Flowers Speak the Language of Love

Flowers are to a wedding what love is to
marriage. You can't have one without the
other. Flowers speak the language of love.
Men give flowers to the one they love.
Flowers have long held an unspoken significance
and meaning. Not only does the flower speak,
but the color has meaning as well. Here are some
flowers speaking the language of love. Incorporate
some of the language of flowers into your wedding
bouquet!

Some meanings of flowers:

Anemone - Unfading love, truth, sincerity and anticipation
Apple blossom - good fortune
Arbutus - Thee only do I love
Aster - Love and daintiness
Baby's Breath - Everlasting love and happiness
Bells Of Ireland - Good luck
Calendula - Joy
Calla Lily - Magnificent beauty
Camellia - Admiration, loveniess and perfection,
its a good luck gift to a man
Camellia (Red) - You're a flame in my heart
Camellia (White) - My groom is adorable
Camellia (Pink) - Longing for you
Carnation- Bonds of affection, health and energy,
you fascinate me
Carnation (white) -Sweet and lovely, innocence and pure
love, its a woman's good luck gift
Chysanthemum (red) - I love you
Daisy - Innocence, my loyal love, purity, cheer
Fern Maidenhair- My secret bond of love
Gardenia - Lovliness, secret love, refinement and joy
Gladiolus and Gloxinia both mean love at first sight
Heather (pink) - Good luck
Heather (white) - Our wishes will come true, symbol of
good luck
Ivy - Fidelity, affection, friendship, a marriage
Jonquil - Love me, affection returned, you I desire
Jasmine- Wealth, grace and elegance
Lily (white) - Virginity and purity, heavenly to be with you
Lily of the valley - sweetness and happiness
Magnolia - Sweetness and beauty, nobility and dignity
Marjoram (sweet) - Joy and happiness, blushes of joy
Orange Blossom - Purity and eternal love your purity
equals your loveliness
Orchid - Love, beauty and refinement
Primrose - I can't live without you
Rose (red) - Love, I love you
Rose (white) - Eternal Love, innocence, you are heavenly
Rose (pink) - Perfect happiness, please believe in me
Rose (red and white) - Together in unity
Rose (thornless) - Love at first sight
Rose (single, in full bloom) - I love you, I still love you
Rose bud - Beauty and youth, an innocent heart
Rosemary - Remembrance, commitment and fidelity
Sage - Wisdom; long life; domestic virtue
Stephanotis - Happiness in marriage
Sweet Basil - Good luck
Tulip(general) - Fame, charity, declaration of love
Tulip(red) - Believe in me, a declaration of love
Tulip(variegated) - Beautiful eyes
Tulip(yellow) - Hopeless love
Veronica - Fidelity
Violet - Modesty and faithfulness
Violet (blue) - Faithfulness I'll always be true
Violet (white) - Let's take a chance on happiness
Zinnia (magenta) - Lasting affection

Find Your Perfect Honeymoon Beach!

Attention all you beach people. You know who you
are. I'm a beach person. My ideal day is to sit on a beach,
smell the salt water and watch the waves crash against the
sparkling sand. There are amazing beaches in our world, the
challenge is finding one that suits your beach style.
Especially on your honeymoon, the right beach and hotel
make all the difference between magical memories and
a total disaster.

Yes, beaches have personality. Some have soft white sand,
some have black volcanic sand. Some have wildly crashing waves,
other beaches are smooth like glass. Some are rocky, some
are full of shells, others are like walking on sugar.

Orbitz has come out with the coolest beach finder.
Plug in some easy decisions like adults only beaches,
honeymoon, passport or no passport, your interests and
what you want in a hotel and viola! Here come your choices.
You'll get sound effects of waves and graphics of
waves crashing on the sands. Orbitz's beach finder is like
playing a beach game, its actually fun and you get as
many do overs as you want. This tool is just perfect for
planning your honeymoon.

