Two things in the wedding world got my attention this week. I seriously doubt they're wedding trends, but I do give them credit for being unusual enough to garner publicity. The first is the camouflage wedding gown shown below. It was designed by Erika Sarkozi, who does custom designs for, shall we say, eccentric brides.

I expect the groomsmen to march down the aisle with high-power rifles, the reception dinner to include venison and quail and the wedding favors to be two tiny deer heads (a stag and a doe) on a plaque, looking lovingly at each other, in a gift box with a hang tag that reads "You're So Deer to Us."

THE BRIDE WORE BLOOMERS

The other weird wedding event is the couple who held their ceremony in zero gravity, which I actually think is pretty cool. It's also pretty expensive, which is why I don't think it will be a hot wedding trend anytime soon. It's $60,000 for the bride and groom and 12 guests. This doesn't include the gown, the reception or anything else, but if this sounds like blast to you, go to ZeroGravityWeddings.com. The bride wore special bloomers under her wedding gown so she wouldn't be the floor show when her gown flew up.

A specially modified Boeing 727 aircraft left from Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, and the 90-minute flight gave the wedding party plenty of dips and rolls, providing plenty of weightless moments for the happy couple.
Check out a photo of their kiss at the end of the ceremony.

A BEDDER USE OF ZERO GRAVITY

Personally, I would have gotten married on the ground and saved the zero-gravity experience for the wedding night. How about you?

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Now THIS is a true wedding trend, and kudos to whomever thought of it! According to an LA Times article, wedding-reception waiters serving each place setting with a meal is OUT! Family-style serving is IN, with dishes on the table that everyone passes around, and bottles of wine passed around on the tables. No one goes home hungry, and everyone eats just what he or she likes!

TO MAKE 'EM SMILE, GO FAMILY-STYLE!

The photo above is from Mrs. Wilkes' Boarding House restaurant, one of the most popular places to dine in my beloved Savannah, GA (I got married in Savannah!) They serve the most amazing food you'll ever put in your mouth, and it's served family-style. Guests sit at large tables where most of the other people at the table are complete strangers--until the end of the meal, during which you've met everyone at your table, talked about where you're from, what you do, how you like Savannah. When you leave, you've got several new friends! It's probably because you have to spend a fair amount of time passing food to one another, and that's hard to do without a smile and some pleasant conversation. Honestly, don't you love this idea?

WHAT ELSE IS "IN" IN LA?

Fruit cobblers and pies are replacing pricey wedding cakes, cheaper cuts of meat like marinated flank steak are replacing filet mignon and swordfish, French fries have ousted asparagus, picnic tables with burlap covering are preferred over crystal chandeliers and white tablecloths and posh hotel settings are out in favor of homes or rented home venues.

THE BOTTOM LINE

It's not hard to see that extravagant weddings are now considered improper and tasteless, even in LA. This is great news for all you budget-conscious brides-to-be out there (and there are more than you can imagine!) who still want to incorporate the hottest wedding trends in your wedding planning. Believe me, your guests will love whatever you plan, because they love YOU! So "lavish" is OUT and "laid back" is IN! WhooHoo!

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Hi! Susan here! Every once in a while, a story comes along that is so provocative, I simply have to drop what I'm doing and tell you about it! It may be a potentially money-making, wedding-related business here in the US!

This little tidbit is from the International Business Times--and Japan, to be exact. In Japan, it's important for a formal event to be attended by as many family members, friends and co-workers as possible. If your wedding guest list is skimpy--your family lives too far away, no one likes you, or you're out of a job--no prob! You can rent fake family, friends and co-workers to fill up the room and impress--uh, whomever you're out to impress, I guess.

A company, Office Agents in Tokyo, has staff who will attend the wedding as a friend. The people they send will give speeches, stage performances and act as your family greeting other guests. Saving face has a price, though. Each guest costs 20,000 yen ($200.) For an additional $50, that person will sing and dance, and for another $100, that person will make an amazing speech that will do you proud.

