If you wear a sloppy ponytail to the gym every day, a pony probably isn't what you're envisioning for your wedding hair. But a ponytail CAN be spiffed up enough for a wedding. No, really! Here to prove my point: six celebs with ultra-posh ponytails:

Ashlee Simpson

Lauren Conrad

Beyonce

Olga Kurylenko

Jessica Biel

Heather Graham

I think the key is keeping things really smooth up top—unless you're copycatting Ashlee Simpson's look—and getting a solid handle on flyaways. A pretty accessory (NOT your usual ratty ponytail tie!) also helps dress things up.

Would you wear a ponytail to your wedding? Which celeb's look would you copy?

I probably would have, but I'd need a major boost from extensions. My pony on its own is pretty sad. (Thank you, fine, thin hair.)

Writes Save the Date reader Marissa:

My boyfriend recently proposed, and we're in the process of choosing our wedding party. I'm planning on asking my four closest childhood friends to be bridesmaids. I'd also like to include my fiance's sister, perhaps as maid of honor. But I'm not sure how to manage the pre-wedding activities.

I've been friends with my girlfriends since elementary school. We've remained close, but we are now all scattered in different states and only see each other once or twice a year. In light of this, I don't want a bridal shower or multiple parties; I just want ONE weekend where I can really reconnect with my besties.

My future sister-in-law and I are friendly enough, but our personalities are very different. She's introverted and doesn't enjoy going out or late nights, and I know she would be uncomfortable being thrust into this group for a weekend.

I really want to spend time with my other bridesmaids—and I don't want to worry about offending her all weekend.

Is there any way to ask just some of my wedding party to participate in my bachelorette weekend? Or should I suck it up and invite her and recognize it as an opportunity for us to become closer? Or should I skip the bachelorette weekend and suggest something low-key that she'd be more comfortable with? Help!

Here are my thoughts:

First of all, I'd pass on asking your future sister-in-law to be your MOH. That role is generally reserved for the person you're closest with, and it doesn't sound like the two of you are tight. I understand that it might be easier to stick her in the role, rather than choose among your four closest friends, but if that's the case, just skip the whole MOH thing and have five bridesmaids.

Now, onto your question: I think this is one of the very few times you can have your (wedding) cake and eat it too. Let everyone know that you don't want a bachelorette party or bridal shower; it's within your rights as a bride to put the kibosh on any pre-wedding festivities. Then go ahead and plan a fun weekend with your besties, without making it an official "bachelorette" weekend. You guys can go ahead and party without the guise of a bachelorette party, and your future SIL won't feel left out—or forced to participate in something that she's not comfortable with. That said, if you DO feel like you have to come out and call it a "bachelorette," I do think you have to extend an invite to your fiance's sister if she's part of the the wedding party.

If you skip the official bachelorette in favor of a friends' weekend, I think it would be nice to have a pre-wedding evening where all the girls can hang out and get to know one another before your big day. Go ahead and do a low-key night out a few days before the main event, when everyone's already in town for your wedding.

Ladies, what do you think? Does Marissa have to have a bachelorette party with all her bridesmaids? Or can she skip it?

Have a wedding-y dilemma of your own? Email me!

When you're meeting with your wedding photographer, your first instinct is probably to bring in wedding photos you like—from Pinterest or mags or whatever—of other couples. The problem is, even if you manage to strike the exact same pose as another couple, you still might not be happy with the end results.

Flip through your Facebook albums, and take a close look at the photos of yourself you like—AND, more important, the ones you don't. Is there a side of your face you prefer to face the camera? Do you like it when your hair's tucked behind your ears? Is there a weird thing you do with your chin that ruins a photo for you? Does it drive you bananas when your arm is pressed flat against your torso, or when your fiance's cowlick makes the back of his hair stick straight up?

Go ahead and share your Pinterest pics and wedding magazine tear sheets, but also bring your photographer photos of you and your guy that you feel are flattering AND unflattering, so she can see how you like to see yourself.

Did you know to share unflattering photos with your wedding photographer?

