CAPE CANAVERAL — A wedding party was literally walking on air Saturday at the first marriage ceremony ever performed in zero gravity.

According to Florida Today, Brooklyn residents Noah Fulmor and Erin Finnegan were married aboard Zero Gravity Corp.’s modified Boeing 727-200 aircraft, which is usually used to train astronauts.

The groom said it was a beautiful site when the floating was under control, but he needed a little help when he started twisting.

Finnegan, 30, who works in animation, and Fulmor, 31, a legal secretary, had talked about wanting to get married in space, but came up with a workable solution with the Zero G ride.

The ceremony lasted 8 minutes — spread out over 15 climb-and-dive combinations of 30 seconds each.

Even their wedding bands were made of meteorite material.

After they were hitched, the couple had a reception at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex — gravity included.

The new couple planned to spend the wedding night at a Walt Disney World hotel.

As for the honeymoon — they said they’re hoping for Antarctica.

Source: http://www.cfnews13.com/News/Local/2009/6/22/
newlyweds_walking_on_air_at_first_weightless_wedding.html

Number of Guests – Knowing how many guests you expect to come to your wedding will help guide you when brainstorming for wedding locations. In general, two-thirds of the guests you invite will attend — even less if it is a destination wedding. A large group of guests will require more parking, bathrooms, rentals, and space. A smaller, intimate affair can take place in any number of venues, and in reality, has a much smaller impact on the environment. For the low-maintenance types, eloping with just your sweetie and a witness to the local courthouse is your cheapest and greenest option.

Travel – Ideally you want your wedding to be easy for all of your guests to arrive with minimal travel. If your family and friends all live nearby, the greenest thing you can do is have it in your home town. If everyone is scattered across the country, consider picking a central location, or a spot where a majority of your guests live. Unless you elope, at least some of your guests will likely have to travel to get to the wedding, and since travel is the biggest environmental impact, consider buying carbon offsets to reduce the carbon footprint of your guests travel. Terra Pass and Native Energy both offer carbon offsets for special events — Terra Pass’ can even specifically tailored to weddings. Also suggest that guests rent fuel-efficient vehicles like the Prius — they can check major rental companies like Avis, Enterprise and Hertz.

Ceremony & Reception Venues – Once you have an idea of how many guests will attend and in what city it will take place, you can scout out venues. Naturally green wedding spots are ones that require little fuss or decoration. Some naturally eco options include city parks, gardens, beaches, backyards, organic farms, local CSAs, national and state parks. While relatively fuss and decoration free, these outdoor locations may require renting chairs, tables, and tents, dealing with travel logistics, or even getting permits. Churches are also eco, requiring little decoration and no rentals. Many churches these days also have recycling programs and buy renewable energy.

There are many other types of venues that hold weddings regularly like hotels, restaurants, museums, historical buildings and resorts. These can be great options, since they usually have all of the chairs, tables, rentals, wait staff, catering, etc., but not all practice environmental-friendliness, so do your research and ask questions! Find out whether or not they recycle, buy organic or local food, clean with safe cleaning products, or buy renewable energy. Without these eco practices in place, your venue may not be green at all.

Reception – Keeping the reception within walking distance of the ceremony minimizes your guests traveling between the two. Also morning and afternoon weddings are becoming increasingly popular again — an option that requires less electricity and thus, reducing your environmental impact. Help support your local economy by hiring local companies for rentals, catering, cakes and entertainment. Avoid buying new things or disposable items at the reception and rely on rental companies to supply all of your linens and place settings.

Destination Weddings – Destination weddings are really fun and a good chance for a vacation, but require more time and money for your guests. Be considerate of the travel required to get to your destination and the costs associated. Look for eco-resorts and destinations that use environmentally-friendly practices just like you would with a local venue.

BRIDGETTE’S STORY

With our family and friends scattered around the country and Matt and me in Park City, UT, there was no easy solution our wedding’s location – almost everyone would have to travel. When thinking about locations we factored in travel times, airfare costs, activities during the weekend, car rentals, hotel accommodations and the overall feel of the wedding. We knew we wanted an outdoor wedding, because Matt and I spend so much of our time outdoors. We also wanted it to be special to us as well as a memorable location for all of our loved ones.

