Every six months we get a fresh batch of amazing wedding dresses from Marchesa’s Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig. But ahead of this season’s runway show, they also turned out a mini release—a capsule collection featuring four to-die-for wedding gowns, each inspired by a different St. Regis resort. Here are all four, from sketch to dress:

MUMBAI

The design features an intricate engineered, reembroidered lace bodice with crystal and pearl embroidery with a touch of gold. It is a very regal dress with traditional Indian beading but also captures a lightness with the pleated tulle skirt overlay atop a Chantilly lace column skirt.

NEW YORK

The design for New York, the women’s hometown, is much more architectural and duchesse, with a nod to the 1950s. The gown features a cathedral train with 3-D threadwork embroidery, and crystal and pearl beading over silk duchesse satin.

DUBAI

With Dubai, the design translates the fashion-forward, vibrant city into a gown with a slim silhouette and dramatic long sleeve. It features ornate rose gold threadwork and a silk duchesse satin fishtail skirt, fully beaded with clear crystals and pearls. The dress has a slim silhouette and long sleeve.

PUNTA MITA

Being a resort, the design inspired by Punta Mita embraces a more relaxed aesthetic in tune with a beach wedding. The dress features soft 3-D lace floral and threadwork embroidery with flowing tulle.

Shop the collection here.

There have been some blurry photos circulating of Dancing With the Stars pro Witney Carson’s engagement ring, but our own DWTS maverick Jessica Radloff snapped some up-close engagement ring pictures at last night’s taping, and you just have to see them. (Witney and high school sweetheart Carson Mcallister were engaged over the weekend.)

First up, here’s the—ahem!—long white gown Witney wore last night, which Jess pointed out looked a lot like a wedding dress. “I actually had that in mind,” Witney told Jess. “I really want a long-sleeved dress because I just think it's so pretty. I could do without the glitz and glam [pointing towards the rhinestones on the dress], but kind of something similar to this. We might as well just get married today!” But since there wasn’t time in the schedule for an on-stage wedding, Witney—who’s dancing in season 21 with Big Time Rush singer and actor Carlos PenaVega—said their big day will happen sometime next year. (She and Alfonso Ribeiro won the Mirrorball trophy in season 19.)

And now, that engagement ring picture:

Of course it’s a super-sparkly oval diamond in a diamond halo with more diamonds on the band. Because the halo is on the thicker side, it amps up the sparkle factor even more. Breathtaking.

Another brutally honest Reddit post has come to the public's attention this week, and this one might be the most intriguing of all.

Yesterday Rrhat asked: "Married men of Reddit, what were you honestly thinking when your wife was walking down the aisle towards you during your wedding?" Out of the 3,000 plus comments, he got his fair share of "Don't pass out," and "She looks beautiful," but the deeper responses are the ones you need to see.

The sweet:

"Look at that beautiful idiot. What a fool she is showing up here." —Uhhnox

"I kept saying to myself 'don't cry, don't cry, don't cry' right before my wife started walking down the [aisle]. As soon as I saw her I had to look at my groomsmen to avoid being an emotional mess, which made it worse because I made eye contact with my brother, who has been my best friend my entire life and my eyes watered up. Went back to looking at my wife but I couldn't see how good she looked because of my tears. Thank God for pictures!" —Pokeyh4x

The heartfelt:

"Just got married in July. 72 hours before our wedding, my fiancee and I went to the doctor for the first ultrasound of our 12-week-old baby. There was no heartbeat. She was in surgery the next day for a D&E procedure. On the morning of our wedding, she spent three hours in the ER dealing with post-surgery complications, but she rallied and we got married as scheduled. As she walked down the aisle, none of our guests knew about her ordeal except for our family and best friends. We all teared up, knowing what she was going through. We got married on the beach in Cape Cod, so it was a long walk across the sand. As she approached, all I could think about was how fucking much I love her. What a strong, beautiful, and amazing woman." —Velospeed

"30 years for me...I can still see her standing there...absolutely burned in my brain, along with the birth of our children. She was (and is) so beautiful...I felt (and feel) so lucky. It was like the whole world was gray, and as she walked toward me, the world became color in her path. I can't even imagine the kind of man I would be without her." —Mrmidhoratio

The tragic:

