If you’re normally camera-shy {**ahem, raises hand** } you’re probably dreading being trailed by a photographer on your wedding day. If there’s anything more awkward then posing for a picture, after all, it’s posing for a whole series of ’em. The good news is, an expert wedding photographer can work with even the most shy bride (or groom) to turn out wedding portraits that show you looking natural, not nervous.

To prep you for your portrait session, here are tips from three of the best wedding photographers in the business, Dennis Kwan, Kristi Drago-Price, and Carla Ten Eyck.

Here are pics by the pros in question, in case you need proof:

A photo posted by Dennis Kwan �������� (@denniskwanphoto) on Jun 26, 2015 at 6:33am PDT

A photo posted by EditorsEdge (@editorsedge) on May 11, 2015 at 6:44pm PDT

A photo posted by Carla Ten Eyck (@c10ike) on Jun 6, 2015 at 6:00pm PDT

To get more Small Talk Big Day, which I’m obsessed with, click here. (And stay tuned for an upcoming episode starring yours truly.)

Also, Beyonce’s Instagram is littered with evidence of Kristi’s theory, if you need proof:

A photo posted by Beyonc�� (@beyonce) on Feb 8, 2015 at 6:20pm PST

A photo posted by Beyonc�� (@beyonce) on May 4, 2015 at 8:15pm PDT

A photo posted by Beyonc�� (@beyonce) on Feb 23, 2015 at 1:04pm PST

When it comes to engagement rings, it takes a pretty unusual piece to make us stop and say, “Wait, I’ve never seen anything like that before.” But that was the exact reaction when this popped up on Instagram.

A photo posted by APW Editors (@apracticalwedding) on Jul 8, 2015 at 3:15pm PDT

The cut of the center stone is so incredibly eye-catching, and the fact that it’s a gray diamond makes it even more special. It turns out kite-cut diamonds (or “diamonds shaped like diamonds,” as A Practical Wedding dubbed them) are a thing—but not a hugely popular one. (There are 9,700 Google results for “kite-cut diamonds” compared with 440,000 for “round-cut diamonds.”) The shape shows up quite a bit though at San Francisco’s Fiat Lux; that’s their ring above. Here are a couple more rings with kite-cut stones from their online shop.

Io, $3,760.

Callisto, custom price upon request.

There are also a bunch of shield-cut stones, which are almost as uncommon as the kite. (The only shield-cut stone that’s appeared on Save the Date was this one in 2012.)

Ananke, $2,400.

Vanadia the Younger, $8,260.

Lois, $1,880.

Europa, $4,460.

If you prefer a more traditional stone, there are lots of those in unusual settings. Here are two trillion-cut diamonds (we usually see them as side stones) joined by a row of smaller diamonds.

Split/Love, $2,015.

This one features a marquise-cut stone in an east-west setting:

Uto’s Eye, $1,905.

And this one is features a pear-shape center stone, which, yes, is pretty common, but it’s a “salt and pepper” diamond, and the cut itself feels a little unusual—more squat and less pointy.

Nico, $4,150.

The designers behind Couture Fashion Week sometimes close out their shows with a wedding dress. Kendall Jenner reminded us of that earlier this week, walking down Chanel’s runway/aisle in a wedding suit by Karl Lagerfeld.

Here are three more the wedding looks from the couture shows.

Zuhair Murad

Elie Saab

Giambattista Valli

Alberta Ferretti Limited Edition

And it seems Maison Margiela was going for a bridal look here, although it’s hard to imagine an actual bride walking down the aisle in what appears to be a pearlescent couture Snuggie.

All eyes were certainly on hotel heiress Nicky Hilton and British banking heir James Rothschild when they swapped vows earlier today at Kensington Palace. But even more fascinating than the bride (who wore a custom Valentino wedding dress worth upward of $50,000) and the groom (whose family is worth a reported $12 billion) is the motley crew who made up their guest list. (No stray great-aunts from Tuscaloosa in this bunch.)

The Daily Mail called the nuptials “a collision of two scandal-soaked families who have, until now, had little in common beyond a stupendous fortune on each side.” Here’s a sampling of the cast of characters who were there to witness the “dynastic alliance.”

Paris Hilton The bride’s hard-partying older sister—now a DJ playing gigs worldwide—was joined by her boyfriend, Swiss businessman Thomas Gross. Wearing a periwinkle blue bridesmaid dress, she stood alongside her mom, mother-of-the-bride Kathy Hilton, before the ceremony.