In light of that, we decided to have the wedding at one of our most favorite spots in the world – Zion National Park in Southern Utah. We love the serenity, the red rock canyon walls, the Virgin River cutting through it all. The park and lively neighboring town, Springdale, would be able to provide a myriad of activities for our guests to take advantage of — and the area already had a free public shuttle, so no one would need to drive once they arrived. Additionally, most of our family and friends had never been to the park and hoped to extend their stay to enjoy all that the park offered.

We searched Springdale and the National Park for the ceremony site, looking for a place that could accommodate 100 people, had amazing views and fit our budget. For the ceremony, we settled on a little hotel in town, called the Canyon Ranch Motel, which has a beautiful lawn with old growth trees. Our guests collectively booked the entire motel, which meant we could avoid disturbing others and have the whole place to ourselves. The reception was at the Springdale’s Community Center, which had an indoor and outdoor area and was just a short walk along a dirt path from the ceremony. We rented chairs and place settings from Zion Party Rentals, which is a local rental company.

When the big day arrived, we found that our guests enjoyed the National Park, took the shuttle everywhere, relaxed by the pool, took hikes and spent a lot of time outdoors. Because our guests made our wedding into their own vacation, we had more opportunity to spend with them while sharing a place that was very special to us.

JILL’S STORY

My hubby and I live in New York City, but most of our family is in the San Francisco Bay Area, so getting hitched in San Francisco was a no-brainer. We knew that some people would have to travel for our wedding, but since airplane travel has a huge carbon footprint, we wanted to minimize the number of people who had to fly out for the wedding and make it easiest for our immediate family to attend. Locating our wedding in San Francisco, and then having a follow up reception a month later in NYC gave our New York friends the option to skip out on flying out to California, while still allowing them to celebrate with us in a more convenient local.

Once we settled on San Francisco, we wanted to choose a place that was meaningful to us, as well as easy-to-get-to, and would allow the ceremony and reception to all be held in one place, minimizing any sort of carbon footprint (and inconvenience) that comes from having to drive from one place to another. We choose the Presidio in San Francisco — a historic military base that has been converted to a national park –because it is beautiful, serene, and my family has ties to the area (my grandfather lived and worked at the Presidio, and my grandmother is buried there). Perhaps the most important factor for us, however, (and the most important ‘green’ factor), is the fact that the Presidio has a whole host of historic buildings: chapels, cabins, officer’s clubs and the like, that are frequently rented for events – minimizing the hassle and the need to truck in furniture, seating, decor, canopies or anything else offsite. This not only made setting up a breeze, but it seriously cut down on carbon footprint to have everything available on site. Of course, guests were also happy that they could easily walk from the old mission interfaith chapel where we had the ceremony to the reception party at the Golden Gate Club, just down the hill.

My husband and I were thrilled with the location we picked for our wedding. Not only was it ‘green’, but it was beautiful and scenic, super convenient and easy for us and our guests, and special and poignant for us due to our personal ties to the area

Source: inhabitat.com/2009/06/20/green-wedding-guide-location/

The Washington Post Do I have to give a gift on the registry? How do I trim the guest list without hurting feelings? Can we send our invitations by e-mail? Anna Post, great-great- granddaughter of Emily Post and author of Do I Have to Wear White? Emily Post Answers America’s Top Wedding Questions (Collins Living, $14.99), took questions from brides, grooms and guests on navigating weddings with grace and good manners. Excerpts are below.

Question: My cousin is having a weekday destination wedding. I would have to take a week off work to travel, attend the ceremony and travel home. I believe in this situation the bride and groom must expect that many guests won’t attend, but other family members feel declining will cause hurt feelings. Is it rude of me to decline the invitation?

Answer: No, it’s not rude to be unable (for reasons of vacation time or finances) to attend a destination wedding. Do send a gift though, even if you can’t make it.

Q: We plan to not have kids at our wedding reception. My family does not like the idea. Am I right for not wanting kids there even if one of them is my 18-month-old niece?

A: It’s up to the couple and the hosts (as in, those paying, such as parents) to decide about kids or no kids at the wedding. So yes, it’s up to you. But you may have to smooth some ruffled feathers, or lose some guests who can’t find child care. And be sure not to make exceptions – it’s not fair to those who do find child care.

Q: We’ve been in several of our friends’ weddings; does that mean they should be in ours? Is it OK to not have a formal wedding party of bridesmaids and groomsmen?

