A Wedding Away: Under the Tuscan Sun

Spring is right around the corner — and it can’t come soon enough! I always find this time of year interminably long and a bit dreary. Come on sun! Show yourself! So when these lovely, picturesque wedding-perfect images of the Villa Poggio Bartoli in Tuscany, Italy came across my desk, I had to share them with you: It’s the ultimate fantasy wedding.

Even if you don’t plan on marrying in Italy, you’ll still appreciate the splendor and romance of the Villa and its surroundings — and you may just change your mind and book your nuptials in Tuscany! The Villa, originally a country home for the Medici family dating back to the 15th century, is now a luxury bed and breakfast. Located in the Tuscan town of Vicchio di Mugello, Villa Poggio Bartoli is just 30 minutes outside Florence — ideal if you and your guests want do a little sightseeing and shopping. (The Villa accommodates 24 overnight guests and will assist in making arrangements for guests to stay nearby or in Florence.)villa poggio bartoli weddingJust picture it: Sun-dappled vineyards, verdant rolling hills, lush flowers and, of course, fabulous food. Couples who marry here can hold their ceremony (up to 250 guests) in any number of spaces throughout the property and outdoor grounds. Or, for a more intimate gathering, the onsite chapel that was restored last year holds 16 guests.

Wedding Music by Decade: Best Picks from the '90s

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 Carver. With experience spinning everything from magazine parties to A-list clubs, he has quickly established himself as one to watch on the NYC music scene. He loves to spin weddings and build the musical momentum for a perfect event. "Everyone at a wedding is in a great mood and dressed in their best, which creates an exciting atmosphere. I can complement that environment with a unique musical landscape for my client's most important day.” 

bride dancing
Photo Credit: Amanda Marie Photography

With many wedding couples coming of age in or near the '90s, it’s an increasingly popular genre to serve as the keystone of the playlist, and we’re seeing brides and grooms ask for '90s hits and deeper cuts constantly. Though grunge was hugely popular, keeping it dance-friendly with classic '90s pop, hip-hop and R&B is a safer bet for keeping the dance floor alive. Watch your friends get transported straight back to high school (or college, or elementary school, or…pre-k?) by serving up a playlist packed with '90s jams like these.

10 Fun & Flirty Reception Dresses

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 >>

Picking out a wedding dress can be a tough decision, so it’s really no surprise that some brides skip choosing altogether and just wear two dresses! Changing into something fun and flirty for your reception is a great option if you are getting married in a conservative setting but your personal style is a little more bold. But even if it’s "anything goes" for your wedding gown, a wardrobe change can just be a fun way to show off your personal style or help you bust a move on the dance floor (surely, I’m not the only one who can’t imagine getting down to “Party Rock Anthem” in a ballgown, right?).

5 Ways to Tell Dad You Love Him on the Wedding Day

On the drive home from the airport, after the first time I met my fiancé Edwin, my dad insisted that I should give the boy a chance. “This one is different,” he said.

Dad has always been my best friend. From the moment I was little, he's been a safe place from all of my fears (I used to scale him like a building whenever I saw cats, which terrified me). He had numerous heart attacks throughout my childhood, but his stubborn streak always superceded doctor's notes. This winter, my father had a stroke, and his stubborn streak vanished alongside my hope. This time, I found myself saying, "This one is different." I don't know how at 26 years old, I still feel like I'm his little girl, but I do.

After two months of back-and-forth hospital trips, he's finally healing and making a full recovery, as is my heart. I feel blessed and amazed to have him in my life. With that said, I want to honor this man who has taught me so much, on my wedding day. Here, some of my favorite ideas for saying "I love you," whether it's to Mom, Grandma, a cousin, or even a best friend.

1. Do a First Look
Everyone talks about the first look for the groom, but truthfully, I am excited to see my dad’s face when I put my wedding gown on. He isn’t an emotional guy, but I’m holding out hope that there’s a tear or two in his eyes all caught on film. Check out more sweet photos of dads seeing their daughters as brides for the first time!