Kyle Richards The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills fixture is half-sisters with the mother of the bride. The mom of four shared an Instagram snap ahead of the wedding in which she was posing with her children on London’s Marleybone High Street.

A photo posted by Kyle Richards Umansky (@kylerichards18) on Jul 9, 2015 at 6:00pm PDT

Thomas van Straubenzee A close friend of Prince William’s, Thomas garnered some time in the spotlight recently after being named one of Princess Charlotte’s godfathers.

Petra Ecclestone The bride and groom met at the 2011 wedding of the Formula One heiress/supermodel and her businessman husband, James Stunt.

Crown Prince Pavlos and Crown Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece This couple resided in New York City (which the bride sometimes calls home) before relocating to London (where the groom was raised) which might explain why they run in the same circles.

Dave Clark Princess Beatrice’s longtime boyfriend joined the bride and groom the night before the wedding. No word yet on whether the princess was his plus-one for the main event.

Florence Brundell-Bruce Prince Harry’s ex-girlfriend and her husband, Henry Edward Hugh St. George, made the guest list.

Chelsea Clinton It’s unclear what ties the former first daughter and her husband, Marc Mazvinsky, have to either family.

Tom Parker Bowles The royal-adjacent food writer, food critic, and chef is the son of Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, and the stepson (and godson) of Charles, Prince of Wales.

A wedding dress designer who’s set to be married could feasibly be so burned out on designing wedding dresses that she decides to walk down the aisle in an off-the-rack whatever and call it a (wedding) day. That did not happen to wedding dress designer Hayley Paige, who designed three fantastic gowns for her own wedding. Check ’em out;

First there was this dreamy, illusion-y fit-for-a-princess wedding dress.

A photo posted by jimverraros (@jimverraros) on Jul 11, 2015 at 9:49pm PDT

Then, midceremony, she stepped into a crop-top gown with 3-D florals on the train. And there was inexplicably a unicorn in the mix.

A photo posted by Rich Lander (@chardphoto) on Jul 12, 2015 at 9:07am PDT

A photo posted by Rich Lander (@chardphoto) on Jul 11, 2015 at 11:28pm PDT

For the reception she picked a figure-skimming gown that likely made her guests’ jaws hit the floor:

A photo posted by Park (@plippiv) on Jul 12, 2015 at 8:24am PDT

Here’s a peek at the rear view:

A photo posted by Hayley Paige (@misshayleypaige) on Jul 10, 2015 at 8:21am PDT

Hayley also designed her spangle-y rehearsal dinner dress, inspired by “chain-mail armor and the Velveteen Rabbit.”

A photo posted by Hayley Paige (@misshayleypaige) on Jul 11, 2015 at 6:22am PDT

And, presumably, her morning-after brunch dress, a lace tuxedo wrapdress, which she paired with a Chiquita Banana-inspired floral crown. (Her words, not mine!)

A photo posted by Hayley Paige (@misshayleypaige) on Jul 12, 2015 at 1:20pm PDT

There's nothing like planning a wedding to highlight differences between generations. Today's mothers of the bride are coming to the table with memories of receptions and lead-up bridal events that can vary drastically from what we as millennials have gotten used to (in the '80s, nearly every groom wore a tux and no one had to brainstorm a brilliant hashtag). A new study conducted on behalf of Best Buy is pointing out the specifics, comparing the experiences of couples married within the last five years with those hitched 20+ years ago.

Grooms are much more involved. Guys are playing a bigger part in wedding planning, with 69 percent of recent brides saying that their fellows played a "significant" role (they were most likely to help with picking food, beverages, and music). In our parents' generation, only 49 percent of men were active in the process.

Everything is more elaborate. From the send-off brunch to welcome dinners and organized after-parties, the number of activities surrounding today's weddings are mind-blowing to couples who wed decades earlier (46 percent of current couples take engagement photos; 45 percent plan bachelor and bachelorette parties). Seventy percent of newlyweds report that their weddings were more elaborate than their parents.

Some things stay the same, some things don't. Contrasting the numbers, there are certain wedding mainstays that have stuck around—the number of couples who took time to ceremoniously cut the wedding cake and planned rehearsal dinners is about the same between both groups of marrieds. The largest differences? Our parents were more likely to have a garter toss (50 percent versus 32 percent now) and millennials are more likely to be proposed to in an organized, public way (23 percent versus 7 percent).

