If you’re dreaming of a classically gorgeous engagement ring that’s beautiful without being blinding, take a gander at these five engagement rings from Brilliant Earth’s new Pretty Little Things Collection, which also includes not-too-bling-y wedding rings and earrings. (Just sit on one hand while you’re scrolling through the pics, if you’re at risk for spontaneously emailing this post to your boyfriend.)

Engagement Ring 1

Lucia Diamond Engagement Ring, from $1,295 (setting only).

Engagement Ring 2

Dolce Diamond Engagement Ring, from $850 (setting only).

Engagement Ring 3

Verbana Diamond Engagement Ring, from $975 (setting only).

Engagement Ring 4

Olivetta Diamond Engagement Ring, from $775 (setting only).

Engagement Ring 5

Pirouette Diamond Engagement Ring, from $1,250 (setting only).

This simple solitaire may not look shout-out-worthy in the photo above, but check out the side view and you’ll see why it’s extra special.

Click here to check out the entire Pretty Little Things Collection.

The rings can be made with pretty much any shape diamond—and, bonus, they're all "beyond conflict-free"—but I used the pics with the round diamond, because the shape is just so classic.

Would you want a dainty engagement ring? Which of these engagement rings is your favorite?

Airy fabrics and dreamy, free-floating silhouettes are having a moment right now, and brides who want an easy-breezy wedding dress will certainly find something to love in BHLDN’s “ballerina-inspired” collection. Here are seven of my favorites:

Wedding Dress 1

Wing Gown, $1,400.

Wedding Dress 2

Avalon Gown, $1,800.

Wedding Dress 3

Carolina Gown, $1,400.

Wedding Dress 4

Francine Gown, $1,250.

Wedding Dress 5

Luisa Gown, $2,200.

Wedding Dress 6

Livia Gown, $800.

Wedding Dress 7

Carina Corset, $930, and Ahsan Skirt, $1,860.

Click here for all of BHLDN’s latest offerings.

Which of these wedding dresses is your favorite?

Writes Save the Date reader Stella:

I got engaged last weekend and couldn’t be happier. My dream would be to get married in upstate New York in October of next year, surrounded by beautiful foliage. The problem is, the majority of our friends and family members are from Long Island. My parents—who are paying for the wedding—think it’s inconsiderate to have a wedding where people would need to travel that far (two to three hours) but they’re OK with Montauk, New York, a beach town that's about 30 minutes closer than upstate. (So no pretty fall foliage.) They’re making me feel like if I have my wedding upstate, half my wedding guests won’t even show up.

In other annoying news, my brother recently got engaged and is planning to get married in September of next year. Or, a month before my dream month. Some of my family members have said I’m “crazy” to have my wedding right after his. They’re suggesting I wait another full year, so my wedding won’t be compared with his. (His budget is much higher than mine.)

The whole thing has already caused a rift between me and my mother and it hasn’t even been a week. The excitement of being engaged is already wearing off. So am I supposed to give up getting married where I want, in the month I want, and in the year I want? Should I let go of my idea dream wedding to keep the peace?

Here are my thoughts:

From where I’m standing, you have six options.

1) October 2015 in upstate New York. PROS: You get what you want on all counts. CONS: Your parents are pissed off. Your guests have to attend two weddings for one family in two months. A bunch of your guests might not attend. (I’m sort of inclined to file that under PROS, since you’ll save a bunch of money.)

2) October 2016 in upstate New York. PROS: You get your dream month and dream location. CONS: You have to wait an extra year to get married. Your parents are pissed off about the location. A bunch of your guests might not attend.

3) October 2015 in Montauk. PROS: You get your dream month and dream year. Your parents are happy about the location. CONS: You don’t get your dream location. Your guests have to attend two weddings for one family in two months.

4) October 2016 in Montauk. PROS: You get your dream month, but a beachy wedding instead of a rustic country one. Your parents are happy on all counts. CONS: You have to wait to get married. You don’t get the location you want.

5) April 2016 in Montauk. PROS: Your parents and guests are happy. CONS: You give up everything you want, but you get married close-ish to your dream month without piggy-backing on your brother’s wedding.

6) April 2016 in upstate New York. PROS: You get your dream location. Your guests don’t have to attend two weddings for one family in two months. CONS: You give up your dream month. Your parents aren’t happy about the location.

