Blog Posts by Bridal Guide

Bridal Guide's budget guru is always finding share-worthy DIY ideas that'll show off your creativity while saving you money. Here, the 11 most popular ideas of the year.

1. Brooch Bouquet

Add vintage style to your bridal look with this one-of-a-kind heirloom that will last forever.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS ►

2. Wedding Seating Chart

Although we're suckers for gorgeous décor projects, sometimes the best wedding DIY tasks are the ones that simply make your life a little easier, behind the scenes.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS ►

3. Wedding Card Mini-Album

Afraid that your wedding cards will end up being shoved away in a desk drawer, never to be seen again? Us too. That's why we can't wait to create this beautiful keepsake album to give our endless stack of cards a home and banish desk clutter for good.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS ►

4. Vintage Teacup Candles

These teacup candles would be perfect for a

Spread the joyful news that the wedding is finally (almost) here with an announcement that is just as fun and personal as the two of you.

Unconventional, yes, but hilarious nonetheless. If you're the kind of bride who yawns when you receive yet another saccharine notice in the mail, then this cheeky save-the-date should strike your fancy. No kissing this time-you don't want the writing to smudge.

2. Words with Friends

Wordsmiths, spell out your love story with Scrabble tiles as a tribute to your favorite low-key dates (or app addiction). Triple points for a vibrant dress in a cheery hue, like the one this lovely bride is wearing.

Photo Credit: He & She Photography

3. Team We're-Getting-Married

After realizing how one-sided planning can be, groom-to-be Tommy Gaynor used his save-the-date as an opportunity to get more involved in the wedding planning with fiancée Shaina. He came up with the idea to pay

Britney Spears couldn't contain her engagement euphoria last week-get the scoop on her proposal here!-it's easy to see why she got a case of Twitter TMI after receiving this incredible round-cut engagement ring designed by Neil Lane.

Photo Credit: Neil Lane

Neil Lane revealed to People Magazine that Jason Trawick refers to the pop singer as his "everyday princess," so he was inspired to create a regal setting with a tiara motif, which includes 90 small diamonds.

The ring created a splash this weekend because unlike other celeb sparklers, Britney's weighs in at a modest 3 carats-"Jason didn't want an over-the-top ring with a giant stone."

In honor of her new bling, we tracked down five sparkly lookalikes (and one fantasy pick so similar, it's scary) for our lovely brides-to-be out there:

1. Overstock.com 14K White Gold 1 ct. TDK Diamond Engagement Ring ($1,929.99)

2. Blue Nile Petite Cathedral Pavé Diamond Engagement Ring in 14K White Gold ($730

Today, I thought I'd talk about certain wedding truths no one wants to tell you, since I'm officially a wedding planning veteran. Here it goes...

1. There are going to be times when you seriously question your sanity.

This is okay. There is a reason why they came up with the word "bridezilla"-planning your wedding can be a stress-inducing experience. It's easy for us to get sucked into an unattainable ideal of perfection. Then you've got the anxiety of actually paying for it all, coupled with the desire to bond with your new in-laws. It's inevitable that we have meltdowns from time to time! Here are 20 easy ways to de-stress for the times when it all feels like too much to handle.

Photo Credit: Jayd Gardina Photography

2. You will become obsessed with looking at total strangers' weddings (on Pinterest, Facebook, etc.) and want to steal their genius ideas.

This is okay, too. People have beautiful weddings and feature them on the Internet for our viewing pleasure.

Photo via Facebook

Britney Spears and Jason Trawick are getting married!

A source confirmed to Us Weekly that Trawick popped the question last night during a romantic private dinner to celebrate his 40th birthday.

"This is something they've both wanted for a long time," the source revealed."It's a way to cement their family. They're both extremely happy and can't wait to become man and wife."

Britney posted a tweet Friday morning hinting at the news: "OMG. Last night Jason surprised me with the one gift I've been waiting for. Can't wait to show you! SO SO SO excited!!!! Xxo"

Spears and Trawick have been together for two years and were close friends before dating, as Trawick was Spears' former agent.

Spears told Us Magazine that Trawick quickly took on a father figure role to her two sons, Sean Preston and Jayden. "Jason is just amazing with the boys," Spears said. "They look up to him so much-they adore him. He's their hero."

"We have such a great

Following the success of her hugely popular White by Vera Wang line with David's Bridal, the revered wedding gown designer will launch a collection of tuxedos with Men's Wearhouse in spring 2012 called Black by Vera Wang.

The first collection will offer two styles: a black tuxedo with a two-button notch, grosgrain lapel with side vents, and flat-front pants with a grosgrain stripe detail, and a gray tuxedo with a two-button, satin edge notch lapel with side vents and classic flat-front pants.

The rental collection will start at $219.99 for the complete outfit, available in standard fit, slim fit, and big & tall sizing.

"For more than twenty years, I have shared my design vision with women around the world, so it is exciting to now have the opportunity to share that with men as well," said Vera Wang in a release. "With an exceptional reputation as one the largest men's specialty retailers, Men's Wearhouse was a natural retail partner for the Black by Vera Wang

His-Hers-Ours Bank Accounts
The basic decision about whether to merge your assets or keep some (or all) of them separate is an individual one, but experts typically advise establishing a joint account for most regular household expenses (even if either or both of you also choose to keep some dough separate). Why? A joint account helps couples learn to "think of the money as theirs, so they are likelier to make joint decisions," says Julie Rains, a business and finance expert who blogs about money at WiseBread. Developing an emphasis on shared goals can help defuse the idea that the higher earner holds more power in the relationship-a dynamic that can get you into marital trouble later on. At the same time, says Bambi Holzer, author of Financial Bliss: A Couple's Guide to Merging Money Styles and Building a Rich Life Together, "you might want to consider keeping separate accounts for paying off personal debt and for personal expenses. This especially makes sense if the two of

Sometimes the little things really don't make a difference, and piling up debt certainly never makes sense. Here, some recent brides share what-with 20/20 hindsight-they did wrong.

"The food at our reception was way overpriced and it was only the standard, boring buffet. Sometimes I think we should've considered having a more casual wedding and ordering food from an Italian restaurant or even barbecue from a BBQ joint!" -Lynda, Sterling, VA

"I could have done without an expensive wedding cake and just served cupcakes. A friend of mine did that, and they were a big hit." -Meg, Wilmington, DE

"Make sure that you and your DJ are on the same page! We went over our playlist with him, but he still ignored most of what we wanted and played stuff we didn't really like. If I had to do it over again, I'd just program an iPod and get some speakers." - Jennifer, Short Hills, NJ

"I wish I'd spent less on flowers. All I really wanted was an eclectic mix of herbs and