Image courtesy Four Weddings Canada

We know you’re knee-deep in booking caterers and considering florists, but we highly recommend you start taking some time out on Wednesday nights to watch Four Weddings Canada, the show that pits four brides against each other in a matrimonial showdown for a chance to win a dream honeymoon. Why? Quite simply: It’s hilarious. Need proof? You’ll find it in these Toronto Life recaps complete with “Bitch-O-Meters” and titles like “Your Wedding Sucks” and “Drunk Husband-Bride”. In each hour-long episode of the show, four diverse and opinionated brides attend each other’s weddings and then score them out of ten in four categories — venue, food, dress and overall experience. Toronto Life then takes the scrutiny one step further by rating each bride’s behaviour.

Four Weddings Canada probably won’t help you with the wedding planning process but it’s good for a laugh — and you’ll definitely take solace in the fact that there won’t be four strangers and a camera crew in attendance on your big day.

Gossip Girl marked their 100th episode with their very own Royal Wedding (between Blair and Prince Louis of Monaco), but although the scene was set for a spectacular soiree, and everyone looked the part (read more about their fabulous attire here), the wedding was far from picture-perfect. ***Spoiler alert: you may want to stop reading here if this episode is still waiting for you on your PVR!*** There were several major plot twists, and the one and only Gossip Girl’s true identity was revealed at last. Let’s just say, you can definitely take some style inspiration from this TV wedding, but you’ll want your own celebration to go a lot more smoothly!

There’s nothing we love more than a great proposal story, especially when it’s caught on video. Add in some iconic building blocks we’ve grown up loving and the aww-factor is pretty much through the roof. Atlanta photographer and videographer, Walt Thompson spent two and a half days shooting 2,600 photos for this adorable stop motion proposal video for his girlfriend of four years, Nealey Dozier. The video chronicles their lives together, including fine details like the clothes they were wearing when they met and Dozier preparing food as a freelance food writer while Thompson photographed her. In their own living room Thompson played the video and waited until the very end to get down on one knee and pop the question with a ring box containing a LEGO bride and groom.

It’s a new year, and usually that means we hear about TONS of new engagements that happened over the holiday season. If we’re talking to you, congratulations and welcome to Weddingbells! We’re happy you’re here and thrilled that we’ll be able to help you every step of the way with your wedding planning. Now, first question: do you have our new Spring & Summer issue? If not, get thee to a newsstand, that’s essential. Next up, you may be planning to attend some wedding shows, and there are tons happening in the next few weeks across Canada. Read our tips for doing the shows right here. Just for fun, we thought we’d roundup the celebrity engagements that happened over the past few weeks so you know who’s wedding planning right alongside you.

The biggest wedding trend these days seems to be coming up with something inventive that sets your celebration apart from others. We scoured YouTube and found the 10 best wedding dance videos, from dapper walks down the aisle to first dance fake-outs. Sit back, relax and gather inspiration from these hilarious videos.

Easily one of the most successful viral videos on YouTube, with over 71 million views (and counting!) JK Wedding entrance dance is the one that started it all. Set to Chris Brown’s “Forever”, the couple and their bridal party have made appearances on Good Morning America and The Today Show, and have been parodied on The Office, United States of Tara, and Australia’s Dancing With The Stars, to name a few. After their video went viral the couple started a website to raise money for the Sheila Wellstone Institute, an organization whose efforts are to end domestic violence, in wake of Chris Brown’s domestic violence charges in 2008.

How about a wedding performance surprise for the bride by her father and new husband? That’s the stage for this rendition of Fiddler on the Roof‘s “To Life”. If you listen closely to the lyrics, it’s a fitting song for a groom and his new father-in-law to sing together, with some help from the bridal party.

A classic fake-out music malfunction is what starts this fun loving couple’s hip hop first dance. After accumulating almost 12 million views on YouTube, this video was featured on Good Morning America.

While the coordination and dance skills of this group can be questioned, there’s nothing we love more than to see people bust a move to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller”, and evidently we’re not alone. With over 12 million hits on YouTube, MJ himself added the video as one of his Youtube favourites in 2006.

Who doesn’t love a false start wedding dance interrupted by a number choreographed by the couple to Michael Jackson’s “The Way You Make Me Feel”? This high energy couple gets the crowd going at their reception and this video has accumulated almost 15.5 million hits on YouTube. If you’re thinking about choreographing your own first dance, take some cues from this dancing duo.

Listen carefully among the cheers and you’ll hear a medley from Grease. This couple and their bridal party broke into dance for their reception guests and over 12 million viewers on YouTube. We especially love the bride’s red hot dancing shoes.

People love “Thriller”, as evidenced by this bridal party reception dance that has garnered the attention of over 15.5 million viewers on YouTube. We’re impressed with the accurate choreography and dance coordination of these groomsmen.

Another first dance fake-out, with over 15.5 million views. This couple broke out in a choreographed dance to Sir Mix A Lot’s “Baby Got Back”. This hilarious rendition of the R-rated song inspires us to break out into song and dance every time we watch it.

Who hasn’t dreamed of starring in Dirty Dancing alongside Patrick Swayze? This bride and groom almost put the 1987 movie to shame with their choreographed rendition of “Time of My Life”. We love the groom’s ode to Patrick’s outfit, and of course the iconic lift (with a little help from the bridal party).

If swing is your thing, take note of this couple, whose fast-paced moves and killer lifts won our vote.

Photo by Denise Truscello/WireImage/Getty Images

The holiday engagements have officially begun! Jason Trawick proposed to his pop princess Britney Spears last week and this time Brit’s mister-to-be bought the ring (if you remember, Britney bought her own ring with K-Fed). Props to Trawick for presenting Ms. Brit with a gorgeous dazzler that is just blingy enough, but not too showy. According to People, Trawick worked with jeweller-to-the-stars Neil Lane to create the perfect piece for his lady love. Lane tells People that Trawick wanted a ring fit for his “everyday princess,” so that was the theme the designer went with in creating the piece. Lane custom-created a tiara-motif sparkler with a round, perfect white diamond in a handmade platinum setting that “looks like a mini crown.” He also added 90 small round diamonds around the eternity band. “Jason didn’t want an over-the-top ring with a giant stone,” Lane said.

Now let’s start the guessing games as to what Brit Brit will wear? For her first (and 55-hour) marriage to Jason Alexander, it was a ballcap and crop top; to K-Fed she went with Monique Lhuillier. What do you think for this one, hopefully her third-time-lucky wedding?

2011 was a HUGE year for celebrity weddings. Two of the biggest belonged to British Kates and three of our other favourites included another former Brit wild-child rocker, and two of American southern sweethearts. Check out our picks for most iconic celebrations of the year and why we loved them!

Entertaining is part of the fun of engagement and newlywed life. Parties don’t have to be complicated, but great nibbles to accompany your spirits are essential. Canadian chef Laura Calder has some mouth-watering appetizer recipes featured in her awesome new book Dinner Chez Moi (HarperCollins, $27 at Chapters). We love Calder’s new release which, as always, features recipes in her typical French flavor. Calder kindly shared four of her favourite appy recipes with us so we could share them with you: spicy baked shrimp, roasted pepper crostini, mushroom cups and endive spoons. Yum!! Now, it’s time to get cooking!

*All recipes from Dinner Chez Moi by Laura Calder. Text and hand-drawn illustrations copyright 2011 by Laura Calder. All rights reserved. Published in Canada by HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.