Wedding registries are more practical. In the past, couples didn't vary from the traditional registry categories: fine china, crystal, and practical kitchen items for couples who were just starting to build their household. Now, whether because of an enhanced selection or since couples might already live together, brides and grooms are asking for tech gadgets (74 percent of recent couples say it's appropriate, compared with 58 percent from earlier generations). When asked if they would want to update their registry if getting hitched now, 75 percent of our parents' generation say they'd definitely put some tech items on the list.

The top items Best Buy is seeing couples register for include some classic kitchen items with a tech spin (like Ninja blenders and electric wine openers) but gadgets totally of our generation too—think Apple TVs and Nest thermostats.

More Wedding Planning:
Lauren Conrad Would Like to Help You With Your Wedding Registry
Which States Give the Most Cash as Wedding Gifts?
8 Alternative Wedding Gifts for Outdoorsy Brides and Grooms

Glee’s Melissa Benoist and Blake Jenner are married—and they have been for a while.

E! is reporting that the pair swapped vows this spring; backing their story, Melissa’s been wearing a telltale thin band alongside her engagement ring in recent Instagram photos:

A photo posted by @melissabenoist on Apr 5, 2015 at 2:37am PDT

Blake earned a spot on the Fox hit after winning The Glee Project in 2012; Melissa joined the show in the fourth season as Marley Rose a.k.a. "the new Rachel Berry." They were engaged in 2013 after meeting on-set. A few months later, Melissa told E! News that their nuptials would be “small and intimate and nice.” It seems she was true to her word on the “small and intimate” part.

Melissa is set play Supergirl on CBS this fall.

Watch Our Glee Red Carpet Roundup.

There’s a place for full-on flower crowns at some weddings, of course, but unless the wedding features a certain type of bride (free-spirited flower child) and a certain setting (overgrown field of wildflowers or cliff overlooking the ocean), a traditional flower crown can feel a little contrived.

If you teeter somewhere between “sophisticated style maven” and “gypsy soul,” here’s a more polished take on the flower crown that won’t leave you looking like a Woodstock castoff on your wedding day.

A photo posted by ambergress (@ambergressphotography) on Jul 9, 2015 at 5:53am PDT

Spotted on photographer Amber Gress's Instagram, this bride’s sparkly, elegant wedding headpiece feels a little bit Kate Moss, a little bit Kate Middleton. The bride, Thea, designed the headpiece in question for herself—but thankfully she sells variations for other brides at her online shop, Hushed Commotion.

Liliana in Silver, $675.

Watch Lana Del Rey’s Plump Lips and Dreamy ’70s Makeup, Re-Created by Kandee Johnson.

Here’s a stroll down memory lane that we can totally get on board with: Brit jeweler Vashi commissioned artist Pauline Dujancourt to illustrate 100 iconic celebrity wedding dresses, then it organized the sketches in an index we can’t stop clicking through. Below, the 44 unforgettable wedding dresses from the collection that we still daydream about—whether they headed down the aisle last year (Angelina Jolie, Solange) or decades ago (Audrey Hepburn’s third wedding dress, Liz Taylor’s fifth). Click each bride’s name to see a photograph of her wearing her wedding dress.

(Obviously not all the brides below wore their hair in a low chignon—or had skin the color of paper. Think of the “person” in the dress as a paper doll with different wigs. It’s the wedding dresses that matter here. And obviously some of these brides had more than one wedding; these are just the best of the best.)

