For the daring bride who wants to walk the line between clean minimalism and storied romance...

Today's sweetheart pic comes from photographer extraordinaire Alexandra Cordts. It's not your typical smooching sweetheart shot, but I can't get over the expressions of joy and appreciation on the faces of the bride and groom as they glance back at their well-wishers. Sure, weddings celebrate the love of a couple (the way that they are holding on to one another, sharing the moment together, is so special!), but the day is also about the love of the family and community that surrounds and supports them, and Alexandra captured that perfectly. Aimee & Erik's Saunderstown wedding was featured in Southern New England Weddings magazine, so be sure to pick up an issue to see more.

How amazing is this scout-themed wedding invitation suite from LadyFingers Letterpress, which features a real walnut wood envelope, a map belly band and an RSVP card that reads 'my boots are packed' (yes) and 'I'm afraid of heights' (no)? Designed and printed in Pawtucket, RI by wife team Morgan Calderini and Arley-Rose Torsone, these invites would be perfect for an outdoorsy, adventuresome, and slightly cheeky couple. It immediately made me think of Wes Anderson's movie Moonrise Kingdom, which we of course love at Chatty Brides for all the gorgeous filming done in RI.

Ladyfingers Letterpress Scout Wedding Invitation Suite, $499/25, ladyfingersletterpress.com

With June just around the corner, two things immediately come to mind: summer travel, and strawberries.

For me, it isn't summer in New England without a berry picking expedition to Maine and a plate of my Aunt's famous, fruit-laden pancakes, which invariably accompanies said stay. Many of us have trips to visit family (and future in-laws) on the sunny horizon at this time of year, and we'll need the right hostess gift to be ready and waiting so that when the time comes to pack our weekender, we can focus on which comfy clothes to bring, instead.

Housewarming gifts are, without a doubt, my favorite present to pick out. I generally set a spending limit of $25, and always look for something useful or edible. With these parameters, I can treat my hosts to an everyday object of high quality and design that they might never buy for themselves, like local, raw honey, a set of fine soaps, or these perfect little parcels from Anthropologie. While the age-old kitchen towel may have previously seemed like a boring, gift go-to, these have been screen printed and packaged to look like a carton of berries, making them adorable, seasonally festive AND functional.

...for the New England Aquarium Bridal Open House, which is on May 22 from 6-8pm. For more information, click here.

And just because it's so darn cute, we're sharing our favorite proposal video again:

Photographer Lola Farra shared these photographs and reflections on the gorgeous Cape Cod wedding of Megan and Jordan Pollock that took place last summer. Thank you, Lola, and our heartfelt congratulations to the happy couple, who are coming up on their one year anniversary!

Megan and Jordan married on a perfect, blue-sky day in July of 2012 at Holy Trinity Church in West Harwich, MA. Megan is a graduate of Boston College and currently works as a nurse in the intensive care unit at Children's Hospital Boston. Jordan graduated from the Massachusetts Maritime Academy and is a Merchant Marine. Although the pair met in high school, they didn't begin dating until college, and as Jordan was gone for long periods of time with the Academy, they cherished the time they did have together on the Cape, where Jordan's parents live.

On this beautiful Friday, I'm dreaming of all things New England summer, and this photo pretty much sums it up. At a seaside wedding in Woods Hole, MA, Blackstone Caterers served seafood hors d'oeuvres fondly remembered since childhood by the Bride and Groom, like these mini clam cake and chowder cups. Waitstaff donned khakis, white button downs and blue ticking stripe aprons, and their trays were embellished with nautical antiques in a nod to the ocean setting (and the Bride and Groom's getaway vehicle, a classic wooden yacht!). With such storied settings and spot-on attention to detail paid by wedding planners and crew, it's no wonder that couples flock to our shores each summer to tie the knot!

It may not be bikini weather out, but coastal New England boasts some of the most romantic seaside picnicking spots around, and it doesn't have to be 80 degrees to enjoy them. I came across this photo (below), taken by blogger/photographer Brian Ferry, of a couple having a mini feast on a wool blanket and was instantly inspired to write this week's planning break in similar style. What could be sweeter than sharing a sunset cup of wine in a beautiful place with the person you love?

Yesterday, 100 Layer Cake posted a FANSTASTIC article by LaurenConrad.com about finding a wedding dress with the right silhouette for your body. Read on here, it is well worth it!

Let's all take a little trip to the busy world of wedding fashion in NYC.

Our guides: Megan Alissa Glanville, who wrote the piece below, Tara Delskey-Eagan of Bancroft Bridal and Dani Fine Photography, who provided all the stunning images in this story. Megan writes:

"A truly fantastic wedding day takes more than a committed couple and a few in-laws getting down to Lady Gaga on the dance floor. It takes forethought, good decisions and a cohesive approach to the overall aesthetic of a wedding.

Few brides realize however, that before the gown is selected, the veil fastened and the table laid, countless hours and energy have been spent to present them with the absolute crème de la crème from which to choose.

The National Bridal Market, or simply 'market' to industry professionals, takes place twice a year in New York and Chicago and is the premiere resource for wedding fashion. Think of it as the New York Fashion Week of the wedding industry, and the platform from which wedding trends, spotted by the seasoned professionals in attendance, are born.

Tara Delskey-Eagan, owner of Bancroft Bridals in Feeding Hills, MA, is one of those wedding industry professionals with the ability to scout out up-and-coming trends in wedding fashion, and bring the best new styles back to her clients in western Massachusetts. Dani Fine Photography recently travelled to New York with Bancroft Bridals to offer brides an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at market and what is trending in the wedding world.