My husband and I just celebrated Hanukkah and Christmas, but now I’m kind of wishing there were one more gifting holiday so I could add this to my holiday wish list:

#KP #pinkie from MP, Thanks honey... Love this so much and know the real gift is the initial ������

A photo posted by Kate Bosworth (@katebosworth) on Dec 12, 2014 at 11:34am PST

Kate Bosworth’s husband, Michael Polish—the two were married in September of 2013—gifted her with a pinkie ring with her first initial and his last. Obviously she still goes by her maiden name professionally, but I think it’s sweet that in her private life she uses his last initial, even if it’s not officially her last name.

Even if you’re keeping your last name, isn’t this awesome? I kept my last name, and I’d adore it.

Also, No Such Thing as Too Much Bling: Kate Bosworth Wears Her Engagement Ring With Four Other Rings

Well, that didn’t take long: Just hours after we learned that Sofia Vergara and Joe Manganiello are engaged, the Daily Mail scored an engagement ring picture! And the ring is NOT small.

Earlier reports said the two got engaged on Christmas Day, but Sofia was photographed wearing what I’m guessing is her engagement ring on Christmas Eve, so maybe the proposal happened a little earlier than we initially thought.

The ring in question looks like a large oval- or cushion-cut stone—I’d guess at least 10 carats. It appears to be set on a single-shank band, possibly with more diamonds, and the stone might have a diamond halo around it too. I don’t have the rights to the photos, but click your way over to the Daily Mail to see pictures of Sofia Vergara’s engagement ring, then get back over here to discuss.

Thoughts on Sofia Vergara’s engagement ring from Joe Manganiello?

I’m going to reserve judgement until we see a clearer pic. Hopefully soon!

Anyone can look pretty in a field of flowers, but what’s a bride to do when the skies are gray and the tree branches are bare? Not to worry: Here are seven places you can snap super-pretty wedding pictures when Mother Nature isn’t cooperating.

1. Anywhere, Wrapped in a Strand of Christmas Lights

A photo posted by Eric Kelley (@erickelley) on Dec 12, 2014 at 10:49am PST

2. In Front of Some Graphic Wallpaper

A photo posted by sarahbeckerphoto (@sarahbeckerphoto) on Dec 12, 2014 at 9:54am PST

3. Alongside a Dramatically Lit Window

A photo posted by ALLAN ZEPEDA PHOTOGRAPHY (@allanzepedaphotography) on Dec 12, 2014 at 2:54pm PST

A photo posted by MI BELLE PHOTOGRAPHERS (@mibellephotographers) on Jun 6, 2014 at 12:04pm PDT

4. Or in Front of a Bright, Sunny One (Yes, the bride eloped in black and gold!)

A photo posted by Vivian Chen Photography (@vivianchenweddings) on Dec 12, 2014 at 10:45am PST

5. In a Rain-Spattered Car

A photo posted by Jose Villa (@josevilla) on Nov 11, 2014 at 10:16pm PST

6. Or Through a Rain-Spattered Window

A photo posted by Kelsie Pinkerton (@pinkertonphoto) on Dec 12, 2014 at 10:01pm PST

7. Down a Spiral Staircase

A photo posted by Christian Oth Studio (@christianothstudio) on Dec 12, 2014 at 7:30am PST

Would you get married in the middle of winter?

I think I’ve mentioned that if I got a wedding do-over, I SO would have switched our wedding date to New Year’s Eve.

J.Crew’s annual 40-percent-off-sale-prices sale is great for stocking up on winter-y things. (It’s the reason my four-year-old wears a cashmere winter hat, which I got for like $8.) And it’s also a great place to score super-duper-cheap bridesmaid dresses. If you hover over the dresses below you’ll see the sale prices; you get the extra 40 percent off those prices through January 7 with code STYLE2015. You’ll have to hustle to get the sizes and colors you want at the lowest prices, but if your bridesmaids get their dresses for less than $100, I think it’s worth it.

Would you put your bridesmaids in any of these dresses? Which would you want to wear as a bridesmaid?

