Many brides dream about even the smallest details of their wedding far in advance of getting a ring. Fast-forward to the planning process, after you've actually received a proposal, and it can be tough to relinquish some of that control to someone else. My fiancé Corey and I are extremely lucky that both of our parents have been very supportive of our wedding and receptive to our ideas. We've made it our goal to try and make everyone (especially our parents), happy with most of the choices we've made. Here are some compromises we've had to make and why.

Photo Credit: Hoffer Photography

1. Guest count. I always envisioned a very personal, intimate wedding day, around 100 guests or so. However, we had to invite almost double that amount in order to include extended family, coworkers and family friends. I wouldn't change our guest list, since each person we invited is important to us and our families, but it has required me to adjust my original vision. 

2. The budget. Compromising with dollar signs makes my head spin… but we’ve done it. We have upped the budget twice since we started planning our wedding. No one's excited about spending more, but I am very thankful that my parents have been open to doing whatever it takes to make the day wonderful. In fact, I've been the one who's most concerned about the budget, even though my parents are paying for the majority of the wedding. 

Each week, we feature music recommendations from Scratch Weddings, the nation's leader with the best wedding DJs at affordable prices.

This week, enjoy nine songs that'll have all your guests singing along!

The ladies cannot resist dancing and singing along to this '80s classic.

►"Livin' on a Prayer" — Bon Jovi
Everyone — and we mean everyone — will belt out this Bon Jovi hit, New Jersey-style.

►"Don’t Stop Believin’" — Journey
No matter when your guests were born, they will know the chorus to this ever-popular anthem.

Shopping for my wedding dress was exhilarating, confusing, and addictive (my heart sank when the two-hour appointment was over). Even after over a year of working at your favorite bridal magazine —scouring our entire gown gallery —I was still surprised by the range of emotions that overtook me. I haven’t said yes to the dress (yet!), but would love to share my experience at Kleinfeld with you, in the hopes that someone out there can relate.

First, here was my inspiration, courtesy of my personal Pinterest board:

Dress by Oscar de la Renta. Photo credits: Erin Hearts Court Photography.

Dress at left by Romona Keveza, shot by Kate Stoops Photography; dress at right is "Scarlet" by Monique Lhullier, shot by Paul Johnson Photography. 

To celebrate the eighth season of TLC's hit show, Say Yes to the Dress, Kleinfeld launched an online gift shop featuring fun t-shirts, hoodies, bags, and more. Check out some of our favorites!

Just for BG readers: Get 10% off, plus free shipping, with the coupon code YESBG

For the morning of the wedding:
This cozy zip-up hoodie is perfect to wear while you're getting ready on the big day. Plus, you won't have to worry about messing up your hair and makeup when it's time to change into your gown ($40, available in black and white). 

For the bachelorette party:
For a casual night on the town, this cute t-shirt sends the message loud and clear: You're taken! ($19, available in black, white, and pink).

For an engagement gift:
How cute are these "his and her" mugs? Gift these to your favorite newly-engaged friends ($15 each).

When Jonathan Salama took out girlfriend Zuleth Telleria on June 10, she was in for the ride of her life.

Salama created one of our favorite proposal moments with the help of friends, family and a proposal planning service, The Yes Girls. And a helicopter, of course.

Check out the amazing video — we admit, we teared up a bit!

Boffo Video shot the couple as they flew over Huntington Beach, CA — the spot where they first became official three years prior. We especially love how Salama included his and Telleria's loved ones in the proposal while still having a romantic moment alone in the air. And how sweet are his hand-written signs?

We’re sure the duo must be flying high!

—Paulette Safdieh