Bride’s Blog

Many brides get so caught up in the excitement of getting married that they forget all about air pollution and the deterioration of the ozone layer. You might ask—what does the environment have to do with my wedding? Well, scientists are finding that the ozone layer is getting thinner and the environment is getting more and more unhealthy. Again, what does your wedding have to do with the environment?

There are several elements involved in planning a wedding that contribute to environmental pollution. One of these factors is wedding invitations. Traditional, professionally printed wedding invitations are embossed with ink, dyes, and other chemicals that are harmful to our surroundings. When these invitations are discarded, they pose a hazardous threat to our ecosystem.

Some scientists suggest that couples consider alternative approaches to sending wedding invitations. Some of these include: eco-friendly paper products, plantable stationary, recycled paper invitations, or email.

To find out some outrageous ways in which couples are taking a stand against environmental pollution, read more…

Are you an old-fashioned girl looking for a classic style for your wedding day?

With all of the modern trends sweeping the bridal industry, it’s difficult to preserve the classic looks of the past. Sometimes it is necessary to take a stroll down memory lane. At least that’s what In Style Weddings seems to think!

Maybe you are looking for a style like Mia Farrow who married Frank Sinatra in a four-minute ceremony in Las Vegas. Farrow wore a modish suit to help complement her extremely short pixie hairdo. If that look doesn’t work for you, then how about Lady Diana and Prince Charles’s royal celebration? Lady Diana’s princess style wedding gown had poofy sleeves and was accented with a tiara.

You may enjoy the style that Grace Kelly pulled off as she married Prince Rainier III back in 1956. Her gown was made of silk and her headpiece was adorned with pearl accents.

For more classic bridal styles, go here…

If you are engaged and looking to have some fun before your big day, you may be interested in participating in a battle of the brides contest. This competition challenges selected brides-to-be to sift through an enormous wedding cake in an effort to find a diamond ring. This game may be offered at local bridal shows, jewelry stores, and wedding planning venues.

Here’s how the game is played:

Five registered brides-to-be are selected to participate in the contest. The bride who finds the diamond ring is the lucky grand-prize winner. Wait, there’s more! The game is designed so that each contestant is a winner. The prizes vary by event. Some of the prizes in the past have included a diamond ring, honeymoon vacation, a bedroom suite and other prizes that brides are in need of.

To find a battle of the brides contest in your area, you can Google “battle of the brides contest” or check your local bridal expo listings.

Are you a modern bride who likes to keep your attendants and guests informed? Well, a popular trend for today’s bride and groom is to create a personal website dedicated to their wedding. Your wedding website can be used to announce all pertinent information about your special day. You can even share your own personal love story for the world to read! Attendants can visit your site to find out important dates and meetings, while your guests can browse your site to get information about your bridal registry, ceremony location, and travel accommodations. It’s a one-stop shop to put your bridal party and guests in the know about your pre-wedding events and the wedding day!

If you are a couple that likes to stay organized, you can use your website to accept RSVPs instantaneously! Many couples use their site to manage their guest list, gifts, and thank you notes. You can even post your dinner menu and allow your guests to choose their own entrée. Wedding planning just got easier!

If you are interested in setting up your personal wedding website you may visit the following sites to register…

Oprah strikes again with her favorite things…

If you are a bride looking for a special bridesmaids gift for your well-deserving girlfriends then look no further. On Tuesday’s Oprah Show, Oprah revealed some of her favorite things. Among her most preferred items was a canvas tote bag made by Lands End. Her lucky audience members had the privilege of taking home their very own tote bag filled with more of Oprah’s preferred items. This show in particular focused on the must haves for this summer. Sunglasses, music CDs, swimsuit cover-ups, and pop sickles are a few of the products Oprah gave away. Let’s not forget the flip-flops…Oprah says that every girl needs a pair of flip-flops for the summer.

The guests of the Oprah Winfrey Show were also surprised with a private performance by Robin Thicke and India Arie.

Want to personalize your bridesmaids tote bags? Check out this selection of personalized bridesmaids gifts…

Why Do Couples Get Married Twice?

Renewing wedding vows can be done moderately or elaborately. Couples who decide to moderately renew their wedding vows will generally renew their vows in private or among a small group of friends and family. A small ceremony may include minimal wedding attire and other ceremonial elements. On the other hand, couples that decide to take a more elaborate approach may plan a full-scale wedding. A larger ceremony may involve, formal wedding attire and inviting close friends and family to stand in as bridesmaids and groomsmen. In many cases, the children are the major contributors to the wedding party.