I like the pink one-shoulder one and the peach-ish long strapless one. (Obviously since they’re bridesmaid dresses, most of ’em come in a bunch of colors.)

We’ve all seen boudoir pictures of sassy brides frolicking in lingerie in the hours leading up to the wedding. Now it looks like grooms can get in on the half-dressed fun too. While clicking through Instagram for Tuesday’s winter wedding pictures post, I stumbled across my new favorite hashtag: #dudeoir

Some primo examples:

A photo posted by Justine Milton (@miltonphoto) on Dec 12, 2014 at 8:57pm PST

A photo posted by amberlapoint (@amberlapoint) on Oct 10, 2014 at 6:42pm PDT

A photo posted by The Denver Boudoir Authority (@denverboudoirauthority) on Sep 9, 2014 at 12:59pm PDT

I don’t know if any of these guys are actual grooms (I know at least one is a model) but it seems like something that’s SO going to cross over to real-life weddings. Brides have been showing off for ages, so eventually the grooms are going to want to play too, right? I mean, boudoir pics weren’t the scene at my wedding, but I have enough social media accounts to know that lots and lots of brides and grooms are really into (over-?) sharing.

Are you into boudoir wedding photos? Would your groom be into #dudeoir?

Wedding guest books tend to be a little, well, book-y. Meaning, once your wedding day’s a wrap, your guest book is probably going to be stuck on a shelf—or, worse, in a box—and never see the light of day again. If you’d like to see your guests’ sweet messages a little more often than, um, never, here’s a cute alternative:

Can you tell how it works? Here’s a close-up of a blank “book.”

Wedding Heart Guest Book from Etsy seller ACFcustoms, $115.

See, your guests write their names or a short note on a small wooden heart, then drop the hearts into the frame, which has a big heart with your names or initials. Once it’s finished, you put the top on the frame and you can hang the whole thing in your home.

So cute, right?

I realize that if you’re judging a book by its cover a diamond by its color, a brown diamond doesn’t sound that appealing. A lot of brown things just aren’t that pretty: mud, dirty socks, tarantulas. I mean, no one’s favorite M&M is the brown M&M, right? And still, this engagement ring from Neil Lane—starring a brown diamond—took my breath away.

Neil Lane Fancy Color Diamond 18K Rose Gold Engagement Ring (R06173).

I mean, it’s called a “fancy color” diamond on the Neil Lane site—“chocolate diamonds” by other companies—but we can all agree that diamond is brown, right? But it’s gorgeous. Maybe it’s because the color is just SO perfect, or maybe it’s the way it looks with the rose gold, but I just adore the ring. It looks incredibly similar to Miley Cyrus’ engagement ring from Liam Hemsworth, below, which was also designed by Neil Lane, but I much prefer the brown diamond version.

Are you in love too? Or would you take the more traditional ring

If you noticed the gorgeous empty ring box before you clicked into this post, here’s where I found it. (If you didn’t notice it, go back and look!)

We all know getting engaged isn’t all about the ring, but lots of newly engaged girls come down off the high of his perfect words and the perfect moment and realize the ring on their finger—the one they might wear every day for the rest of their lives—isn’t exactly perfect. And that’s a problem.

Of course if your future husband had gifted with you an unflattering sweater or running shoes that you were feeling lukewarm about, you would probably speak up—or just grin and wear ’em. But with a “meh” engagement ring, it’s a little more complicated. Your guy probably put a TON of thought into the ring he chose—and a bunch of money too. Here’s how to tell him you want to switch out your engagement ring without hurting his feelings.

IF YOU HATE THE SETTING You like vintage designs and the ring he picked is missing the romance you’d dreamed of. Or you were hoping for something modern and your new bling has tons of curlicues. YOU SAY“I adore how sparkly my new ring is, but the more I wear it, the more I realize the setting doesn’t really match my style. Would you mind terribly if we kept the stone and picked a new setting together?”