Then you've got the additional cost for food, Asian wedding favors and all the other additional funds needed for a big wedding. You have to admit, it's a great business idea--not just for weddings, but baby showers, Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, birthday parties, retirement parties, and even funerals! Someone may even be interested in renting a fake bride or groom if they're jilted the day before the wedding. Please let me know if any of you decide to become entrepreneurial and start this business! You can call it "Guests Who!" or "Got Friends?" Just be careful in your advertising--you don't want it to sound like an escort service!

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And as they say in Italy, "Si! She'sa virgin--she'sa extra virgin!

Okay. Maybe I got you to read my blog under somewhat sneaky pretenses, but as long as you're here, let's talk about Italian weddings, olive oil and Italian wedding favors.

First, let me say that I truly believe I'm Italian in another existence. (I'm 100% American in this one.) But there's something that's drawn me to Italy since I was in high school. I've been a huge (emphasis on the huge) fan of their food ever since I can remember.) In college, I took two quarters of Italian just for the atmosphere. I spent my honeymoon touring Rome, Venice, Florence, Naples, Assis, Milan and Capri--and I felt I belonged there. The spectacular scenery, the romance, the food, the wine--I was tiddly all over Italy! And as you know, you don't have to be Italian to want to get married in Italy.

HEAD FOR THE HILLS!
So I was Googling around this morning, and I found this place in Positano, Italy, on the Amalfi coast--Villa Fiorentino. It's a rental villa with enough room to accommodate you, the groom, 23 of your closest family and friends and a stunning reception in what truly looks like heaven. Yes, it's got a pool, and that's not all! Every apartment has air-conditioning, central heating, satellite TV, radio, safe, CD player, hairdryer, iron, washing machine, dishwasher, toaster, electric coffeemaker, oven, fridge, crockery, bed and bathroom linen and beach towels.

Want to see the terrace that leads to the honeymoon suite? And the honeymoon suite? Look out below!

RECEPTION AL FRESCO!
You'd have your reception on the large patio, and I don't even want to think about the mouthwatering menu! Yet that, of course, brings us to olive oil. which (remember the headline?) marries the ingredients to create all the divine foods Italy is famous for. You have to admit, when you think of Italy, you think of food first!

So how do we get to Italian wedding favors? Well, there you are in Italy, celebrating your wedding with family and friends, and you want something iconic and memorable for a "thank you" gift. Among the primo Italian favors available is this contemporary culinary keepsake--the "Olive You" Olive Oil Dispenser. Give the dispenser along with a small bottle of authentic, Italian extra-virgin olive oil you can purchase in Positano, and you'll send your guests home with a taste of Italy they'll never forget!

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Talk about the friendly skies! British budget-airline Easy-Jet is checking into offering in-flight ceremonies for couples who want to join a very special "mile-high club!"

If they get the okay from whomever they need to (FAA? UN? NASA?,) they'll be the first airline to offer the service. I can't think of a reason why they--or any other airline--can't offer the service. Ship captains perform wedding ceremonies all the time. As long as there's a competent co-pilot around to fly the plane, the pilot can spend a short time out of the cockpit to let couples officially tie the knot at 25,000 feet. It's a unique idea whose time has come!

Think about it! It's a different kind of destination wedding you can celebrate with family, friends and a bunch of other passengers all heading for fun in the sun. You'd definitely save on a ceremony venue and decorations, and your wedding attire can be white shorts and a white tank top. Just plan the reception ahead of time at a venue located at your chosen destination. At the reception, you can thank your guests with--what else?--luggage tag wedding favors.

And if you think you can't find great stuff for your In Flight-themed wedding--take a look at these! I've found you the perfect wedding cake topper. Better yet, here's the ultimate--an airplane wedding cake. Granted, the in-flight wedding isn't for every couple--just those who want their marriage to take off, to get off to a flying start, to fly high, to be on a higher plane. Wow! I've just given you several fabulous themes for an in-flight wedding! Fasten your seat belts! You're on a one-way flight to a lifetime of happiness!