My best beaches were in Aruba, Puerto Rico, Punta Cana
and Curaco. I wouldn't have thought of most of those,
I've been in love with St. Maarten and St. Thomas' beaches.
Can these beaches possibly top my favorites? Guess I'll
have to find out.

I love Orbitz. I've always gotten great service, I can
compare prices and Orbitz keep you in the loop with your
airline reservations. They'll call your cell phone and
let you know if your flight is departing on time and from what
gate you are departing. Since I travel a lot, its a
lifesaver. Rather than at the airport for hours waiting
on a delayed flight, I know in advance my flight is delayed.
On my last flight, I used my air miles. I was angry at myself
for not booking with Orbitz. My flight was delayed for 6 hours
because of a cracked windshield on the plane. Orbitz would
have alerted me and I could have arranged a different flight
home. Instead, I spent all day standing in line at the airport
in uncomfortable (but oh, so stylish) shoes trying to get a
flight home. I learned my lesson.

Give it a test drive. You may just end up with the perfect
beach for your perfect honeymoon!

Use the *NEW* Orbitz Beach Finder to find YOUR Ideal Beach!


HOT DEALS on Jamaica All-Inclusive Vacations at Orbitz.com!

Orbitz.com Romantic Trips for Two!

More Wedding Day Beauty Tips

Cindy, our skin guru, has given us more skin
tips to make your skin picture perfect on your
wedding day.

Weddingzilla: What is the one thing we can do for our skin
to make our skin look flawless?

Cindy: I can't say ONE thing, its a series of things
you need to do to. Get into a skin care regimen to
keep your skin clean and refine your pores. Moisturize
your skin, even if your skin is oily. There are moisturizers
make for oily skin. And sunscreen. Use sunscreen or a
base with a high SPF. The sun damages your skin, ages
your skin and will make your skin have pigmentation that
is not even. If you want to look tan, use a facial tanner.

Weddingzilla: What about fake and bake tans?

Cindy: I don't personally like tanning bed tans. The
color doesn't look as natural as a real sun tan. And when
you fake bake your face, it gives you lines around the eyes
and raccoon eyes from the goggles. I would suggest a
spray tan done a few days in advance. Airbrush tanning
looks more natural and is easier on your skin.

Weddingzilla: If we want to spray tan, what should we
do for makeup?

Cindy: Make sure your makeup matches your new skin color.
That's why we suggest you use a makeup artist on your
wedding day.

Weddingzilla: What if we get a breakout on our wedding day?
I have breakouts when I get nervous.

Cindy: We try and treat the breakout the minute it happens.
Don't mess with the blemish because it will make it worse.
DO NOT squeeze it or try and break it. You can end up with a
huge bloody red spot.

Don't use a strong acne cream because it could cause your skin
to dry and flake around the blemish.

Put a hot compress on the blemish and follow it with dabbing on
rubbing alcohol to try and dry up the blemish.

You can also try some homemade remedies that some of
my clients swear that work"

Use a warm tea bag. Wet the tea bag and apply it to
the spot.

Dot the spot with toothpaste the night before and allow it
to dry overnight.

Take the egg yoke and dab it on your face.

Make a mask of egg and milk and allow it to dry on your
face.

Dab Visine on a cotton ball and treat the blemish.

And last of all, we'll cover the blemish with a concealer
before we apply makeup.

Wedding Day Beauty Starts With Great Skin

Cindy, our favorite skin guru who is also a
wedding makeup artist is sharing her expertise
on how to look fab-u-lous on your wedding day!



Weddingzilla: What is the number one thing that
brides can do to look beautiful on their wedding
day?

Cindy: Every bride needs to start a skin care
regimen in advance of the wedding. Great glowing
skin is THE number one beauty accessory. Great skin
is the palette that makeup artists use to do their magic.
We only have to enhance your features for the
photographs.