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Top 25 Wedding-Planning Tips from Newlyweds

You're a planning bride: You're constantly looking at top wedding blogs, pinning has become your second job, and your wedding coordinator is on speed dial (or, if you don't have one, then you feel like you're ready to become one). But you can never fully anticipate the wedding day until (gulp) it's finally here.

That's why we turned to the fabulous couples we've featured for their best advice. They've walked down the aisle, they've said "I Do" and have partied like crazy at their reception. Then, when all of the craziness calmed down and they returned from their honeymoons, they whispered their "best advice" to us...and we're passing it down to you!

By: Heather Sharpe

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  • 1. Take your time.

    1. Take your time.

    "Matt and I planned our wedding for sixteen months, and it really helped to keep stress levels down. We got tons of stuff done early and had time to save for the things we really wanted. You only get to plan your wedding once, so make sure it is a fun time, not a stressful one!" —Claire and Matt

    Photo Credit: Katelyn James Photography

  • 2. Be present in each moment.

    2. Be present in each moment.

    "On your wedding day, soak up all the love, joy and bliss! Enjoy!" —Rachelle and Pete

    Photo Credit: Mastin Studio

  • 3. Do a first look.

    3. Do a first look.

    "It was one of the best decisions we made during our wedding planning. Our photographer and videographer collaborated and found a secluded area, away from all the madness that was going on that morning; we got a moment to see each other for the first time. It allowed us to take a deep breath, let the moment sink in, feel all the emotion we were about to feel all day. No matter what you decide, the important thing is choosing what's right for you as a couple." —Leah and Kevin

    Photo Credit: True Bliss Photography

  • 4. Don

    4. Don't get caught up in "perfection."

    "This event is an expression of yourselves, but it's not all you'll ever be. It's just the beginning! In fact, some of the best moments were ones we didn't plan for at all—like a fabulous photograph of my dress train all tangled up with leaves and dirt. Sure, it was messy and not what you're used to seeing in bridal magazines, but it was also honest and a truly joyful moment that could easily have gone south if we'd been uptight about things. Embrace the unexpected, and each others' opinions, and don't let an unattainable ideal sour the big picture: You're in this together, now and for the future." —Teresa and Ben

    Photo Credit: Jennifer Eileen Photography

  • 5. Have faith that all of your efforts will be worth it.

    5. Have faith that all of your efforts will be worth it.

    "Before my wedding, I remember my coworker telling me that her wedding day was the BEST day of her life, and she was so excited that I would soon be able to experience mine. When I was in the midst of planning my wedding, the long, daily to-do lists and the stress made me feel as if that day would never come. However, it eventually did! When it came, I tried my best to savor every moment of the wedding day—from the moment I got out of bed to the moment I walked out of my wedding venue as a married woman— and I'd advise brides and grooms out there to do the same." —Jamie and Daniel

    Photo Credit: Beaux Arts Photographie

  • 6. Share something personal and unique with your guests.

    6. Share something personal and unique with your guests.

    "Reading from The Lovely Love Story was the best decision we made for our wedding! Our guests couldn't stop talking about how adorable and memorable it was, and we still get a bunch of guests sharing random dinosaur posts on our Facebook walls. We also ended up getting amazing wedding films, since it gave the cinematographers something really emotional to connect all of the pieces together. Cinematographers are storytellers, so having a unifying element to drive your love story will truly leave lasting impression in your wedding films." —Lisa and Jonathan

    Photo Credit: One Love Photography

  • 7. Try not to stress (even when it seems impossible).

    7. Try not to stress (even when it seems impossible).

    "Remember why you are getting married, and try to truly make it be an event about (and for) the both of you. Have faith in your vendors and photographer, and trust that they will do their job well! And once it's happening, just go with it. One of my favorite memories is calling my dad after he walked me to the dock to meet Jim because he had my vows in his jacket pocket! Everyone laughed, and so did I.