From wearing a wedding veil and a white wedding gown to asking your best friends to be your bridesmaids and tossing your garter, your wedding day is steeped in tradition. But sometimes the origins of those traditions are absolutely bananas (demons! witches! unruly wedding guests!). Check out a few of our favorites—and never look at a wedding ceremony the same way again!

Tradition: Wearing a White Wedding Dress
Modern brides might describe their wedding dress as "cream" or "ivory," but in most cases, it's some variation on white. While colorful wedding gowns—blush, pink, ombre, and even black—have definitely been called out as an emerging trend, traditional brides have stayed true to the color white ever since Queen Victoria wed Prince Albert in 1840. Before that, according to Hanne Blank, author of Virgin, the Untouched History, most brides wore whatever was nicest piece of clothing in their closet, while nobility wore luxurious gowns embroidered with metallic thread. Victoria ditched the nobility's traditional silver gown for a white satin one and "unintentionally kick-started the tradition of the white wedding dress: How better to feel like a queen [...] on one's wedding day, than to dress like one?"

Tradition: Having Bridesmaids
While they're invaluable for moral support, throwing awesome bachelorette parties, and helping you get in and out of your dress, bridesmaids used to have a far more serious role in the wedding: protecting the bride from evil spirits. Bridesmaids were originally directed to dress just like the bride, and this, says Blank, was "intended to confuse evil spirits or those who wished to harm the bride." (No matter how much you love them, or how many demons they saved you from, could you imagine taking your bridesmaids along on your very private, very intimate honeymoon? Nineteenth-century couples did just that, according to historian Ginger Strand, taking along their whole wedding party on a "bridal tour"!).

Tradition: Donning a Wedding Veil
Similarly, wedding veils were supposed to help guard the bride against demons and witches—if they couldn't see her, they couldn't curse her.

Tradition: Tossing the Garter
If the idea of showing some leg in front of your extended family is embarrassing, think about how tough brides from from more conservative times had it. In Marriage Customs of the World, George Monger explains how "bridal garters were prized as love tokens with magical properties," and because of this, male wedding guests would try to pull them off and then pin to their hats for good luck. For good luck! In Wedding Customs Then and Now, published in 1919, Carl Holliday advises women to "fasten it loosely to the bottom of her dress [or] find her clothes in rags after the struggle." Somehow, having your husband take it off doesn't seem so bad anymore!

—Written by Caitlin Van Horn for Brides

Some of these traditions are so unexpected! Which tradition's history did you find the most interesting?

More from Brides:
*How to Find the Perfect Wedding Dress for Your Body Type
*64 Affordable Engagement Rings You'll Love!
*Stunning Celebrity Engagement Rings
*The Most Creative Wedding Cakes of the Year
*Monique Lhuillier: Fall 2014 Bridal Runway
*14 Cool Facts About Getting Engaged

The answer is not "shots." Although shots don't hurt.

If you're super into pop music, you should totally ask your band or DJ to set up a pop-heavy playlist. But you also need to keep in mind that not all of your wedding guests will be up on the latest from Katy Perry. Weddings get SUPER fun, IMHO, when the dance floor is packed, and that's not going to happen if your older guests are hanging out on the fringes asking, "What DOES rhyme with 'hug me,' Robin Thicke?" With that in mind, also ask your band or DJ to play music that transcends generations. Here are five songs to get your dance mix started:

• "September" by Earth, Wind and Fire


• "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey


• "Livin' on a Prayer" by Bon Jovi


• "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" by Michael Jackson


• "For Once In My Life" by Stevie Wonder

Will you play music for every generation at your wedding? Or are you planning to cater to your younger guests, who are the ones who REALLY dance?

Just when I think I've seen every engagement ring, ever, I open my inbox to find these five super-unique engagement rings. It's going to be hard to pick a favorite today!

Engagement Ring 1

Alexandra's guy worked with a jeweler to craft this one-of-a-kind ring. I am still surprised by what an amazing job he did in creating a beautiful, classic ring that still captures my unique sense of style," she says.