I think option 3 is probably your best—getting married when you want but conceding on the location. Yes, a wedding upstate would be lovely, but I think you could also do rustic seaside wedding with an equally awesome vibe. Your parents will be happy that you’re not being bull-headed, which is nice, since they’re helping fund your wedding.

Yes, your family members will have to attend two weddings for one family in two months (and possibly closely spaced engagement parties, bridal showers, and rehearsal dinners too) but they’ll probably be grateful that they won’t have to spend a ton on travel. And if any or all of that is too much of a financial or time commitment, they can always bow out. Wedding invitations (and bridal shower invites, etc.) aren’t subpoenas, I like to say. They’re not obligated to attend any of it.

As far as being compared with your brother’s wedding goes, I wouldn’t sweat it. Every one of your guests at some point has probably been to a wedding far fancier and far less fancy than yours. If you and your groom are happy and relaxed and in love and having fun, that’s going to make a much more lasting impression than expensive centerpieces or a steak entree.

Ladies, what do you think? What should Stella do?

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

When this picture popped into my Instagram feed over the weekend, two words came to mind: Nailed. It.

And clicking the bride and groom's wedding hashtag (#vasonwedding, if you're curious) only confirmed my initial reaction: Newlywed Virginia has chic for weeks. Here are two more snaps:

I'm totally on board with the crop-top wedding dress trend, especially when the peekaboo part shows only a hint of skin, and the rest of the dress is pretty demure. But it's easy to see how the trend could quickly veer into DON'T territory. If your crop top reveals an appendectomy scar or underboob, refer to the photos above and head back to square one.

Would you copycat Virgina's crop-top wedding dress? Or will your midriff be strictly under wraps on your wedding day?

Not sure how I missed the memo, but Erin Fetherson is designing dresses for Nordstrom’s Wedding Suite, and they’re just awesome. As of now there’s only one dress they’re marketing as a wedding dress, this sweet number with 3D floral details.

Wedding Dress 1

Lucielle 3D Floral Organza Dress, $695.

These three are technically sold as bridesmaid dresses, but I’d love to see one come down the aisle on a non-traditional bride. (Bonus: The price tags max out at $550. Spendy for a bridesmaid dress, but sweet deal for a wedding dress!)

Wedding Dress 2

Jan 3D Floral Organza Gown, $425.

Wedding Dress 3

Coralie Foiled Silk Chiffon Gown, $395. This one also comes in Ivory (here), but I say go Blush or go home.

Wedding Dress 4

Julie Beaded Chiffon Column Gown, $525.

Click here to check out all of Erin Fetherston's offerings in The Wedding Suite.

Which of these wedding dresses (or wedding-worthy dresses) is your favorite? Would you wear any as a bride? Would you be cool with any as a bridesmaid?

I’d get married in 2 and slay as a bridesmaid in 3.

French manicures have never, ever been my thing, and French pedicures kind of make me retch. (Still, 47 percent of Save the Date readers say French pedicures are a wedding DO!) I never thought I’d like a French manicure, never mind get excited about one, but then I spotted this slick French manicure on Virginia, yesterday’s terribly chic bride in a crop-top wedding dress, and I kind of swooned.

It seems the bride’s mama was hoping to see her girl in a classic French mani, so Virgina (who wanted all-white nails) aimed to please but shook sh*t up a bit. Love.

Would you wear this funky, fresh French mani as a bride?

I think a lot of brides play it too safe with their wedding nails, which—even if they’re acid green—are barely visible in your wedding pics.

If you’ve been patiently waiting for the beauty gods to send you some unboring wedding hair inspiration, they’ve just delivered by way of Lauren Conrad’s Instagram account. Ta-da!

Here are more angles from the account of Kristin Ess, LC's hair guru:

And I'm not the only one who saw wedding-y potential here: Petra guessed this A.M. over on Lipstick that wedding-goers are probably going to break Pinterest with pics of Lauren's pretty updo. Looks like great minds think alike—and follow the same Instagram accounts ;)

Here’s something similar Kristin did for Lucy Hale a couple months back:

And here’s a front view of Lucy’s look from makeup artist Kelsey Deenihan:

Lauren’s pic is definitely the messiest version of the style, but with a little cleaning up, I think it’s totally wedding-worthy.

