While I was trolling the Internet for black-and-white wedding inspiration, I stumbled across this dress from Alice & Olivia. My initial thought was, "Bridesmaid!" Followed quickly by, "Ehhhh, bridesmaid?"

Martine Wrap Bodice Tulip Skirt Dress from Alice & Olivia, $237.60.

I mean, I'm assuming the model is, well, model-height (so at least 5'8"—possibly, like, 5'11") so the dress would fall closer to the knee on an average-height girl. And I found the dress in a yellowy-green on another site, and the peekaboo portion is adjusted to be even teenier.

I feel like with the muted makeup, sleek oversize topknot, and the understated heels pictured, the head-to-toe look would totally work for a bridesmaid at posh Saturday-night wedding. Maybe in a loft in a city?

In the name of full disclosure, I should mention the back is pretty open too. But it's still kinda working for me! Have I lost my mind?

I mean, obviously the dress is a big ol' NO for girls with anything bigger than a B cup. (Or conservative weddings. Or super-formal weddings.) But if it goes with the vibe of your wedding and none of your 'maids are busty, I think it would totally work!

Do you like this peekaboo dress for a bridesmaid? Or is it just TOO much?

If I weren't dressing for two right now, I'd totally pick up this dress to add to my LBD arsenal. But right now I can't fathom buying anything that would cover such a small fraction of my body!

I understand when a regular couple has a long engagement—weddings cost money and saving cash can take some time. But when a celeb couple takes forever-ever to say their vows, I start to wonder whether they'll EVER make it down the aisle. Here are three couples who have put off saying "I do" for ages.

Kate Hudson & Matthew Bellamy, engaged April 2011
Kate's mom, Goldie Hawn, basically invented long-term commitment without the "commitment" in Hollywood. She and partner Kurt Russell have been together for 30 years. Kate said yes to a proposal from Muse frontman Matthew Bellamy in April 2011 and gave birth to their son, Bing, that July.

Jessica Simpson & Eric Johnson, engaged November 2010

The weddings world was all "WHAT?!" when Jessica Simpson announced her engagement to her ex-NFL player boyfriend Eric Johnson in November 2010 after the two had been dating for just six months. Almost three years later, it doesn't seem they're any closer to hosting a wedding—but having back-to-back babies can kind of get in the way of wedding planning, I imagine.

Rachel Bilson & Hayden Christensen, engaged in 2008
Rachel Bilson and Hayden Christensen have been engaged for so long that I actually forgot they were already engaged. (To put things in perspective, they got engaged the year after Rory and I did—and we've been married for five years!) The two split briefly in 2010 but were reunited a few months later.

Do you think these couples are in it for the long haul? Which do you think will get married first? Do you think they'll stay engaged and skip "I do"? Or will they eventually break up?

Of course there are other celebrity couples who have been together longer without getting engaged. Josh Jackson and Diane Kruger (together since 2006) and Naomi Watts and Liev Schreiber (together since 2005) come to mind. I don't care that any of these couples, aren't married, of course. I just feel like once there's an engagement, I want a wedding!

Photos: Getty Images

If you feel pretty, you'll look pretty! Dress 6362 from Hayley Paige.

It's totally normal to have doubts after you THINK you've found your dream wedding dress—and {dun dun dun dun } handed over your plastic. What if you hate it when it arrives? What if you find something better?

Nine and half times out of 10, I've found the bride is still thrilled when her dress arrives. But here are three signs you might not be.

1) You're not quite comfortable with the cut. Maybe your mom encouraged you to go strapless, or a salesgirl convinced you that you HAD to have an open back. But any tugging and adjusting you're doing in the shop are going to be multiplied by 100 on your wedding day. If you feel awkward and uncomfortable in your gown, that's exactly how you're going to look walking down the aisle.

2) It has ZERO wiggle room. It's easy to be tempted by a marked-way-down sample or a deeply discounted showroom gown, but if you can't breathe in your dress, you're going to spend hundreds having it fixed—or seriously suffer on your wedding day. (Good to know: In general, wedding dresses are made with alterations in mind, but samples and showroom dresses don't always have the extra fabric allowances.) When in doubt, size up. And if the fit of a sample-size dress is questionable, don't risk it.