Amal Alamuddin

Married George Clooney in Oscar de la Renta, September 27, 2014

Angelina Jolie

Married Brad Pitt in Versace, August 23, 2014

Audrey Hepburn

Married Andrea Dotti in Hubert de Givenchy, January 18, 1969

Ava Gardner

Married Mickey Rooney in a suit by an unknown designer, January 10, 1943

Ava Gardner

Married Frank Sinatra in a dress by an unknown designer, November 7, 1951

Bianca Perez-Mora Macias

Married Mick Jagger in Tommy Nutter, March 12, 1971

Brigitte Nielsen

Married Sylvester Stallone in a dress by an unknown designer, December 12, 1985

Camilla Parker Bowles

Married Prince Charles in Anna Valentine, April 9, 2005

Carolyn Bessette

Married John F. Kennedy Jr. in Narciso Rodriguez, September 9, 1996

Chelsea Clinton

Married Marc Mezvinsky in Vera Wang, July 31, 2010

Chrissy Teigen

Married John Legend in Vera Wang, September 14, 2013

Cindy Crawford

Married Rande Gerber in John Galliano, May 29, 1998

Diana Spencer

Married Prince Charles in David & Elizabeth Emanuel, July 29, 1981

Dita Von Teese

Married Marilyn Manson in Vivienne Westwood, November 28, 2005

Elizabeth Taylor

Married Conrad Hilton in Helen Rose, May 6, 1950

Elizabeth Taylor

Married Mike Todd in a dress by an unknown designer, February 3, 1957

Elizabeth Taylor

Married Eddie Fisher in a dress by an unknown designer, May 12, 1959

Elizabeth Taylor

Married Richard Burton in Irene Shraff, March 15, 1964

Ellen DeGeneres

Married Portia De Rossi in Zac Posen, August 16, 2008

Grace Kelly

Married Prince Rainier in Helen Rose, April 19, 1956

Gwen Stefani

Married Gavin Rossdale in John Galliano, September 14, 2002

Iman

Married David Bowie in Herve Leger, June 6, 1992

Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy

Married John F. Kennedy in Ann Lowe, September 12, 1953

Jada Pinkett

Married Will Smith in Badgley Mischka, December 31, 1997

Jerry Hall

Married Mick Jagger in Antony Price, November 21, 1990

Kaley Cuoco

Married Ryan Sweeting in Vera Wang, December 31, 2013

Kate Middleton

Married Prince William in Alexander McQueen, April 29, 2010

Kate Moss

Married Jamie Hince in John Galliano, July 1, 2011

Katie Holmes

Married Tom Cruise in Giorgio Armani, November 18, 2006

Keira Knightley

Married James Righton in Chanel, May 4, 2013

Kim Kardashian

Married Kanye West in Givenchy, May 24, 2014

Lauren Conrad

Married William Tell in Badgley Mischka, September 13, 2014

Letizia Ortiz

Married Felipe VI of Spain in Manuel Pertegaz, May 22, 2004

Madonna

Married Sean Penn in a dress by an unknown designer, August 16, 1985

Mariah Carey

Married Tommy Mottola in Vera Wang, June 5, 1993

Marilyn Monroe

Married Joe DiMaggio in a suit by an unknown designer, January 14, 1954

Mia Farrow

Married Frank Sinatra in a suit by an unknown designer, July 19, 1966

Natalie Wood

Married Robert Wagner in a dress by an unknown designer, December 28, 1957

Olivia Palermo

Married Johannes Huebl in Carolina Herrera, June 29, 2014

Portia De Rossi

Married Ellen DeGeneres in Zac Posen, August 16, 2008

Priscilla Beaulieu

Married Elvis Presley in a dress by an unknown designer, May 1, 1967

Salma Hayek

Married Francois-Henri Pinault in Nicolas Ghesquiere, February 14, 2009

Sarah Jessica Parker

Married Matthew Broderick in Morgane Le Fay, May 19, 1997

Solange Knowles

Married Alan Ferguson in Kenzo, November 11, 2014

Click here to see all of Vashi’s 100 Iconic Celebrity Wedding Dresses.

If the Paper Doll’s Wedding Hair Has You Feeling Inspired, Watch How to Do a Jeweled Chignon.

Writes Save the Date reader Mandi:

My sister has been a complete bridezilla since she got engaged. Still when she asked me to be her maid of honor, I was excited.

I started planning her bachelorette party, which was within driving distance for everyone, but my sister would insult me and constantly badger me about the plans (“they have to fit the group!”—huh?!). She eventually announced that she hated what I was planning, so she wouldn’t be able to attend. She then demanded an out-of-state bachelorette party, which I planned for next weekend—and then my sister kicked one of the others bridesmaids out of the wedding party because she couldn’t afford to travel out of state for the bachelorette. She’s also causing drama with our families because she wants an out-of-state bridal shower.

I’m so over the drama that I want to back out of going to her bachelorette. Can I do that? I feel like she’ll respond by kicking me out of the wedding party, but at this point, that might be a blessing.

Here are my thoughts:

Don’t even give her the opportunity to kick you out of the wedding party. Quit the wedding party, bail on the bachelorette, and put your relationship on hold until your sister can get a friggin’ grip. Nothing you’ve already done—and nothing that you’ll do down the line—will make your sister happy, so you might as well get out with what’s left of your bank account and sanity while you still can.

That said, it would be nice if you could still give some cash to the remaining bridesmaids to cover any expenses you were going to be splitting. (You don’t have to chip in for, say, meals, since you won’t be eating or drinking with them, of course, but if you were going to share a hotel room with someone who can’t cancel, the decent thing to do would be to cover your portion.)

