We knew Gabrielle Union looked drop-dead gorgeous when she said “I do” to Dwyane Wade almost a year ago. But she’s taken some time to remind us today, in the lead-up to their one-year anniversary, with some never-before-seen wedding pictures.

A photo posted by Gabrielle Union (@gabunion) on Aug 21, 2015 at 10:18am PDT

A photo posted by Gabrielle Union (@gabunion) on Aug 21, 2015 at 10:15am PDT

This one is especially breathtaking:

A photo posted by Gabrielle Union (@gabunion) on Aug 21, 2015 at 10:14am PDT

The bride wore two custom wedding dresses, both by Dennis Basso from Kleinfeld Bridal. Click here for details about their big day. And click here for pictures of both gowns.

Watch A Wedding-Worthy Updo to Copy From the BAFTA Awards:

It takes a pretty special engagement ring to make us to a double-take—but this one definitely did. When actress Jennifer Finnigan—currently starring in the FX drama Tyrant—took to the red carpet at the CBS, CW, and Showtime 2015 Summer TCA Party earlier this month, first we noticed her beyond smitten husband, Jonathan Silverman.

And then we noticed this:

At first it almost seemed liked two round diamonds in round halos, stacked. But if you go in for a closer look, there’s a single halo around both diamonds, making a figure-8 shape.

The setting appears to have a three-part band: One continuous ring under where the figure 8 crisscrosses, then a sort of half band above it and another half band below it.

The only time we’ve seen something vaguely like it would be Jackie's engagement ring from John F. Kennedy, which also featured two center stones, although one of hers was an emerald—here to see Jackie O’s engagement ring—but the halo on Jennifer’s ring makes it truly unique.

Random aside: Jennifer and Jonathan were married in 2007 after being introduced at a barbecue—by Matthew Perry!

ICYMI: Why This High-End Jeweler Wears a Hexagon-Shaped Engagement Ring—and Why You’re Going to Want One Too

Watch this:

Any bride can shop the big-name wedding dress designers, but if you want your aisle style to be unique, you should check out gowns by under-the-radar labels, including two of our new favorites. With gorgeous silhouettes and divine fabrications, both have sort of a “new bohemian vibe”: They’re a little bit hippie (not a constrictive bodice or an impossible-to-walk-in skirt between them) without being dippy.

First up, Rue De Seine: The design house is New Zealand based, but the dresses are available at a bunch of stateside retailers, including San Francisco’s Loho Bride, a shop whose Instagram we are obsessed with. (OB-sessed.)

Roxy Gown.

Juno Gown.

Poppy Gown.

Danni Crop and Skirt.

And then there’s New York City’s Alexandra Grecco, who’s turning out plenty of lovely dresses in shades of white and ivory—case and point.

Phaedra Gown.

But we’re positively entranced by her use of subtle color:

Thalia Gown.

Amelia Gown.

You can buy Alexandra Grecco gowns all over the country—and in Canada and Asia, too. Here’s a list of stores.

Watch this:

Lindsay Lohan strikes us as someone who has a LOT of dresses hanging in her closet, so it’s unclear why she pulled out a white dress—and a tiara—when she was headed to a wedding over the weekend.

The actress attended the nuptials of her friend Justin Etzin and Latvian model Lana Zakocela in Florence on Saturday. According to the Daily Mail, the wedding’s dress code was “black tie.” Here’s the head-to-toe look LiLo picked.

A photo posted by Lindsay Lohan (@lindsaylohan) on Aug 22, 2015 at 12:07pm PDT

Here’s a photo her date shared.

A photo posted by STEPHEN MIKHAIL (@stephenmikhail) on Aug 22, 2015 at 12:10pm PDT

And here’s a peek at the bride and groom.

A photo posted by STACIE HESS (@staciehess) on Aug 23, 2015 at 2:03pm PDT

To be fair, maybe the bride OK’d Lindsay’s dress choice ahead of time. But still, the “no white to a wedding”* rule is one we’re never comfortable breaking, regardless.

*Unless the bride and groom specifically ask guests to wear white. (Solange did!)

Watch this:

Both royal weddings and engagement rings are black-hole topics for us. Once we start considering either, we could get lost forever. So you can imagine, as we contemplated Europe’s royal engagement rings this morning, how long it was before we came up for air. (Hint: HOURS.) Today, part one of what we found: the engagement rings of the Belgian, British, Danish, and Dutch royal families. So. Many. Rings—many that you’ve probably never seen before.