3) It costs three times more than you should have spent. With so many well-priced options out there, it's just not worth it to blow your rent on your wedding dress. I can pretty much guarantee you won't look back on your wedding day and wish, If ONLY I had spent more on my dress. Plus, thinking about your wedding dress should make you feel starry-eyed, not panicked and stressed.

If you've made any of the three goof-ups above, I recommend selling your "Oops!" dress on OnceWed or PreOwnedWeddingDresses, both of which have great reputations in the industry. If you mark it "new with tags," you might not lose money on the sale. And if your dress is a fancy-pants sample, you might even make some cash!

Are you worried about wedding dress buyer's remorse? Did you buy a gown and later regret it?

Photo: Courtesy of the designer

We know Ashley Tisdale is engaged to musician Christopher French—and now we've gotten a first look at her oh-so-blingy ring.

Take a peep:

And here it is zoomed in, for those who really want a gander:

My reaction? Yowza, that's BIG.

What do you guys think?

Whether you think the idea of having six thousand photos taken of you on your wedding day sounds kind of fun or totally frightening, it helps to have a little posing know-how up your lace cap sleeve. Thus, allow us to present five flattering-photo tips from professional photographer Chris Schoenbohm, co-founder of the new iPhone-photo-organizing app Viewfinder.

1. Strike that hand-on-hip pose. Yes, this post is something of a Facebook cliche at this point—but that's because people have discovered its magic! "This common pose is called the three-quarter angle stance, and it never fails to make a woman look slim, sexy, and beautiful," Schoenbohm says. The move: Extend one leg out in front, pivot, and plant the corresponding hand on your hip. "The result is a long, attractive, diagonal line that draws the viewers' eyes across the subject," Schoenbohm explains. Just try and make your hand-on-hip look natural, not forced (a.k.a. maybe try it after a glass or two of champagne at the reception!).

2. Choose the right angle. Even if you totally trust your wedding photographer, it can't hurt to know the ins and outs of which photo angles are the most flattering to a bride. For example: Skip artsy shots taken from a low vantage point. "Most people think shooting from a lower angle pointing up will give the perception of height; however, the result is usually a distorted image that in some instances will actually add weight." The camera should be at eye level or above for portraits. "This will also help avoid the dreaded double-chin effect, and everyone loves a nice, sexy jawline," Schoenbohm says. One more tip: If you're short and want to look taller, when possible, position yourself away from tall objects or people. "The difference in height is the first thing a person’s eye will be drawn to in your photo. You’d be surprised how tall a subject will appear in a photo without anything else to compare a person’s height with," Schoenbohm says.

3. Know how to sit pretty. "Legs crossed at the ankles and arms and shoulders drawn inwards always slim a subject down and draw more attention to the vertical emphasis," Schoenbohm says.

4. Spend time in the most flattering light. Soft light is the kindest when it comes to minimizing your imperfections. "Examples of soft light are places indoors next to a window, or outdoor shade protected from direct sunlight," Schoenbohm says.

5. Choose sides. "We all have a better side. Knowing which one is which on your face can change EVERYTHING," Schoenbohm says. "Take a few test shots and look at the results. That’s the beauty of a digital camera or smartphone."

To further up your photo game pre-wedding, check out 11 secrets of really photogenic people (they're kind of life-changing!).

What's your fave trick for looking extra fabulous in photos?

Photo: Getty Images

What do you do if you know in advance that loved ones or close friends can't attend your wedding? Should you still send them a wedding invitation so they feel included? Brides' etiquette wedding experts answer.

We don't want to make people we know can't attend feel bad by sending them an invitation. Also, it might just look like we're asking for a gift. Suggestions?

Consider this rule of thumb: If you want people to know that they are included in your wedding plans, send them an invitation. While it's thoughtful to think of your guests (and thrifty to try and cut costs), the decision of whether or not to attend should be left to them. Who knows: They may want to juggle their commitments and make a cameo appearance—but they can only do so if they get invited in the first place.

—Written by Brides

Have you ever withheld an invitation knowing the person wouldn't make it?