A: Your guest list is your own to create; you don’t have to invite all the couples whose weddings you were in. That said, if you were in their wedding, you are likely close, and it may make sense. But base your answer on genuine affection for these couples, not obligation.

It’s just fine to forgo bridesmaids and groomsmen if you don’t wish to have them.

Q: My daughter insists that, according to etiquette, the parents of her attendants need to be invited to the wedding. Is that true?

A: There is no point of etiquette requiring the parents of a couple’s attendants to attend. In the case that they are family friends, you might then consider them, but because they are family friends, not because their child is in your daughter’s wedding.

Q: As the father of the groom, I understand my roles to be the three “ups” – dress up, show up, shut up. Are there any other particular roles or functions that I have besides sharing the joy of our son and new daughter-in-law?

A: The first two are musts, but I think we all know the third one is just for humor. The best thing to do is to ask your son and his bride if there is anything beyond having fun that they would like you to do. It’s possible they might ask you do give a reading or be ready to dance with the bride after she dances with her father (not required, but not uncommon).

If you and your wife are hosting the rehearsal dinner, you should discuss whether you will be giving a toast that evening as host (also common).

Q: Is it weird if I don’t invite co-workers who know about the wedding? What’s the etiquette for colleagues?

A: It’s OK not to invite co-workers, even if they know you are getting married.

If there are some people from work whom you would like to invite, treat them as friends and send the invitation to their home address (it’s OK to ask for that), and don’t discuss the wedding in front of those not invited.

The Washington Post| Source

By MATTHEW DANELO

For many brides, their wedding day is something they’ve dreamed of since they were little girls and first heard the concept of Prince Charming.

Only two words could describe how the invitations, flowers, decorations and dresses must look on a bride’s wedding day: just so.

But while some obsess over replicating the grand fairy tale dreams of their youth, others realize that making some practical cuts when planning ahead can ease the potential for stress on their special day.

“I think that the bride can have her dream wedding, but she needs to be realistic,” said Lindsay Bennett, 31, a wedding coordinator and owner of It’s All N the Presentation.

In Bennett’s experience, the brides who give themselves enough time to plan and are willing to compromise on some aspects, are the ones who seem to have the best times at their weddings.

“Trying to make sure everyone is happy will exhaust you,” she said, and added that this can happen more often when bridal parties are larger.

She said when there’s 12 or 14 different friends – all of whom the bride might genuinely care about – that’s a lot of opinions that a woman feels obligated to consider.

“The bigger party they have, the more involved the planning will be. I don’t think brides really understand until they get into it,” she said.

Wrangling large bridal parties and lots of opinions isn’t only frustrating for the bride. It can also make things more difficult for wedding vendors. They are getting paid for their services, but most still want to provide an unforgettable experience for the bride and groom.

“I think the main pitfall can be not sticking with one idea,” said Tareeca McKee, 62, owner of Sylvia’s Flowers in Groves.

She said when too many people are involved, a bride can get overwhelmed and shuffles through concepts without feeling tied to any of them.

“It’s cliche, but I’ve always said less is more,” said Bennett.

McKee agreed. She said the most elegant wedding she’s ever done cost almost no money.

“The bride used baby’s breath everywhere, on the aisles and everything. It looked beautiful and elegant. Like a fairy land,” she said.

The bride, McKee said, got the idea from a picture in a magazine and brought it with her to order her flowers, which is something McKee recommends.

“We always tell brides during consultations to look at a lot of magazines, but only bring in one or two ideas,” she said. “That way, there’s very little chance of indecision.”

According to Beaumont-based wedding photographer Emily Lockard, 23, furnishing the photographer with a list of the bridal party ahead of time is another way to be more efficient. It speeds up the process of formal pictures after the ceremony and helps ensure that the priority shots are taken.

“Some think it’s not effective, but it helps because I can at least learn the names of who to call on for the different pictures. That way, the couple can get to the reception quicker,” she said.

Lockard also said it’s important to let the photographer know if the venue has any specific rules regarding photography. For instance, she said many Catholic churches do not allow flashes during a ceremony.

And then there’s the budgeting aspect of weddings.

Bennett said laying clear expectations for what is affordable ahead of time can save on disappointment.