Belgian Royal Family
The head of the Belgian Royal Family is Philippe I, King of the Belgians. The engagement ring of Queen Mathilde of Belgium, wife of the king, features an oval-cut ruby in a diamond halo with more diamonds on a thick band.

Princess Astrid of Belgium, sister of the king, has a large (fit-for-a-princess, obvs.) emerald-cut diamond on a plain band.

It’s unclear if Nobile Elisabetta Maria Rosboch von Wolkenstein (married to Prince Amedeo of Belgium, son of Princess Astrid) has an engagement ring; on her wedding day, she only wore a thin gold band, which you can just glimpse below. (You may recall that Prince Amedeo gave up his chance at the throne when he married Elisabetta, a commoner.)

All the photos we found of Princess Claire of Belgium’s engagement ring were blurry. (She’s married to Prince Laurent of Belgium, brother of Philippe I.) But it seems she wears a round-cut solitaire on a gold band and matching gold wedding ring. Here are few far-away shots:

British Royal Family
The head of the British Royal Family is Elizabeth II, Queen of the United Kingdom. Her 3-carat round diamond features 10 smaller diamonds from a tiara owned by her husband’s mother, Princess Alice. The diamonds were set in platinum by London jeweler Philip Antrobus Ltd., and the ring is still frequently seen on QE2’s left hand—along with her wedding band—even today.

Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, is married to Charles, Prince of Wales, the queen’s son. Her engagement ring features an emerald-cut center stone flanked by emerald-cut side stones, somewhat similar to Angelina Jolie’s engagement ring.

We all know and love the engagement ring belonging to Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge. (She’s married to Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, the queen’s grandson, if you’re just getting out of a coma or something.) Of course the ring previous belonged to her late mother-in-law, Diana, Princess of Wales.

Sarah, Duchess of York, previously married to Prince Andrew, Duke of York, the queen’s son, had a similar ring, featuring a ruby (albeit smaller than Di’s sapphire) in a diamond halo.

Sophie, Countess of Wessex, has an engagement ring with a round-cut center stone with a trillion-cut side stone on either side, which she paired with a plain gold band; she’s married to Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, the queen’s son.

In recent years though, she swapped her engagement ring for a thick band with diamonds.

Anne, Princess Royal, the queen’s daughter, often wears a simple pair of gold bands today. But it seems as though her original engagement ring featured a sapphire.

Danish Royal Family
The head of the Danish Royal Family is Margrethe II, Queen of Denmark. Her engagement ring features two massive diamonds. (Probably at least three carats each.)

Mary, Crown Princess of Denmark, is married to Frederik, Crown Prince of Denmark, the queen’s son. Her engagement ring features an emerald-cut diamond flanked by rubies.

Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg, previously married to Prince Joachim of Denmark, the queen’s son, also had a diamond with a ruby on either side.

The prince’s second wife, Princess Marie of Denmark, originally wore a ring with diamond flanked by a ruby and a sapphire, but it seems that recently she pairs her wedding band with two more low-key diamond bands.

Princess Benedikte of Denmark, the queen’s sister, has a ruby too, but on her ring, it’s the center stone.

Dutch Royal Family
The head of the Dutch Royal Family is Willem-Alexander, King of the Netherlands. His wife, Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, has an engagement ring with an orange center stone. Citrine, perhaps?

Princess Mabel of Orange-Nassau, was married to Prince Friso of Orange-Nassau, the late brother of the king. She wore a band made up of many loosely connected diamonds.

The king’s other brother, Prince Constantijn of the Netherlands, is married to Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands. She’s constantly switching up what’s on her ring finger, but it seems that the ring she wore on her wedding day featured a sapphire.

Stay tuned for a follow-up post on the engagement rings of the Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monegasque, Spanish, and Swedish royal families.

And in non-royal rings, check out this bride’s vintage sparkler. Swoon.

Watch this:

Julianne Hough has been notably absent from her own Instagram account since announcing her engagement to Brooks Laich—but she popped up on celeb hairsylist Riawna Capri’s Instagram last night and finally gave us a peek at her engagement ring.

A photo posted by Riawna Capri (@riawnacapri) on Aug 26, 2015 at 8:20pm PDT

Looks like a large oval diamond—maybe six carats. Their might be a thin halo going on, or more diamonds on the band, which appears to have a straight shank, but it’s hard to tell either for sure. Jeweler Lorraine Schwartz announced last week that she designed the sparkler.

