Chely Wright’s Wedding, Taylor Swift’s Beach Pictures + More – This Week’s Hottest News

This week, we put together 10 essential songs every country music fan must have on their iPod before throwing a party. There were a few obvious choices like Garth Brooks' 'Friends in Low Places,' but Brad Paisley's 'Alcohol' finished surprisingly high on the list. Neither one was the best party song of all time, however.

Taylor Swift found a few days between tour stops this month to let loose with the ladies in her band in Charleston, S.C. They soaked in some sun at the beach, dined at a local restaurant and went for a day-long boat ride. The singer was gracious enough to let fans in on the fun by posting a few dozen artistic photos on her website.

LeAnn Rimes hasn't let criticism stop her from sporting her rockin' bikini bod at the beach. This week, she was spotted with a new tattoo on her right hip. Most Taste of Country commenters thought she looked healthy, but more than a few felt she needed a tan.

Pistol Annies were the top selling album on iTunes earlier this week, so it was no surprise that readers were dying to see what our review team thought of Miranda Lambert's side project. A chance to win an autographed guitar if you sign up before August 31 certainly didn't hurt, either.

One of the greatest mysteries in country music has been cracked. Why does Zac Brown insist on wearing a knit beanie, even during August in Georgia? Brown's explanation to a Detroit radio station made a surprising amount of sense, although it's doubtful he'll begin a beanie craze across America.

While they insist they're just friends, neither Scotty McCreery or Lauren Alaina are afraid to stir up an argument about how close their friendship is. McCreery joked that he'd be marrying Alaina in 11 years, and this came as quite a surprise to the 15-year-old 'American Idol' runner-up.

Swift is quite the real estate swapper. Earlier this year, she sold a Nashville home for $1.5 million, and now she's bought one for almost twice as much. Hooking her family up with a home is a sweet gesture. They picked up their lives and moved to Nashville on little more than faith and their daughter's confidence. A complete photo gallery of the new place was enough to make some readers a little more than jealous.

Sometimes we forget Billy Ray Cyrus has other children beyond Miley. It's his son Trace who's expecting a baby with Disney actress Brenda Song. It's been a pretty big week for Cyrus. He celebrated his 50th birthday and the Taste of Country review of his new song 'Nineteen' didn't miss the Top 10 by much.

When a woman gets married, everyone wants to see the dress. So it only stands to reason that a wedding with two brides would be twice as popular. Chely Wright shared a few pictures from her special day, including a snapshot that seems to be taken just before they said "I do."

Chely Wright's wedding to Lauren Blitzer was a hot story all week long. The event caused quite a bit of arguing amongst Taste of County readers, but whatever one believes, it's difficult to deny that they sure look happy.