Would you wear a twisty braided updo for your wedding? Or do you want something a little less boho?

Can we all agree that the introduction of the bridal party at the start of a wedding reception is just sort of weird and awkward? I’m not sure why the tradition exists, since at this point your guests know who’s in the wedding party. (They’re the ones in the matching outfits who already made an entrance and then stood around up front for your ceremony.) As a bridesmaid I always hated being trotted out in front of the rest of the wedding guests, especially when I felt like should be working for applause. (“Here’s a feather boa! Now make the crowd scream!”) Awkward or not, the wedding party introduction still happens at most weddings, so I smiled when I saw this picture, which kind of turned the tradition on its head. Or at least made the wedding guests sit up and pay attention:

This pic was submitted by a friend of the besuited bridesmaid, who swapped clothes with her cousin Trevor for their introduction at Trevor’s sister’s wedding. (They did ask the bride permission ahead of time; you can spot her laughing at the left!)

I just thought it was too fun not to share :)

Thoughts on the wedding party introduction? Do you mind it as a bridesmaid? Will you skip it at your wedding?

We totally skipped it. Since I always feel like such a dork, I decided to spare my friends, who are similarly introverted.

What's the perfect excuse to finally wear some of that pretty nail art you're always lusting over? You guessed it: bridesmaid duty. If I were going to be a bridesmaid again sometime soon, I'd forgo the pricey salon updo, DIY my hair, and instead splurge on an amazing gel manicure that would last through all the wedding festivities. If you're also a fan of this idea, check out five of my favorite bridesmaid-worthy manicures from nail artists/salons I follow on Instagram.

1. Hypersparkly! (@verypolishedlounge)

2. Glammed-out ombre (@stephstonenails)—the colors shown are Chanel Sweet Lilac and Eastern Light

3. Fingertip bouquets (@whitneygnails)—easily DIY this look with floral nail decals

4. White studded blossoms (@marienails)

5. Twinkly tips with a sweet heart accent (@diy_nails)—modeled by the nail artist herself!

Just picture the cute Instagrams you'll take with your fancy fingers clutching your fancy bouquet! But quick disclaimer: Of course you should run any crazy nail idea by the bride first, because the last thing you want is any polish-induced day-of drama!

Which of these bridesmaid nail ideas would you most like to wear?

Wedding season is winding down, but if your’e engaged and planning your wedding for next year (or beyond) there’s still plenty to keep you busy through the winter. Here to inspire you, a round-up of wedding details in a soft, romantic gray and pink palette, perfect for the first balmy days of spring:

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Photo by Braedon Photography. Mimosa T-Straps from BHLDN, $270. Vera Wang Floral Collection Bouquet from FTD. Lucca Dress from Watters. Antique Rose Scrolls Wedding Invitations from Wedding Paper Divas, from $1.59. Vivienne Gown from BHLDN, $1,800. Pink Sapphire and Diamond Willow Engagement Ring, $2,425. Soft Gray Bow Tie with Pin Dot Design from Bows ’N Ties, $14.90. Freshwater Cultured Pearl Vintage-Inspired Earrings from Blue Nile, $75. Black by Vera Wang Tuxedo from Men’s Wearhouse. Tablescape photo by Charlie Juliet.

Would you use pink and gray as your wedding colors? What colors do you have in mind?

There’s an insane amount of wedding advice floating around out there, but the best I’ve seen in ages came by way of Miss Piggy, who’s sharing wedding planning tips in honor of her and Kermit’s wedding in The Muppets Most Wanted.

OK, fine. Maybe that’s a leeeeetle excessive. But in all seriousness, I see so many brides passing on sugar in the name of their wedding day. I’m not saying everyone should have a sugar free-for-all, but I wish more girls would lighten up and enjoy being engaged—and a cupcake or two, every now and then. I totally get wanting to look your best on your wedding day. But it’s not going to be worth it if you’re miserable in all the days leading up to your wedding. So yes, enjoy a workout if being a buff bride is your thing. But enjoy a treat every now and then, too. Deal?

Are you being super-strict about what you eat pre-wedding? Are you working out like mad? Or are you trying to be an un-crazy bride?