More from Brides:
*Sexy Summer Wedding Dresses
*Celebrity Engagement Rings and Wedding Bands
*25 Wedding Hairstyles Inspired by Our Favorite Celebrities
*America's Most Beautiful Cakes
*11 Things to Avoid Before Your Wedding

Photo: Getty Images

Thanks to some questionably placed jewelry, I've been yapping about Hayden Panettiere's maybe-engagement to Wladimir Klitschko for months—but she STILL hasn't confirmed anything. (Exhibit A. Exhibit B. Exhibit C.) But she was recently spotted at LAX wearing what just HAS to be an engagement ring.

Here's the otherwise-uninteresting photo of her strolling through the airport.

But when we zoom in, things get interesting.

Granted, she could totally be messing with me {yes, ME, personally } to stir up buzz before the season premiere of Nashville. But Hayden, I'm watching anyway! There's no need to toy with my emotions!

Anyone else 100 percent convinced that Hayden Panettiere is engaged to Wladimir Klitschko? That engagement-y ring HAS to be an engagement ring, right?

I'm SO excited to share the pics of real brides modeling Watters wedding dresses from our photo shoot earlier this month. They looked so gorgeous, I was literally tearing up the entire time. (I'm hoping they were too busy being ooh'd and aah'd over to notice!)

First up, Tonya, a lightweight body-builder who just happens to look like a model. Seriously, it feels like these wedding dresses were custom-made for her! Get a load of all this gorgeous.

Wedding Dress 1

Wtoo Vesta Gown Style 11523 Ivory lace bateau neckline off the shoulder with soft A-line skirt. Available in sizes 0-24.

Wedding Dress 2

Wtoo Isabella Gown style 10801 Ivory silky taffeta strapless asymmetrical draped neckline, pleated full A-line skirt. Available in sizes 0-24.

Wedding Dress 3

Wtoo Camilla Gown style 18836 Champagne shimmer taffeta surplice draped bodice with full ball-gown skirt with hand-pleated floral detail. Available in sizes 0-24.

Wedding Dress 4

Wtoo Hera Gown style 19770 Oatmeal tulle strapless dropped waist with embellished feather lace bodice, modified A-line skirt. Available in sizes 0-24.

Here's Tonya with Vatana Watters, the president and founder of Watters. The dress she's wearing here is the same as the one above, but it looks whiter in this pics, which is helpful, because the dress also comes in white and ivory.

Which of these wedding dresses do you like best on Tonya? Would you wear any of them?

Photos: Jenna Andrews, superstar. Hair & Makeup: Flora Kay.

Writes Save the Date reader Karena:

I'm having a very small destination wedding with only 18 guests, and I'm lucky that my best friend is one of them. However, she just showed me a photo of the dress she bought for the wedding. It's very low-cut, short, and tight. (She's busty.) It's also white.

I know etiquette says it's OK for guests to wear white to a wedding nowadays, but her dress just bothers me. Not only that it's white but also the overall look. Interestingly enough, once when we were at a mutual friend's wedding, we had a conversation about how awkward it is for guests to wear white to a wedding. So I can't help but feel like she's trying to show off.

I really do appreciate her taking the vacation days and spending the money to fly to my wedding, so I'm hesitant to say anything. (When she initially showed me the picture, I was too shocked to say much.) Should I let it go? Or should I tell her how I feel about the dress if it comes up again?

Here are my thoughts:

Actually, etiquette says it's STILL not OK for a guest to wear white to a wedding. (It's a total Glamour DON'T.) Regardless, I don't think you can say anything.

As you said, your friend is taking vacation days AND spending $$$ to fly to your wedding. (I'm assuming she'll have to pay for a hotel, food, and transportation too.) She's already going above and beyond, so I don't think you can also ask her to buy another dress.

Unless her dress looks a lot like your wedding dress, I'd keep your lips zipped. I agree she's being uncool and attention-grabby, but it's not like your guests are going to mistake her for the bride. All eyes will be on you—except when she's getting sideways glances from people wondering what the heck she's wearing.

If you'd like her white dress to be less in-your-face in pics, you could always hand out leis (assuming your wedding's somewhere warm) or some other colorful accessory to all your guests and hope she embraces the "theme." Otherwise, I'd let it go and hope she realizes the faux pas on her own.