Watch this:

We’ve all seen awful wedding pictures—the awkward faces, the forced poses. {Why are those bridesmaids straddling the groom? Why?! } But if you’ve ever been on the business end of a bad wedding photographer’s camera, it’s easy to see where those awful pictures come from: She’s the pro, so you do what you’re told, even if if just feels weird.

To avoid having an album full of awful pictures of your own wedding, we asked some of the best wedding photographers in the biz for their tips for capturing gorgeous wedding photos. Pay attention.

Claire Dobson Photography

Julie Cahill Photography

Amanda Donaho Photography

Rodeo & Co. Photography

Vero Suh Photography

Vero Suh Photography

Julie Cahill Photography

Rodeo & Co. Photography

Watch this:

What do you do when both the bride and the groom have grown up with a strong sense of family and a whole lot of siblings? Integrating two big families when you get married can be a challenge, and it's better if you start the process before you actually tie the knot.

If everybody's all spread out all over the country and ages vary dramatically, it can be more difficult. But if you can get all your brothers and sisters (and even your super-close cousins) together in a social environment, it's a great chance to start building bridges and relationships.

Do this at something other than your engagement party where you're going to be super-busy entertaining all your guests. If everyone is coming to town for that affair and you won't have another chance where everybody is together, plan a separate "kids-only" event where you do something special together as a unit in an environment where you can actually talk and get to know one another.

If all of your siblings will be included in the wedding party, that gives you another opportunity to bond with your new brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law. It doesn't have to be something fancy — bowling, bar hopping, or a game night might do the trick. The key is to do it without anybody's parents around to throw off the vibe. If you're inheriting in-law siblings who are already married to your fiance's siblings, try to include them in the get-togethers, although there is certainly no obligation to put them in your wedding party.

Not everybody has to like everybody, but it would be nice if everyone got along. A wedding is the first step toward many, many years of coordinating where you're going to be for which holiday, and which family's turn it is to claim you and your future children. Building relationships with your new siblings-in-law early can mean it doesn't matter whose year it is because all of you like each other so much, it's always a "the more the merrier" invitation for holidays.

See more:How to Include Loved Ones Who Aren't in the Wedding Party

It's important to remember that the children of your fiance's siblings will be your own children's cousins. Even if you're not wild about somebody, you have an obligation to your future family to make an effort to build a strong bond from the beginning. You want your kids to have the opportunity for closeness and relationships with their cousins when they're growing up. If you start out on the wrong foot, there can be an unintended trickle-down effect that hurts the next generation of the family.

—Written by Sandy Malone for Brides

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

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

Watch: The Best Love Coach? My 74-Year-Old Polish Dad

Earlier this week we took a peek at the many (MANY!) engagement rings of the Belgian, British, Danish, and Dutch royal families. Today we wrap up our thesis on royal engagement rings by taking a look at the ring fingers of the royals of Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Norway, Spain, and Sweden. (Have we mentioned we really like royals? And engagement rings?)

Liechtenstein Princely Family
The royal bride in this German-speaking principality tend not to wear engagement rings, it seems. The head of the Liechtenstein Princely Family is Hans-Adam II, Prince of Liechtenstein. His wife, Marie Aglae, Princess of Liechtenstein, doesn’t, and neither does his daughter-in-law, Princess Angela of Liechtenstein, married to Prince Maximilian of Liechtenstein. The only royal wife spotted with an engagement ring was Sophie, Hereditary Princess of Liechtenstein, who’s married to Alois, Hereditary Prince of Liechtenstein, Hans-Adam II’s son. She wears on round ruby flanked by diamonds; it seems in Liechtenstein, engagement rings go on the right hand, which is also the case in Germany. (Liechtenstein is a German-speaking principality.)

Luxembourg Grand Ducal Family
The head of the Luxembourg Grand Ducal Family is Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg. His wife, Maria Teresa, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg, has a large round diamond engagement ring in a thin diamond halo, with more diamonds on the band.

Their oldest son, Prince Guillaume, Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg, is married to Stephanie, Hereditary Grand Duchess of Luxembourg, who has an emerald-cut diamond in a double halo with a split-shank setting. Here it is on their wedding day. (Most brides switch their engagement rings to the right hand for the wedding ceremony, so they’re not taking it on and off to accommodate their new wedding ring.)

Middle son Prince F��lix L��opold Marie Guillaume of Luxembourg is married to Princess Claire of Luxembourg, who has a round diamond in a square setting on a thick band, which she pairs with a thinner gold wedding band. (This is her hand at the presentation of their daughter Princess Amalia.)