"'I am making the worst mistake of my life.' Divorced two and a half years later. Don't get married young. Period." —Mormonsarebrainwashd

"'This is a mistake... This is a mistake...' We separated in June and are in the initial steps of divorce." —isthisoneinvalidtoo

"I was thinking: 'Please let this be legit, I hope she does not bail when she gets her green card'. She bailed. I am currently putting in an annulment and have her arrested for immigration fraud." —TeddyV

The tearjerker:

"I've been married multiple times. My last wife was pushed down the aisle in a wheelchair.
I was thinking 'I wish this day could last forever.' She passed away 17 days later." -—FullNoodleFrontity

Since we can't leave you on that note...the funny:

"I was thinking, 'So this is it. I've finally did it. This beautiful woman is mine. Wait, fuck, she's falling. Try not to laugh. Don't laugh. Shit, I'm laughing.'" —TheMuffinguy

As we mentioned last month, celebrity wedding planner Mindy Weiss (the brains behind Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan’s wedding, as well as Jimmy Kimmel’s) recently offered to share her best wedding planning advice with real brides through a contest with Wedding Paper Divas. Well, the votes have been tallied, the questions have been asked, and the answers are in—and it’s advice all brides need. You heard it here first, ladies.

Question: What is the best way to stay true to your wedding vision while receiving lots of opinions from family and friends? —Meg (@glowminded)

Question: We are interested in having alternatives to dancing during our wedding reception. What are your favorite fun alternatives? —Teresa Pan (direct upload)

Question: I'm a crafty lady and would love to make all of my wedding decorations! But is that very smart? Should I make some and not others or just buy everything? —Cassidy Rivera (@cassidyrivera1)

ICYMI: Celeb Wedding Planner Mindy Weiss's Major Pet Peeve as a Wedding Guest

Celebrity-favorite wedding dress designer Claire Pettibone has taken her talents to designing engagement rings. The designer behind Nikki Reed's wedding dress teamed up with Trumpet & Horn—another Save the Date favorite—to create a vintage-inspired collection that will make you fall in love with all things romantic.

"Just as my couture gown collection resonates with a unique and stylish bride, I created this assortment of engagement rings to speak to a woman’s individual style," says Claire.

Take a look at some of our favorite pieces:

Engagement Ring 1

Engagement Ring 2

Engagement Ring 3

Engagement Ring 4

Engagement Ring 5

Engagement Ring 6

Engagement Ring 7

Engagement Ring 8

Engagement Ring 9

Engagement Ring 10

Once upon a time, the flip-flop was the most clever idea for a bridesmaid gift or wedding favor—something the ladies would be so happy to have once the dance floor heated up and the heels came off. While the flips are still a wedding staple, we have a new clever idea to propose, courtesy of the wedding blog Something Turquoise : fancy hair ties festively labeled for the occasion.

A photo posted by Something Turquoise Blog (@something_turquoise) on Sep 21, 2015 at 7:15am PDT

How cute are these DIY tags? Something Turquoise actually featured them as bachelorette party gifts, but we think they'd work perfectly as part of a wedding-day thank you gift for your 'maids too. Make your own version if you're crafty (here's the how-to), or head to the Etsy shop Fl(h)air Accessories to buy a kit. If you're really feeling motivated/generous, you could even make a whole basketful of these to keep in the powder room at your reception, for all your female guests to enjoy.

People love to debate about the best age to get married. But when it comes to the actual wedding planning, how different is it between a twenty- and thirtysomething? We rounded up some former brides (all married in the past decade) for their thoughts. Check out their stories — and then head to our Facebook to share yours.

Married in Their 20s

Too Perfect
"I perfected every detail of my wedding. But looking back, did I really need the thick card stock, overpriced shoes, and matching bridesmaid gowns? No. I obsessed over so many things that seem frivolous now. I kind of wish I could have that money back for things like baby expenses or buying a house!" —Cheryl, married at 26

VIPs for Days
"In my experience, getting married a few years out of college made for a huge guest list. I loved my big wedding — but I'm no longer in touch with a lot of the people, seven years later. I would have a much smaller guest list now." —Nicole, married at 24

Easy Breezy
"We really didn't give a crap about the details. The one thing I wanted was steel drums and the one thing my groom wanted was an ice sculpture. I think if we were to get married now, almost 10 years later, it would be a more extravagant affair because expectations would be higher." —Christine, married at 24