It's quite a compliment to be chosen as the maid of honor for a friend or relative's wedding. The decision can be a very difficult one for the bride, but along with the honor comes obligations. Being maid of honor is more than holding the bride's bouquet during the ring exchange and being the last one to walk down the aisle. It also means you're responsible for sticking with her the entire day, helping her manage her gown, and troubleshooting any little stressors that come her way on the big day. And it means you need to avoid doing the following things, lest you make yourself or the bridal party look bad.

Don't be bossy.
Being a leader is a good thing, but not when you use it against the bride. Whether it's while bridesmaid-dress shopping or requesting a time change during the reception to fit your schedule, you're there to be the bride's advocate—not undermine or override her wishes.

Don't complain about your hair and makeup.
Don't insist on having your hair redone three times and complain about how your makeup looks. It's about her, not you. And in her efforts to keep you happy, the bride may be cutting herself short.

Don't disappear.
Your presence will be needed to help with photos and bustling the bride. Only after the bride has made her grand entrance can you relax and have a drink and some fun. And even then, be watchful of what's going on around the bride the entire night.

Don't embarrass the bride during your toast.
It's a toast, not a roast. When it's time to tell the guests how much you love the bride and groom and wish them well, stop there. Skip the schoolgirl-antics stories. References to previous boyfriends (even in a negative way) are a total no-no.

Don't make the night about you.
No matter what's going on in your personal life, forget about it on the wedding weekend. Your BFF should not be telling you that you're going to meet a man and giving you pep talks on her wedding weekend—despite whatever is going on in your love life. She shouldn't even know you're struggling. Remember, it's her day.

—Written by Sandy Malone for Brides. Owner of Weddings in Vieques, a destination-wedding planning company off the coast of Puerto Rico, Sandy Malone has helped countless couples plan their big day since 2007.

Anything else to add to the list?

More from Brides:
*4 Inexpensive Date-Night Ideas You Haven't Tried Yet but Should
*11 Things to Do After Getting Engaged
*50 Ways to Slash Your Wedding Budget

Peekaboo panels and cut-to-there backs are fine for some brides, but if you’d rather your wedding dress be more refined, consider one of these Anne Barge Black Label gowns, all inspired by old-Hollywood screen sirens:

Wedding Dress 1: Bacall

Wedding Dress 2: Colbert

Wedding Dress 3: Gardner

Wedding Dress 4: Garland

Wedding Dress 5: Grable

Wedding Dress 6: Leigh

Wedding Dress 7: Sheridan

Which of these wedding dresses is your favorite?

Since I specialized in stressing over every little detail of my wedding, obviously I spent a fair amount of time FREAKING OUT about my wedding shoes. I wanted yellow wedding shoes—to match my gray-and-yellow wedding palette—at a time (six-plus years ago) when there weren’t a ton of wedding-worthy yellow shoes out there. The perfect solution for me (and now for you) would have been Project Shoe, a site that lets you design Every. Square. Inch. of your shoes, wedding or otherwise.

You can start from scratch and make a pair that’s truly your own. Like this. (There are other silhouettes, but that was all I could fit in my screen grab.)

Or customize one of the existing designs in the Shoe Gallery. So you could take this shoe and switch up the fabric, so the main part of the shoe is pink satin.

Moon Gleam, $236.

A lot of shoes in the Shoe Gallery were designed by shoe-obsessed people who are probably on your radar: Eva Chen of Lucky, YouTube star Marzia Bisognin, actress Jamie Chung, The Style Editrix, and, you know, me. (Obviously I wasn’t thinking “bridal” (or “practical”) with my design. But they’re totally fierce, and I love them.) My only advice would be to measure out the heel heights, since I didn’t realize quite how high a 13cm heel would be.

The shoes hover around the $200 mark, which is definitely way more than I spent on my wedding shoes. But I spent around $70 on shoes I didn’t really, 100 percent love, and I spent countless (countless!) hours looking for a better pair, so I think I would have splurged in order to have total control.

Would you want one-of-a-kind wedding shoes?

I’d like to design some non-wedding booties for fall.

P.S. 5 more ways to customize your kicks!