Ladies, what do you think? Should Karena ask her friend to wear a different dress? Or is it best if she forgets about it?

Photo: Thinkstock.

Look, I can't promise every bride will look THIS good in a Watterswedding dress, but real bride Rachel {who got married last weekend—congrats! } pretty much killed it in every gown.

Wedding Dress 1

Watters Jacinda Gown (style 4061B) White Bateau Italian illusion hand-beaded bodice with stretch amaretto silk charmeuse slip dress. Available in sizes 0-24.

Wedding Dress 2

Watters Brooke Gown (style 4074B) Ivory washed silk organza strapless draped bodice with twist detail with cascading ball-gown skirt. Available in sizes 0-24. Euphoria Belt, Antique gold finish with golden shadow crystals and double-faced satin ribbon. Watters Nymph Veil by Toni Federici, Fingertip circular-style veil with delicate thread-trimmed edge.

Wedding Dress 3

Wtoo Mahala Gown (style 19859) Ivory silky taffeta strapless gown with shirred drop-waist bodice and trumpet skirt with pleated floral detail. Available in sizes 0-24. Watters Butterfly Veil by Toni Federici, Circular-style, multitiered, chapel-length veil with hand-cut edge.

Here's Rachel with Vatana Watters, the president and founder of Watters, who I hear has a birthday this week. Happy birthday, gorgeous!

Which of these wedding dresses do you like best on Rachel? Would you wear any of them?

Photos: Jenna Andrews, rockstar. Hair & Makeup: Flora Kay.

For whatever reason, stars seem to love crashing weddings. Russell Brand did it; so did Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez. And just a few days ago, Willie Robertson of "Duck Dynasty" crashed a camo-wearing couple's nuptials.

Here's the good news—the two are such huge fans of Willie's, they actually almost canceled their wedding when they heard he'd be signing autographs at a store nearby. But instead of calling it off, they simply moved the entire affair to the store! (So maybe this is more a case of a wedding ceremony crashing an autograph signing?)

And if someone's gotta crash your wedding, I suppose it's nice if it's a celebrity—one that you actually like, anyway.

So that's my question for you today. A celebrity must crash your wedding—you have no say if it's going to happen or not. But you do have a say in who it is! So who do you pick?

Finding the perfect gift for the about-to-get-married couple in your life is no joke. Between the gift registry (which—at least if you're me, because I procrastinate more than I should—usually gets fulfilled before you have the chance to actually buy something other than the leftover lone set of dish towels) and the search to find a truly meaningful gift, it can get a little stressful.

So maybe this is something to take into consideration—as a guest and a bride. A survey from British gift card company One4all found that 82 percent of newlyweds don't actually hang on to all their wedding gifts.

In fact, they resell them for cash on sites such as eBay! As someone who still has a select few boxed wedding gifts (from, ahem, six years ago) in her closet, I kind of understand. Sometimes, no matter how grateful you are (and most newlyweds really are super grateful!), you might get duplicate gifts (we got four juicers), or things that don't necessarily match your own personal taste. You know, as a couple.

Still, I don't think we'd ever sell these leftover gifts...I mean, who knows? They just might match our future selves perfectly.

So what do you think—would you ever sell your wedding gifts? What would be the reason you'd do so?

More on gifts:
* Things from Etsy you definitely need
* A sweet gift for your engaged friend
* Meet the world's worst wedding guest

Photo: Thinkstock

I'm about three years removed from my college graduation, which means I'm experiencing my first wave of "friends getting engaged" news. Fortunately for me (and even more fortunately for them, when you think about it—they're the ones making the commitment), I've never reacted to a friend's forthcoming nuptials with any sort of visceral aversion. Instead, I've been happy for them!

That said, should a situation arise when one of my friends is marrying a not-so-great guy, I'll know exactly how to handle myself thanks to a few helpful tips from the ladies at UCB Comedy. Just take a look:

Have you ever had to deal with a friend getting engaged to someone who may not be right for them? How did you react (with or without lying)?

Little Mix singer Perrie Edwards just walked the red carpet for One Direction's This Is Us film premiere with some pretty substantial bling on THAT finger. So could Perrie and boyfriend Zayn Malik be engaged?

Neither camp has commented yet, but get a load of this bling.