IF YOU HATE THE STONE Remember when Carrie found an engagement ring from Aiden and the diamond was {cringe } pear-shaped? There’s nothing wrong with a pear-shaped diamond, if that’s what you’re dreaming of, but what if the stone your guy picked just isn’t? YOU SAY“I’m obsessed with my engagement ring, but I feel like the diamond isn’t doing the setting justice. I feel like an emerald-cut diamond [or whatever] would look even prettier. Could we stop by the jeweler and look at different diamonds together?”

IF YOU HATE THE METAL You wanted rose gold and your groom picked white. Or you were hoping for platinum and he chose yellow gold. YOU SAY This is actually a pretty easy conversation, especially if your existing jewelry is in the metal you like best. YOU SAY“I adore my engagement ring, but I feel like the metal doesn’t quite match my other jewelry [or: my skin tone]. Since I’ll be wearing it forever, I’d love to change that one little detail, if you don’t mind.”

IF YOU HATE THE WHOLE THINGYOU SAY It’s just ALL WRONG. {And no, thinking that doesn’t make you a bad person! } YOU SAY“I noticed your mother’s [or: my best friend’s, my coworker’s] engagement ring while we were at brunch yesterday, and now I feel like a ring that’s similar to hers might be more my style. I love you, and I love THIS ring because you picked it out for me. I just plan on wearing my engagement ring forever, so I was hoping we could check out some more timeless styles together.”

Honesty is always the best policy, but I don’t think brutal honesty is going to serve you well in any of these scenarios. Let your guy down easy—and let him know if your new ring is going to cost considerably more, that you’d love to chip in for the difference.

Would you keep an engagement ring you secretly hated? Or speak up?

I made a lot of wedding decisions without my groom. I don’t think he knew about our napkin color or the pattern on the mat beneath our centerpieces ahead of time. (Because I knew he wouldn’t care.) And he definitely had no clue what my wedding shoes would look like. But now I wish I had let him get his hands on my wedding shoes before the big day. Here’s why:

A photo posted by sarahbeckerphoto (@sarahbeckerphoto) on Oct 10, 2014 at 9:39am PDT

“We are the lucky ones.” Bah! How amazingly sweet is that? I like that there’s a limited amount of space on the bottom of a shoe (especially my 5.5’s), so a groom wouldn’t feel pressure to write a dissertation—it’s just a sweet way to get a short love note to the bride pre-wedding. So perfect.

Speaking of perfect, how fantastic would these Oscar de la Renta sandals be as wedding shoes? I die, I die, I die a thousand times.

A photo posted by @oscarprgirl on Jan 1, 2015 at 6:20am PST

Aren’t you dying for a bottom-of-the-shoes wedding message from your groom now? You SO are.

Hope you have a fancy dress ready: Cameron Diaz and Benji Madden are set to get married TONIGHT, according to Us Weekly. The couple hosted an intimate, three-hour rehearsal dinner last night in Beverly Hills, the magazine reports.

News of the surprise wedding comes less than a month after we reported that the two were engaged. (Here are additional details on their engagement.) I’m not even sure we’ve seen Cameron’s engagement ring yet—although THIS might be it.

Thoughts on Cameron Diaz and Benji Madden’s whirlwind courtship?

I’ll be on the lookout for pictures, of course.

I have yet to meet a bride who hated her entire wedding in hindsight. But most brides wish they had done a few things a little differently. So I asked 10 of my smart, stylish married friends what changes they’d make if they got a wedding do-over. (Spoiler alert: Lots of ’em would pick a different dress.) Here’s what 10 former brides learned the hard way—so you don’t have to:

“I would have thought more about my hair accessories for the reception. After I took of my veil, my hair was just in a plain half-updo. And I would have planned a better send off. We just got into my SUV with my mom and dad and drove off to the hotel.”
— Anne, married June 22, 2003

“I would have had a smaller bridal party. I don’t know what I was thinking when I had 12—yes, 12—girls as bridesmaids. Smaller would have been more meaningful. And I would have chosen a color and let them pick their own bridesmaid dresses.”
— Tara, married October 21, 2006

“I feel like brides aren’t as bound by tradition as I was a decade ago. There are so many more options now at more flexible price points. Two things I would definitely re-do: have food trucks cater my wedding and wear Houghton’s white leather moto jacket over my wedding dress.”
— Farrah, married 2005