Engagement Ring 2

This reader's ring comprises 17 diamond's from her groom's great-great-grandmother.

Engagement Ring 3

Taylor's guy staged an ultra-romantic proposal and presented her with this ring, which features a diamond from her mom. "My mom is my best friend," she says, "and it meant the world to me that he went above and beyond."

Engagement Ring 4

Brittany and her guy settled on a ring—and then the store stopped selling the style! Luckily he was able to track down one of the three remaining rings, which was in Texas, and have it flown to California.

Engagement Ring 5

Kelsey's boyfriend carried this art deco citrine engagement ring for three weeks before proposing during a hailstorm!

Which of these engagement rings is your favorite?

If you'd like to share a photo of your ring on Save the Date, you can click here to submit it with the contact form. Or you can email a photo to glamour[dot]weddings[dot]girls[at]gmail[dot]com. I try to run reader engagement ring posts often, so take your time and send a biggish, nonblurry photo! (Please DON'T send an Instagram photo or add text or special effects!) And if you've already sent a pic, sit tight—it's coming!

A Save the Date reader (who will remain nameless) was invited to a wedding where the bride specifically asked all of her female guests to wear long dresses. (I find this weird, but hey, brides can be nutty.) Our reader friend doesn't own any long dresses—and she doesn't want to go broke buying what she views as a single-use dress, so she asked me to find some picks in the $50-to-$70 range. I didn't put a TON of thought into this because, hey, single-use dress. But here are five viable options:

Dress 1

Always and For Evergreen Dress in Blackberry from ModCloth, $49.99.

Dress 2

Sea the Sights Dress from ModCloth, $47.99.

I'd dress up this one with a different belt.

Dress 3

Garden Stroll Maxidress from Forever 21, $27.80.

Dress 4

Meshed Up Maxidress from Forever 21, $27.80.

If you want to buck the "long dress" edict without making major waves, I think you're well within your rights to wear a short dress with a long, sheer overlay.

Dress 5

Lace Cutout Maxidress from Forever 21, $24.80.

Do you think it's weird that the bride wants her guests in long dresses? If you were invited to this wedding, would you wear a long dress? Or ignore the bride?

Former Hills star Lauren Conrad spent her formative years in front of television cameras—but there probably won't be any present when she marries William Tell. After her MTV reality show wrapped, Lauren told Us Weekly that "everything is healthier without cameras around" and said she would opt out of future ventures in reality TV "involving my personal life." Boo for those of us who are wondering what wedding-y things she has up her sleeve.

Still, friends are sharing bits and pieces of Lauren's wedding plans with the press. From Us: "'She wants to take her time and enjoy the process,"' a friend says. Adds another pal: 'Lauren would like to get married next year, possible in the early fall.'" Like most brides—and, um, me—LC isn't immune to the draw of wedding magazines. "She's always getting little ideas here and there," a friend told Us.

Are you hoping to get a glimpse of Lauren Conrad and William Tell's wedding? Would you watch their wedding if it were televised?

I TOTALLY would. Obviously.

Usually choreographed bride-and-groom dances just aren't my thing. But seeing this bride and groom reenact THE dancing scene from Dirty Dancing made me want to hop in a time machine and make that kind of magic happen at my own wedding reception.

I was kind of sitting on the edge of my seat until the very end. Yes, I know the video said that they "nailed it," but I was waiting for follow-up text that said "until he dropped her" or something, followed by a slo-mo breakdown of the groom dropping the bride and maybe fracturing her pelvis or something.

How crazy-awesome was that? Would you have the guts to do something similar on your wedding day? Or would you be too skittish?

Rory and I totally tried to do the Dirty Dancing lift in a pool while vacationing with my parents—and failed. Still, I like to think we could have done it if we really, really tried. It would be wrong of me to bust this out at someone else's wedding, right?

In my experience, newly engaged girls are often SO excited go wedding dress shopping. But before you start booking appointments at bridal boutiques, ask yourself this:

How much can I spend on my wedding dress?