“People don’t always know that this can get expensive,” Lockard said about wedding photography. It’s not only the time she spends shooting a wedding that a client pays for, but also the about 40 hours of editing after the fact.

Bennett also said that many brides can fixate on having every possible tradition represented, especially when it comes to the wedding reception.

“Sometimes, depending on your age group, you might not want to do the bouquet toss,” she said.

On a number of occasions, Bennett has had to drag guests on to the floor so a bridesmaid isn’t waiting for the bouquet toss alone.

“I just think that’s one of those traditions that can totally die down and be OK,” she said.

However she said that some traditions are fun and easy to include.

“Something borrowed, something blue – a lot of girls have fun with that,” she said.

Local wedding coordinator Lindsay Bennett is full of good advice if you’re getting hitched. Here are a few of her tips:

– If you get invited to multiple showers and the wedding, you don’t have to bring a gift to every one. One nice gift at one of the events will suffice.

– For outdoor weddings in the summer, or early fall, make sure you have fans or air conditioned tents. If it’s the winter or early spring have heaters.

“The weather in Southeast Texas is the worst thing to fight when it comes to planning an outdoor wedding,” said Bennett.

– Allow toasts at the rehearsal dinner, but not the reception. If someone goes on too long or tells an inappropriate story, the audiences at the former are generally smaller and more forgiving.

– “Never give a toast if you’ve had too much to drink,” said Bennett. “That never works out well.”

By Nicole Warburton

Vintage. Romantic. Green. Individual.

Those are some of the words you might hear this wedding season as couples choose to make their nuptial celebrations more personalized, yet simple.

Colors are rich and earthy, with blues, browns and even jewel tones being used for table linens and bridesmaid dresses. Instead of bright Gerber daisies, brides are opting for more subdued flower hues.

And wedding and receptions sites are becoming more creative. It’s not all about the catered hall anymore. Some couples are going to music clubs, or even a local farmhouse to throw their wedding party.

“Everyone wants their wedding to be unique and to showcase them as a couple,” said Chelsie Crane with Ruby Avenue Events, a wedding and event design company that serves the Wasatch Front.

From Crane’s perspective, one of the top trends this season is for brides to “go green” with their wedding celebrations. That could mean choosing recycled invitations or creating a menu with locally grown or organic items.

Other trends include using fun patterned fabrics, monograms and unique touches to customize a wedding, according to Crane.

Her advice is for couples to not be afraid to break out of the traditional mold for receptions. A wedding should be a celebration, she said.

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“There’s a lot you can do besides stand in a line and shake hands,” Crane said. “A wedding should be an event where you have the time of your lives.”

Likewise, Emma Harris and Raelynn Johnson with Modern Display say brides and grooms shouldn’t be afraid to design the wedding of their dreams — even if they’re on a budget.

When meeting with couples, both Harris and Johnson will ask the prospective bride or groom to describe their dream event. They will then offer ideas and examples to help the bride and groom plan.

One idea is for couples to forego a traditional wedding cake and instead serve a “favor” cake with small boxes of chocolates or other treats guests can take with them.

Other ideas include using fewer flowers on table settings and instead displaying one or two flowers in a unique vase or jar.

Harris said she believes one of the top trends this season is the desire to create a romantic feeling at a reception and wedding. As a result, styles are becoming more vintage and old-fashioned, with wedding dresses that are no longer the traditional white and flower colors and linens that are more sophisticated, Johnson said.

Either way, both Johnson and Harris believe a couple can have the wedding they always dreamed of. The key is to be flexible and open-minded to different ideas.

“There are a lot of small touches that add a lot,” Harris said.

E-mail: nwarburton@desnews.com | Source

With destination weddings on the rise, it is becoming more and more important for couples to have a means for informing their guests of their upcoming wedding plans as well as provide recommendations for out-of-town guests.

Wedding websites allow your guests one-stop shopping when it comes time for them to arrange their travel plans as well as other details. You can be as specific as you wish and link your website directly to the hotel reservation pages that you would like to recommend to your guests.

You will find that having a website is not only a time-saver but a budget-saver as well. The multiple mailings that can sometimes become necessary to communicate with your guests can easily eat up a good portion of any wedding budget. Allowing your guests to RSVP online will also cut down on your wedding expenses. No need for RSVP cards! However, you can always order just enough for those guests who may not be web savvy.