“I wish I made a sign for our favor table. Without signage, no one knew to take one.”
— Madhu, married 2010

“I adore my wedding and still grin ear-to-ear when looking at the 10-year-old photos. If I could go back and do it again I would only change three things: 1. I loved my dress (and still do) but I have since come to understand and embrace my own style. I wasn’t confident enough 10 years ago to try something that wasn’t popular. Today I would pick a tea-length dress. Something with some tulle in the skirt, some delicate lace and just a hint of sparkle. Stay true to your own style ladies (and gents)! 2. Our officiant was our second choice and I regret that. The officiant has such a special and memorable role. Knowing what I know now, I would rather change my wedding date than compromise on that one. 3. Our DJ! He just wasn’t a “master of ceremonies.” It’s important to have someone with a great energy and presence who can play the crowd and announce the arrival of the newlywed couple, the first dance, and the cutting of the cake. Our DJ definitely did not have that skill—but he did get every guest on the dance floor.”
— Amber, married 2005

“I wish I had wrangled someone into helping with clean-up the day after. All I wanted to do was luxuriate in our first morning waking up as husband and wife, not run around like maniacs cleaning the chapel, picking up stuff from the reception, and tying up other loose ends.”
— Leah (our Leah!), married 2014

“I wouldn’t wear a strapless dress again. I love my dress and it’s a flattering style—which is probably why the trend is still going strong—but I wish I had pick a more timeless look, like cap sleeves. Also, I would ask my photographer shoot more of the decor that I worked sooooo hard to DIY. There are no pictures of my place cards, center pieces, or favors. WTF?!”
— Seton, married 2009

“We didn’t have a large wedding party, which was OK, but I wish I had planned a gathering with my closest girlfriends for the morning of the wedding. I missed that bonding opportunity. Also, my dress was beautiful but so far from my style. I should have looked for something that felt more like me.”
— Kate, married 2011

“We had about 200 people at our wedding. I might opt for something more intimate if we got married today. Also, my gown was a full A-line, with more crinoline underneath, which was the style at the time. Today I would probably have a less full gown. (Although I felt SO beautiful that night, and I’ll never forget that feeling of never wanting to take off my gown.) Also, I would have asked our photographer to take more pictures of our family members and friends.”
— Jennifer, married 2007

“I would not have had three maids of honor. Longest speech EVER!”
— Alice, married 2006

Married girls: Is there anything you’d do differently if you got a wedding do-over?

My list of kind of extensive—nothing major, but lots of little, little things—so I’ll save that for its own post.

Vera Wang really outdid herself with her latest collection for David’s Bridal. The newest White by Vera Wang dresses retail for a fraction of the price of her couture gowns, but but the details on the less-expensive dresses look majorly high-end. Here are three of my favorites, with an up-close look at the extra-pretty parts.

Wedding Dress 1

Look at the beading on this bodice!

Wedding Dress 2

The bits of lace between layers of tulle is straight off Vera’s couture runway.

Wedding Dress 3

This illusion neckline is to die for.

Click here to check out the entire White by Vera Wang collection.

Which of these wedding dresses is your favorite?

Whitney Port didn’t get the proposal her then-boyfriend, Tim Rosenman, was planning, but she did get a spontaneous proposal—and a funny story, to boot.

A photo posted by Whitney Port (@whitneyeveport) on Dec 12, 2014 at 11:12am PST

In a new post on whitneyport.com, the fashion designer/former City star says she was sitting next to her guy on the couch—having a Shark Tank and California Chicken Cafe date, if you’re curious—while he chatted with his boss.

Says Whit: “That’s when I heard his boss say something like, ‘Good luck with Whit with whatever you decide to do in Australia.’ My stomach immediately dropped. I thought to myself, ‘Does he need to talk to me about something? What the F does he need luck for?’ I immediately asked him and he tried to brush it off but I just couldn’t let it go. He could see the mental torment I was putting myself through so he finally gave in. He got down on one knee and proposed! It was so beautiful.”