You have to cleanse your skin with a soft gentle
makeup remover morning and night. You need
to tone your skin with a skin toner to tighten your
pores and give your skin an even tone. You need to
moisturize your skin and moisturize under your eye
area to keep your skin supple and soft. Every few
days you need to use an exfoilant to clear away
dead skin and stimulate the skin. Once a week
you need to do a skin mask or masque. Masking the
skin makes a HUGE difference in the appearance of
smooth and healthy skin.

My customers like
philosophy

Dermalogica

Dr.Hauschka Skin Care Cleansing Clay Mask

and JOEY New York for lip plumpers and
fixes for eye bags that give instant results.

You can use witch hazel as an astringent toner. Use it
sparingly on your face with a cotton ball. It will tighten
the pores. You can buy witch hazel at your pharmacy.

If you really want to treat yourself before the wedding,
schedule a facial at a day spa several days before the
wedding. There is something about the hot steam treatments
and the hot towels that just do wonders for the skin.

Weddingzilla: What happens if you have a breakout
before the wedding?

Cindy: There are products that will zap the zit.
Peter Thomas Roth Acne Treatment Kit
gets raves from my clients. You have to use it in advance to
clear the skin and prevent breakouts.

There is a handy dandy device that will help with
blackheads and whiteheads Tweezerman Skin Care Tool

Heres my secret acne treatment, drink green tea! It helps
prevent acne breakouts. You can also dot the spot with a
cotton ball dipped in rubbing alcohol. Just be careful to use
the alcohol sparingly or it could irritate your skin instead of
drying the spot. DO NOT pick the spot, it could get infected.
Put a clean hot compress on the spot and then the alcohol.


Weddingzilla: What do you recommend for skin discolorations?

Cindy: There is a product called Meladerm that lightens
skin spots. It is especially helpful for Afro American skin.
Meladerm Skin Lightener - Natural skin lightening products
for fading age spots, sun damage, skin discolorations and
hyperpigmentation. The company will even let you try it
risk free for 30 days! It contains no hydroquinine and its
gentle on the skin. I've had great results with my clients.


Weddingzilla: How do you get long eyelashes without
having eyelash extensions?

Cindy: I use a product called LiLash. It is an eyelash
stimulator cosmeceutical product that is non irritating.
You apply it like eyeliner and start to see results in
2 weeks. The company is great, they guarantee you'll
get results.

Weddingzilla: Do lip plumpers work? I tried one
brand used by Hollywood celebs and I didn't get
the Hollywood results.

Cindy: Some do work and some only work as a lip gloss.
You won't get the same results as collagen, but the
results won't look as phony as collagen, either.
One that we've had success with is
DuWop Lip Venom 2nd Sin Lip Gloss
You'll get some tingling and stinging,
it is supposed to increase circulation to your lips which
will plump the lips.

Stay tuned for part two with Cindy: Wedding makeup

FREE Lancome lip color with any purchase over $25 USD at StrawberryNET (new customers only, while supplies last).

Plus Size Bride, the Dress Shopping Dilema

Brides with curves are beautiful and deserve
to look ravishing on their wedding day. But
shopping for a dress that looks fabulous on a
full figured bride is tough.
Why are all the dresses on the racks small?
How am I supposed to know what I will look
like in the dress?

It's hard searching for a plus size wedding
dress in the sea of anorexic sized sample
dresses hanging on the racks in bridal salons.
Blame the dress manufactures and NOT the bridal
salon. The dress manufacturers cut samples sizes
for the racks in sizes 8 to 12, bridal size.

When a bridal salon orders larger sizes for their
racks, the sample takes us 16 to 20 weeks to receive
at the bridal salon. Its the same amount of time
if you were to special order it. They don't cut
anything extra for us to hang on our racks. When
a bride comes in, the sample fits, she wants it now.


Bridal size is smaller than everyday clothing size.
Why? Who knows. One reason is that the dresses
are cut close to the body and there is no wiggle room
as in our everyday clothing. Bridal shops have been
battling for sizing changes for years. The wedding gowns
are manufactured in Asia where the women are teeny.