I know it's not the most exciting thing to consider when you're all Bring on the pretty wedding dresses!, but I promise you it's going to suck if you fall in love with a dress only to realize it's WAY out of your budget. So do yourself a favor and have a number in mind before you start shopping. As a general guideline, your dress shouldn't cost more than 10 percent of your wedding budget—although if you're willing to skimp on, say, flowers or forgo favors, you can probably allocate a little more for your gown.

Once you have a handle on your wedding dress budget, it's time to start making try-on appointments. And when you do, you have to ask this:

Do you have a good selection of wedding dresses in the $X range?

Smaller shops, especially, cater to a bride with a specific budget. There are boutiques for the $1,000-wedding-dress bride and boutiques for the $10,000-wedding-dress bride—and you don't want to wind up at the latter if the former is closer to your budget.

Have you thought yet about how much you want to spend on your wedding dress?

I definitely had sticker shock when we started shopping!

I wish these were Snooki's and JWoww's wedding dresses, but these are their Halloween costumes. But I like the girls even more based on their dedication to my fave holiday.

I don't really get girls who are, like, "I don't have any girl friends, because girls are bitches." Instead, I'm partial to girls who, like Snooki and JWoww, know every girl needs another set of XX chromosomes in her life—even if you'd rather watch a baseball game {say, the Red Sox winning the World Series } with the guys. I also like Snooki and JWoww because, hey, Jersey Strong.

Anywho, two of my favorite Jersey girls recently went to try on wedding dresses, and the results were filled with jewels, sparkles, sheer bodices, and a call for Xanax, as you might expect.

Click your way over to People to watch the clip.

Snooki shows off her post-baby weight loss in a heavily beaded fit-to-flare gown, while JWoww models her dream dress, which has a ball-gown silhouette and a bejeweled sheer bodice—pretty much exactly what I'd pick for her.

Thoughts on Snooki's and JWoww's potential wedding dresses?

In case you need a distraction this a.m., check out Snooki and JWoww's DOs and DON'Ts of Being a Good Friend, a personal fave.

Old Fashioned, Car Bomb, Dark and Stormy, For the Love of Bacon, Bee's Knees.

Look, I like cupcakes as much as the next dessert-obsessed girl. But when it comes to wedding cupcakes, I'm kind of Been there, ate that.

As a fun alternative to plain-old wedding cupcakes, NYC's Prohibition Bakery ships booze-infused mini cupcakes—like the "Car Bomb," featuring whiskey, Bailey's, stout, chocolate—around the country for your wedding. AND you can save 20 percent on your order through Christmas Eve, courtesy of Brides, with code BRIDES20.

Click here to check out all the flavors.

Would you serve boozy mini cupcakes at your wedding? If so, would you invite me?!

Kidding. Sort of.

Writes Save the Date reader Carla:

My boyfriend and I got engaged earlier this year but decided to hold off on my engagement ring for financial reasons and frankly, because a having a ring isn't that important to me. We set our wedding date—December 31, 2014—and were fine with our no-ring-for-now decision, but because there's no ring, part of my family feels like we're not actually engaged. I come form a large, close family, and their attitude hurt my feelings, but I let it go because the status of my ring finger isn't really anyone's business.

Anyway, we picked our wedding date because we love the idea of having a New Year's Eve wedding, and because the date is significant in our relationship. So here's the problem: One of my sisters-in-law just reconnected with a recently engaged half-sister who lives across the country. The half-sister picked the same wedding date I did and asked my sister-in-law, niece, and nephew to be in her wedding. (My guy and I aren't having family members in our wedding party.)

So now, because my family doesn't consider me officially engaged, they're asking me to change our wedding date. Part of me (a big part) wants to keep the date, even though it will mean excluding my brother and his family. I know this will upset the rest of my family, and I would like to have everyone there for my wedding. I'm really at a loss. What should I do?

Here are my thoughts:

Eesh. First of all, the whole "you're not REALLY engaged" argument is silly. You've committed to spending your lives with each other and you're planning a wedding. I think that's the very definition of "being engaged." So we're just going to proceed as though you're engaged. Because you are.