Silver Linings
"We got married on our own dime, so we had to really be resourceful in how we spent our money; thankfully, getting married during the financial downturn worked to our advantage. But can I just say how glad I am to have found a mate pre-Tinder?" —Holly, married at 26

See More:my bridal party and families now had their own lives: husbands, children, careers. We still had a gorgeous wedding — minus the freaking out that I probably would've done in my twenties." —Kate, married at 30

Refined Ideas
"I'm so relieved I got married later because my taste has completely evolved. If I had married young, I think I might have had things like a cash bar or a sexy reception dress or a baked flambé. I know those are just details and not what really matters, but it was still nice to know better." —Elizabeth, married at 33

One Woman Show
"Getting married in my 30s meant I had more financial freedom and the confidence from my career that I could handle it all. But it turns out that "princess" doesn't really happen unless someone else plans a lot of the wedding. It was a beautiful day, but it wasn't a fairytale. Looking back, it wouldn't have been so bad to hand the reigns over to my mom." —Michelle, married at 34

Informed and Reformed
"I spent 10 years going to other people's weddings and rolling my eyes at all the fuss. Then, when it was finally my turn, I was blown away by the enormity of executing a wedding. I wish I had more weddings to go to now because I'd appreciate them much more." —Rachel, married at 32

See More:
The 50 Mistakes Brides Always Make
32 Amazing Engagement-Ring Selfies

In the world of romance and ethereal fantasy, Monique Lhuillier is the wedding dress designer of our dreams. Her fall 2016 bridal collection is inspired by an opulent garden, with elaborate and feminine designs consisting of intricate beaded details and beautiful layers of tulle. The voluminous silhouettes with strapless separates, sensual necklines, and low backs will have you dreaming of a satin organza, fluid silk, and embroidered lace.

Victoria's Secret model Hilary Rhoda married her fiancé of almost two years, Sean Avery, this weekend at an outdoor ceremony in the Hamptons. The bride wore a custom Carolina Herrera dress that we just can't stop staring at. This emerald green embroidered neckline and grosgrain detailing is the kind of ivory column dress we dream of getting married in.

To make this gown even more special, it featured a black fastening at the neck and two thick black straps encasing a low back, which matched the all black dress code of the bride's attendants. Take a look at this beauty for yourself:

And the bride wore #CarolinaHerrera. Congratulations @hilaryhrhoda & @imseanavery. @conor_harrigan

A photo posted by Carolina Herrera (@houseofherrera) on Oct 10, 2015 at 7:23pm PDT

A photo posted by Hilary Rhoda (@hilaryhrhoda) on Oct 11, 2015 at 7:24pm PDT

A photo posted by Hilary Rhoda (@hilaryhrhoda) on Oct 11, 2015 at 3:34pm PDT

Vera Wang summed up the vibe of her Fall 2016 bridal collection in a single word: sensual. And you don’t have to look too closely at the wedding dresses to see why. Whether they include an expanse of sheer fabric, a cutout bodice, a deep-V neckline, or a hemline that flashes miles-long legs, these gowns are capital-s Sexy. Here are all 16 dresses in the collection. Just keep in mind that, for the most part, the see-through bits will be lined when the gowns head down the aisle, so they’ll feel a little more wedding day, a little less wedding night.

Click here to check out Vera Wang’s current offerings.

In other wedding dress news:

• New Monique Lhuillier Wedding Dresses: Here Are All 16 Amazing Gowns


• Exclusive First Look: Jenny Packham for David's Bridal, Come See the Entire Collection!

American celebrities aren’t the only ones who opt for over-the-top on their wedding day. Chinese model/actress/singer Angela Yeung—better known by her stage name, Angelababy—married actor/singer/model Huang Xiaoming in couture Christian Dior earlier this month, and the design house just shared a photo of the bride in her bespoke wedding dress.

A photo posted by Dior Official (@dior) on Oct 14, 2015 at 1:15am PDT

The ivory satin organza wedding dress took two fitting and “nearly five months of meticulous work.” The toile was molded on a wooden body form made to match the bride’s measurements.