Couples may decide to renew their wedding vows after being married for quite some time for varying reasons. Some couples renew their vows for romantic purposes, while others use it as a means to signify that their relationship has been rekindled, and other couples decide to host the wedding that they otherwise never had. Either motivation is a passionate way for couples to strengthen their bond with one another.

If you are a second time bride and looking for bridesmaids gifts for your vow renewal ceremony, here are some great gift ideas…

Within the past two decades, we have seen divorce rates raise to astronomical levels. One alternative to help protect couples, should they file for divorce, is to sign a prenuptial agreement. An agreement such as this protects individuals from losing most, if not all, of their assets during a divorce settlement. While this topic may be a little dismal to discuss, it is a harsh reality for many couples and is growing more prevalent.

Prenuptial agreements are common in Hollywood Marriages; however, everyday couples are making it a practice to sign a prenup as well. Getting married is a lifelong commitment. If couples vow to stay together until death do them part, why should they make prearrangements in case of a divorce?

Many individuals take offense to the thought of signing and prenup. What would you do if your fiancée’ asked you to sign a prenup? Post your comments here

Congratulations! You are engaged to be married and rapidly planning your wedding day. Your plan after the wedding is to move in to your fiancée’s pre-furnished home. Unfortunately, many women find it to be a challenge to move into their hubby’s former bachelor pad. Generally speaking, there is a marked difference between the way a woman furnishes a home and the way a man furnishes one. In turn, discussing what stays and what goes makes for an interesting topic.

This is where registering for gifts plays an important role. While deciding where to register is easy, actually going to register poses more of a challenge. One room that typically lacks style, design, and utensils is the kitchen! If you are one of the many women that will face the challenge of making your future kitchen a functional one, then you may consider registering at Pampered Chef. The wedding registry offers everything that a couple needs to make cooking and entertaining, easy.

So, you’ve waited for that special moment, when the love of your life finally proposes to you. It came as no surprise, because the two of you have discussed marriage several times in the past. However, you were unaware of when the actual proposal would take place. Those casual visits to the jewelry store were really exciting! You were like a kid in a candy shop. Well, the moment finally came and he proposed…with his grandmother’s wedding ring. You shouted, “yes”, with no hesitation. He placed the ring on your finger and then it happened. You looked down at your left hand and realized that you really don’t like his grandmother’s engagement ring. What do you do when grandmother’s wedding ring doesn’t have enough “Bling-Bling”?

Feeling a little superficial you are reluctant to tell him that you are a little disappointed with the ring. You have one of two choices: to be honest with him or to hate the ring until it grows on you.

It’s best to tell your fiancée how you feel so that you won’t go into the marriage hiding your emotions. Think of it as the perfect opportunity to see how he handles a situation like this. He might inform you that his Grandmother’s ring is just a steppingstone to the ring that he is saving up to buy you!

Moral of this story: be honest with your mate…

Is rice throwing a dying wedding tradition?

Does anyone throw rice at weddings anymore?

Rice throwing is an old custom that was believed to bring fertility to the happy couple. It was once a common practice to shower the bride and groom with rice as they escaped from the church into their getaway car.

In recent times, some have found rice throwing to be dangerous for a couple of reasons. Rice is known to become slippery when wet. When the rice lingers on the sidewalk and street, it can cause pedestrians to slip if it’s rained on. Some have even speculated that rice is hazardous to birds’ health. Several scientists suggest that when birds consume too much rice, it can cause them to become ill and in some cases die. This is largely attributed to the fact that rice expands when it is wet and if large amounts expand in a bird’s stomach, it will cause the bird to get sick. However, this information is only theoretical.

Several alternatives are on the market to help prevent such hazards. Seeded wedding favors are not only safe for birds and pedestrians, but they are eco-friendly as well

For more information about seeded-wedding favors go here…

Do You Want Your Wedding On TV?

Can you imagine getting married on national television? Planning a wedding is enough to give anyone the jitters. Saying, “I do” in front of millions of people, sounds pretty exciting…or better yet…scary! Well, Jennifer and Jim had the pleasure of exchanging vows in front of a national audience on Live With Regis and Kelly. Several high-end companies pitched in to make this couple’s dream wedding come true. The lucky pair was chosen to participate in Live Wedding 2007, a special show dedicated to give deserving couples a chance to live their dream.