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Cool story! You know I'm always looking for the latest and greatest in anything wedding, and I just found Jennyvi making the desert wedding scene in Phoenix even hotter! Her designs are mystically different--so today, they're almost tomorrow! She's already won several awards for her custom-designed wedding gowns, including the 2004 People's Choice Designer of the Year award, the 2006 FGI Rising Star Award, the 2006 LabelHorde Designer of the Year award, and in 2007, her designs were voted the Best Custom Bridal Designs by the Phoenix New Times.

Jennyvi Dizon works with you to create a wedding gown that suits your personality, your style and your inner bride. She says it takes about four months to "build" your dress, from the initial consult and design, to choosing your fabric, creating the dress and two to three fittings. If intricate beading is required, add a bit more time. For Jennyvi, it's all about comfort, body movement and flattering your body. She works with you, your ideas and your cut-out magazine photos to put together that one-of-a-kind dress you always imagined!

AN ARIZONA FIRST FOR BRIDES-TO-BE

If you're a bride and groom-to-be, and you live anywhere near Phoenix (which includes New Mexico, California, Nevada, Utah and Colorado, as far as I'm concerned,) there's some excitement coming up for you in late September. It's the first-ever Arizona Bridal Week, and you're the guest of honor! Eight days of fashion shows, vendor exhibits and wedding experts waiting to talk with you personally about your special day--and each day's event happens in a different location in the greater Phoenix area. I'm going to get more specific about featured experts and events in early September. Meanwhile, make your plans to be there.

One thing I can assure you--Jennyvi will be there with her collection, and you won't want to miss it, especially if you're a bride who's planning a green wedding, because Jennyvi also creates amazing wedding gowns using organic silk and hemp. Like I said--so today, they're almost tomorrow!

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Why? Because there's a spectacular venue there called Thunderbird Lodge! The lodge is a historic, six-acre, waterfront estate built by someone who knew a thing or two about romantic settings that harmonize with nature. While you're there, you and your guests can take a guided tour of the lodge, the Card House, Caretaker's Cottage, the Cook/Butler's House, an elephant garage, the Admiral's House, the Boathouse with adjoining 600' tunnel, and Gatehouse.

There's a three-story waterfall that cascades over the granite boulders in front of the Old Lodge, and just to make things interesting for you and your guests, the lodge has a six hundred foot-long tunnel and secret passageways. You can hold your ceremony in the waterfront gazebo, and later, your guests can enjoy your reception on any one of a number of secluded patios. And how about a seated dinner on a lakeside lawn with an area for sunset dancing. Sounds pretty good, right? If my words don't get you to check out the Thunderbird Lodge, perhaps these fantastic photos will get you on the phone to the lodge!

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Let's give a rousing welcome to the 2009 Wedding Season! I can almost hear the flurry of activity as all you spring and summer brides-to-be ramp up your plans, put everything in motion and marvel at how quickly the time went. If you're like most brides-to-be, you still have one wedding plan to determine, and that would, of course, be wedding favors--usually one of the last items on the ol' wedding checklist.

I'm here to help with some super candle wedding favor ideas targeting a variety of wedding themes and color schemes. Candle favors, when beautifully and uniquely gift-packaged, add a radiant touch--even when they're NOT lit--to your reception tables. You might even want to include candles as part of your centerpiece design so your guests will anticipate the delights of the gift they'll be taking home. Here, then, are five popular wedding themes and impressive candle favors to go with them:

Dress up your garden wedding for spring with the exquisite "Cherry Blossom Elegance" Candle (right.) The Japanese word for cherry blossom is sakura, and symbolically, sakura is an omen of good fortune, an emblem of love, affection, and it represents spring. How's that for a meaningful favor to give your family and friends?

Any time of the year is the right time for a fairy-tale wedding, and when I think of a fairy-tale wedding, the first thing that comes to mind is the beautiful coach that brings the beautiful bride to her prince for their walk down the aisle. Perhaps the icon of magical coaches is the one that brought Cinderella to the ball, where she fell in love with the prince. They married, and lived happily ever after, which just happens to be the name of the carriage candle you see on the left. The detail is magnificent--you'll wish you had a coach just like it to whisk you to your ceremony.