Maura McManus, Lauren Conrad’s bestie and her Paper Crown partner, was married on Saturday, with LC and her former Hills costar Lo Bosworth standing up as bridesmaids. Here are some pics from the wedding:

This is the bridesmaid gift:

Someone said in the comments of one of the pics that the mix-and-match bridesmaid dresses are custom Paper Crown. Makes sense, since I don't recognize them.

Were any of you bridesmaid-ing this weekend?

I seem to be suffering from a bad case of the Mondays, so rather than start my work this morning, I decided to click my way over to Doyle & Doyle, one of my favorite online spots to stalk vintage engagement rings, and saw the site recently got a little face-lift. So to celebrate, I picked six of my favorites. The perfect antidote for your case of the Mondays.

Engagement Ring 1

I don’t think I’ve ever featured a moonstone ring on Save the Date before. (This one is kind of reminiscent of the ring John F. Kennedy gave Jackie Bouvier!) Vintage Moonstone Twin Stone Ring, $1,250.

Engagement Ring 2

Antique Diamond Dinner Ring, $6,500.

Engagement Ring 3

Art Deco Sapphire and Diamond Ring, $16,000.

Engagement Ring 4

Art Deco Engagement Ring, $10,500.

Engagement Ring 5

Vintage Pink Sapphire and Diamond Ring, $5,900.

Engagement Ring 6

Victorian Garnet and Rose-Cut Diamond Ring, $595.

Yes, some of these are definitely on the spendy end of the spectrum, but the last one is just $595. And the top one’s not-too-spendy too.

Click here to check out all of Doyle & Doyle’s current offerings.

Would you want a vintage engagement ring? Which of these engagement rings is your favorite?

Lauren Conrad and Lo Bosworth weren’t the only celebs in bridesmaid dresses this weekend: Sarah Jessica Parker served as a ’maid for Melinda Relyea, her former Sex and the City assistant, on Saturday. Here’s a pic of SJP’s bridesmaid dress:

And here’s the bride, wearing Douglas Hannant.

I have to admit, when I saw this dress at bridal market I wasn’t sure there was a real-life bride who could pull it off. But Melinda is SLAYING it. Here are a few more snaps:

Thoughts on Sarah Jessica’s bridesmaid dress? How ‘bout that blue-and-white wedding dress?

To celebrate their one-year wedding anniversary, Amber Rose and Wiz Khalifa shared some pictures from their big day, including a snap of the bride and groom with their son, Sebastian, who has the most deliciously chubba wubba baby cheeks I’ve seen. (Since I put my own baby down for a nap 10 minutes ago.) Check ‘em out:

Please note this is Amber Rose’s mom, not her sister:

Amber’s dress is Pnina Tornai (like you needed me to tell you that). And Wiz’s bananas (in a good way!) dinner jacket is brought to you by the color purple. Here’s a flashback to Amber’s gorgeous engagement ring, if you need a reminder:

Thoughts on Amber Rose and Wiz Khalifa’s wedding pictures?

I love how them the pictures feel. And I’m obsessed with that baby. Clearly.

There is just no way Sofia Vergara and Joe Manganiello are engaged. (Right?) But she was out and about in West Hollywood yesterday and holding her left hand just so, so I couldn't help but notice the VERY engagement-y ring she’s sporting on THAT finger.

Let’s go in for a closer look, shall we?

I mean, there’s no doubt it looks like an engagement ring, with a pink center stone in what appears to be a halo setting. But Sofia’s previous engagement fizzled in May, and she and the True Blood star have been dating for only a hot minute. (Like, two months.) So I really don’t think they’re engaged. But one never knows, in Hollywood.

Thoughts on Sofia Vergara’s VERY engagement-y ring? Do you think there’s any way she and Joe Manganiello are engaged?

Wedding invitations: They’re kinda “seen one, seen ’em all,” right? But no one’s seen a wedding invitation with a tiny, hand-painted portrait of YOU yet. Get a load of this cuteness Color Me Carla:

The Stevie Collection.

The Hazel Collection.

The Rosy Collection.

Click here to check out all of Color Me Carla’s wedding stationery suites.

How stinking cute are these wedding invitations? Would you want a wedding invitation with a tiny portrait of you and your groom?

I wonder if there’s a way you could frame a bigger version of the tiny portrait, after the fact? Such a great souvenir!

P.S. Carla also has a blog with some seriously chic picks for fashion and home.