Either she's wearing an engagement ring—or she wants people to wonder if she's wearing an engagement ring.

Do you think Zayn Malik and Perrie Edwards are engaged? Is she just messing with 1D fans? Or is it an innocent ring she picked up for the premiere?

Photo: Getty Images

David's Bridal just rolled out four online-exclusive styles from the White by Vera Wang line, two wedding dresses, and two bridesmaid dresses. Both wedding dresses fall under the $800 mark, and the bridesmaid dresses are less than $180. And I think the first bridesmaid dress would TOTALLY work for a bridesmaid with a tiny baby bump. (If it's a friend's first baby, she could probably safely wear it until around the five-month mark!)

Wedding Dress 1

Style VW351190 Chiffon One-Shoulder Gown With Draped Tiers, $728.

Wedding Dress 2

Style VW351191 Bobbin Net Halter Gown With Pleated Circle Skirt, $728.

Bridesmaid Dress 1

Style VW360090 Mikado V-Neck Column Dress With Front Slit, $178.

Bridesmaid Dress 2

Style VW360130 One-Shoulder Dress With Asymmetrical Pintucking, $168.

Which one of these dresses is your favorite?

The second wedding dress and the first bridesmaid dress are both my style!

Photos: Courtesy of David's Bridal.

Look, I understand how useful it can be to have an "official wedding binder." In fact, I had two. { } But I think we can all admit that Trapper Keeper-style binders are majorly dorky after, say, third grade. Thankfully, there's no law that says you HAVE to record your wedding details on
8-1/2-by-11 paper that's been blessed by the touch of a three-hole punch. So you're free to swap out that bulky binder for the new Moleskine Passions Wedding Journal, which is simple and chic and will fit neatly in your purse. And I'm not just saying all this because I'm obsessed with Moleskine notebooks for day-to-day use. (Seriously. I live and die by mine.)

Moleskine Passions Wedding Journal, $19.95.

The wedding journal features everything I already love about Moleskine notebooks: an elastic band on the outside to keep it shut, bookmark ribbons (the journal has three!), and a handy, expandable back pocket.

It also includes 162 stickers {I'm a 30-something who loves stickers. So what? }, tabbed sections (for inspiration, guests, ceremony, etc.), a 12-month foldout calendar, and a little bridal book to tuck in the back, so the bride has a place to stow the deets on her dress, hair, etc., away from her groom.

Love it!

Will you pick up the new Moleskine journal? Or are you sticking with your bulky binder?

I know she doesn't look it here, but pretty Kelly Clarkson—posing with our lovely Jessica Radloff—is very ready to be done with her wedding already (she's marrying Brandon Blackstock in Nashville at the end of October).

Says Kelly: "I'm so over it. It's so overwhelming. We're just doing a lot: touring and the wedding and the Christmas album, so I'm over the wedding part."

According to an "insider" (those insiders seem to know everything, don't they?!), Kelly is doing most of the wedding planning herself. And even when you're not a touring superstar—doing interviews and performing songs everywhere—or you actually have plenty of help, wedding planning can still make you a little "meh." Which is totally normal and OK! Still, there are ways of helping yourself bounce back from the wedding blues. For instance:

Have a date night. A very specific kind of date night, that is, where you and your guy make a deal to kibosh all wedding talk (no matter how huge your to-do list is). You don't even have to go out! Order in some pizza, hang out with Netflix...and watch something non-wedding-y.

Take a day off.Mental health days are good for when you're feeling overwhelmed, and it's safe to say that wedding planning can have a big-time "whelm" factor. Steal some time to listen to music, go for a run, take a really long nap, and do not think about the wedding, as hard as it may be.

Do something for someone else. Wedding planning can get a little "me, me, me," and "us, us, us"! Shake off the bride-to-be thing and, instead, go do something nice for someone else. Make and send some cards to the residents of a senior center, volunteer to take shelter dogs for a walk, go help plant flowers at the community center. Taking a step back and focusing on other people (or animals!) can help put the whole wedding thing into perspective.

Any other ideas for taming a case of the wedding-bell blues?

More on wedding stress:
* The No. 1 way to deal with anxiety on your wedding day
* The dos and don'ts of choosing your gown
* How to deal with your guy on the wedding topic

While checking out the new, official royal family portraits, what did we happen to notice?