Prince Louis of Luxembourg, the youngest of the sons (there are two royal daughters younger than him), welcomed son Gabriel in March of 2006 with Tessy Antony. The two were married in September of that year, and welcomed a second son, Noah, in 2007. It wasn’t until 2009 that the Grand Duke gave his grandsons and his daughter-in-law royal titles; Tessy is now Princess Tessy of Luxembourg. She wears just a gold band on her left hand, but there’s an engagement-y-looking diamond on her right ring finger.

Monegasque Princely Family
The head of the Monegasque Princely Family is Albert II, Prince of Monaco. His wife, Charlene, Princess of Monaco, has a gorgeous pear-shaped engagement ring with a diamond-flecked tapered band.

Albert’s older sister, Caroline, Princess of Hanover, wears no engagement ring, but she does have a three-band wedding ring.

The youngest sibling, Princess Stephanie of Monaco, wears a wedding band on her left hand and has a tattooed ring on her right. (She has others on her back, wrist, and foot.)

Norwegian Royal Family
The head of the Norwegian Royal Family is Harald V, King of Norway. His wife, Queen Sonja of Norway, switches up her rings on both hands frequently, but these two dainty bands, each featuring a small gemstone, often make an appearance on her left-hand ring finger.

Their daughter, Princess Martha Louise of Norway, appears to never wear a wedding or engagement ring on either hand. here she is with her daughter Emma Tallulah at Norway Day in London in 2013.

Mette-Marit, Crown Princess of Norway, who’s married to their son, Haakon, Crown Prince of Norway, wears what appears to be a three-stone engagement ring, sometimes on her right hand, and sometimes on her left.

Spanish Royal Family
The head of the Spanish Royal Family is Felipe VI, King of Spain. He presented his now-wife, Queen Letizia of Spain, with a thick band of diamonds instead of an engagement ring.

The king’s sister Infanta Cristina of Spain appears to only wear a band, too. Here she is on her wedding day.

At the presentation of her daughter Irene, she wore this bauble. A push present, perhaps?

Swedish Royal Family
The head of the Swedish Royal Family is Carl XVI Gustaf, King of Sweden. His wife, Queen Silvia of Sweden, is often spotted with there substantial rings on her left-hand ring finger: a diamond solitaire, a diamond band, and a ring with a ruby flanked by diamonds.

Their daughter, Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden, has a round diamond solitaire in what appears to be a knife-edge setting.

Their son, Prince Carl Philip, married former reality star Sofia Hellqvist—now Princess Sofia—earlier this year. Her ring features a halo setting.

The younger of the king and queen’s daughters, Princess Madeleine, has an Asscher-cut diamond on a diamond band.

Here she is on her wedding day.

The king has four sisters, all princesses. The only engagement ring I could find among them belongs to Princess Margaretha.

And in non-royal rings, check out this bride’s vintage sparkler. Swoon.

Watch this:

Khloe Kardashian has reached plus-one status with boyfriend James Harden, who plays for the Houston Rockets: The two stepped out Saturday night to see Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook marry his college sweetheart, Nina Earl.

A photo posted by Mindy Weiss (@mindyweiss) on Aug 30, 2015 at 5:05pm PDT

The bride and groom, who met at the University of California, Los Angeles, where they played on the school’s men’s and women’s basketball teams, said “I do” at the Beverly Hills Hotel.

A photo posted by Russell Westbrook (@russwest44) on Aug 30, 2015 at 3:11pm PDT

A photo posted by Nina Westbrook (@ninamari3_) on Aug 30, 2015 at 3:11pm PDT

Khloe picked a curve-hugging floor-length black gown for the nuptials. The bride wore two wedding dresses: Vera Wang for the ceremony and Monique Lhuillier for the reception. The groom picked a Tom Ford tux. The wedding was planned by Mindy Weiss, who was also behind Jessica Simpson and Ashlee Simpson’s big days.

A photo posted by Khlo�� (@khloekardashian) on Aug 29, 2015 at 9:28pm PDT

Growing out your hair in the lead-up to your wedding is something that many (even most, we might guess) brides do. Makes sense: The more hair you have, the more ways you can wear it.

Obviously there’s a zero-effort way to get longer hair: Don’t cut it. Of course, if your wedding isn’t until 2016, the end result, with that method, will be hair that looks like it ran into a weed-whacker in a dark ally. Not pretty.

But if you’re willing to put in just the smallest of efforts, your hair can be long and healthy—and strong and shiny too—on your wedding day. Here’s our two-part plan.

