In the last week alone two couples have got engaged during tours of royal residences which have just opened to the public for the summer – one at Buckingham Palace and the other at Windsor Castle.

Romantic Dean Nicholls, 26, proposed on one knee to his girlfriend of three years, Lauren Green, at  the Queen’s official London residence, which currently boasts an exhibition devoted to William and Kate’s wedding.

His gesture – during which he produced a white gold solitaire diamond with diamond clusters inset either side – came as a complete surprise as Lauren, 27, an NHS physiotherapist, had actually bought the tickets to the palace as a present for him.

Mr Nicholls, an assistant transport manager for White Peak Distribution, who met his fiancée through mutual friends about three years ago, said: ‘We were just down for the day.

‘We were in London because Lauren had bought me the Buckingham Palace tour tickets for my birthday.

‘I had always wanted to go there. The Palace symbolises all that is English, for me. Lauren shares the same interest so I thought it was an ideal place and opportunity to propose.

‘I think the time was right and with the Royal Wedding and our Buckingham Palace tour it seemed to fit in nicely. I had been thinking about proposing for a few months.’

The two publishers have combined to form Hearst Magazines UK. The move follows NatMag owner Hearst’s acquisition of Hachette Filipacchi owner Lagardere in a £574m deal.

Hearst Magazines said the decision to close the two titles was prompted by “fierce” compeition in the sectors they operate in.

She magazine, which launched 56 years ago, achieved a fairly robust circulation performance in the last six months of the 2010 – dropping 3.7 per cent year on year to 144,583 copies a month. Describing itself as an “intelligent” read for women who juggle their lives, it may be that following the acquisition of Hachette titles Hearst felt it had too many brands in this sector.

NatMag’s women’s lifestyle/fashion titles are: Good Housekeeping (443,750), Cosmopolitan (400,575), Prima (268,421), Company (217,277) and Harper’s Bazaar (119,712).

The new Hachette titles from this sector which have been brought into the Hearst portfolio are Red (231,028), Elle (200,531) and Psychologies (120,199).

Cosmopolitan Bride sold 37,690 copies every two months in the second half of 2010 (down 3.8 per cent year on year). This compares with 48,664 copies (down 2.9 per cent year on year) for NatMag’s other wedding title You and Your Wedding. Hachette did not publish any wedding titles.

The last edition of She (for September) will come out on 16 August and the last edition of Cosmopolitan Bride (October/November) will come out 25 August.

Group publishing director for Hearst Magazines UK Meribeth Parker said: “Following the acquisition of Hachette Filipacchi, we have looked at our business and made the decision to close both SHE and Cosmopolitan Bride to ensure our company is as robust and adaptable as possible for the future.

“As a business that believes strongly in the future of print, it is never an easy decision to close a magazine. However we are taking this decisive action now to strengthen our overall portfolio, focusing our investment on our stronger titles and digital expansion.

“Both titles have earned a loyal following in their respective markets. Competition in those sectors, however, has never been fiercer and we cannot ignore those trends or the need to adapt our business accordingly.”

Hearst Magazines UK declined to reveal the number editorial staff affected by the closures. But a spokesman said that efforts would be made to redeploy those affected to other titles.

You can take the boy off the rugby field, but you can never take the pint of Skullsmasher lager out of his hand. Don’t even try it. Not while the free bar is still open, anyway.

Stay classy, Mike. Start as you mean to go on. The nation’s sympathy is on your side, even as you wince at the daylight and brave the fresh air outside Holyrood Palace, contemplating the dawn of your new life as a quasi-royal. And no, Michael James Tindall, it was definitely not all a dream. You really have married into the British monarchy. Scary Princess Anne truly is  your new mother-in-law, you poor old sausage.

From now on, you will be expected to spend Christmases at Sandringham, extend your pinky aloft while eating crustless sandwiches and laugh politely at all Grandpa Phil’s amusing ‘Chinky’ jokes.