Some wedding dress manufacturers simply upsize a regular
wedding dress and the cut isn't right when you
get the dress. The armholes are too large or too small
or the bustline is on the collar bone. Plus sized
dresses have a different cut to allow for the curves.
Look for dresses cut specifically for your size.
You'll have leaner look, a better fit and less
alterations.

I came across a web site that caters to plus
sized brides on their wedding day:
PlusSizeBridal.com
Their prices are good, the styles are flattering.
Here is another site: Plus Size Wedding Dresses


Other manufacturers who cater to the plus sized bride
with great looking dresses and styles are Alfred Angelo,
Bonny Bridals, Casablanca,


Bonny Bridals Unforgettable collection have
dresses that will hide a regular bra! Woo Hoo! How cool
is that? No searching for a miserable strapless bra.
Their halter neckline dresses are cut high
enough in the front that there is no "fallout".
Their styles are flattering and there are a few good
looking styles with hard to find sleeves.

Alfred Angelo cuts plus sizes in womens sizing of 16W
to 28W which is a more generous cut than regular
straight sizes.

Casablanca Bridal will cut your dress to your exact
measurements for an additional charge, but the dress
will fit!! You'll save on alteration, another plus is
that you'll have the same high fashion styles.

Grooming the Groom For the Big Wedding Day

HOT!!!

As women, we spend all our wedding planning time
planning how WE and our female wedding party will look
on the wedding day. We don't think about our men
other than putting them in a tux. A tuxedo can take the
average looking man into the hunk category in less than
60 seconds. But sometimes they need just a bit more
help to really make them rock. Its HIS wedding, too!

Your man needs to be well groomed and looking hot on
his wedding day. Getting a facial or a manicure is not an
easy idea for a man to grasp. Unless you are marrying a
metrosexual, the average man is going to balk at your
suggestions that he hit the salon. He'll be afraid his
friends will rag on him.

Schedule a spa appointment for both of you before the
wedding as a special couples time.
Get your Spa Wish! A couples massage is not only relaxing,
but a chance for you to share in quiet time together and escape
from the wedding stresses. Then do a couples facial followed
by a manicure and pedicure. A mans mani~ pedi is soaking,
foot massage, buffing the nails, trimming jagged cuticles
and removing calluses. Getting the feet into beach shape,
making the finger nails look good for the pictures of the
ring at the wedding. And he's going to want to show off
his ring, too. ;)



And please, please, no three days growth of stubble on
the wedding day. That is a fad that's going to pass and
your wedding pictures are for-evah. My photographer
connection confided that its hard to get a clear photo
of a man with stubble. The stubble just magnifies any
skin imperfections. That's a tip from a pro!

And for the biggest wedding beauty tip of all,
put a big smile on your faces. It costs nothing!

The Quest For THE Wedding Dress is Universal, Why Wear White?

I came across an interesting post from the New York magazine.
The Lesbian Brides Handbook by Ariel Levy details her quest
for THE dress. Not wanting to wear white, she found her
dream dress and it was a stunning blue gown with hand painted
flowers.

The struggle to find the dress is universal, shared by all brides.

Not all brides WANT to wear white. Some gals look scary ghostly
in white. Sometimes even creamy white or ivory will give your
complexion yellow tones. White isn't for everyone. It wasn't
for me.

Soft pinks are wonderful for the complexion and giving you
the blushing bride glow in pictures. Soft blues are traditional.
Gold looks great with a tan. Silvers and platinums are harder
to wear but look great on an icy blonde.

Many of today's wedding dresses are incorporating color into
the gown. Some are solid color and bling. I've yet to have a
midwest bride bold enough to purchase an all red dress, but
I see it coming. Once a trend is fully entrenched, the local
fashionistas will be all over it.