STEP 1: THE HAIR-GROWTH COCKTAIL
My personal hair-growing experiment started post-baby, not pre-wedding: Mine was dull, falling out, and what was left wasn’t growing. Sexy. (Here’s how having a baby can wreck your hair.) So I asked Petra, my personal beauty guru who was also dealing with new-mama hair, for the fix. Her suggestion: beauty writer Amber Katz’ hair-growth cocktail. (Not-a-doctor warning: Check with your M.D. before trying the meds that follow, obviously.)

You’ve probably heard of hair-growth supplements, like Viviscal, which Gwyneth Paltrow swears by. Amber tried taking the recommended daily dosage, two pills, but had much better results when she made this “hair-growth cocktail” part of her daily routine:

• 1 Viviscal Extra Strength (that’s half the suggested dosage)


• 7,500 mcg biotin


• 400 mcg folic acid

Every few weeks, she’d swap the cocktail for “supplement stunt-doubles,” such as Keratin Booster, MD Nutri Hair, or Phyto Phytophanere, so she wouldn’t get immune to either’s results. (I’m not sure if that’s possible, medically speaking, but I followed her expert advice and ordered the Keratin Booster.)

The results, for both of us, were life-changing. Or at least hair-changing. Amber reported that hair had “grown much longer, glossier, and thicker.” And my stubbornly gross post-baby hair sprang back to life. I have more hair than I did pre-kids. Not, like, double the amount, but my ponytail is unquestionably thicker. My hairline, which had been grade-A janky, has returned to normal. (Read: no longer patchy.) And my hair now grows at a weedlike pace. Also, my eyebrows, which have always been super-wimpy, appear to be the teeniest bit filled out.

My nails, famously weak, have seen improvements too. They’re growing faster and breaking less. My thumb nails, weirdly, are particularly strong and seem thicker, not in a bad way.

Amber spoke with a derm, Dennis Gross, M.D., who noted said that growth supplements only work if your diet is lacking in whatever they supply. I tend to eat really well, but perhaps mine was. Either way, I’m thrilled with the results and still popping my pills religiously.

The two downsides: In the beginning my roots were a bit more greasy. Not, like, oil-slick-can’t-leave-the-house-slimy, but I had to up the frequency with which I was washing my hair. (Every other day, for a while, instead of every third or fourth day, which I prefer. And I was back to my old wash schedule after three or so months.)

Also, the hair on my head wasn’t the only thing growing in faster. (See also: eyebrows, above.) My underarm hair, which had basically been nonexistent after a few months dedicated sessions with the Tanda Me Smooth laser, was suddenly up to its old tricks. (You know, growing.) But after a few more sessions with the Me Smooth, it seems to have been scared back into submission.

STEP 2: THE FANCY-PANTS HAIR-DRYER
There’s no sense in growing long, strong hair if you’re just going to fry it with a crappy hair-dryer. Petra has always raved about “investment” hair-dryers, her favorite being the Ultra Chi Pro Low EMF Ceramic.

CHI Turbo Low EMF Professional Hair-Dryer With Diffuser from Walgreens, $109.22.

I kind of didn’t trust the Chi when it first turned it on, since it’s quiet and also ultra light, compared with the ancient clunker I had been using. Considering those factors, I didn’t quite believe that it was going to be the performance beast that Petra promised, but it dried my hair in probably half the time. (Seven minutes, maybe? My hair’s super-fine.) I’m not going to claim to know blow-dryer science, but Petra said that having an “ionic” one was important. The Chi is also low-EMF, which is supposed to reduce frizziness.

I’d say that after a month of consistent use, my hair seemed shiner, and over time, the ends have been looking less fried. Yes, this is all with a few months of hair-growth-cocktail’ing too, but credit for anything below, say, the four inches closest to my head goes directly to the Chi.

We got to peek at Nikki Reed and Ian Somerhalder’s weddingon Instagram, but they opened up their wedding album for Brides and shared more gorgeous photos—and intimate details—from their big day, so we thought you’d like a closer look. (The two were married last April, ICYMI. Here’s Nikki’s engagement ring, if you need a reminder.)

“We wanted a Louisiana backyard-barbecue feel,” Nikki told Brides, “with food stations and a dance floor for our closest friends and family.” Guests, in the dark ahead of their nuptials, thought they were attending an epic housewarming party, but instead they were shuttled to a secret ceremony location in Topanga Canyon, where Nikki and Ian exchanged vows.