Destination weddings have definitely become a way for couples to express their style in a less traditional way. If you choose to have your wedding in a destination location, try to make it a fun experience for you and your fiancé as well as for your guests.

Destination Wedding Tips

1. Location, Location, Location. When selecting a location, choose one that appeals to your tastes and wedding style. Keep in mind, however, that because it won’t be as easy as going down the street to the local church to attend your wedding, you’ll have to assume that your guest list may be smaller. You’ll need to get a good sense about the number of attendees you wish to have before selecting your event facility so you can be confident that it will be appropriate for the crowd.

2. Less is More. Destination weddings can be expensive not only for those getting married, but also for those attending. Try to be mindful of that when selecting your wedding site so those who are closest to you can afford to attend. Consider having your wedding during the off-season so costs will be lower. Traditionally, accommodation expenses are covered for the bridesmaids by the bride’s family and for the groomsmen by the groom’s family. All other guests should be responsible for their own expenses. Most hotels will work with you to offer group discounts.

3. Assist your Guests. You may know the location that you will be flying off to for your dream wedding like the back of your hand, but most of your guests will not. Your wedding website can be a tool to help you educate your guests about the area, local attractions, accommodation ideas, the weather and directions. Making their job easier will only amount in a larger turnout at your wedding. Use your website to remind them of the things they may not consider such as a passport if required for your chosen location.

Article by Wedding Window

Plan Your 2009 Wedding with These Key Themes and Trends in Mind

While June is traditionally the wedding season of the year, you may be foregoing a summer wedding this year in favor of a fresh Spring wedding next year. Spring weddings can be the perfect way to celebrate the season and enjoy another event after the holidays. Bridal fashions for Spring continue to center around romantic, goddess-inspired looks, but 2009 calls for a grand slimdown with the tighter, fitted styles of the 1920’s flapper era.

If you’ve recently gotten engaged or have already booked your Spring 2009 wedding date, keep your wedding plans on the right track with these top trends:

Spring 2009 Wedding Trend: Flower Embroidery
Milan Fashion Week showcased several awe-inspiring gowns and runways across Europe quickly followed suit. Flower embroidery in contrasting thread colors on the classic white gown include burgundy, black, navy and dark green. Look for elegant Victorian designs that give this trend a fresh romantic twist.

Spring 2009 Wedding Trend: Empire Waist Goddess Gowns
Continuing on with the Grecian-inspired looks of Fall 2008, Spring 2009 takes on some inspiration from muses of yesteryear with a long, loose-fitting and flowing gown. These dresses are ideal for tall and slender women who want to accentuate the shoulders, collar bone and neck area.

Spring 2009: Pink and Blue Bridesmaid Dresses
While some adventurous brides can get away with a pink and blue-hued dress, others can still make the most of this trend by adding a splash of innocent pastels to the crowd of bridesmaids. Baby blue and pink combination dresses and accessories are a top trend for Spring 2009, and can easily freshen up your theme for the year.

Spring 2009 Wedding Trend: The Miniskirt Wedding Gown
If you’ve been working on those gams all Fall and winter, ’tis the season to show off yoru legs with a miniskirt wedding gown. If you prefer a more modest look the knee-length dress is plenty appropriate for Spring 2009; take the cue from Oscar de La Rent and other wedding dress designers who led the runway at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week 2008.

Source: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/
848645/top_wedding_trends_for_spring_2009.html?cat=23

(ARA) – Next to planning the actual wedding, most brides-to-be will tell you the next hardest thing is figuring out what to put on their gift registries. And one of the big mistakes brides make is not registering for enough.

“It’s definitely a lesson in compromise,” says Taryn Abbott-Wilson, Visual Merchandising Director for Pier 1 Imports. “When my husband and I got married, he had traditional, upholstered furniture and several wooden pieces in the same light finish, while I had a lot of dark antiques. We ended up utilizing almost all of our furniture by combining what worked together and then purchasing a few items to finish out the look.”

“Couples need to think ‘complete’ and register for the smallest accessories to the biggest items. They are doing their guests and themselves a big favor by giving everyone a good range of gifts to choose from and assuring themselves that they’ll be ready for their new family life together,” says Roseanna Robinson, bridal director for The Pfaltzgraff Co., America’s oldest continuously operating pottery company.