Lots of destination weddings take place on a tropical, shell-covered beach with the surf crashing against the shore under a bright, blue sky. I don't think any candle favor captures this image more than the Seashells Gel Candle (right.) Most of us think of a seashell as simply a former sea creatures' home that washes ashore, but they've had their share of uses. Seashells have been used as money, medicine, ornaments, objects of art, and charms for fertility and various rituals.

With green weddings becoming more and more prevalent, you might want to find something other than wildflower seed packets to give your guests. Don't get me wrong! I love the idea of little wildflower gardens cropping up near and far. But sometimes your location--a forest, a mountaintop or some other natural setting--calls for a woodsy, recyclable favor, like the "Earth and Light" Twig Votive Candle (left,) an eco-friendly favor that can be reused again and again.

My fifth suggestion is an Asian candle favor. If you're planning an Asian-themed wedding, or if a rich red is part of your color scheme, just imagine how beautiful the "Chinese Tapestry" Votive Candles (right) in their decorative, silk pouches would look on your tables! The fabric design on the pouches is so beautiful, you can create an entire decorative theme around it. Now that's hot!

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No, that's not Melinda, but my friend Melinda, who's getting married June 27, is just as lovely. A few of us got together and threw her a sensational Lingerie Bridal Shower. When she pulled out a pair of crotchless panties from the Victoria's Secret bag, Melinda's Aunt Lil turned as bright red as those previously mentioned panties. And it just got funnier from there!

POOR AUNT LIL!

We crossed the line from sexy to slutty early on, and we made sure Dave (her fiance) would have a completely unforgettable honeymoon.

Virtually everything Mel got was either see-through or just exposed parts of her body that usually don't get that much exposure. I have to tell you--it was a hoot! We tried to make her try some of the stuff on, but she flatly refused. We asked Aunt Lil if she wanted to model it for us. Got a no there, too--and a dirty look. It didn't bother us much, because we all felt a little naughty by then, and we were loving every minute of it.

SHOW AND TELL!

We wanted the shower to be as sophisticated as possible, so we were drinking champagne. After everyone had an excess of the bubbly, we got down to the nitty gritty. So much for sophistication. Lisa, a very dear friend who loves the single life and likes to party, gave us a glimpse of the undies she was wearing and told us only the most special men get to see them. They looked very similar to the photo at the right. In fact, all of these photos are close representations of Mel's actual gifts. Like I said, she wouldn't try anything on, and Mel holding the items up just didn't do them justice. We took pictures, but she said she'd kill me if I used them in one of my blogs. So much for that.

MORE SHOWER DISH

Okay. So we served two foods we knew to be aphrodesiacs (in keeping with our theme)--chocolate and oysters. Chocolate would have been at the shower even if our theme had been Linen. Know what I mean? We also had pasta salad, quiche, pork tenderloin, finger sandwiches and a few other female favorites. And we really wanted bridal shower favors that reflected our theme. We found them, and they were perfect. Everyone went wild! Check out this "Bodice" Favor Bag! Incredible, right?

Melinda promised that she would tell us which piece of lingerie got the best reaction from Dave when they come back from their honeymoon. I can't wait.

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CAN WE CATCH A CLUE FROM THE CELEBRITIES WHO MARRIED IN GLITTER GULCH?
There are plenty of celebrities who chose Vegas as their wedding destination, including the King of Rock 'n' Roll. Yes, Elvis Presley and Priscilla Beaulieu married there in 1967. A few other big names took the plunge in Vegas, too--Frank Sinatra and Mia Farrow, Mary Tyler Moore and producer Grant Tinker, and perhaps the most famous Hollywood marriage of them all (because it lasted,) Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward. And here are a few more famous Las Vegas hook-ups: To pay off her gambling debt to him, Pamela Anderson married Rick Salomon (the star of Paris Hilton's sex tape,) and speaking of the Hilton's, fashion designer Nicky Hilton wed money manager Todd Meister.