A photo posted by Dior Official (@dior) on Oct 14, 2015 at 9:22am PDT

Gwen Stefani wore a Dior wedding gown designed by John Galliano when she married Gavin Rossdale in 2002. The label is also a favorite among international royals: Princess Caroline of Monaco married Philippe Junot in Dior in 1978. Brazilian-German Silvia Sommerlath chose Dior design when she swapped vows with Sweden’s King Carl XVI Gustaf in June of 1976. And American Lisa Halaby flew in two Dior designers to make the gown for her 1978 wedding to King Hussein of Jordan—but then she picked a different dress entirely.

Reem Acra's fall 2016 bridal runway was packed with breathtaking silhouettes and miles of sheer, delicate lace. To spice things up, most of the models rocked a bedazzled headphones embellished with beautiful details that matched the dresses. Oh, and there were also selfie sticks in the finale, because what's more fun than taking a selfie down the aisle?

First Selfie Down The Aisle!!Spread the news! #ReemAcra #ReemAcraBride #BridalCollection #Fall2016

A photo posted by Reem Acra (@reem_acra) on Oct 9, 2015 at 1:38pm PDT

Take a look at the rest of the ethereal collection here, straight from the runway!

The good news first: The way a man treats his mother is a pretty solid indicator of how he'll treat you. But what do you do when the relationship is a little too close for comfort? In other words, he's a total mama's boy? He seeks out advice on all things, including your marriage, from her (eek!) and has a tough time telling her no without feeling super guilty. Before you let the resentment continue to build or, worse, take matters into your own hands and confront his mom yourself (a definite no-no), try to inspire some positive changes with these tips.

Set boundaries
And by that we mean, have your husband set some boundaries with her, not you. "The most important thing for wives to do is not go at this head-on, as calling him a mama's boy or accusing her of interference will almost always backfire," warns marriage consultant and coach Lesli Doares, author of Blueprint for a Lasting Marriage. Instead, help your husband come to the conclusion himself regarding the appropriate role for his mom. "Getting clear about each one of your expectations for the marriage is a good place to start, including a discussion on boundaries with all family members and friends," points out Doares. "This will keep it from being focused solely on mom."

One such boundary should be that whatever happens in the marriage stays within the marriage or gets shared with a professional. According to clinical psychologist Paul Murdock, Psy.D., couples should never bring parents into their marital problems. "Crossing of this boundary can lead to significant discord."

Don't make him choose
Because the only person that wins in this scenario is, well, no one! Accept his mother as part of your marriage, and make it work, urges relationship expert and author April Masini. The alternative will result in a slow sizzle of resentment on his end, which is ultimately unhealthy for the two of you.

See More: The 50 Mistakes Brides Always Make

Befriend her
If at all possible, try to become friends with her. This doesn't mean you have to hang out or chitchat on the phone daily, but do put forth the effort to form a bond and find some common ground. You may even surprise yourself. "If you invite her to lunch every month, call her once a week and make her the first invitational call for birthdays and holidays, she's going to relax and not bring her anxiety to your marriage," says Masini.

Show some empathy
Understand that how we feel about parents is different and differences are often good, notes Murdoch. This is why he advises exploring what the relationship means to each of them so that you can figure out how to make situations a win-win in the future. "If you criticize his mom, your husband will likely get defensive and take it personally. Even if our parents are far from perfect, we will typically defend them so forget criticism and first seek to understand and show empathy." If changes are needed, find a way to inspire them rather than force them, recommends Murdoch.

See More:
3 Sex Secrets Husbands Keep from Their Wives
What to Do When Your Future Mother-in-Law Hijacks Your Wedding Plans

With just over a month until Sofia Vergara says “I do” to Joe Manganiello, everyone’s buzzing about their big-day details. The latest news: Sofia’s wedding dress designer has reportedly been revealed! (Sofia and Joe have been engaged since December of 2014, if the news escaped you. Here’s a picture of her engagement ring.)

The Modern Family actress will walk down the aisle in a wedding gown by Zuhair Murad, Us Weekly is reporting. The wedding dress will be “a custom-made, fairy-tale frock” according to the source.

Those who keep tabs on Sofia’s wardrobe likely aren’t surprised: Sofia’s picked Zuhair Murad for the red carpet for years. She’s worn the label consistently since 2012, most recently picking a floor-length purple gown by the designer for the Vanity Fair Oscars Party this year. Last year alone the design house dressed her for the Chef premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival, the Fading Gigolo screening in New York, and the Golden Globes Awards Party.