And not only does the bleak pain of Tindall’s post-wedding expression hint that the new groom has been hit hard with the hangover stick, it also suggests that somewhere in the gilded rooms behind him, with their fine Brussels tapestries and magnificent furnishings — in a palace where Mary, Queen of Scots married two husbands and history most plangent and bloody has been made — his modern, young bride is finally raising her head off  the dance floor, where she fell asleep at 5am.

Read more: Here

Turn up at London 2012, collect three Olympic gold medals, call in at Buckingham Palace to become Dame Vicky, tie the knot with fiance Scott Gardner and live happily ever after. What could possibly go wrong?

“Holy Moly,” gulped Pendleton. “Can I have that in writing as a guarantee? If only life was that simple, if only everyone understood how much strategic planning, training, preparation and pain goes into an Olympic cyclist’s programme.

“As an athlete, the greatest pressure to succeed comes from within – but you also have to maintain a sense of perspective.

“You can’t be expected to break your personal best, or world records, every time you hop on a bike, that consistency of performance is simply not possible. Not many competitors, in any sport, can go out and be the best at what they do week after week after week.

“But, unfortunately, some of us are judged on what we have achieved in the past and are expected to live up to it.”

Queen Victoria has a regal presence in the velodrome, yet suffers from that burden of expectation. Pendleton has become such a valuable sporting currency since her Olympic sprint title in Beijing that she is now expected to bring home the bullion at the London Olympics.

Mirror Sport caught up with her yesterday at Royal Victoria Dock as the first lady of the saddle applied a reality check to her hopes of glory in the sprint, keirin and team sprint next year.

Pendleton, 30, will hang up her bicycle pump after London 2012 and is desperate to bow out on a triumphant note.

But she is riddled with self-doubt, and behind that golden smile on the podium, it was the same story in China three years ago. She said: “I’d be lying if I said I never had any doubt about winning my gold medal in Beijing.

“For a week I spent a lot of time on my own in the athletes’ village, and when I saw everyone else winning their races I thought, ‘Oh no, I’ve got to do it now – I can’t let the side down.’

“Thank the Lord I won, and I was able to be part of the gang, to feel part of the team.

“Years earlier, when I had started training with the elite squad, among the likes of Chris Hoy, Jason Queally and Jamie Staff, I was just an insignificant kid who was desperate to be part of their crowd.

“I worried about letting the side down if I had come a cropper in Beijing, and I don’t want to mess it up next year because there will be no second chances. The Olympics Games won’t be coming back here in my lifetime.”

Read more: HERE

Planning a wedding is a lot of work, which is why many brides rely on a wedding planner, family, and friends to offer helpful, stress-freewedding tips during the entire process. Surviving wedding stress and preventing potential problems can be achieved with enough time and the right plan of action. Continue reading to discover five ways to combat stressful wedding situations. 

It’s down to the wire, and you find yourself pulling out your hair because the florist is slow at returning your calls, the tailor is taking too long to alter your gown, and you can’t decide which dish to serve at the reception. It’s enough to make anyone go crazy, but surviving wedding stress is possible.

Even if you have a wedding planner, you’re still facing hurdles of your own when it comes to surviving the wedding stress, trying to make sure that everything flows smoothly on the big day. But what do you do when unexpected issues arise? Have you considered your plan of action and which stress-free wedding tips you’ll rely on if something goes wrong? In these instances, a hands-on approach to the problems you’ll encounter will solve everything right then and there.

So, with all the potential problems that can happen before and during your wedding day, how do you handle, manage, and overcome wedding planning stress? Here are a few of the best stress-free wedding tips that brides swear by to get them through the wedding planning stages.

Stay in Control with These Stress-Free Wedding Tips!

1. Surviving wedding stress involves giving yourself enough time to plan. Your wedding is what you make of it. If you allot no more than six or seven months for an extravagant affair, chances are it may look like it was rushed. With extra time, you can plan, make changes, hire the right vendors the first time around, and choose the best venues that match your budget (because you can shop around). And if you’re in a rush to get married, opt for a simpler ceremony and reception – one that’s affordable but doesn’t cause you stress in the long run.