Nikki, of course, wore a custom Claire Pettibonewedding dress. (More details on that here.)“Claire was an absolute dream to work with,” Nikki said. “Not only is she an amazing designer, but she has the most wonderful energy. We were on the same page from the moment we met.” It looks like at least one of her bridesmaids picked the Adrianna Papell Art Deco Beaded Blouson Gown, which we determined was the most popular bridesmaid dress in the country. (Buy it here.)

For an even closer look Nikki Reed and Ian Somerhalder’s wedding, pick up the October/November issue of Brides, which is on newsstands now.

Also: Nikki Reed Shares a Wedding Video to Celebrate One Month of Marriage to Ian Somerhalder
And: Throw a Wedding Like the A-Listers, With Tips From Nikki Reed and Ian Somerhalder’s Wedding Planner

In general we feel pretty “meh” about wedding favors, but this one’s so sweet, we’re smitten. Instead of handing out mini picture frames or custom beer koozies, Hannah and Scott gave their guests this adorable parting gift:

They’re children’s books, chosen to reflect how the bride and groom feel about each other and their outlook on life. The titles they chose included I Like You, The Pig of Happiness, Me Without You, and If Our Love Were a Book. (Credit for the idea goes to Hannah’s sister and maid of honor, Joyce Wong.)

Obviously if your guests are mostly young 20-somethings, they might not have an immediate need for a children’s book, but it’s small enough (and nonperishable, of course) to tuck away until your guests have kids to read it to. Or it would make a nice little gift that a niece or nephew would appreciate. And clearly they made for some adorable photo ops day-of.

Love!

For more from Hannah and Scott’s wedding (including dog pictures!) check out their Real Wedding Album.

PS: Please remember this is a real couple’s wedding pictures. You don’t have to love the idea, but you do have to play nice in the comments.

What better way to celebrate a dozen plus one years of marriage than with a wedding throwback? Sarah Michelle Gellar did just that, sharing this photo from Sept. 1 2002, when she and Freddie Prinze Jr. married in Mexico.

A photo posted by Sarah Michelle (@sarahmgellar) on Sep 1, 2015 at 1:18pm PDT

The pic is captioned “13 years #happyanniversary "I love you not only for what you are, but for what I am when I am with you. I love you not only for what you have made of yourself, but for what you are making of me”

Here’s another sweet throwback pic she shared recently:

#TBT ahhh youth is wasted on the young!! We were babes (as in young)

A photo posted by Sarah Michelle (@sarahmgellar) on May 21, 2015 at 6:07pm PDT

#babies

Sarah and Freddie met on the set of I Know What You Did Last Summer in 1997, but the two did not begin dating until 2000. They were engaged in April 2001 and swapped vows on the beach with director and choreographer Adam Shankman officiating. Fun fact: Sarah celebrated their five-year anniversary by legally changing her name to Sarah Michelle Prinze.

When a 13-year-old aspiring ballerina named Sarah wanted to decorate her bedroom walls with photographs of modern dancers, she asked her parents to help her track down pictures, which launched a rather extensive search.

“We purchased books, calendars, and other photos and to our disappointment were not able to find images of the current dancers that Sarah admired,” her mother, Deborah Ory, told Gramilano. There were beautiful images of famous dancers from past generations—such as Baryshnikov or Markova, taken more than 40 years ago—but nothing of the current stars.”

So Deborah—a former dancer turned photographer/photo editor—and her fashion photographer husband, Ken Browar, launched the New York City Dance Project, setting out to take those pictures themselves. Eighteen months later, the resulting images, which the couple stage in shoot in their home studio space (a.k.a. their living room) in Brooklyn, are nothing short of breathtaking.

Of course we’re most captivated by the dancers who are jumping, jete-ing, even sitting incredibly still, in wedding dresses by New York City designer Leanne Marshall, who has both bridal and ready-to-wear lines. Anyone else suddenly inspired to take a barre class?

EVELINE WEDDING GOWN

A photo posted by NYCDanceProject (@nycdanceproject) on Aug 9, 2015 at 8:24am PDT

A photo posted by NYCDanceProject (@nycdanceproject) on Jul 30, 2015 at 8:45am PDT

A photo posted by NYCDanceProject (@nycdanceproject) on Jul 8, 2015 at 6:13am PDT

ISABELLE WEDDING GOWN

A photo posted by NYCDanceProject (@nycdanceproject) on Jun 9, 2015 at 2:28pm PDT

A photo posted by NYCDanceProject (@nycdanceproject) on May 3, 2015 at 8:07am PDT

LEANNE MARSHALL WEDDING GOWN
Not sure about this one’s name.