Sofia and Joe are set to marry on November 22 at the Breakers Resort in Palm Beach, Florida. The bride and groom were feted at an engagement party in May.

Fashion shows are fun, of course, but if you want to see a wedding dress come to life, you need to see it on a real bride. Maybe it’s the post-engagement glow or the giddy “Is THIS my wedding dress?!” anticipation, but as far as we’re concerned, it’s the bride who makes the wedding gown. So rather than show you the photos from designer Pnina Tornai’s latest bridal collection, we plucked the gowns straight from last week’s runway show and asked a real bride—Instagram fitness sensation Anna Victoria—to step into them in New York City’s famed Kleinfeld bridal salon. (It was her first time trying on wedding dresses—and her mom and one of her sisters joined us!)

WEDDING DRESS 1

WEDDING DRESS 2

WEDDING DRESS 3

The shoes as well as the hair accessories and the veil, below, are by Pnina, too, and they’re all also available at Kleinfeld.

WEDDING DRESS 4

WEDDING DRESS 5

That’s the dress alone. Here it is with the optional pearl-bedecked shoulder accessory. **swoon!**

WEDDING DRESS 6

We almost forgot to get a veil shot.

Here’s Anna with her sister Mary, who’s wearing a Pnina Tornai evening gown from Kleinfeld.

And here are the sisters with their gorgeous mom, on the left, and Pnina, who’s standing next to Anna.

Click here to see more for Pnina Tornai. See Pnina’s current offerings from Kleinfeld here. And click here to learn more about Anna Victoria and her fitness journey.

PS Even if the dresses aren’t your style, remember that it’s a real bride (with real feelings) modeling them. So please play nice in the comments.

Hair & Makeup by JoAnn Solomon. (She does makeup for actual weddings, too!)

We’ll never complain that our work life is hard {Spoiler alert: Blogging isn’t rocket science } but for the past week or so, it was certainly busy: The second and third weeks of October took us up, down, and all around New York City in pursuit of the prettiest brand-new wedding dresses. Yes, Bridal Fashion Week just wrapped—and it was a whirlwind. (Almost 70 events in eight days. Yikes!) Here are some of the highlights.

DAY 1
DAVID’S BRIDAL

DAVID’S BRIDAL

TRULY ZAC POSEN
Love the little ballerina-y number!

ALFRED ANGELO

DENNIS BASSO

DAY 2
KELLY FAETANINI
There were lots of pretty wedding dresses at Kelly Faetanini, but we were mesmerized by the shoulder details on this bridesmaid dress.

ANGEL SANCHEZ

THEIA

INBAL DROR

HOUGHTON
Eeps! I was running so far behind that the models (the human ones, anyway!) had cleared out by the time I got there. I borrowed the photo below from a friend.

HOUGHTON

JENNY PACKHAM

ANNE BARGE

LELA ROSE
Take a close look at the cape-like back of the short dress. Love!

MARCHESA

CAROLINA HERRERA

CLAIRE PETTIBONE
Another cape moment.

DAY 3
J. MENDEL

BERTA

INES DI SANTO

CHRISTOS

REEM ACRA
Wedding headphones, because why not? Click here to see more from Reem Acra's latest collection.

RIVINI

MONIQUE LHUILLIER
Click here to see more from Monique Lhuillier's latest collection.

NAEEM KHAN

HAYLEY PAIGE
Hayley got married this year (you might remember the wedding with the unicorn!), which might explain why the collection she sent down the runway was inspired.

DAY 4
MAGGIE SOTTERO
Crop-top wedding dresses are still kicking around in a pretty major way.

JEAN-RALPH THURIN

JULIE VINO

HEIDI ELNORA
Coming off the success of the first season of her TLC show, Bride by Design, Heidi turned out some remarkable wedding dresses.

JENNY PACKHAM WONDER
Click here to see the entire Jenny Packham Wonder collection, including bridesmaid dresses!

DAY 5
WATTERS

KATE MCDONALD BRIDAL

SABRINA DAHAN
Sabrina used to be a designer for Monique Lhuillier. This wedding dress is from her first collection, which includes more gowns that are just as pretty.