I attended a wedding in Las Vegas where the bride was in the
most stunning red gown and I was dazzled. I would wear red.
Hell, I'd wear black. Anything to make me look skinnier or to
flatter my complexion.
But I'm already married and I wore a dark champagne
dress when it was considered scandalous. Eyebrows were raised,
I didn't care, it was THE dress. It was me. Still is. I'm not one to
wear white. It makes me look washed out and I'm too much of
a slob to keep the dress pristine. Put me in an all white room free
of dust, dirt and anything but air and I'll find a way to get a spot of
dirt on it.

Who says the dress HAS to be white? And since white no longer
conveys any significance of virginity, why not express the
real you and wear color? Expand your horizons. Be real.
Be yourself. You don't want to look like every other bride
getting married. You don't want a supermarket everyone's bought
it wedding dress, find something unique and go for it.
Veils can be matched to color.
Tiaras can be matched to color.
Maids can be matched to color.

Afraid of all color? Accent with color on your dress. A sash,
a bow, a band of color across the bustline, colored embroidery,
a colored tiara, go for it!

Here are my picks for some unique colored wedding dresses.

Wedding Humor: The Delusional Bride

I found this spoof of weddings hysterical.
It came from the website Somethingawful.com

We've all known a delusional bride, the
gal who was born to plan her wedding.
She hasn't given a thought to the marriage,
rarely mentions the groom or his ideas,
but she can do two hours on her cake or
nail polish choices for the big day.
She lives, eats and breathes her wedding.
She'll bore you will details and she'll be
upset if you don't share her enthusiasm.
Hey, its not YOUR wedding, do you really care?

It will be over eventually, reality will set in
and Bridezilla will become Wifezilla. In the
meantime, its OK to have a giggle.

Plastic Surgery For Your Wedding?

Would you get plastic surgery for your
wedding? The latest buzz is that brides
ARE meeting with plastic surgeons to be
perfect for their wedding day. The television news
had a sweeps segment on brides who are doing
surgery because they can.

Would you? Are brides buying into Hollywood's
skewed view of perfection and beauty?

The brides on camera chose breast augmentation as
the number one surgery. They also spoke
about rhinoplasty, botox and one even spoke about
having a Brazilian butt lift. One said she chose
liposuction so she "felt better" in her dress. Another
had a tummy tuck so she'd look good in her bikini.

People, these are real surgeries involving real doctors,
real pain and real time to recover. It also involves
real surgical risks. Remember Kanye West's mom?

I have no problems with dieting and cosmetic dentistry.
There's a big difference between teeth whitening and
a tummy tuck.

Instead of a tummy tuck or liposuction...how about
dieting and exercise? If the dress doesn't feel right,
have it let out. Instead of a bikini, wear a one piece
bathing suit.

Instead of breast augmentation, have your seamstress
sew in bra gel cups. They support, look natural and add
at least one cup size. There are ways to look busty in
a dress and its not a secret. Find a dress that enhances
your bust line. They are out there, your bridal consultant
can help you. Look for draping or rousching across the
bustline, accent your waist to draw the eye into an hourglass
figure. Its not rocket science.

Instead of visiting a plastic surgeon, visit a dermatologist.
Have a facial and a pedicure and get on a skin care
regimen. Drink lots of water so your skin looks fresh.
Get enough sleep so you don't look exhausted. Take
vitamins and take care of yourself.

Hire a make up artist to enhance your best features and
hide your flaws for the big day. Go to your hairstylist
in advance and practice hairdos, color and cuts. Nix the
gawdawful hair extensions because they look fake
in wedding photos.

Instead of baking yourself in a tanning booth, try a spray
on tan. If they can do it on 'Dancing With the Stars', you
can too. It will keep your skin from looking leathery and
aged. I've seen raccoon eyes from tanning booth
goggles and it looks strange in person and in the photos.
It also shows up wrinkles big time. Try Jergens Natural
Face Glow on your face for a naturally tanned look. The
best part? No wrinkles, just smooth skin and a soft color.