    Even though our event was teeny-tiny, it still flew by. Remember to take a few minutes alone with your husband or wife. I'm so happy that our photographer Stacey suggested that we walk ahead of her while she snapped pics, which ended up being a really sweet time for us as brand-new newlyweds!"—Katrina and Jim

    Photo Credit: Stacey Hedman Photography

  • 8. Prioritize, prioritize, prioritize.

    8. Prioritize, prioritize, prioritize.

    "We wanted the whole day to be a celebration of the rest of our lives. We wanted people to walk away saying, 'That was so much fun.' And we were able to accomplish that. Choose the few things that are really important to you, like the photographer and DJ were to us, and then go from there. Be flexible on the other details and remember to have fun." —Jeanae and Scott

    Photo Credit: One Love Photography

  • 9. Accept that you can

    9. Accept that you can't please everyone.

    "You cannot make everyone happy, and trying to accommodate others will just make the whole process more daunting. This is your day; make it about you. It really is the only day that you will get that chance."—Heather and Kyle

    Photo Credit: Alante Photography

  • 10. Be a team throughout the entire process.

    10. Be a team throughout the entire process.

    "No matter how well-intentioned, friends and family will undoubtedly lend advice, opinions, and even objections to your decisions. It's easy for you two to become divided. But in the end, this is a celebration of your love and future together, and so every choice should be yours alone. Keep your focus on what matters most, forget what you think you should or shouldn't do, and go with your heart. If you keep you two at the center of every decision, it will be the most memorable day of your life." —Kendahl and Nick

    Photo Credit: Two Birds Photography

  • 11. Remind yourself what

    11. Remind yourself what's truly important.

    "My biggest piece of advice for brides and grooms planning their wedding is to never forget that it is a celebration of the union between two people." —Stephanie and Kahn

    Photo Credit: Tauran Woo

  • 12. Celebrate your love (and let others share your joy, too).

    12. Celebrate your love (and let others share your joy, too).

    "Tyler and I both went into our wedding knowing it would be incredible because at the end of the day, we were to be married, and that was the main purpose. Our advice is to understand that a wedding isn't about perfection. It is about the love you share and the vows you say. Everything else is a bonus.

    Also, remember it isn't all about you. Yes, it is your wedding and the celebration is in your honor, but a wedding is also an opportunity to thank all of the important people in your life who love and support you. It is to celebrate love, and it is meant to be fun! Enjoy it!" —Desiree and Tyler

    Photo Credit: La Vida Creations

  • 13. Take one thing at a time.

    13. Take one thing at a time.

    "You can be easily overwhelmed in planning a wedding without a full-time wedding coordinator. But once you select the date and venue, the rest will fall into place. Think about the three most important things to you, and work on those next—whether it's the photography, dress, food, music, florals, etc. Make a list and slowly cross things off as you go.

    The biggest thing is that when your wedding day finally arrives, it literally flies by in the blink of an eye. All of the planning, stress, money, and time put in over the entire year comes and goes in a flash the day of your wedding, so try to enjoy the whole process. At times, you'll be stressed and overwhelmed, but just enjoy the entire engagement and planning period, because when it's all over, you'll miss it and want to do it all over again!" —Malia and Brandon

    Photo Credit: Christine Bentley Photography

  • 14. Take time to enjoy each other

    14. Take time to enjoy each other's company.

    "It's so easy during wedding planning to not take time to check in with each other and just get straight to wedding to-dos. During our one year of wedding planning, it felt like every time we saw each other, we had wedding decisions to make and appointments to go to. At the end of the day, the wedding is just one day in the lifetime of a marriage. It's important to have a good foundation going into it.

    Lastly, make sure to take little moments throughout the wedding day to savor everything—the emotion, the sights, the smells, the sounds. The wedding day goes by so quickly and before you know it, all of that planning is over." —Diane and Paul

    Photo Credit: Yasmin Khajavi Photography

  • 16. Consider the environment when planning your wedding.