The only event that a bride is guaranteed is a wedding. Bachelorette parties and bridal showers (and engagement parties and rehearsal dinners and morning-after brunches) are generally hosted by either the wedding party or a family member, which means the bride doesn’t have a say in how they’re planned. And if she’s lucky enough to have any of the “bonus” events planned in her honor, she needs to show up, shut up, enjoy the party, then thank the hostess graciously and profusely.

The alternative, if she doesn’t want to deal with a party she knows she won’t be happy with, is to pass on having a bachelorette party (or bridal shower, etc.) entirely.

For More Sisterly Love, Watch Sister, Sister: Kendall and Kylie Dish About Each Other’s Quirky Habits.

Time to start the engagement ring watch? In an interview with a New Zealand radio station, Demi Lovato said she plans to marry longtime boyfriend Wilmer Valderrama—someday.

A photo posted by Demi Lovato (@ddlovato) on Sep 11, 2014 at 7:23am PDT

"I am very, very in love with him. I think—we will probably wait a little bit longer, but—if he asked tomorrow I would say yes," Demi said. And, despite their age difference (she's 22, he's 35) she's do so with the support of her parents

"I used to, definitely, whenever we were first starting to date about like five years ago, because I was 18 and he was 30," she said, "so people were definitely judgmental and even like my parents were kind of like, 'I don't know why someone his age is wanting to date someone so young.' After a while, everyone started to see that what we have is real and incredible and very special and we have been together ever since."

Of course, a Demi-Wilmer engagement wouldn’t shock Save the Date readers: We predicted last October that an engagement was in their future.

Watch Demi Lovato’s Metallic Album Makeup, Recreated by Kandee Johnson.

Call it a happy accident: When one bride and groom (a friend’s parents) married in the ’60s, there was a printing mix-up that left them with thousands and thousands of custom cocktail napkins—way more than they would need for their wedding, possibly more than they’d need in their lifetime.

And so those cocktail napkins were broken out at every holiday and cocktail party that this friend remembers from growing up. As the stash started to deplete, her mom would mix just a few into a stack of plain cocktail napkins. And she still has some left.

Instead of hoping for a printer mix-up (fingers crossed?) why not print way more custom cocktail napkins than you actually need? They’re relatively cheap—just cents each—not hard to store, and they’re a sweet wedding souvenir that will last forever {sorry, year-old wedding cake }.

These awesome custom napkins, featuring a line from “Blurred Lines,” are from a real wedding that we recently featured. Click here for more from Crystal and Jason’s Real Wedding Album.

And here are eight more custom cocktail napkins we like:

Fantastic Day Personalized Napkin from Wedding Paper Divas, $14.99 for 50.

Cocktail Napkins from For Your Party, $30 for 50 (but they get a lot cheaper if you buy a ton).

Love Birds Printed Napkins from The Knot Shop, from $0.14 each.

Champagne Gold Personalized Beverage Napkins with Gold Print from Oriental Trading, from $9.99 for 50.

Swirling Union Personalized Napkin from Wedding Paper Divas, $14.99 for 50.

Mr & Mrs Standard Printed Napkins from The Knot Shop, from $0.14 each.

Cocktail Napkins from For Your Party, $30 for 50 (but they get a lot cheaper if you buy a ton).

Boxed Bliss Personalized Napkin from Wedding Paper Divas, $14.99 for 50.

Ed Sheerhan is a sucker for romance: Back in March he crashed a wedding and sang the first-dance song. And last night he lent a hand when pal Jake Roche, of Rixton, proposed to Jesy Nelson, of the Brit girl group Little Mix. (Zayn Malik’s fiancee, Perrie Edwards, is also in Little Mix. Tomorrow is their two-year engage-iversary.)

At a show in Manchester last night, Ed invited Jake and Jesy onstage, where Jake promptly dropped down on one knee:

A photo posted by Jake Roche (@jake_rixton) on Jul 19, 2015 at 11:25am PDT

Jake captioned the picture: “A year ago today I met her at Manchester Arena, so it was only right, with a little help from my friend, that this happened. Best day of my life.”

Also: Ed Sheeran, Elvis, or Etta James: Who Has the World’s Most Popular First Dance Song?

Watch Taylor Swift Answer a Lightening Round of Fan Questions.

If you’re getting married in the next couple of months and your venue is anywhere but Alaska, there’s a good chance it’s going to be hot, hot, hot, especially if you’re planning to be outdoors for your big day. To keep your guests—and yourself—clear of meltdown mode, try these 13 easy tricks for beating the heat.

1. Serve a Frozen Treat. These gourmet popsicles are from Si Paletas.

Event Design: So Happi Together. Photo: Dez & Tam Photography.