If you have back fat over the top of your strapless dress,
you don't need lipo. Your dress is too tight.

If your dress bunches at the waistline, you don't need lipo.
Your dress is too tight.

If you can't sit in your dress, you don't need lipo. Your dress
is too tight. Have your seamstress let out the dress, buy a pair
of Spanx and relax.

Use your head before you go under the knife.

But I really want to know: Would you have plastic
surgery for your wedding? And why? Or do you think
this is shallow? Please comment.

Wedding Q's & A's: How Can We Ask For Money Instead of Gifts?

Alia asks: How can we ask for money instead of gifts
at our wedding?

There is no polite way to ask for money instead of
a gift. It's tacky. A gift is a gift, accept it as
such. There are people uncomfortable giving cash as
a wedding present, as there are people who would
rather give you cash instead of a gift. You'll get both.
Expect neither and be pleasantly surprised at
whatever you receive. That's part of the fun!

If you already have a household set up,
there are still things you can use or won't buy for
yourself. A barbeque grill, power tools, books,
gift cards, yard tools, lawn chairs: think outside of the
box when you register. That's why you register, to let
your guests know what you want, need and can use.

I am not a proponent of asking your family to
spread the word you want cash. It's tacky
to ask for and to expect money.

If you get something you really dislike or
duplicate gifts, return it and get something
you can use.

David's Bridal, Truths, Facts And What You Should Know Before You Buy

David's Bridal is a chain of 280 plus wedding shops.
In all good conscience, I can't call it a bridal salon.
It is a supermarket of dresses. They stock the same or
similar styles in dresses in many colors and sizes giving
the appearance of having a huge selection. Truth: You
have more choices and more options in a privately owned
full service bridal salon. Fact: David's provides immediate
gratification.

David's Bridal was known as David's Bridal Warehouse until
it changed its name to just David's Bridal. They sold overstock
and sample dresses. They branched into internet retailing
and were recently divested by Federated Department Stores.

Fact: David's Bridal manufacturers its own dresses. You can't find
their dresses anywhere else. Michaelangelo is their brand name.

Fact: Oleg Cassini is not designing dresses for David's.
He passed away at age 92 in 2006 after licensing his name
to David's. His period of fame was in the 1960's when he
designed for the first lady Jacquelin Kennedy. Cassini was
one of the first designers to license his name.

Monique Luo whose designs are sold at David's is NOT
Monique Lhuillier. Monique Lhuillier designs for celebrities
and makes exclusive couture gowns. There is a lot of name
confusion.

Truth: Monique Luo used to own her own bridal
manufacturing company and sold her designs to privately
owned bridal shops. She designed couture style dresses
and I carried them in my store until she closed her company
abruptly. None of us had any warning that the line was closing.
Even her sales reps were shocked at the news as we had just
previewed her line at the bridal market.
Shortly after, her partership with David's came about. Some
of the Monique Luo fashions that were available at David's
were the same styles we used to carry several years ago and
were done in lower quality of fabric at a higher price.
Rumor: David's wanted her factory.
Truth: Very few of her designs are now available at David's.
Another truth: The sales of Monique Luo's dresses was
sliding in privately owned bridal salons.

Truth: Galina Bridal was a leader in bridal fashions in the
80's & 90's. They were based in the USA and manufactured
simple and elegant bridal dresses. Galina folded up its operation
when bridal manufacturing moved to the China. Galina's
designs were too simple during the overly beaded, overly
embroidered, overly saturated import gowns hitting the market
and they just couldn't compete. David's bought the name,
the current Galina branded gowns don't resemble the classic
styling and couture touches of the original Galina line.
Fact: If Mom wore a Galina gown
at her wedding, this isn't even close.

Truth: David's Bridal sales consultants are paid on a commission
basis. If you don't buy, they don't get paid.