Turns out Tim had planned to propose in the Sydney Harbor during their upcoming vacation. Oops! “I couldn’t believe I had basically ruined that magical moment we would have had, but I was so happy to be engaged to him that it didn’t even matter! We went and popped a bottle of champagne at my mom’s place and the next day we were off to Australia as planned.”

Click her to read Whit’s full proposal story—and to see sketches of her to-die-for Ron Bensimon engagement ring.

Here’s her engagement ring, if you need a refresher:

A photo posted by Whitney Port (@whitneyeveport) on Sep 9, 2014 at 1:16pm PDT

SO sweet, right?!

If you're planning a beach wedding, you've gotta see the full-package that J.Crew weddings and parties designer Molly Schaul put together for the brand's blog. Clothing-wise, she picked the sequin plume gown (available here for preorder) and navy Ludlow suits as the beachiest of the bunch, but beyond that, I'm interested in all the tiny details.

For hair, she calls out this divine fresh flower crown by Saipua and Sachajuan sea spray.

For the little touches, it's a white coconut cake, tropical-feeling philodendron leaves, and a thirst-quenching margarita (fact: J. Crew's head prop stylist uses the wide leaves in a lot of their wedding shoots, so keep an eye out the next time a catalog appears in your mailbox).

Planning a beach wedding? Any staples you're definitely going to have?

P.S. Even though Molly has killer beach idea suggestions, she actually got married in Manhattan, and you can check out her wedding here.

I was hoping to wake up today to some pictures from Cameron Diaz and Benji Madden’s wedding, which happened Monday evening. (The tabloid covers generally break on Wednesday a.m., so if we were going to see them, today would be the day.) But it looks like Cam and Benji are keeping their wedding pictures to themselves, so we’ll have to make do with the dishy details—but don’t worry, there are plenty!

The newlyweds confirmed their marriage news to People via their rep, saying: “We couldn’t be happier to begin our new journey together surrounded by our closest family and friends.”

Creepy helicopter photos reveal that a huge tent went up on the couple’s property for the reception; People is reporting that the tent was dimly lit, with lots of candles and mostly white flowers.

Cameron’s bridal party included her sister, Chimene Cain, as well as Drew Barrymore, and Cameron’s now-sister-in-law Nicole Richie. Us is reporting that Cameron’s assistant, Jesse Lutz, was also a bridesmaid. Nicole’s son, Sparrow, served as the ring bearer. (Dad is Joel Madden, the groom’s twin brother.)

Also on the A-list guest list: Gwyneth Paltrow and Samantha Ronson.

According to Us, the event was orchestrated by wedding planners Yifat Oren and Stefanie Cove and featured flowers from The Velvet Garden—all vendors used by Drew in her June 2012 wedding to Will Kopelman.

A source told People: “"It was a big wedding, but they still managed to make it feel very personal. Only their families and very special friends attended. It all felt very down-to-earth and sweet. Guests arrived smiling and almost seemed giddy. Everyone was excited to be a part of the wedding.”

Thoughts on Cameron Diaz and Benji Madden’s top-secret wedding?

I’d love to see photos that weren't taken from a stalker-y helicopter. **sigh**

p.s. Is THIS Cameron Diaz’s engagement ring?!

While you and your groom are swapping vows, I think you’re well within your rights to ask guests to not take pictures. We’ve discussed how amateur photographers can ruin your wedding pictures by getting in the way of the professionals—plus, if your guests are snapping photos or experimenting with different Instagram filters, they’re probably missing out on your ceremony, which is kinda the point of being there.

And still, I get that asking guests to put away their cameras and phones can feel a little bit diva-ish. You’re not Beyonce, after all. {Unless you are? In that case: Hi, Bey! } So I encourage you to copy this sign, which I spotted on wedding photographer Susan Stripling Mautner’s Instagram:

A photo posted by Susan Stripling Mautner (@susanstripling) on Sep 9, 2014 at 3:34pm PDT

It’s polite and respectful but to the point. To be on the safe side—and because I’m a control freak—I’d put the same message in your program too. And if you’re really paranoid, you can also ask your officiant to make a final plea.