2. Remember that a holiday wedding, while beautiful, is more stressful. Not only do you have a wedding to plan, but you have to worry about the added stress from the holidays. At Thanksgiving, for instance, you’ll have guests coming in from out of town, and you’ll worry about a big dinner, while at Christmas, you’re focused on buying gifts and decorating–all at the same time. This is not to say that surviving the wedding stress (and holiday stress) can’t be done; holiday winter weddings are some of the most elegant, joyous events. But you need to keep in mind that you will have added stress to deal with. Make sure you have a dependable wedding planner who can offer valuable stress-free wedding tips as well as many helpful friends who have the time to help you plan your big day.

3. Hire the right wedding planner – and get knowledgeable stress-free wedding tips. This is a given when it comes to surviving wedding stress. Of course, some brides do not hire a wedding planner, and that’s fine. Planners simply provide a sort of stress buffer for you and your family so that you can concentrate on other elements of the wedding. You’ll have the opportunity beforehand to interview wedding planners in your area to see if they can accurately align with your wishes and carry them out as you see fit. Plus, you can evaluate his or her personality to see if it’s someone you can work with on a regular basis.

4. Surviving wedding stress when one of your vendors goes MIA. Yikes! This is a tricky situation. You’ve planned for months that your vendor will show up at the time agreed upon. But it’s the day of the wedding — what can you do now? If at all possible, try to find a replacement; this may not be feasible since it’s truly last minute. A missing vendor does not spell immediate doom however. Here’s your chance to save the day – if the florist doesn’t show up, make a pit stop at the local grocery store and buy all the flowers you can. If the DJ cancels, enlist a friend to bring along an MP3 player with music everyone can dance to. And if the minister calls out sick, there’s a possibility a notary (in some states) can marry you, or you can have an eloquent guest perform the ceremony. After all, once you have that license in hand, you’re officially married regardless.

5. One of the best stress-free wedding tips for you (and your family) is to avoid being a ‘bridezilla.’Stress can bring out the worst in anyone, and tackling and surviving wedding stress is the most difficult. And no one knows it better than the friends and family of the bride, who may witness a change in her demeanor over time. There’s no need to subject your loved ones to your emotional outbursts. Always give yourself time to reflect and relax. You don’t have to spend every waking moment making plans. Trust your friends to help you when it comes to planning the wedding and surviving the wedding stress; don’t go it alone

Ms Bleakley’s agent said she had accepted a surprise proposal while the couple were in Los Angeles.

“They are obviously both delighted but there are no immediate wedding plans and the couple will not be making any further comment,” the agent added.

The couple have been going out together since 2009.

The England international was previously engaged to Elen Rives, with whom he had two daughters.

Ms Bleakley, who is from Newtownards, started her career with BBC Northern Ireland before finding wider fame on the One Show on BBC One.

She now presents Daybreak, the morning show on ITV1.

The importance of pre-wedding health and fitness training will be reflected on your wedding day. As you walk down the isle, you will be glowing not only with happiness but also with health. To make sure that you look your best on your special day, you will need to put in some time to ensure that you are eating healthy and also following some sort of exercise regime.

The sooner you realize the importance of pre-wedding health and fitness training, the sooner you will start to see results. You will notice that your hair is becoming more lustrous, your skin is glowing and also that you feel more energetic and happy. A good fitness training program will also help you to lose any weight that you may put on during planning your wedding, due to the taste testings and pre-wedding celebration lunches and dinners that you will be attending. Therefore a good fitness-training program means that you can indulge in that extra piece of cake without worrying about whether you will be able to fit into your dress.

As the days get closer to your wedding, you may find yourself short of time. No matter how busy things get, do not sacrifice you health or fitness. It may not be easy, but in the long run, you will benefit from it. The last thing any bride wants is to walk down the isle covered in a thick layer of make-up to hide how tired she is. Therefore take the time to indulge in the importance of pre-wedding health and fitness training so that you can make sure that you look your best on one of the most important days of your life.