Truth: David's Bridal sales consultants are very well
trained to sell. Key word: SELL. They are not as knowlegable
about bridal fashions, fit, options, fabrics, silhouettes as the
consultants in privately owned bridal salons. I've seen the
sales manual (I refuse to reveal my sources). The sales manual
is slick and powerful. They follow a script, including a script for
overcoming objections. If you walk into David's, they aren't doing
their job unless they sell you the dress and all the accessories.
Their job is on the line, they HAVE to sell.

Fact: David's bridal doesn't do special measurements, hollow to
hem (which is length), or special add ons. If a dress has lace at
the hemline of the dress, that lace will have to be removed or
the dress will have to be taken up at the waistline. These
alterations should be done only by an experienced bridal seamstress
and its going to cost you. In an privately owned bridal salon, you
can order your dress at the finished length, which insures that the
factory is making your dress just for you and you won't need
additional hem alterations that could included rebeading charges
and other expensive alterations.

Fact: Bridal manufacturers servicing a full service bridal salon will
add or subtract sleeves, straps, change the fabric, change the
beading, make the dress temple ready, lower or raise the neckline
or back bodice, cut off the train or elongate the train, add details
to make the dress uniquely your own.

Truth: Since David's dresses are cut according to one chart
and length, and no options are available, expect to pay higher
alteration charges.

Fact: The quality of David's dresses is NOT the same as you'll
find for the same price of dress in a privately owned bridal salon.
There's a huge difference in quality, fit, fabrics and service.

Fact: David's dresses are repetitive in all areas of the country.
Don't be surprised to see "your" dress at another wedding.

Fact: David's Bridal is owned by the same company
that owns Priscilla of Boston, US Angels
flower girl dresses and is putting out an upscale pricey line called
the Vineyard collection. Truth: The sale of upscale pricey dresses
is slow in the troubled economy.

Trashing The Wedding Dress Ceremony

Photo by Brooke Mayo Photography

I stumbled upon a post from Elite
Bridal Concierge regarding trashing the wedding
dress in a photo session after the wedding. It made
me curious. Great blog, by the way, recommend you
check it out!

Can I begin to tell you the horror I felt as I scoped
the net to get more info on this new trend? Hey,
I sell the dresses. We coddle the dresses. A dress
is precious to me. We treat the dress with respect.
We hand press it so it is as close to perfect as it
can be so when she slips it on, its magical.
We even place it in the car for the bride. I've treated
these dresses better than my husband...so when I see
a picture of a bride cutting her dress with scissors
or laying in the water, it freaks me out.

OMG, Could this be the same Bridezilla, I mean bride,
who exploded over a missing bead? The one who checked
the dress out with a magnifying glass before the wedding
is the one laying in the water in that same dress AFTER
the wedding? How could she trash the dress?

So now I know its for artistic and creative photos
after the wedding. I get it. I've checked out Trash
the Dress and love the art of the photos.

Here's my bride Corey who did the entire trash
the dress thing. Corey is one of the most fun and
really cool people I've met. She was NOT a Bridezilla.
She jumped into a swimming pool in her gown and
the next day went para sailing over the ocean in her
gown and ended up in the ocean. The dress survived!
Yes!!! To see the pics of Corey go to Brooke
Mayo Photography. Love her work!

Wedding Etiquette Q's and A's

Brenda writes: "Do I have to have favors
at my wedding?"

No. If you need to cut costs, you can do it
with the favors. You can buy inexpensive
favors at Wedding Favors & Bridal Gifts or at
MyWeddingFavors.com

With a bit of time and creativity, you can
make your own.

Allie writes: "Is it tacky to have guests RSVP
by telephone so I won't have to pay for response
cards and stamps?"

Yes

Kami writes "Do I have to feed the photographer and DJ at the reception?"

Yes, since they will be working for you,
and spending a lot of time on their feet,
they should have some food and beverage to keep
them on their A-game. Talk to your caterer or
hall about a reduced price meal for them. You don't
have to serve them the same meal as your guests,
but they will appreciate some nourishment during a long day.