According to Robinson, the average age for couples getting married, today, is in the late 20’s. “Most brides and grooms-to-be have lived on their own for a while and accumulated several household items,” says Robinson. “So they need to be strategic about planning their registries.”

Robinson says that means taking inventory of what each person already has, picking out their favorite pieces, and discarding the rest. “Couples should also ask themselves three questions – what are your favorite foods, what does it take to prepare them and what is the best way to serve them? This is a good starting point,” says Robinson, who has been advising brides-to-be on how to complete their gift registries for more than two decades.

She says choosing an everyday dinnerware pattern is usually the main decision that helps structure the registry. “Traditionally formal china was a “must-have” and most often was very expensive, making it feel like another big commitment. Today the overwhelming trend is towards casual dinnerware at affordable prices, which gives registering couples many different options to suit their lifestyle. I encourage brides to have fun, choose pieces that complement the things they already have, and if they want, register for several different patterns,” says Robinson

One pattern Robinson says is gaining in popularity is Pfaltzgraff’s new Pistoulet collection, based on illustrations from the Jana Kolpen book, “The Secrets of Pistoulet.”

“From the moment we discovered the book, we envisioned a beautiful and romantic casual dinnerware collection that would bring to the table Jana Kolpen’s central theme and message – the powerful role that food and meals play to nourish our souls and unite us with friends and family,” says Marsha Everton, president and chief executive officer at Pfaltzgraff.

Each piece in the collection is brightly decorated with freely rendered flowers, vines and vegetables drawn from or influenced by the book’s illustrations, also by Kolpen. Bright, colorful drawings are set against wide watercolor washes that evoke the light and colors of southern France.

“The design is sophisticated in a warm and inviting way, allowing for great mix-and-match possibilities,” says Robinson. “It appeals to both brides and grooms, who are increasingly more vocal in the bridal registry process. The chip-resistant, highly durable Pistoulet collection stands up to everyday use and is safe in the dishwasher, oven, freezer and microwave.”

Featuring a broad range of dinnerware, serveware and accessories, pieces in the collection range in price from $7.99 for a single bread plate to $359.88 for a 36-piece dinnerware set. The Pistoulet collection is available at major department and specialty stores nationwide, including J.C. Penny, Amazon.com and more than 70 Pfaltzgraff stores at outlet malls across the country.

Courtesy of ARA Content

Go the extra mile to show your support for a greener wedding.  Here are some things to consider when you have decided to go for a gren wedding:

Simplify
The overarching theme here should be simplification. There are eco-friendly versions of most wedding products, but the best option is usually to forego the items altogether. Reuse wherever possible – and save not only resources, but cash too.

Weigh the expenses
That said, some items you just can’t live without, and usually the green version is more expensive than the original. You’ll need to factor this into your wedding budget. To keep your budget in check, determine which areas you’re willing to spend more on for a good cause (i.e. organic cuisine), and where you can save to make up for that added expense (i.e. forego the wedding dress or favors). This wedding budget guide offers even more budgeting advice

Patronize
Many new companies have entered the growing green weddings market. Before booking your vendors, check out businesses that claim to provide green services and confirm that they really do.

Inform
One green turn deserves another. Let your guests know the steps you’ve taken to plan your green wedding, and show them that an elegant event doesn’t have to be harmful to the environment. Who knows, many of your guests may be inspired to do the same.

All in the Details – Green Wedding Ideas

Invitations & Stationery
1. Recycle – use recycled paper or paper made from alternative fiber – such as hemp or bamboo. Check out these resources for an array of custom, recycled papers: Custompaper.com or JamPaper.com
2. Splurge on calligraphy – calligraphy may cost more, but it saves inks, toners, solvents and chemicals involved in printing.
3. Condense – save trees by minimizing inserts and other paper products. Always print on front and back, and try to fit it all on one sheet.
4. Go completely green – send all correspondence via email. The etiquette gods may swoon – but if you’re dead set on being green, electronic mailings are the most earth friendly way to go.