    16. Consider the environment when planning your wedding.

    "I know that it can be hard to see past the day itself, and you're just doing whatever you can to craft a beautiful event, but there is often so much waste that goes into a wedding. It's just one day in your life together, but the environmental toll can continue long after the day is done. Go simple, modern, vintage, or minimalist—any of these routes will help you reduce your impact on the environment and will likely save you money. So many people told us how blown away they were by our wedding, and yet, we spent less than $15k on the entire affair and managed to keep things very green.

    Also, I highly encourage couples to 'pay it forward' and give away anything they created or bought for their wedding.  I plan to give away almost every single thing we made and thrifted for our wedding so that they can have a second (and hopefully, third, fourth, and fifth!) chance to make someone else's dream day come true." —Amber and Nate

    Photo Credit: Two Birds Photography

  • 17. Eat!

    17. Eat!

    "Take the time to eat on the day of your wedding. Tristan and I didn't slow down or eat anything all day, and by the time the wedding was over, we were so worn out and hungry!"—Nicole and Tristan

    Photo Credit: Errol Colon Photography

  • 18. Keep the big picture in mind.

    18. Keep the big picture in mind.

    "What I mean by this is there will undoubtedly be times of stress, fighting (a lot of fighting), angst, and anxiousness before and during the wedding. What kept us sane was knowing that at the end of the day, it's just not that big of a deal. After the wedding, you will be husband and wife for the rest of your life—the wedding is just a big ol' party." —Lu and Joon

    Photo Credit: Alante Photography

  • 15. Kiss your husband as many times as you can.

    15. Kiss your husband as many times as you can.

    "All the stress you had before the big day...just let it go. It is what it is, and stressing will only damper your big day. If it's out of your control, let it be out of your control and just roll with it. Cherish every moment because it goes by so fast. And kiss your husband as many times as you can that day. It's all about the two of you, don't lose sight of that." —Megan and Steve

    Photo Credit: Danielle Capito Photography

  • 19. Hire a day-of coordinator.

    19. Hire a day-of coordinator.

    "The biggest piece of advice I have for brides and grooms that are planning a wedding is to hire a day-of coordinator so that you can enjoy your wedding day. Your coordinator allows you to take in all of the details and actually spend time with your guests and family. "—Alyssa and Aaron

    Photo Credit: Mastin Studio

  • 20. Don

    20. Don't sweat the little things.

    "Our biggest piece of advice would be to plan ahead, don’t procrastinate, don’t sweat the little things, only do things that you can afford, try not to do anything wedding related two weeks before the wedding, enjoy your big day, and don’t forget to steal a couple private moments just as husband and wife throughout your wedding day. Things will be stressful as you plan, and things will go wrong on your wedding day, but don’t forget the big picture." —Pearle and James

    Photo Credit: John Park Photography

  • 21. Make wedding appointments fun!

    21. Make wedding appointments fun!

    "Food tasting, venue tours, cake tasting, and the like do not have to be all business." —Wendy and Johnathan

    Photo Credit: Lori Paladino Photography

  • 22. Let your creativity flow.

    22. Let your creativity flow.

    "No one knows your vision better than yourself so trust your own style and taste. This is your special day with your husband so make sure to enjoy it and soak up every moment. This will be one of the BEST days of your life, I promise." —Sarah and Kris

    Photo Credit: Love and Lemonade Photography

  • 23. Keep it simple.

    23. Keep it simple.

    "I thought I was planning a simple event, but in retrospect, there is still a lot I could have done without. Despite all of my preparations in advance, because I did so much myself, there was so much I had to think about that I didn't get to enjoy the time leading up to the wedding as much as I would have liked. If I could go back, I would have traded a thing or two for some added peace of mind.

    Second, if you delegate, be specific and do it beforehand. Among several things I forgot: I didn't delegate a clean-up team for the next morning, so we and four other saintly guests ended up scrambling around, cleaning up everything ourselves. It wasn't anyone's fault but my own, because everyone just thought I had a crew designated to do it (I hadn't communicated my need for help).