Even if you have a certain type of dress in mind, you will need to make sure that it suits the type of wedding you want to have. For example, if you are picturing yourself in a princess style dress but want a more causal wedding then the two will clash. This is why it is always best to start looking for your wedding dress early. If you find the perfect dress but it doesn’t suit the rest of the wedding then you will have time to alter the wedding style to match your dress.

Budget aside, the most important factor in deciding which dress to choose will be your body shape. As you try on different dresses and come across different styles, take note of the dresses that flatter your body shape the best. Every bride wants to look her best on her wedding day so make sure you choose a wedding dress that enhances your best features and hides what you want to keep hidden.

When shopping for your wedding dress it would be a good idea to take your mum or maid of honour along for the ride. This way, you can get a second opinion on which dress to choose. Just make sure that who ever you take along is straightforward enough to tell you when a dress suits you and when a dress doesn’t. To choose a wedding dress that is perfect for you it is always better to shop with someone whose opinion you can trust.

Finally keep in mind that this is your day. When you find the perfect dress that makes you look exactly how you pictured you should on your wedding day then don’t let it go. After all, if it doesn’t suit the rest of your wedding theme you could always tweak your wedding theme a little to enhance the dress.

Read on and check back to find out all the details – who’s marrying who, what they’ll wear, and who’ll be there.
Part one: Lily and Sam’s traditional country wedding – Saturday June 11

The engagement:
Painter and decorator Sam, 32, went down one knee at Christmas while the couple were on holiday at a luxury resort in Bali.

The good news followed heartbreak for the couple after 26-year-old Lily sadly lost their baby at six months. The singer’s fans realised marriage was on the cards after she posted a picture of her manicure on her blog – also showing off a sparkling diamond engagement ring.

She sent out save the date cards featuring the bride-to-be and groom sitting on a tractor.

Sam and Lily been dating since summer 2009, and since meeting the man of her dreams Lily has decided to leave the limelight and concentrate on family life, retiring from pop music and instead deciding to open a vintage clothes shop with her sister.

The dress:
Chanel’s Karl Lagerfeld is designing the gown. She met with the fashion maestro at Paris Fashion Week to talk through ideas.

The ceremony:
St James the Great church in Cranham, Gloucestershire is the setting for the service, which will be attended by 100. The reception will follow at the garden of her country home near Stroud, where a classic cricket tea will be served.

This includes scones and jam, sandwiches and cakes.

Famous faces attending are likely to include Elton John and David Furnish, the singer’s close friend Jamie Winstone and her dad Keith Allen. Channel 4 presenter Miquita Oliver is chief bridesmaid, but Lily’s old friend Kate Moss is not expected to attend.

Instead of rushing off on honeymoon the newlyweds will apparently stick around for the Glastonbury Festival.

“Lily’s coming down for her honeymoon. We’ll look after her – she’ll get well treated,” Festival organiser Michael Eavis told The Sun.

“I’ve known her since she was tiny. She’s such a star. I’d love to get her out of retirement. I’m really looking forward to her wonderful wedding.”

According to Clarence House officials, the royal bride spritzed on an affordable floral fragrance: White Gardenia Petals by a small British company, Illuminum. Selling for £70, the company’s website describes the “delicate” scent as “fragrant as a vase of white flowers quivering in the breeze by an open window…

The top note of coconut evokes a seaside location, while heart notes of muguet, ylang ylang and jasmine breeze bring a trio of white flowers into play.”

Want to smell like a “quivering” bouquet of flowers? You’re not alone: The sought-after bottles already have a two-week waiting list.

“Orders have come in from dozens of different countries, but most of our customers have come from the U.S,” said Illuminum spokesman Michael Donovan in a Daily Mail interview. “It’s charming to think that so many people abroad are interested in the wedding.”