margaritas and chips at happy hour, suggest going on a run or bike ride with your girls before addressing all those envelopes. It’s a good way to keep each other accountable. Plus, you ladies won’t feel guilty about that extra glass of wine afterwards!

Yum alert: Just take a look at the sweet treats that have landed on our desks in recent days, each a masterpiece of color, design and creativity. (Oh, and they taste amazing, too.) Prepare to drool.

Crème Delicious “edible artistry” cookies with henna-inspired design, by Sandy Patangay, creme-delicious.com.

One Tough Cookie ”bridal bouquet” butter cookies by Gail Dosik, onetoughcookienyc.com.

Bedazzle My Bonbons glitter-dusted “dessert and décor” truffles by Sasha Vincent, bedazzlemybonbons.com.

—Mary Clarke

Photo Credit: Mary Clarke

Can you recognize true love from just one kiss? At a new exhibit in the National Art Museum of Ukraine, five "sleeping beauties" have signed over their future to bet just that. In a modern reenactment of the classic fairytale, each woman takes turns sleeping on display (a total of two hours per day), allowing potential suitors to brush their lips against theirs.

But this isn’t just a peck-and-run — if a beauty opens her eyes during the smooch and awakens from her slumber, she must marry that person. Both parties sign a contract in advance, and contrary to other media reports, the kisser can be either male or female, as long as they’re single and over 18 years old. Visitors who are married or don’t wish to participate are permitted to observe, as long as they sign an agreement promising not to kiss.

UPDATE: "My inspiration for the exhibit was this idea of true love— the magic people feel between themselves, which sometimes ends up in making babies, which are the continuation of life. And if you really think about it, what else is more important than the continuity of life? I mean, everything else pales in comparison. The viewers take from it what they take," said the creator, Taras Polataiko, an Ukranian-Canadian artist.