Location
1. Rent for a cause – find a venue that will benefit from your site rental fee – such as a museum, gallery or other cultural organization. Confirm how that venue will use your fee.
2. Go outside – a beach, the woods, gardens – they all make an ideal setting for a green wedding (just be sure to leave it as you found it).
3. Find a green venue – some venues are demonstrating a commitment to saving water and energy, reducing waste, or serving locally grown/organic menus. Check out these resources for green minded venues:
– Green Hotels Association (www.greenhotels.com)
– Green Seal (www.greenseal.com)

Décor Elements
1. Use candlelight – not only are candles energy efficient, they also create a soft romantic glow for an elegant reception. Better yet, look for soy candles – they’re cleaner and longer burning since they’re made from a renewable resource.
2. Use bamboo – one of the most sustainable materials on earth, bamboo is an eco-friendly décor option with an organic, modern feel. Use bamboo stalks for centerpieces or other décor elements.

Flowers
1. Think double duty – invite your ceremony arrangements to the reception! You can use them to decorate your cake or gift table – you’ll waste less and save money doing it.
2. Buy organic, locally grown blooms – organic flowers are grown in an environmentally friendly way, without pesticides.
Getting locally grown ones will save the fuel burned from transporting the flowers. If you can’t find a local florist who can provide organic blooms, order yours from OrganicBouquet.com
3. Conserve cut flowers – using cut flowers just once is a waste. See if you can share yours with another wedding taking place on the same day.
4. Skip cut flowers altogether – top your tables with potted arrangements for guests to take and plant in their yards after the wedding.

Menu
1. Think organic – ensure that you, your guests and the staff won’t be exposed to pesticides. Many caterers specialize in organic foods, and almost any caterer can provide an organic menu if you ask them.
2. Think local – if you’re concerned about the cost involved in a completely organic menu, go local instead. Serving locally grown food eliminates fuel reliance and supports local farmers. Check out Localharvest.org or Localfoodworks.org to find farmers markets, farms and other sources of local food.
3. Reuse utensils – find a caterer who recycles materials and/or uses linen and china instead of disposables.
4. Donate the leftovers – work with your caterer to send leftovers to a food shelter or other organization.

Cake
1. Sub ingredients – have your baker use organic and/or local sugar, flour, butter and eggs. Some bakers even specialize in organic cakes.

Attire
1. Go secondhand – a used gown reduces fuels used in creating a new one.
2. Get green fibers – natural fibers like silk and organic cotton are better for the environment than synthetic ones.
3. Go couture – if your wallet can afford it, couture gowns are usually made from natural fabrics.
4. Donate – provide a green gown decision for another bride when you give or sell yours after the wedding.

Favors
Avoid wasteful trinkets – donate to a charity in the name of your guests

Transportation
1. Limit long distance travel – have the wedding in a location where few guests will have to fly to get there.
2.Walk – host your room block, ceremony and reception at the same site – or within walking distance
3. Carpool – organize car pools for your guests in hybrid vehicles
4. Getaway in low emission style – get creative and use a non-motorized vehicle for your final sendoff – bikes, horseback, sleds, skates, wagons, or any old school conveyance will do.

Other Green Ideas
The truth is – no matter how great your green intentions are, most weddings have a huge environmental impact from the fuel used transporting your guests – via car or plane – to your wedding. Since this is extremely difficult to avoid, the “greenest” brides are purchasing carbon offsets to reduce their wedding’s footprint.

How it works: calculate the mileage guests will travel, and offset their carbon dioxide emissions by donating to programs that plant trees or preserve rain forests. TerraPass.com <http://www.terrapass.com> is a website that does this for you – you enter your wedding details, and the site calculates your footprint, charges you accordingly, and then invests the money for you in energy saving technologies.

Article Author:
Cori Russell of Elegala.com and Gala Weddings Magazine

On Bended Knee Wedding Coordination out of Los Angeles wants to help you avoid these common wedding pitfalls.

10. Don’t Rock the Cash Bar – When it comes to alcohol at your reception, what you serve is entirely up to you. Whether you choose to serve a full bar, limited cocktails, Beer and Wine, or no alcohol at all will be based on various factors including budget. The one option that is not recommended is a Cash Bar. Your guests should be gracious enough to accept what is being offered to them. If however a guest feels the need for a drink selection that is not offered, chances are that he or she will be resourceful enough to find it.

Also, request that bartenders not put out tip jars. If you are hosting the bar, tell your catering contact that you are happy to pay gratuity to the bartender(s) but that you do not want your guests to feel obligated to tip.