ALON LIVNE

CAROL HANNAH

ROMONA KEVEZA

DAY 6
BHLDN
BHLDN is now doing clothing and accessories for honeymoons—and it's all adorable.

LIANCARLO

TARA LA TOUR

LAKUM

MODERN TROUSSEAU

TEMPERLEY BRIDAL

PNINA TORNAI

DAY 7
OSCAR DE LA RENTA
We couldn't get enough of Peter Copping's sophomore collection for Oscar. #swoon

OSCAR DE LA RENTA

OSCAR DE LA RENTA

VERA WANG
Click here to see all of Vera Wang's latest collection.

VICTORIA KYRIAKIDES

ELIZABETH FILLMORE

MARK ZUNINO

DAY 8
PNINA TORNAI
In case you missed it yesterday, we wrapped the week with a photo shoot. Click here to see more of Pnina Tornai's latest wedding dresses.

When Bridal Fashion Week rolls around, we're not just looking for the best new wedding dresses (though obviously that's the best part). We're also scouting the runways for the most gorgeous new wedding hairstyle inspiration. After much deliberation, we've decided that our favorite idea of the season is this soft, modern, ever-so-slightly imperfect French twist seen at the Angel Sanchez Bridal 2016 show, created by Stefanie Francois for Frederic Fekkai.

As far as updos go, this is just so elegant yet real, chic yet touchable—so French.

If you think you might try this hairstyle out for your wedding day (or have your stylist test it out during your hair trial), here are some key tips that Francois shared with us. Start by spraying a dry shampoo, like Fekkai Blowout Refresher Dry Shampoo, throughout your hair, to create that tousled texture. Roughly blow dry your hair using your hands, then gently brush through for softness. Next, use a 1.5-inch curling iron to make loose curls throughout the hair. Then add more texture; spray a beach-waves product like Fekkai Soleil Beach Waves Tousling Spray generously throughout, scrunching at the crown to add volume. Wind your hair into a relaxed French twist and pin loosely, for an undone look. Finish with hairspray all over.

Want to know what's trending in beauty now? Check the Lipstick Index:

We already knew JWoww's wedding was a Jersey Shore reunion, and that she's pregnant with baby number 2, but what we just learned was that her wedding dress was custom Stephen Yearick Gown. Check out her most recent Instagram:

So happy to share some of my wedding Photos with you in @intouchweekly!!! Looking at this picture makes me cry all over again... My dress was flawless! Thank you again @stephenyearick and @castlecouture for creating a perfect dress for me!

A photo posted by Jenni JWOWW (@jwoww) on Oct 21, 2015 at 7:31am PDT

The newlywed also took to her blog and posted this:

"So proud that this was the wedding dress I designed with the amazing designer Stephen Yearick for Ysa Makino from Castle Couture! I wore two custom dresses on my wedding day, one for the ceremony and one for the reception, and this one is my ceremony dress.

Looking at this picture makes me cry all over again… My dress was flawless! It had a 10-foot train and it was everything I wanted and dreamed of. I wanted my dress to feel like it was from the Victorian era! I wanted it to be super glamorous so that I would feel like a princess walking down the aisle! Mission accomplished, this was my perfect dress!"

The bridesmaids (including Snooki, Deena, and Sammi) wore Watters bridesmaid dresses. Take a peek on Snooki's Instagram:

LOVE MY GIRLS 😍 @deenanicolemtv @sammisweetheart

A photo posted by Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi (@snookinic) on Oct 21, 2015 at 9:38am PDT

Glam overload—in the best possible way.

Wedding etiquette is no longer just about what to wear or what gift to bring—in an age where our phones are basically glued to our hands with every social media app open, digital etiquette is now just as important as the old rules, if not more so. Here are the dos and don'ts of being a 21st-century wedding guest, courtesy of Jeff Beil, CEO of Tendr a site that lets wedding guests send cash gifts securely. Do your best not to make these digital faux pas at a wedding, or in the days leading up to it.

Don't blast Instagram and Snapchat from the bachelorette party. What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas still, ladies. Put your phones away and just have fun—without constantly updating Snapchat and Instagram. It'll make the party more enjoyable—interact with your friends, not your phones!—and the bride won't have to worry about her great-aunt or her future mother-in-law keeping tabs on the last hurrah.

