Our Washingtonian bride-to-be Emily had hoped to send another update this week about how all the last-minute preparations were going. But she's got enough on her to-do list without thinking about a blog post only a day before the wedding! So, let's wish Emily and Drew a wonderful wedding and a spectacular honeymoon. We'll be waiting anxiously to hear every last detail when they get back from France.

Can't wait? Read about Emily's wedding-planning adventure from the beginning here.

Stay tuned for next Friday when we'll introduce you to our newest Bridal Party blogger and bride-to-be, Lisa Marie!

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She might have a ring, but Hilary Duff's not planning a wedding.

What is it about a man in a blue shirt, a yellow tie, and khakis serving a platter of daisy toothpicked cheese cubes that doesn't work? Well, everything. [DC Nearlyweds]

One house, three weddings.

Note of advice: no deadlines for marriage and work on love every day.

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

No wedding bells for Michael Bolton and Nicollette Sheridan.

Even on your third try, marriage is about the future, not the past.

Are tattoos taboo when it comes to weddings? [via Weddingbee]

Shopping for the bridesmaids? We've got one for you. It's pink, it's practical, and it's also adorable. [via The Bridal Bar]

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

Drew and I are sitting in Reston Town Center’s Cosi trying to finish up wedding plans before leaving Dodge tomorrow morning. Every one of my female friends who have planned their own weddings has said that it gets so busy the week preceding her big day.

We’re definitely feeling the busyness of these last days, but we’re also facing a blinding excitement. I literally have not slept for a few days. I lie awake with thoughts of Drew and of unfinished wedding plans and of our Paris honeymoon circling above my head, and I literally cannot get to sleep. And in talking to my now-married girlfriends, I’ve learned that the no-sleep phenomenon is very common.

Black Tie vocalist Chris performs a captivating Michael Jackson impression.

There are certain things that you make mental notes of when you attend weddings, even before you’re engaged (or is that just me?). I was a bridesmaid in a wedding two summers ago where the bride and groom had a band during the reception. There was so much energy and a ton of dancing, and Ron and I had a really great time. We agreed then that we should have a band at our own wedding.

One of my bridesmaids and best friends from college, Annie, works at a law firm here in DC, and she recommended Washington Talent Agency—her firm sometimes books DJs and bands through it. Also, a friend of mine from work had just been to a wedding with the band Black Tie, and she couldn’t stop raving about it. Once I did some research, I saw that Washington Talent actually books Black Tie. Perfect.

So I called Washington Talent and started talking with an agent named Chuck. One thing I was concerned about was that the band might be too big for our reception space. The room in the Hay-Adams holds only 120 people and has low ceilings, so I wanted to make sure the band wouldn’t be overpowering. Chuck listed a few of Washington Talent’s smaller bands, one of which was Black Tie. The bands audition once a month for anyone interested in booking them, which I think is great because then you don’t have to run around to hotels crashing weddings or bar mitzvahs just to catch a glimpse.

Let Dawn help you clean that not-so-sparkly engagement ring. [via Weddingbee]

Forget the flowers, think feathers. [via DC Nearlyweds]

Send your guests a personal message. [via Bridalwave]

Lindsay Lohan's dad engaged?

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

Everyone says you don’t get a second chance to make a good first impression, but Heidi Hotopp, 29, and RJ Narang, 31, might beg to differ. Three years ago, Heidi, a marketing manager, and RJ, a government contractor, were invited to the same happy hour through a mutual friend. Heidi, who had recently moved to DC from Wichita, was trying to branch out and meet new people. But on the night of the happy hour, she was stuck working late and didn’t arrive until 9:30.

Heidi was tired and a little cranky; RJ had been at the happy hour for a few hours and was a little tipsy. Their first introduction wasn’t all that smooth. “He made some goofy jokes,” Heidi says, “and I thought, ‘This guy is a little annoying.’ ”But the hours passed, and before they knew it the rest of their friends had left and Heidi and RJ found themselves at a table alone. “After talking for a bit, I realized he was a pretty nice guy, actually,” Heidi says. “He was persistent and asked me out twice, so I accepted a date with him.”

The two met for a Sunday-evening date at Maggiano’s in Chevy Chase. “I went in unsure of what to expect,” Heidi says. “But it ended up the best date I had been on. We sat there and talked for hours, and before we knew it they were closing down and we were the last table in the restaurant.” Thank goodness for second impressions.