BUT WAIT! THERE'S MORE!
The King of Queens star Leah Remini and actor Angelo Pagan, tennis champs Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf, Angelina Jolie (pre-Brad) and Billy Bob Thornton, Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos, Richard Gere and Cindy Crawford, basketball superstar Michael Jordan and Juanita Vanoy (who received $168 million in the divorce settlement,) David Cassidy and Kay Lenz all wed in Las Vegas--the list does go on.

READY TO PLACE YOUR BET?
According to this group of 13, the odds are 9 to 3 that the marriage won't last. So if you're a mega-famous celebrity, chances are your Las Vegas marriage won't last. Hell, if you're a mega-famous celebrity, your marriage probably won't last no matter where you wed! That's why you shouldn't let this--or anything else--sway you from your dream of marrying in Las Vegas! Like anything else in life, there are no guarantees your marriage will last, but if you've paid attention to your heart and your head, go for it! Here's a hot tip! According to Brides magazine, the most beautiful wedding chapel in town is the Chapel of the Flowers, which was also voted the "Best Wedding Chapel" in Las Vegas and southern Nevada!

BET ON THESE FAVORS TO WIN THE HEARTS OF YOUR GUESTS!
You simply can't get married in Vegas without making the #1 attraction the theme for your wedding favors! That, of course would be gambling, and MyWeddingFavors.com has some of the safest bets for wowing your guests. Just take a look at these Las Vegas-themed wedding favors...

"The smarter you play, the luckier you'll be." --Mark Pilarski

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A. They both touch people with warmth and happiness!

WhooHoooo! It's Friday, and it's the first day of Spring! It's also the start of MyWeddingFavors.com Spring Fling--when you can get wedding favors, bridesmaid and groomsmen gifts, wedding centerpieces, flower girl and ring bearer accessories, bridal shoes, guest books, fun stuff for bachelorette parties and so much more at 10% off your order of $75 or more! Just use Coupon Code SPRING9. More great essentials for your wedding--and more money left in your wallet! I'm making this short so you can pop right over to My Wedding Favors and spring into action!

Only 24 hours until spring! And you know what that means! Wedding season begins, and so does the Spring Fling Sale at MyWeddingFavors.com, when you can get 10% off your purchase of $75 or more (for anything My Wedding Favors sells--favors, wedding decorations, toasting flutes, bridesmaid and groomsmen gifts, bridal shoes, wedding centerpieces and more--with Coupon Code SPRING9!

One of my favorite signs of spring is the butterfly--their colors, their graceful movement, their delicate wings! And they always seem to be hanging around flowers, which is another beautiful sign of spring. I live in the South, and our springs are absolutely spectacular. Sometimes I wish our world could look like that year-round, and then I remember how much I love autumn, which is just as magnificent.

But I digress. Let's talk about your spring wedding, which is now just around the corner! You've probably got everything on your checklist except wedding favors. Not a problem. That's usually one of the last things brides-to-be pick out and purchase. I've found a few exceptional butterfly favors that you might want to consider--especially if you're having a garden or outdoor wedding, but they work wonderfully indoors, too.

From the top, you'll see the Butterfly Bookmark with that gorgeous, white-silk tassel, then the "Spring Elegance" Laser-Cut Butterfly Favor Box, and next is the Floating Butterfly Tea Light. And they're all available--ON SALE March 20th through April 30th--at My Wedding Favors. Flit on over Friday and flip through the finest favors you'll ever find!

Yeah. I know. The economy sucks. Almost everyone is feeling the pinch, and it's a tough time to be planning a wedding. So what happens when you go through your wedding checklist to see where you can cut corners and even eliminate, and you pause at "wedding favors." The temptation is to cross it off, because all the cool wedding favors cost too much and besides, they're not essential, right? Wrong on both counts. Guests appreciate being thanked for sharing your day, and MyWeddingFavors.com has two fantastic, cheap wedding favor ideas for you. That's the great news! But you also need to know these deals won't last forever. Here's the scoop:

LAST CALL FAVORS

MyWeddingFavors.com has added Last Call Favors, where you can find terrific favors at three low price points--$.50, $.99 and $1.99. At these prices, you can't afford not to give your guests a thank-you gift filled with memories! You'll find glass coasters, place card holders, practical favors, plantable favors, bottle stoppers, elegant favors, whimsical favors and everything in between! I advise you to act fast, because when these favors are all gone, THEY'RE GONE! Here are a few of the favors you'll find on the Last Call Favors pages:

Save with Spring Fling!

