When Aly Femia's mother, Mary Quinn, went to the doctor to check on a pain she was feeling in her neck, she never could've predicted the diagnosis — incurable lung cancer that had spread to her brain. Aly and her fiancé, Anthony, had been planning on a September 2015 wedding. But when Aly asked the doctor when she should hold the wedding so that her mother could be attend, the answer was "tomorrow."

Mary Quinn and Aly Femia / via Facebook

And so Aly, Anthony, their families, and the Yale New Haven Hospital staff instantly got to work, planning a wedding in 24 hours so that Mary could be there to see her daughter get married. One of the doctors took Aly dress shopping, the couple secured their marriage license, the staff bought Aly a bracelet for her "something new," a social worker gave Aly her grandmother's handkerchief to be her "something old," and Aly wore her mother's pearl necklace. The hospital donated food, flowers, and a wedding cake, and the hospital chaplain performed the ceremony right in Mary's hospital room. 

Photo via BuzzFeed

In The Emily Post Institute's latest book, Emily Post’s Wedding Etiquette: 6th Edition, Emily's great-great-granddaughters Anna and Lizzie Post tackle modern-day wedding questions that the original etiquette expert never could've dreamed about, from how to use (wisely) use technology, the rules for same-sex weddings, and much more. Here, the fourth generation of Posts tackle the biggest thank-you note questions.

There are two fundamentals of expressing gratitude. First, every gift — whether a tangible item, money, a social event in your honor, or a gift of time or talent — should be acknowledged in writing. And second, your acknowledgment should be prompt. 

Personal, handwritten thank-yous remain the gold standard of courtesy in this age of texting, email, and instant messaging. Written notes demonstrate that the writer cares enough about the giver to compose an individual message and put the words on paper.

Here are the top 10 dos and don'ts:

Perhaps no other flower is as synonymous with weddings as the rose. The red rose symbolizes passionate love, the white rose purity and new beginnings, the yellow rose joy, friendship and caring, the pink rose admiration and gratitude, the orange rose passion, energy and excitement, and the lavender rose adoration and enchantment. So no matter what shade you choose, the meaning will always be wedding-perfect!

I especially love the lush, bountiful roses created by David Austin Roses. This British-based company is now introducing their premium-cut roses to the United States (lucky us!), and their experts have shared some of their top wedding flower trends exclusively with Bridal Guide. Here, the trends and gorgeous inspiration from the pros at David Austin Roses:

1. Naturally Chic
A rising trend is that of bridal bouquet arrangements with an unassuming, free-flowing look. This type of arrangement can include one standout flower as the focal point, such as the pale pink and cream Keira variety, combined with English ivy and other greenery. The result: an elegant yet relaxed centerpiece and a chic and timeless bouquet rife with texture and color.

Hot off his recent Grammy win for best pop vocal album, Bruno Mars will take the field in New Jersey on Sunday to perform at the Super Bowl halftime show. Though he's still a relatively new artist — his debut album came out in 2010 — he's topped the charts with five number-one singles in that time, including some tunes that have become wedding must-haves. In honor of his upcoming Super Bowl show, Star Talent put together a list of the best Bruno Mars songs to play at your wedding. Enjoy!

For Your Processional: "Marry You" (Instrumental)
This softer version of the popular tune is perfect for your walk down the aisle. Or, play the original version for a fun bridal party entrance. 

For Your Reception Entrance: "Treasure"
With lyrics like “I know you can make my wish come true if you let me treasure you,” this song is ideal for your first post-ceremony appearance together. It sets the tone for a fun-filled reception while also serving representing the love you have for one another.

For Your First Dance: "Rest of My Life"
This lesser-known ballad has such swoon-worthy lyrics, like "It took us a lifetime to find each other / It was worth the wait cause I finally found the one / Never in my dreams did I think that this would happen to me."

Last weekend, I visited San Diego with my fiancé Chris to check out some potential wedding locations. We saw six venues in two days, which made for a whirlwind experience. It was so much fun! In fact, I could get used to all of this shopping around, but we need to book our date soon so that guests have nine months to plan for our out-of-state destination wedding.

The trip had extra-special significance to me because we also attended a remembrance ceremony in honor of my late grandmother who passed away one year ago. She lived in La Jolla since 1979 and I would visit her every chance I got. Visiting wedding venues there brought back great memories of walking along the shoreline with her and having gelato. I always told her how much I wanted her to be at my wedding. In true granny style, she would throw up her hands and laugh. "I took too long!" she'd say. Granny, you'll still be there in spirit, looking over us from your ocean-view room.

The author pictured at left with her late grandmother

Check out our venue photo diary, along with some tips we learned along the way!

Venue Option #1: Tom Ham's Lighthouse

Tom Ham’s Lighthouse was GORGEOUS! A good friend of mine in Sacramento told me to check it out because she knew we wanted an ocean view. And at that place, we sure got one. With huge floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking downtown San Diego, Chris and I almost felt as if we were on a boat.

Starting your wedding registry soon? Karin Sun, co-founder of Crane & Canopy, shares the most common mistakes couples make when choosing their bedding. 

Mistake #1: Choosing bedding with the highest thread count.
Most people think the higher the tread count, the better the sheets. But Sun warns that thread count doesn't give you the entire picture. "There are only three things I look for in my bedding choice to get that optimum soft, silky, and smooth feel — the fabrics are between 300 and 450 thread count, made from extra-long staple single-ply cotton, and in a sateen weave," she said. 

Mistake #2: Thinking you need to choose "grown-up" colors. 
"Don’t shop for bedding like you would your formal china," recommended Sun. "The look of luxury does not mean your linens need to be white." Instead, add some personality to your bedroom with pops of colors and patterns.