Would you copycat this clever sign?

I highly recommend it.

Wedding planning, in theory, should be a happy time. You’re getting MARRIED! And still, all the work that goes into planning your big day can cause major headaches. The good news is, there will be loads and loads of fun things to carry you through the process. But here are the five parts will probably be decidedly un-fun—plus, tips for working through them so you can get to the good stuff. Cake tasting, anyone?

”Are we having fun yet?”

When You’re Trying to Hash Out the Guest List
Your mom wants to invite her entire office and your mother-in-law is trying to get your groom’s ex onto the guest list. (“They’re childhood friends!”) Plus, your groom swears he’s still tight with all 23 guys in his pledge class—even if he can’t give you anyone’s actual name. (No, you can’t address an invite to “Big Lips” and “Putty.”) I think its easiest to give the parents a number for relatives and their friends, and let them figure out how to divvy it up. (Rory’s mom invited her cousins but not her co-workers; my mom did the opposite, since she hadn’t seen extended family members in years.) You and your groom should work out potential controversies ahead of time (exes or no) and try to give your parents some ground rules. One good one: No guests who haven’t met us both. CHEER UP The only two people who NEED to be there are the bride and groom. Hashing out the guest list has a finite end. Once the invites are sent, you can stop talking about it. Raise a glass of champagne to that. Unless, of course, there’s a B list.

When Your Parents Have STRONG Opinions That You Don’t Agree With
Your father-in-law insists that the reception tables should be round—NOT rectangular. (Mine did!) Or your mom can’t fathom why you wouldn’t serve wedding cake. A lot’s changed since your folks got married, so your ideas (wearing a non-white dress, skipping the receiving line, sending digital save-the-dates) might seem outlandish to them. CHEER UP Practice saying, “I really appreciate your opinion. Tell me more.” And memorize this mantra: Choose your battles. A lot of the time, your parents just want to feel like you’re hearing them out. The shape of your tables isn’t going to make or break your wedding, so compromise when you can.

When Your Bridesmaids Start Complaining
I always encourage bridesmaids not to complain to the bride, but you might hear rumblings if they hate the dress you picked or a couple of the co-’maids aren’t chipping in on shower tasks. CHEER UP Do your best to keep your girls happy—they should be your besties, after all. Two things that help: 1) Be upfront about what it’ll cost to be in your wedding. If you expect them to stay at a hotel on your wedding night or buy a plane ticket for your bachelorette getaway, it’s only fair to let them know ahead of time. 2) If you want your ’maids to wear a specific dress or choose from several that you pick, ask each of them if there’s a color or cut of dress that makes them feel uncomfortable—and how much they’re able to spend on a bridesmaid dress. You want them to feel beautiful, after all, and you don’t want to bust up their budgets.

When You’re Working Out the Budget and Who Pays for What
The money talks are never fun, but everything will go more smoothly if people know how much they’re chipping in, and for what. CHEER UP Get the conversations out of the way right away so you don’t fall in love with a wedding dress or a venue that’s out of your budget. If your parents say, “Of course we’re paying for the reception!” that’s great, but ask them to give you an exact number, in case they’re not accounting for any of your non-negotiables, like an open bar.

When You’re Figuring Out the Seating Chart
Unless she’s getting married a deux, the seating chart somehow sucks for every bride, just ask Snooki. And still, I think wedding guests prefer assigned seating—or at least assigned tables—to a free-for-all. (I certainly do!) CHEER UP There are programs and websites to help you digitize the task (here’s one) but I’m partial to the Post-Its and paper method, illustrated here. Hold off on tackling the seating chart until a week before your reception site needs a final count, otherwise you’re just going to wind up tearing it up as RSVPs roll in and guests cancel. (A few ALWAYS do.)

What’s stressing you out as you plan your wedding?

The list above is all based on my personal experience. I was NOT a low-key bride.

Looking for an engagement ring that stands out from the crowd? There are SO many gorgeous options out there. Here are the four rings that will be super hot this year, according to Josh Holland, Blue Nile’s diamond guy.