A photo posted by NYCDanceProject (@nycdanceproject) on Sep 1, 2015 at 10:06am PDT

A photo posted by NYCDanceProject (@nycdanceproject) on Aug 20, 2015 at 7:28am PDT

WATERCOLOR WEDDING DRESS
This one is technically Ready to Wear, from the fall 2015 collection, but I love it for a bride. And a ballerina.

A photo posted by NYCDanceProject (@nycdanceproject) on Jul 2, 2015 at 9:24am PDT

COLETTE WEDDING GOWN

A photo posted by NYCDanceProject (@nycdanceproject) on May 17, 2015 at 7:35am PDT

A photo posted by NYCDanceProject (@nycdanceproject) on Jun 27, 2015 at 12:50pm PDT

If you’d like to spend the afternoon getting lost in fantastic photography, follow Ken Browar and Deborah Ory and their work for the NYC Dance Project on their website and on Instagram. For more gorgeous gowns, check out Leanne Marshall’s website and Instagram.

It’s been a brutal few months for celebrity romances. At last count, 11 married or engaged well-known Hollywood couples have called it quits, and it seems like each break-up has been a little harder to handle than the last. Now that the summer is winding down, here’s a look back at the engagement rings (and couples) that we’re sad to say goodbye to. Also: Here's hoping that anyone who wore these rings is in a happier place now!

SEPT. 2: Avril Lavigne & Chad Kroeger

Chad initially proposed with this massive pear-shaped diamond. He presented his bride with an upgrade ring, also huge, on their one-year anniversary.

AUG. 19: Megan Fox & Brian Austin Green

Even before they were married, Megan often paired her engagement ring (a radiant-cut diamond in a halo setting) with a thick band.

AUG. 4: Zayn Malik & Perrie Edwards

First Zayn parted ways with One Direction, then he parted ways with fiancee Perrie Edwards. The two announced their engagement in the summer of 2013.

Zayne proposed with this three-stone ring, which Perrie wore on the red carpet to casually announce their engagement.

AUG. 3: Reba McEntire & Narvel Blackstock

The longtime country couple (26 years of marriage and 35 years of working together) split despite daughter-in-law Kelly Clarkson’s attempts to get them to reconcile.

Reba’s ring featured a large round-cut diamond with channel-set diamonds on the band.

AUG. 3: Gwen Stefani & Gavin Rossdale

Fans were floored when the musicians announced they were splitting after 13 years of marriage and three children. The couple said in a statement that they “remain partners in parenthood and are committed to jointly raising our three sons in a happy and healthy environment.”

As we’ve discussed, Gavin proposed with a thick black band with diamonds, but shortly after they swapped vows Gwen started wearing a squat pear-shaped diamond in a halo setting.

JULY 20: Blake Shelton & Miranda Lambert

Post-wedding, Miranda paired her engagement ring—a three-stone ring with more diamonds on the band—with two diamond bands.

JULY 14: Sienna Miller & Tom Sturridge

Sienna’s art deco-ish engagement ring appears to feature a bezel-set round stone.

JUNE 30: Jennifer Garner & Ben Affleck

(These didn’t happen in summer, if you’re going by the calendar. But since they’re after Memorial Day, we’re counting ’em.)

JUNE 17: Charlize Theron & Sean Penn

During one of their last public outings, Charlize wore this massive pear-shaped diamond on THAT finger.

JUNE 12: Emma Roberts & Evan Peters

Emma’s ring featured a round diamond in a delicate rose gold halo setting.

MAY 28: Chris Soules & Whitney Bischoff

Neil Lane himself said Chris was “effervescent” when he picked out this four-carat sparkler for Whitney, which has a three-plus-carat center stone center stone surrounded by a halo of 20 brilliant-cut diamonds and 94 more diamonds in the band.

Everyone tells you that things will change in your first year of marriage, but every couple's experience is a little bit different. That first year will be full of surprises—some good, some bad—and once you've survived it, you'll understand what your friends and family meant.

Sure, the first year as spouses is different for each and every couple. But there are some good AND bad things you can pretty much count on experiencing in that first period of wedded bliss.

Good things:

1. Always having a sympathetic ear on hand when you need one after a long day at work.

2. Applying "the more, the merrier" theory can lead to a lot of great combined family events. And if you like each other's friends, your social circle will rapidly grow.

3. Learning things you never knew about the person you married, even if you've been together for years.

4. DINK status—If you don't have children yet, you'll have more disposable income as a double-income-no-kids family in your first few years of marriage.

5. Entertaining as a married couple in your own home. It actually gives you a reason to clean things up together in addition to having a fun get together.