As they say, life is full of surprises. When Jennifer and Jim first got engaged, they probably never imagined that they would get married on Live With Regis and Kelly! Keep your fingers crossed, you may win the chance to get married on Live Wedding 2008.

View some of the photos from Jennifer and Jim’s wedding…

The best way to learn how to keep a marriage interesting is to consult the experts! You might ask what qualifies a person to be an expert on the subject of marriage. Well, it is safe to say that any couple that has survived marriage for over 40 years (and are still happy) is one whom you can call an expert! Sheri and Bob Stritof fits this profile and have spent the past 27 years giving advice and holding seminars for married couples. One of the hot topics that have been up for discussion is “romance”.

Stritof suggests that couples leave little love notes occasionally for the other. In a world driven by emails and text messages, this may take some getting used to. Some of the common places to leave these expressions of love are in the kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, car, home office, or in the garage. For a more detailed explanation on how and where to place your love notes, read on…

Wedding gift registries were not always in existence. In fact, they are a fairly new creation with respect to the 20th century. In the good old days, guests were given a list of gifts to choose from for the bride and groom. Instead, they used their own thought and liberty to buy a gift that they felt was appropriate for the couple. Many traditionalist, ignore those tiny announcements regarding bridal registries. After all, no one should be forced into buying something that they really don’t want to buy. On the other hand, a couple should not be subjected to keeping gifts that they don’t need or particularly care for. It really depends on how you look at it.

A popular new trend in the wedding gift industry is gift baskets. Many couples enjoy receiving tasteful baskets filled with many gifts. They come in several varieties—romantic, luxury, edible, and more. If you are tired of being confined to a gift registry then you might consider buying the happy couple a wedding gift basket. They are sure to love it!

Drama doesn’t only take place on the big screen in Hollywood! Apparently, some celebrities live a soap opera in their daily lives as well. Sandra Bullock has recently filed for a restraining order against a lethal fan…YES! LETHAL! Marcia Valentine was arrested for attempting to run over Bullock’s husband with her vehicle. This incident has definitely stirred up the Bullock-James household.

This time Bullock isn’t reading from a movie script. The restraining order that was ordered will prevent Marcia from coming within 500 yards of Sandra, her husband, and their three children.

Talk about a diehard fan! This is no way for Sandra and Jesse to celebrate their upcoming wedding anniversary on July 16. Too bad this incident wasn’t just a rehearsal for an upcoming film. Unfortunately, this is a real life situation that sounds like it belongs in cinema. Hopefully, this issue will be resolved soon, so that Bullock and her family can get back to their normal lives aga

Although it may be difficult to admit, groomsmen do not get all of the credit that they deserve. Often times, they live behind the shadows of the bridesmaids. Part of the reason why groomsmen are not notable is because they are secondary to the groom, who is in turn, secondary to the bride. The truth of the matter is that the groomsmen are responsible for a lot of the behind the scenes work. Although they rarely get involved with planning the actual wedding, their duties are still significant. Let’s take a look at a few of the groomsman’s responsibilities…

· Get fitted for tux
· Attend all pre-wedding events
· Assist with Bachelor Party
· Help set up chairs and tables for the reception
· Decorate getaway car
· Usher guests to their seats before the ceremony begins
· Transport the wedding gifts to bride and groom’s house (or to their parent’s house) after the reception
· Make a toast to the bride and groom (best man)
· Pose for wedding pictures

Groomsmen deserve to receive recognition for their time, support, and financial sacrifice. While a bride puts a lot of thought into purchasing her bridesmaids gifts, it is just as important for the groom to buy quality groomsmen gifts as well.

It is amazing just how easy the men have it when it comes to purchasing their wedding attire. Let’s do a comparison…

On average, the bride spends anywhere from $600 to $1500 for her attire. The groom averages about $200 for his tuxedo and accessories. While the average cost for bridesmaid’s attire is nearly $300 per person, the average for groomsmen attire is about half of that. Some may argue that men suffer less wedding expenses because they are renting their attire—which means they won’t ever wear their tuxedos again. On the contrary, do the bride and bridesmaids wear their wedding attire again either?

To top it all off, some tuxedo stores have special offers which make the costs of tuxedos even cheaper…possibly free of charge! Have you ever heard of a bride or bridesmaid getting her wedding attire for free? Not in this lifetime, that’s for sure.

If you would like a chance to win one or more tuxedos for free, enter this sweepstakes