Don’t spoil the big moment. If you happen to get a shot of the bride in her wedding gown before the ceremony, keep it off of social media until after the wedding. If the first time the groom sees his bride on their big day is on social media, you blew it. Let wedding guests get their first look when the bride's at the top of the aisle. When you have the all-clear to post photos, don't forget to use the couples hashtag so they can see them.

Don’t use your phone or camera's flash to take pics during the ceremony. The only flash going off during the ceremony should be on the professional photographer's camera. You can trust that she'll get the best shots and put your phone away, but if you feel like you must take a photo, make sure the flash is off and your phone is on silent. (And if the couple has asked guests to put their phones away listen to them. It's not your job to document the wedding, so respect their wishes for you to just be present.)

Don’t give cash as a wedding gift or send it via email. Sending a wedding gift the same way you pay for your Netflix subscription (with PayPal or a similar site) feels cold. And an envelope of cash can easily go missing. Either write a check, which can be rewritten if it's lost, or mention Tendr to the bride and groom if you'd prefer to send a cash gift digitally.

Don’t let your phone be a distraction. Instead of posting pictures to Instagram and spending time editing captions and choosing a filter, enjoy the party and wait until the next day. The couple invited you to celebrate with them on their special day, so live in the moment and save your uploading and downloading until you get home.

Don't broadcast the wedding details all over social media. An innocent Tweet can ruin a surprise shower—oops! Plus, keep in mind the bride's feelings: If she had to leave some friends and family members off her guest list, you constantly bringing up her wedding on Facebook could be super-awkward. (Of course, if she's posting a lot and doesn't seem worried about the people who are left out, you can follow her lead.)

When a wave of young celebrities vowed to save sex for marriage—Jessica Simpson, Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, the Jonas Brothers, to name a few—the purity ring became the 2000’s equivalent of the mid-’90s yin-yang necklace: Beloved for a while, then eventually tossed to the bottom of the jewelry box. But one teenager took her purity vow to heart, spelling it out in a contract that her parents signed.

“I, Brelyn Mya Freeman, commit to the following … abstain from fornication (rubbing and petting) but I will keep myself until I am united in marriage to the young man that God is preparing for me,” wrote a then-13-year-old Freeman, who is now a grown woman who kept that vow until her wedding day, which happened just over a week ago.

Not only did Freeman promise her groom that she was "pure," but on her wedding day, she presented her father with a “certificate of purity,” confirming her virginity. She later wrote on Instagram that her physician signed the document after verifying that her hymen was intact. Sooo...yeah.

If a bride and groom want to wait to do the deed ’til their wedding night, more power to them—that's their choice. But it's tough to get behind “medically backed” purity certificates—especially when they’re presented to dear old dad—for a few reasons. Here's why we’re cringing.

1. Since when is it OK for a father to be so invested in his grown daughter’s sex life? One of the hardest parts of parenting is instilling a certain moral code or belief system in your children, whether it’s based on a higher power or Red Sox baseball, and then trusting that they’ll grow up to make smart decisions. Keeping tabs on your grown child’s sex life (or voting record, or credit score) shows a serious lack of trust.

2. A “certificate of purity” means nothing, medically speaking. The hymen is not an airtight seal that can only be broken by penile penetration. A hymen can rupture in any number of ways—when a girl uses a tampon, rides a bike, or engages in some aggressive, um, “me time.” A hymen exam is “not necessarily a scientific exam,” a representative from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists told Slate. “What you find on exam is not going to 100 percent correlate with what has happened in the past. … It can’t be proven.” It’s possible for a virgin to have sex and not bleed, and it’s possible for a woman who’s sexually active to bleed after sex.

3. The whole thing perpetuates the idea that a woman’s worth is somehow tied to her virginity. A person’s character matters so much more than how many sexual partners she (or he) has had, and there are a lot better ways to determine whether a person would make a good life partner: Is she clever? Is he kind? Will that person split the dog-walking responsibilities fifty-fifty—even in the winter? A woman can give her husband her virginity—or not—but after a couple takes their first few romps as a married team, there needs to be a whole lot more than holding up the “prize” of virginity to make the relationship last a lifetime.

Of course we wish Freeman and her new husband nothing but the best. But we hope the “certificate of purity” goes the way of purity rings...and all those yin-yang necklaces.