So now I'm wondering: How change-able is your wedding date? If you've already booked even one vendor and will face financial penalties for bailing on your contract, I'd say that strengthens your argument for keeping your date. (Even though, more than a year out from your wedding date, you'd probably lose only a couple hundred dollars, so it's not the end of the world. But STILL.)

If keeping your wedding date is THAT important to you—and it sounds like it is—then I say don't change it. If I were in your shoes, I might ask my brother to stick around for my wedding while his wife and kids head to her half-sister's wedding. Obviously it's not an ideal situation, but it's understandable that his loyalties would lie with his sister, while hers are with her half-sister. Of course there could be circumstances that won't allow for that—maybe the kids are very young—but I don't think it's the end of the world if your sister-in-law and niece and nephew aren't at your wedding. Will it suck for your brother to be apart from his wife and kids on New Year's Eve? A little. But everyone involved will be surrounded by family—it's not like anyone will be sitting home alone when the ball drops.

Beyond that, I guess the only question is: How pissed off will your family be? And do you care? If you can deal with them being miffed and think they'll get over it quickly, I'd stick to your guns. But if they'd hold a grudge until your wedding day and beyond, it might not be worth it.

Ladies, what do you think? Should Carla change her wedding date? Or tell her family, "No way!"?

Have a wedding-y dilemma of your own? Email me!

A while back I told you guys about Ocappi, a jewelry company that lets you pick six engagement rings and then sends you CZ replicas so you can "try before you buy." I'm not currently in the market for an engagement ring, but I still had them send me six rings. And look how pretty they are!

Left to right, bottom to top: Victoria, $13,300. Regale, $13,000. Celeste, $11,950. Heritage, $11,275. Solitaire, $9,950. Alda, $12,375. (All of my samples have 2-carat center stones, except the Heritage, which is 1 carat.)

It's pretty much THE easiest way to get a great idea of what you like—and what you don't like—without you or your guy having to deal with a salesperson laying on the pressure. And it's free, as long as you send back the samples. (They pay for shipping both ways.)

If your guy was feeling wishy-washy about what style to pick, it might be fun if he proposed with the six samples and let you pick! Although I don't think I could deal with that pressure.

Which of these rings is your favorite? Would you want to help your guy pick your engagement ring?

I literally can't tell the CZs from a diamond, which is a little sad for Rory, who I'm assuming sprung for the real deal.

P.S. You might also remember Ocappi because the company designed Kate Bosworth's wedding rings.

Kelly Rowland is notoriously hush-hush about her personal life, but her ring finger may have let some big news slip. The singer and X Factor judge—who's reportedly been dating her manager, Tim Witherspoon, on and off for four years—quickly flashed what looks like an engagement ring in a video that was posted to Instagram yesterday.

The rumors about Kelly and Tim's maybe-engagement have been buzzing around for a few weeks, and this certainly adds fuel to the fire:

The lucky kid she's blowing a kiss to is the son of her songwriter-producer pal Patrick "J. Que" Smith.

Are Kelly Rowland and Tim Witherspoon engaged?

I'm going with yes.

It's cute till you realize he has to get all the guests to the wedding in the basket too.

When you first get engaged, you'll probably start daydreaming about all sorts of out-there wedding venues: a remote field of daisies, your childhood summer camp. But an unconventional wedding venue isn't in the cards for most brides and grooms, simply because the cost is SO prohibitive. Think about it: EVERYTHING you need for even a simple wedding in an empty loft space or your parents' backyard—every chair, every table, every fork, every glass, every napkin, possibly every toilet—needs to be brought in from various rental companies. And the cost of all those rentals adds up quickly. Plus, if you consider the various licenses and permits you'll need to obtain to host a huge party (assuming you're having more than, say, 20 wedding guests), well, it's easy to see why most brides and grooms go the traditional route when it comes to a wedding venue.

In short, if you want to save money—and avoid a lot of extra planning logistics—your best money-saving option is usually a facility that hosts weddings or other large events. Look for one that includes dishes and cutlery, tables and linens, chair options, even vases in the site fee, so you don't have bring in any rental "extras."