    Finally, and most importantly, there are no rules! Want to have a BYOM (bring your own meat) picnic on blankets in the park? Do it. Don’t care for cake? Do without it. As someone who has worked in the wedding industry, I’ve seen it all too often become just that—an industry! Don’t buy into it if you don’t want it. Pick what is most important to you and prioritize based on that, not on convention or expectations. Don’t get so wrapped up in everything else that it takes away from being there in that moment."  —Sophie and Bobby

    Photo Credit: The Collective Photographers

  • 24. Finish your to-do list early.

    24. Finish your to-do list early.

    "The sooner you can get done with small things, the better, because the closer the wedding gets, the bigger the small tedious things tend to get. It will be the fastest year of your life. And as far as the wedding goes, make sure to stop during all of the hustle and bustle to enjoy yourselves." —Sarah and Andy

    Photo Credit:Catherine Rhodes Photography

  • 25. Don

    25. Don't get too caught up in the details.

    "Take a step back and remember what is important—you are marrying the love of your life!  The dresses, cake, flowers, food, and drinks will have no bearing on the success of your marriage, so don't sweat it and always focus on keeping a realistic perspective."—Kelly and Matthew

    Photo Credit: Bamber Photography

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Top 25 Wedding-Planning Tips from Newlyweds

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Etiquette Q&A: "Can I Use Pre-Printed Address Labels?"

wedding invitation

Q: Instead of writing addresses by hand on the envelope, is it okay to use pre-printed labels?  

A: As much as it would seem more efficient and less labor-intensive, using pre-printed address labels on your wedding invitations is not recommended. Your invitation is a reflection of your personal style and how you view your wedding. According to Mary Mitchell, spokesperson for stationery giant Crane & Co., "The invitation sets the tone for your wedding at the very beginning and is just as important a detail as your flowers, decor and menu. Hand-written envelopes indicate that you care to make your wedding a truly memorable occasion."

The message you send with pre-printed labels? "Let’s just get this over with!" So take the time to write out names and addresses. Why not try your hand at calligraphy or hire someone to do it for you?

Make addressing your invitations an opportunity for a fun get-together rather than a chore. Ask your fiancé, bridesmaids, mom or other family members and friends for some help (don’t try to do it all yourself). You’ll discover that your guests will not only appreciate the time taken but will also regard your wedding as the special event you want it to be.    

—Diane Forden

Hunger Games Fans: See Katniss Everdeen's Wedding Gown!

In a new promo pic for The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, which hits theaters on November 22, Katniss is wearing a gorgeous wedding gown:

katniss everdeen wedding dress

In the book, President Snow orders Katniss to wear Cinna's winning wedding gown design for her televised interview to kick off the Quarter Quell. Katniss describes her gown as "heavy white silk with a low neckline and tight waist and sleeves that fall from my wrists to the floor. And pearls. Pearls everywhere. Stitched into the dress and in ropes at my throat and forming the crown for the veil." 

And when she twirls... well, fans know what happens there!

Obviously, the costume designers took some liberties with the design, but we can certainly imagine how this dress will transform when she twirls. What do you think?

Updated: The designer has been revealed! Though previously speculated to be Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen, Catching Fire costume designer Trish Summerville reveals that this frothy confection was the brainchild of Tex Saverio in Jakarta. "He is amazing! I found his designs quite some time ago and saved his information for a fitting project, then came Catching Fire —perfect!" she told The Hollywood Reporter. After several Skype calls and countless sketches, they nailed the final design: a Swarovski-crystal-covered "organza corset under a metal cage." The metal pieces on top represent fire and flames, while the laser-cut feathers at the waist and shoulder are a nod to her transition into a Mockingjay.

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Wedding Ideas by Color: Gold and Silver

From bouquets to bridesmaids dresses, centerpieces to cakes, get tons of inspiration for metallics. Plus, see more color palettes here.

By: Kristen O'Gorman Klein

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Wedding Ideas by Color: Gold and Silver

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