6. Somebody else to take responsibility for half of the household chores.

7. Spending more time talking about your future and making plans for years ahead than you ever have before, and being excited about it!

See more:The First Year of Marriage and Sex: What You Need to Know

Bad things:

1. Spending a LOT more money on birthdays and holidays because you're suddenly giving to twice as much family.

2. Having to give up some of your own family traditions in order to celebrate some holidays with your new in-laws.

3. Needing to consult with your spouse before making major purchases and financial transactions after years of being in charge of your own spending.

4. Worrying about major health issues and potential illnesses for more than just yourself. When your spouse is really sick, your life turns upside down. Same rules apply for both sets of your parents and siblings.

5. Planning ahead long term for your future means you have to learn to budget and put away money. Compromise will be required if you both have expensive hobbies.

6. Twice as much laundry. Twice as much trash. Twice as much mess.

—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.

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

Watch: The Best Love Coach? My 74-Year-Old Polish Dad

Another Bachelor In Paradiseengagement: The finale of the franchise’s second season saw Tanner proposing to Jade, taking their 20-or-so-day-old relationship to the next level in a major way.

The two exchanged “I love you”s before spending the night in the Fantasy Suite, then they met at the final-rose ceremony, where Tanner proposed with the Neil Lane (obvs.) engagement ring:

They blurred out the “Neil Lane” in the the box when we saw a sneak peek of the ring, and changed Tanner’s shirt color.

It appears to be a sizable, east-west-set emerald-cut diamond. Maybe three carats? VERY different from the cushion-cut diamonds we’re used to. The setting appears to be very vintage-y, also a departure from the usual halo settings Bachelor men tend to gravitate to. We’re fans.

Here it is, blurrily, on her hand:

This picture—of a ring from Neil Lane’s Couture collection—should give you a decent idea of what Jade’s engagement ring looks like, although I doubt it’s quite that big.

Jade (who we met on Prince Farming’s season of The Bachelor) and Tanner (a castoff from Kaitlyn Bristowe’s Bachelorette) paired off on day one, sharing the season’s third one-on-one date and swapping roses back and forth at every rose ceremony. Like Marcus and Lacy—who got engaged on the finale of season one of Bachelor In Paradise—they’re getting engaged after a mere three weeks, and without meeting each other’s friends and families.

Will it last?

Well, it did for Marcus and Lacy: Their secret (but filmed-for-TV) wedding aired at the start of this season. (Here are all the details on her wedding dress. And here’s Lacy’s engagement ring, if you’re curious.)

At the end of the show we were told Jade and Tanner will tie the knot in Mexico next summer. As with all Bachelor relationships, time will tell.

ICYMI: Your Comprehensive Guide to Every Engagement Ring (and Promise Ring!) From The Bachelor and The Bachelorette

Summer 2015 may be on its way out, but if you’re a summer 2016 bride, the time to shop bridesmaid dresses is now. J.Crew’s bridesmaid dresses are way marked down, and you can save an extra 30 percent with code GETSHOPPING. And Lauren Conrad’s Paper Crown has reduced the prices on its floral dresses—from its partnership with Rifle Paper Co.—which are pretty much begging to be worn to a warm-weather outdoor wedding. Here’s how one bride and her besties pulled them together:

A photo posted by Paper Crown (@papercrownluvsu) on Sep 7, 2015 at 11:43am PDT

Here are some of the dresses with reduced pricing. Still not cheap, by any means, but the dresses are really freaking cute.

Posey Dress, $216.

Peony Dress, $298.

Forget Me Not Dress, $224.

If pastels aren’t your bag, there are a few dresses left in this bold navy floral.

Click here to check out everything from Paper Crown.

Two weeks shy of his one-year wedding anniversary, George Clooney stepped onto the Late Show stage to chat with brand-new host Stephen Colbert about married life with human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin.

“They said it wouldn't last,” George joked, with Stephen asking how it felt to be "the arm candy in the relationship” for once.

“Because she’s a very serious person,” Stephen prompted. “She must say, ‘We’re going to meet some extremely intelligent people tonight.’”

“Shiny and pretty. That's mostly what I do now,” the leading man replied.

Stephen also gifted the newlyweds with a belated wedding gift—a Tiffany & Co. paperweight engraved “I don’t know you”—and reminded the groom that he did not make the couple’s list.

“That’s just to remind you that we don't know each other," said the host, adding he didn't want to “do the celebrity thing” and feign friendship.

Watch the full episode here.