Another easy way to save: Ask potential wedding venues if they'll reduce their site fee if you opt for an off-season wedding date. Maybe you weren't dreaming of a February wedding in the Northeast {Brrrrr! }, but winter weddings can be magical, IMO, and they're often cheaper because wedding vendors are less in demand up North during the cold months.

Would you get married at a traditional wedding facility? Or do you want something more original? And would you get married in the off season to save $$$?

Maybe you favor platinum engagement rings or maybe you want one cast in rose gold or yellow gold—but maybe you don't have to pick. More designers are offering rings that showcase two different metals, and the results are showstopping.

Engagement Ring 1

Oceanside Engagement Ring from Trumpet & Horn, $3,250.

Engagement Ring 2

Artcarved Solitude Diamond Engagement Ring from Greenwich Jewelers, $875 (setting only).

Engagement Ring 3

Cathy Waterman Moghul Diamond Engagement Ring from FarFetch.com, $11,980.

Engagement Ring 4

Malcolm Betts Cushion-Cut and Pear-Shaped Diamond Engagement Ring from Barneys New York, $15,000.

Engagement Ring 5

Round Bezet Diamond Engagement Ring from Tiffany & Co., $1,500.

Engagement Ring 6

Van Craeynest Airy Dome Top Diamond Engagement Ring from the Clay Pot, $8,785.

Would you wear a mixed-metal engagement ring? Which of these engagement rings is your favorite?

I've shared a bazillion marriage proposal videos on Save the Date—and I've watched even more. So I don't get excited about your average proposal video. But THIS insanely unique proposal video is worth getting excited about. Oh, and for anyone out there who's feeling hopeless about online dating, this adorable couple met on JDate!

How seriously awesome was that? Did you and your guy meet online?

I know SO many couples who have now!

If you're looking to score some wedding inspiration from the red carpet, look no further than Isabelle Fuhrman. Last March, she wore a wedding-worthy dress to the The Hunger Games L.A. premiere, and a few days later, the hair and makeup she wore to the Cinema Society's screening was positively bridal. And check out how lovely she looked last night at the Catching Fire premiere:

I'd love to see a bride copy Isabelle's look from the neck up for her wedding day, ESPECIALLY that super-dainty gold headband, which has delicate golden flowers with teeny crystal centers and ties in the back with a thin, shimmery gold bow. The headband, Jennifer Behr's Posie Circlet, isn't in stores yet, but you can buy it by calling 718-360-1875. At $352, it's spendy, but it's so delicate and feminine, I really think you'd wear it again. Plus, it would be such a pretty heirloom to pass down.

Would you copy Isabelle Fuhrman's hair and makeup for your wedding day?

If you do, send me a pic!

Guys, the mystery of Miley's eyebrows has REALLY thrown me for a loop this morning. I CANNOT stop going back to the photos. In an effort to redirect my attention to more wedding-y topics, I spent some time in my virtual "engagement rings" folder, hoping the sparkles would get me back on track. Here goes:

Engagement Ring 1

Skye's boyfriend proposed after they watched a lakeside sunset.

Engagement Ring 2

Susan's guy picked this ring after she gave him "a little guidance on style." He also got some help when he proposed: The couple's dog, Seamus, was there!

Engagement Ring 3

blue diamond—so cool!—and had it set in this vintage-y setting.

Engagement Ring 4

After nine years together, Catherine's guy popped the question with this sapphire, diamond, and platinum ring. "How could I say no?" she asked.

Engagement Ring 5

Grace's extra-special ring features the center stone from her mother's ring.

Which of these engagement rings is your favorite?

If you'd like to share a photo of your ring on Save the Date, you can click here to submit it with the contact form. Or you can email a photo to glamour[dot]weddings[dot]girls[at]gmail[dot]com. I try to run reader engagement ring posts often, so take your time and send a biggish, nonblurry photo! (Please DON'T send an Instagram photo or add text or special effects!) And if you've already sent a pic, sit tight—it's coming!