2. Hand Out Sunnies, Pre-Ceremony. The sign reads, “Don't be blinded by our love. Please take some shades.”

“It looked neat that all the guests had the same sunglasses on for photos,” said photographer Cami Jane. Photo: Cami Jane Photography.

3. Look for Lightweight Dresses for ’Maids—and Yourself. Best bet: natural fabrics, like silk or cotton.

The Ada dress by Celia Grace is made from lightweight silk with a soft, breathable cotton liner. Another style to consider: the Isabel. Dress: Celia Grace. Photo: JS Photo Studio.

4. Just Add Water. Mini water spritzers provide much-needed moisture but won’t ruin makeup.

These, designed by Charmed Events Group, feature the couple’s wedding monogram. Event Design: Charmed Events Group. Photo: Delbarr Moradi Photography.

5. Set Up Self-Serve Sips. Have pour-it-yourself pitchers or dispensers on hand pre-ceremony.

Lemonade: Kara Stout, bridal nutritionist. Photo: Kristen Dee Photography.

6. Fabricate Built-In Shady Spots. Don’t rely on Mother Nature to provide a respite from the afternoon sun.

These pergolas, made from reclaimed barn wood, come in a variety of sizes. Rentals: Found Vintage Rentals. Photo: Garrett Richardson Photography.

7. Hand Out Fans. Either buy old-fashioned hand fans in bulk, or design a fan-shaped program to do double-duty.

These fan programs featured fun facts about the couple on the flip-side. Stationery: Shindig Bespoke.

8. Offer Grab-and-Go Drinks. Rows and rows of single-serving drinks {pretty straws mandatory } make for an eye-catching display.

Event Design: The Graceful Host. Photo: Lauren Rosenau Photography.

9. Have Paper Parasols at the Ready. A sun-brella on every seat will help prevent burned shoulders during the ceremony.

Event Planning: Louise Georges Yves. Photo: Harvard Photography.

10. Request Chilled Towels. Ask your venue to have a tray of rolled-up cold towels waiting for guests—fancy-restaurant style—on their way to cocktail hour.

Event Design: Magnolia Bluebird Design & Events. Photo: Greg Gibson Photography.

11. Plan a Late-Night Party. The temperature should dip as the sun goes down, so consider starting your ceremony on the later side, if your venue allows.

Event Planning: Mango Muse Events. Photo: Rachel Robertson Photography.

12. “Don’t Get Burned by Love.” Spray bottles of sunscreen give your guests a change to reapply if they feel a burn coming on.

Photo: Metts Photo.

13. Shade Your Dinner Tables. Especially if the dance floor is open-air, the dinner table should give guests a break from the sun.

Market umbrellas offer ample shade without blocking the scenery. Event Planning: Red Letter Event Planning. Photo: Park Road Photography.

Watch: Why Kevin Bacon Hates Going to Weddings.

If you want a “Bachelorette!” sash and all the penis straws that come with it, we say: Go for it. Your bachelorette party should be your kind of fun, and if that involves shots and the possibility of dancing on a bar, then so be it.
Or, if you’d rather die than don a penis veil, here are five alternative activities to pass the time during your bachelorette party. (Some would be fun for a bridal shower too.)

Bond at the Spa

A photo posted by The Nail Truck (@thenailtruck) on Jul 16, 2015 at 12:34pm PDT

Make a Date Jar for the Bride and Groom

Use popsicle sticks and sharpie to suggest fun activities for the bride and groom, post-wedding. After their big day, they can pick one mystery date a weekend to keep the romance alive. Photo courtesy of Lora Mae Photography.

Design Your Own Perfumes

DIY perfume bars are popping up all over the country. (Try googling “make your own perfume” to find one near you.) Mix fragrances to create a signature scent, then pick an extra-pretty bottle that deserves to be displayed on your dresser. Photo courtesy of Jasmine Star.

Try Your Hand at Flower Arranging
Is there something the bride’s always wanted to try: flower arranging, pasta-making, dancing like Beyonce? Look for a class that can accommodate the group. (Champagne optional but highly recommended for the Beyonce class.) Photo courtesy of Leigh Anna at Moss + Isaac.

Set Up Scavenger Hunt

Break the group into teams and give each a Polaroid camera and a list of clues related to the couple. (“Take a picture where they shared their first kiss.” “Take a picture with someone wearing a T-shirt from the bride or groom’s alma mater.” “Take a picture of everyone in your group crammed into a phone booth.” The team that gets all the photos first is the winner. Photo courtesy of Brandi Welles.