9. Go flat! A huge number of brides give feedback that they wish they had worn flats, having kicked off their heels during the reception. As a bride you can expect to be standing for 8-12 hours on your wedding day. Be sure to break in your shoes well in advance. Even when wearing flats, unexpected blisters can form after a few hours on your feet.

8. Have a little faith. D.J.’s are perhaps the wedding vendor most micromanaged by couples. Too many song requests may actually impede the flow of your party. You hire your D.J. to judge when to play what music. You wouldn’t instruct your Caterer step by step on how to prepare food, or your Photographer on what angles and lenses to use. Limit your D.J. request list to a few favorites and a do-not-play list of only the songs you cannot stand. Do not get carried away and have some trust.

7. Prioritize, prioritize, prioritize. What really matters most to you, the photographer, the music and dancing, the food and wine, the decorations, or being able to accommodate a large guest list? Put your money towards what you care about. You will have regrets if you skimp on what really counts. When you, the Bride and Groom are not footing the bill yourselves however, you may have to forfeit some financial decision-making. If this is the case you will need to compromise on certain priorities or if you really want that pricey photographer offer to pay for one yourself.

6. Bibbity Bobbity Boo. Wedding Dress shops are notorious for having your dress shipped in at the last minute. Think about it, if you owned a Wedding Dress Boutique you wouldn’t want every brides dress held at your shop for nine+ months before their weddings. Schedule your first fitting well before your wedding. Your final dress fitting should be no less than 1 week prior to your wedding so that alterations can still be made.
 
Tuxedo rentals for all attendants must be tried on, that includes Dad. Whether the Tailor seemed to take precise measurements or not, too many men still show up at weddings with high waters or baggy tuxes.

5. Don’t hit the road, Jack. Your wedding day is one of the biggest, most important days of your life. You will be exhausted and a bit disorderly the following day. Going away is the last thing you will want to worry about. Wait at least a couple of days before venturing on your honeymoon. Your wits will thank you.

4. Last night of single life. DO NOT hold your Bachelor or Bachelorette party the night before your wedding! This may seem like a no-brainer but many brides and grooms still practice the archaic ritual of drinking all night on that fatal evening. It is simply not worth it, as the Bride/Groom and your attendants will no doubt feel tired, look tired, have a hangover, or worse be sick walking down the aisle. If necessary, request that any out of town attendants arrive a day earlier to help you to prepare and celebrate a different night. 

3. No Guidance. With no Director there are too many details left to too many people at your ceremony. Having a Wedding Coordinator allows for one person to coordinate your wedding party processional, music, minister, seating guests and to resolve any unexpected last minute complications. A Coordinator will ease the stress level of everyone, including you, tremendously on your wedding day. So if your location does not include a Wedding Day Coordinator who also directs your rehearsal, hire your own. A Wedding Coordinator may be much more affordable than you think.

2. Stretching yourself too thin. As the bride you will make everyone around you crazy by waiting until the last minute in planning and finalizing details. If you have a hard time planning and prioritizing on your own then get help. You don’t want to be remembered as “one of those brides” that put everything off and then expected her friends and family to pick up the pieces, do you?

Do not commit yourself to social events the day before your wedding. This day is meant for you to wrap up loose ends, beautify yourself, attend your rehearsal and rehearsal dinner in many cases, and most importantly get some amount of rest for the day ahead. You are going to need it!

1. High demands. Try to keep in mind that although your Bridesmaids and Groomsmen may offer you extra help, these friends can become taken advantage of. The only “official obligations” of wedding party members are emotional support, the financial expense of wedding attire and travel, participation in the rehearsal and the obvious role on your wedding day. In the case of the MOH or BM, reception toasts are traditional as well. Other help that these individuals may offer should not be viewed as duties, but rather as acts of kindness including: setting up/tearing down, transporting ceremony goods, throwing a bridal shower or other party, distributing gratuities, and any other help that is offered.

Remember to be thoughtful towards your attendants. Bridesmaids may not be comfortable in 4 inch heels, purchasing new jewelry or paying to have their hair or makeup professionally styled. Do not forget to personally thank any bridal party members for taking part in your wedding, as well as family members who gave you assistance. A small thank you gift is always appreciated.

Article Author:
Jackie Baird, owner of On Bended Knee, Wedding Coordination