More good news! On the first day of spring, March 20 (just a few days away!) the My Wedding Favors Spring Fling begins and runs through April 30th. During that time, you'll get 10% off your order of $75 or more for anything on the site--amazing favors and wedding accessories like toasting flutes, bridesmaid and groomsmen gifts, bridal shoes, guest books, flower girl and ring bearer accessories, wedding centerpieces, unity candles, wedding decorations and so much more! And if you buy one of their Last Call Favors, you'll get 10% off those, too, with your order of $75 or more. Let's take a look at what's in store for you:

You're obviously a smart woman (because you're reading my blog!) so I know you'll take advantage of this totally awesome opportunity. Forget the economy, and use Coupon Code SPRING9 at MyWeddingFavors.com--for the sale that lets you have it all!

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Oh, yeah! Especially if you're planning a spring or summer wedding. Naturally, spring weddings are more expensive because this time of year is most in demand. (We've got to get over this June thing!) The price of everything goes up--venue, caterer, florist, etc. Those people count on spring to earn the largest portion of their annual income. I know it's too late to advise a fall or winter wedding, so we'll just go to the next money-saving solutions:
1. Skip a Saturday date--you still have six other, less expensive days available.
2. Fewer guests = more savings.
3. Holding your wedding ceremony and reception at the same venue saves you money.
4. Hire a caterer that provides everything you'll need--table linen, glassware, plates, utensils, etc., and work with the caterer to incorporate seasonal foods into your menu.
5. Borrow or rent your dress. Come on! You only wear it once!
6. Shop around early and hire a reasonably priced photographer, DJ and limo service as soon as possible. If you wait too long, you might not be able to find these services available at all--at any price.
7. Use silk flowers instead of fresh flowers. They're less expensive, beautiful and they last longer.
8. Make your own centerpieces--pillar candles, floating candles and vases with a single stem are easy to create and look lovely.
9. Do cupcakes instead of a wedding cake. Actually, it's very popular these days.
10. Find one person who can do both hair and make-up for you and your attendants.
11. A wedding planner may be worth the money. Wedding planners have connections and they know how to work with vendors.
12. Find your fantastic, affordable springtime wedding favors at MyWeddingFavors.com during their Spring Fling event. Starting March 20, you'll get 10% off your order of $75 or more on anything you buy, including wedding accessories like toasting flutes, bridesmaid and groomsmen gifts, unity candles, centerpieces, guest books, flower girl and ring bearer accessories and more. You'll get 10% off your $75 order of Last Call Favors, too--terrific favors at three low price points: $.50, $.99 and $1.99!

MONEY MOTTO OF THE DAY

"The mint makes it first. It's up to you to make it last." Evan Esar

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No bride should ever have the blues on her wedding day--unless it's part of her color scheme! When we think of the blues, we think of being sad, or sad music. Blue has a negative undertone, which makes it all the more strange that blue is, by far, the most popular color. And why not! Blue comes in a huge variety of shades, and it goes stunningly with so many other colors. I'm guessing you picked blue as one of the colors for your big moment.

Now that you've picked out your blue bridesmaids' dresses and the blue damask tablecloths for your reception, let's take a look at some blue wedding favor ideas to put the finishing touch on your perfect day.

The "Something Blue" Gift Box Candle is a gift box within a gift box. Very elegant!

The personalized Tiffany Blue and Brown Flower Mini-Candle is a lovely way to decorate your tables.

The "Forever" Photo Coasters in one of Kate Aspen's signature Personality Boxes, which offer several different styles in various shades of blue, so you can easily find one to match your personality and your particular shade of blue. If you go to MyWeddingFavors.com, you'll find these and many more beautiful blue wedding favors. And some time after your wedding, I suspect your favor color will be baby blue--with a 50% chance it will change to pink!

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