Engagement Ring Trend 1: “Fancy Cut” Center Diamond Halos

“The marriage (pun intended) of two trends: ‘fancy cut’ diamonds, such as emerald, cushion, and princess, in halo settings where micropave diamonds encircle the center stone for maximum brilliance.” Marquise Cut Halo Diamond Engagement Ring, $2,130 (setting only).

Engagement Ring Trend 2: Designer-Inspired Engagement Rings

“Some brides-to-be enjoy the unique perspective of a fashion designer in their engagement ring and more designer-inspired rings are available than ever. Often these rings, such as the Zac Posen ring featured here, are inspired by the designer’s clothing lines.” Truly Zac Posen Ribbon Diamond Engagement Ring, $1,900 (setting only).

Engagement Ring Trend 3: Sapphire-Accent Engagement Rings

“There is a trend for more color in engagement rings, and some brides choose to flank their center diamond with gemstones. The most popular choice? Vibrant sapphires that accentuate the brilliance of the white diamond.” Classic Pear-Shaped Sapphire Engagement Ring, $1,010 (setting only).

Engagement Ring Trend 4: Rose Gold Engagement Rings

“Another way brides find more color in engagement rings is in the metal, with some choosing rose gold for their engagement rings; a delicate red-yellow hue that emphasizes a brilliant diamond.”
French Pave Diamond Engagement Ring, $1,100 (setting only).

Which of these engagement rings is your favorite?

In case you somehow haven't heard, it's alllll about the brows right now. If you've continued to kinda-overlook yours despite the recent trend toward playing them up—and despite the fact that you'll be starring in some very important wedding photos sometime soon—here are a few key tricks to get you started on the path to brow perfection.

1. Every brow can use some filling in. This makeup step isn't strictly for women with skimpy brows; full brows often have thinner patches or bald spots. Filling in such gaps with a little brow pencil or powder is an easy, instant way to give eyebrows a much more defined and polished look.

2. Go lighter than you think. That said, a brow pencil or powder that matches the hair exactly can end up looking too obvious and harsh; going a few shades lighter is a better bet (think taupe for medium brown hair). Layer on tiny strokes until you get the right look. Viewing yourself in photos can often give you a better sense of what looks natural.

3. Get yourself a spoolie brush. This must-have tool (it looks like a mascara brush) helps you tame wayward brows as well as blend in your brow pencil or powder. Use a slight upward motion rather than sweeping brows straight across; doing so opens up your eyes more.

If you're starting with really unruly/overgrown brows, it's smart to get a professional shaping pre-wedding (just NOT right before, in case you dislike the results or get irritation!). Then all you have to do is pluck, groom, and fill in as needed to maintain the look.

Have you given any thought to how your brows will look on your wedding day?

While Leah was scoping out the prettiest dresses at the People’s Choice Awards, I was getting up close and personal with some celebrities’ left hands. Here are three engagement rings that caught my eye, all for different reasons:

Engagement Ring 1: Gabrielle Union

Technically I was paying less attention to Gabrielle’s engagement ring, which we’ve seen recently, and more attention to her wedding band, which I hadn’t noticed yet. Looks like she got an eternity band with some pretty hefty sized diamonds. (Here’s a shot from her Instagram.)

Engagement Ring 2: Reese Witherspoon

I’m familiar with Reese Witherspoon’s engagement ring but I zoomed in anyway to see if she’d upgraded. Nope, same ring—and it’s still a little too big for her. (At least I assume that’s what it’s spun to the left.) It’s been a little bit floppy since she got engaged in 2011; here’s the solution I offered when I first noticed that it appears to be just a teeny bit too big.

Engagement Ring 3: Portia de Rossi

I’d never noticed Portia de Rossi’s engagement ring, probably because her engagement pre-dates Save the Date. It looks like her current ring, a yellow gem (I assume a diamond) in a thick band is an upgrade from the ring Ellen proposed with, an east-west-set marquise diamond. (Click here to see the original ring.)

Which of these engagement rings is your favorite?

I really like Portia’s original ring. I’m a sucker for horizontally set diamonds.