Want More Penis Talk? Watch What If She Wants to See a Dick Pic.

As we’ve mentioned in the past, something goes wrong at every wedding: Your photographer could flake, you may forget your vows, the wrong color flowers might arrive. But at some weddings—like the 22 below—the #weddingfails are so bad, they might inspire future brides and grooms to elope. Some are definitely worse than others, but all will make you cringe.

A groomsman’s grand entrance gone horribly wrong—twice.

These accidental wedding portrait photobombers.

The toppling groomsman.

A video posted by VHL (@veryhighlevel) on May 27, 2015 at 8:49pm PDT

The toppling groomsman, part 2.

A video posted by VHL (@veryhighlevel) on May 22, 2015 at 8:46pm PDT

Part 3. (Save the best for last.)

A video posted by ���� Liza ���� (@just1liza) on Aug 6, 2014 at 9:52am PDT

The wedding dress that broke in the middle of the bridal portrait session.

The DJ who played “I’ll Make Love to You” for the mother-son dance.

The groom who got a little too goofy during the prewedding photos.

The groom who inexplicably got shaving-creamed in the face.

The bridesmaid who overshot the champagne. (Looks like the dress was spared!)

The groom who dropped his bride before making it over the threshold.

The wedding guest who helped capture the first-kiss shot.

The flower girl who was so bored she pretend-hanged herself.

The entire bridal party that fell into a lake.

This mom’s reaction to the first kiss.

The wedding guest who danced for dollar bills.

A video posted by ��������������������������������������������� (@streetracing18) on Jul 19, 2015 at 4:08pm PDT

The runaway drone photographer.

This is how NOT to do aerial shots for a wedding.

The runaway drone photographer, Part 2.

A video posted by Drones Etc. (@dronesetc) on Jul 3, 2015 at 11:49am PDT

This bridesmaid.

A photo posted by @nikkibrevis on Sep 13, 2014 at 7:33pm PDT

The wedding cake that toppled.

View post on imgur.com

The favor with the bride’s named spelled incorrectly.

A photo posted by Mikki (@thenotsoperfecthousewife) on Nov 5, 2014 at 5:36am PST

The groom’s questionable hand placement.

@jimmyfallon or taking a photo when we weren't ready #weddingfailpic.twitter.com/PPGYGAT2ry

— Pam Rostek-Kuwazaki (@lilDestiny814) July 2, 2015

Not convinced? Watch Do Your Friends a Favor and Elope.

Between the time you hire her and the time you walk down the aisle, you’ll have a lot of back-and-forth with your wedding planner. But there are a few things she won’t tell you—even though she really wants to. (Hey, she wants to keep her job!) Below, Louise Lambert, the wedding and catering manager at Southern California’s Sheraton Carlsbad Resort & Spa, sounds off on the five things she wishes all brides (and grooms) knew.

1. It’s time for cupcakes to go away. The cake-cutting tradition, with the groom placing his hand over the bride’s, symbolizes continuity and support in the marriage. Brides and grooms think they’re being fun and trendy by using cupcakes as a stand-in, but they’re forgoing something special. Plus, cupcakes have been done to death.

2. Pinterest can be the enemy. Brides and grooms come in with thousands of ideas from Pinterest and wedding blogs, and all those pictures add up to a wedding they just can’t afford. (We can rent faux-vintage furniture or hang dramatic outdoor chandeliers—for a price.) It’s great to have ideas, but try not to get carried away with over-the-top inspiration.

3. I need your support. Your big day will unfold smoothly if you’ve done your homework. Keep your contracts in one place, and make sure I have a day-of schedule with setup details and contact information for all your vendors so I can be the one to field the frantic calls.

4. Your flowers will wilt if it’s an outdoor venue on a warm day. There are preventative measures we can take—spritzing flowers with cool water, waiting longer to put them outside, and adding market umbrellas to provide shade—but if it’s a hot day, don’t be alarmed when your flowers start to fade. And don’t yell at us. It’s just nature! (And your guests won’t notice a few wilted petals, but they will notice if the bride seems distressed over them!)

5. Don’t go MIA. Wedding planning is a two-way street, and I need to communicate with you every step of the way. If you don’t respond to my emails and calls, you’re leaving major decisions in my lap—and I don’t want to choose your flower colors or your linens without your input!

Don’t Care About Wedding Planning? Watch Matthew McConaughey Talk About How He Used to Kill Armadillos for a Living.

