This past week we took a little siesta from wedding planning, so I asked Drew to help me tell you the story of the sparkly, gorgeous thing I wear on my left hand, ring finger.

You know how in the movie Sweet Home Alabama, McDreamy surprises Ms. Legally Blonde by giving her the run of New York’s legendary Tiffany & Co.? That would never be my dream. Way too many choices to make, plus the romantic in me wanted my future husband to choose something that reminded him of me. I wanted him to pick the one piece of jewelry I’d wear forever.

Weddings thrive in a not-so-thriving economy.

Our save-the-date-hating groomzilla should check this out.

A green wedding dress. Oh, and it was eco-friendly, too.

Ashlee's diamond turns out to be a promise ring.

Have bridal news to share? E-mail mconrad@washingtonian.com.

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On your to-do list these days: finding a dress, planning a guest list, choosing a color scheme, picking out favors—and checking your e-mail every Friday for advice, tips, and tricks on all of the above. If that last one isn’t on your radar yet, head here to register for Bridal Party’s new weekly e-mail newsletter. Starting next week, you’ll get a roundup each Friday of the week’s best posts on wedding planning in Washington. It’ll make your life easier, I promise.

Whoever said that you learn something new every day should probably talk to Rick Davis of Amaryllis florist—because today I learned dozens of things about wedding-day flowers, and that was all before lunch. Check out the chat to read about the best budget-friendly blooms, how to duplicate designs you’ve seen in a magazine, what to grow for a backyard wedding, and more.

Sky Showbiz has a photo gallery of classic celebrity wedding dresses. (Make sure to check out Audrey Hepburn.)

Jennifer Love Hewitt tells E! about her wedding planning—or lack thereof.

BBC News tries to explain why wedding movies are so popular.

It's cool to get married on Leap Day.

This sexier wedding dress trend just keeps growing. 

Thursday, February 28: Jane Wang Bridal Trunk Show
New York couture designer Jane Wang brings her spring 2008 collection to Rizik’s (1100 Connecticut Ave., NW; 202-223-4050) Thursday through Saturday. Wang, known for her intricate beadwork, will be available to talk to customers on Friday from 11 AM to 2 PM and Saturday from 9 AM to 2 PM. For an appointment (recommended but not required), call the salon.

If you're planning a wedding, you may want to start by reading the real estate section of your favorite newspaper. The key to real estate, of course, is location, location, location. Well, that and avoiding sub-prime mortgages, but that’s another blog altogether. One of the first things you will have to do when you get engaged (after a quick course in pronouns: “We” is in, “I” is out, as in “We think that save-the-date cards are a great idea”) is figure out where your wedding will be held. And as in real estate, location is king.