Prince William's ring finger has gone commando! But it actually turns out that that's always been the case. Wills has simply opted not to wear a wedding ring. According to well-placed sources in the royal realm, Kate and William discussed his band-wearing, and, says an aide, "It is simply down to personal preference" that he doesn't sport a ring.

And he's not the only one! For some guys, it really does come down to feeling weird about jewelry. I mean, until the day they said "I do," they may have never worn a ring...like, ever. Sure, some guys may have other motives—and they're not necessarily of the cheating variety. New York magazine spoke to some "nakedfingers" (sounds so...wrong?) that don't wear rings because they fear they'll become "stereotypes" that miss out on certain networking opportunities, thanks to the preconceived notions about who they are, thanks to their bands.

I don't know, it's an interesting question. My dad never wore a band—despite his undying devotion to my mom—so I grew up thinking no guy wore a wedding ring. It took me a kind of embarrassing amount of time to realize that lots of men do wear them.

Sometimes, I take my rings off at night (they can get scratchy) and I forget to put them on in the rush of the morning (because I am very rarely not late). And I've totally gotten comments about my naked finger—as if I'm up to something when I'm going to lunch with friends or making a bazillion copies at the copy machine. It's just funny—I don't know of a lot of men that have received similar comments, you know?

But maybe you do! Is it absolutely OK for a guy not to wear a wedding ring? What do you think of a married guy that nixes a band? Are you fine with it?

More wedding rings:
* Why Seal still wore his ring, post-Heidi Klum
* Wow, Diane von Furstenburg has 26 wedding rings
* What no one tells you about wedding bands (but we will)

Photo: Getty Images

As Lexi mentioned earlier today, Kelly Clarkson has been feeling totally "meh" about planning her October wedding to Brandon Blackstock. So "meh" that she's just announced that they've to call off the wedding. Kelly told People: "We are so busy that we finally just came to terms the other night and were like, 'So, we change our minds and we want to elope.' We just got so overwhelmed by it—all the decisions."

The couple sent a note to friends saying, "Thank you so much for understanding, but it's just going to be me and Brandon and his two kids and the minister."

Read the full story here.

But clearly from this picture—which Kelly shared yesterday via Twitter—the couple is just as in love as ever.

Okay... One more from our engagement shoot ha! #TieItUp :) pic.twitter.com/gFeWntf47d

— Kelly Clarkson (@kelly_clarkson) August 20, 2013

Here's a better look:

Have you been so frustrated by wedding planning that you've wanted to elope? And would you be pissed if you had plans to travel to a wedding and the bride and groom bailed?

I wished we had eloped probably at least once a week for a while!

Photo: Twitter/kelly_clarkson

We're fans of statement wedding nails—cherry red, sparkly, a little blingy, even blue—but clearly, there's also something to be said for brides choosing a muted, pale nail polish that keeps all the focus on the real stars: the rings! I recently interviewed a bunch of the best celebrity nail artists for an article, and while I was at it, I asked them to name their all-time favorite neutral nail colors for fair, medium, and dark skin. Below are the nine top colors that emerged. Which would you try on as a possible wedding manicure color?

3 of the Best Neutral Wedding Nail Polishes for Light Skin

Essie BFF Best Boyfriend, $8, Nordstrom

Tom Ford Pink Crush, $32, Nordstrom

Sonia Kashuk Sugar Rush, $4.79, Target

3 of the Best Neutral Wedding Nail Polishes for Medium Skin

OPI Samoan Sand, $8, drugstore.com

Deborah Lippmann Naked, $17, Lord & Taylor

OPI My Vampire is Buff, $9, ulta.com

3 of the Best Neutral Wedding Nail Polishes for Dark Skin

CoverGirl Outlast Stay Brilliant Nail Gloss in Snow Storm, $3.89, amazon.com

Deborah Lippmann Fashion, $17, hsn.com

OPI Glints of Glinda, $9, ulta.com

Obviously, some of these can cross categories and look lovely on any skin tone, so if one strikes your fancy, try it!

What's your favorite subtle neutral nail polish color, and what will your wedding nails look like?