What’s Whitney Port wearing down the aisle? Well, she’s not quite sure yet. But she has lots of pretty options to choose from. The former Hills and City star says she’s going to wait to pick a wedding dress so she doesn’t get bored with her choice. (She’ll marry Tim Rosenman this year, she said, but she didn’t give a date. The two were engaged in November of 2013; see her engagement ring here.)

A photo posted by Whitney Port (@whitneyeveport) on Jun 29, 2015 at 3:58pm PDT

“I’m waiting a little while. I’m a little bit of an indecisive person and I don’t want to be staring at my wedding dress for months before [my wedding], so I feel like I want to wait a little bit more so I can have it be fresh.”

She says she’s drawn to both simple Calvin Klein-style slip dresses as well as intricate, beaded gowns, like those by Givenchy. “I feel like I’ll meet somewhere in the middle,” she says.

Click here to see pictures of Whitney Port trying on wedding dresses.

Watch her full MTV interview for more wedding details.

Watch Whitney in Dressed to Kill: Create an Outfit That Looks Poolside-Chic.

Beatrice BorromeomarriedPierre Casiraghi, the son of Monaco’s Princess Caroline—the eldest daughter of Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier—in a civil ceremony in Monaco earlier today, People has confirmed. The ceremony was held in Monaco’s Pink Palace’s Salon des Glaces, the formal gold-leafed reception room reserved for the reigning sovereign's official family functions. (Here’s a picture of Beatrice Borromeo’s engagement ring, if you need a reminder.)

The ceremony was attended by approximately 70 family members and friends, but the bride and groom welcomed 500-plus guests to the informal Monegasque garden picnic that followed.

On the guest list, according to People: Pierre's uncle Prince Albert and the groom's mother Princess Caroline. The groom's brother Andrea Casiraghi and sister, Charlotte Casiraghi were also in attendance with Andrea's wife Tatiana and Charlotte's boyfriend Gad Emaleh.

The wedding will continue into next weekend, with a religious event and corresponding party on the luxurious Borromean Islands, owned by the bride’s aristocratic Italian family. (Her father is a count.)

Here’s a photographic tribute to Beatrice Borromeo's hair, and here’s a closer look at her style evolution.

Want More Royals? Watch How’d the Royal Wedding Go?

You've probably accepted that your perfect day is bound to have a few imperfect moments—including the breaking of a few of those precious pieces of decor you spent so long designing. But that doesn't mean you can't nip a few faux pas in the bud before it's too late. Here, some of the items most likely to break on your big day (and how to prevent them from doing so).

1. Your Toasting Flutes
This is particularly true for crystal because it's so delicate and unlikely to survive even the slightest abuse. If you're having a sweetheart table that's near a lot of foot traffic (like the dance floor), consider asking someone to put your fine glassware in a safe space once the reception is kickin' and toasts are over. Or if you have special flutes for the cake cutting, ask to have them set out at the last minute instead of during the entire reception.

2. Your Groom's Cummerbund Hook
Whether it's a frequently-used rental or a cummerbund your groom owns but has rarely (if ever) worn, chances are that the secureness of the hook hasn't been checked. Remember, he's not putting his outfit on over and over like you are during your alterations appointments. Slip some safety pins into his tux pocket before the wedding or make sure someone has a few on hand.

3. Your Bustle's Button or Loop
All it takes is for a guest to accidentally be standing on your dress when you make a sudden move, such as hugging someone or running to the dance floor. And while you'll probably be more comfortable moving around in your dress at this point in the day anyway, the extra length dragging on the floor for the rest of the night can terrorize your dress—and your patience. A safety pin may not be the best answer for all fabrics, so include some thin white ribbon, fashion tape, and a mini sewing kit in your emergency bag.

4. A VIP's Nail
Who's popping the champagne for the mimosas? Helping you get in your dress? Peeling off the unsightly sticker on the bottom of a new shoe? It's not you—it's most likely your mom or maid of honor. There's not a whole lot that can be done other than taking a nail file to the damage, but try to be conscious of these moments.

5. A Boutonniere
Florists do their best to create sturdy-yet-elegant boutonnieres, but the buds can easily get crushed or fall off in the middle of all the congratulatory moments. If this happens to one of the VIPs who will appear in the most photographs—the groom, best man, or one of the fathers—ask one of the other groomsmen to offer up his bloom.

—Written by Christie Griffin Authier for Brides.

More from Brides:
*50 Ways to Save $500 on Your Wedding
*The Best Celebrity Engagement Rings
*50 Mistakes Every Bride Makes