DIY Flower Girl Baskets

Flower girl baskets are one of the easiest things to make for your wedding. Almost any container can be transformed into a fabulous flower girl basket.

From second hand baskets found at thrift stores or yard sales to old tin pails or Easter baskets you can make a great green flower girl basket for your wedding. Some containers may only need minor changes to give them a makeover while others may need a complete overhaul to breathe new life into them.

Thrift Store Baskets

With the abundance of baskets available at thrift stores, second hand shops, and yard sales I don’t really see a reason to ever purchase brand new baskets: most of the time you can find great baskets for under $1. I’ve bought as many as ten for $1 at one yard sale. With a few supplies you can easily transform a second hand basket into something beautiful and unique for your wedding. And the best thing is you will have a one of a kind piece that no other bride will have.

Read more at Suite101: DIY Flower Girl Baskets: Make Easy Accessories For Your Wedding

Tin Pail Transformed Into a Flower Girl Basket

You can transform an old metal pail into a great flower girl basket with minimal effort and extraordinary results.

Increasing brides want to put their own unique stamp of style on their weddings. They want things to be different and one of a kind. One way to ensure that is to go DIY and make some of your own wedding accessories.

Ring Bearer Pillows and Flower Girl Baskets are two of the most popular items for brides to make themselves.

This cute little flower girl pail is a great way to put your personality into your wedding accessories. If you find an old pail and reclaim it, it is also a great way to add a touch of green to your wedding by saving something old and reusing it.

Read more at Suite101: Tin Pail Transformed Into a Flower Girl Basket: A Fun Green Craft for the DIY Bride

Should You Green Your Sex Life?

Everyone's doing it...going green that is. You can green everything, including your sex life.

The most natural and intimate part of your life...sex...probably isn't very natural…not if you're using conventional lubricants, oils or sex toys.

Conventional lubricants often contain harmful ingredients - many derived from petroleum based products. Propylene glycol is used in car batteries, brake fluid, antifreeze and industrial solvents...and in some personal lubricants.

What? Really?

Why would the same petroleum based product used in the automotive industry be used in something that gets put not just on...but in your most intimate areas? It is crazy and unhealthy.

Click here to continue reading.

Eco-Couture for the Environmentally Conscious Bride

Green weddings have become a hot trend that the wedding industry has embraced whole heartedly. With the growing awareness of global warming, the green movement may become much more than just a trend.

Many couples are increasingly adding eco-friendly elements to their weddings and want to learn more about their green options. Brides especially want to be green…without giving up style.
Are you one of those brides that want to have a green wedding but you hesitate when it comes to the dress? You’ve heard about wearing heirloom, pre-owned (used), or vintage (still used) gowns being great green options but do you cringe at the thought of wearing someone else’s dream?

Read more at Suite101: Eco-Couture for the Environmentally Conscious Bride: Green Wedding Gowns With Style

http://weddingfashion.suite101.com/article.cfm/ecocouture_for_the_environmentally_conscious_br#ixzz0jmegLdNE

Marriage Folklore and Superstitions

Superstitions have become part of wedding traditions. Here are some lesser known superstitions and folklore surrounding marriage and the wedding day.

Every culture has superstitions surrounding marriage and the wedding day itself. Many superstitions are so ingrained they have become a regular part of wedding traditions. The reasons why a bride wears white and a veil, why the groom carries the bride over the threshold, the placement of the best man, why there is a best man and bridesmaids, why we still decorate the getaway vehicle with noisy items and why the bride should have something old, new, borrowed and blue all come from wedding folklore and superstition.

The reason for having a best man is even part of superstition as well as where the best man is supposed to stand during the wedding or sit during the reception. Today the true meanings are often lost but the superstitions have become part of tradition.

Click here to keep reading.

Green Wedding Planning Resources

Are you considering being green while wearing white? But you are worried you'll have to sacrifice your style and your budget to be green.

Don’t worry it is possible to have an eco-friendly wedding without sacrificing your personal style and without breaking your budget. Here are several excellent eco-wedding books and fabulous web sites that can help you plan the wedding of your dreams while being green.

The Green Bride Guide: How to Create an Earth Friendly Wedding on Any Budget

While Kate Harrison was planning her own green wedding in 2006 she started putting together The Green Bride Guide [Source Books Casablanca, 2008] . A fabulous resource from one green bride to another, this book explains the ins and outs and whys and the importance of having a green wedding.

Kate has great green cred since she is an environmentalist that works in environmental law and policy and her husband is an environmental historian. They had their own green wedding on October 7, 2007 and used everything they learned from planning that event to write The Green Bride Guide.

Click here to keep reading.

Easter Baskets Get Wedding Makeovers

Transform Old Easter Containers into Flower Girl Baskets

You can easily transform old Easter baskets into pretty flower girl containers for your wedding.

Too many Easter baskets get filled with goodies then just tossed into the garbage every year. Put an old basket to good use and keep it out of the landfill. So many of them are absolutely adorable just the way they are, you might not have to do much to make them wedding worthy.

You can easily transform an old easter basket into a wedding worthy flower girl container perfect for your one of a kind wedding. With a little bit of creativity and minimal effort you can easily have a very unique flower girl basket.

Continue reading here.

Cupcake Wedding Cakes

Cupcakes are the hot new trend in wedding cakes. Forget expensive old fashioned cakes, instead offer towers of petite and sinful, single serving cupcakes in a variety of flavors and colors that will make your wedding the talk of the town.

The cupcake craze is sweeping the nation with many people opting for cupcakes at their parties and events instead of large cakes. The good news is that cupcakes can be used in place of traditional wedding cakes at a fraction of the cost.

You can save even more money if you go DIY.

That's where the eco-cupcake stand from Green Party Goods comes in. For all the crafty green brides to be out there you can have a beautiful DIY, eco-friendly wedding cupcake tower from GreenPartyGoods.com.

Click here to keep reading.

Photos courtesy of GreenPartyGoods.com who also provided a cupcake stand for review at no cost.

Plan Your Wedding with One Atlantic

Atlantic City, N.J., (March 2010) – One Atlantic, the premier over-water wedding venue in Atlantic City recently conducted a survey asking its portfolio of elite vendors to uncover the latest and greatest wedding trends that will be featured in 2010 at this breathtaking venue.

With the exceptional personalized service available at One Atlantic, couples will be guided by the venue’s expert team of wedding planners, bridal consultants, event organizers and vendors who will showcase the latest trends and styles in cuisine, décor, floral and production – to ensure that every detail is tailored to their vision and implemented in accordance to their wishes.

Below are hot wedding trends for 2010 that can be discovered at One Atlantic:

Farm-to-Table is Fabulous!

It’s no secret that eating locally-grown food has emerged as a major movement in the culinary scene, as diners wish to eat healthier and have less of an impact on the environment. With 20 years of culinary experience, Jon Weinrott, One Atlantic’s partner and master caterer has seen this trend of ‘farm-to-table’ evolve, as the desire for locally-sourced foods expanded from niche market to a mainstream trend. One Atlantic takes gourmet, custom catering to a whole new level by offering clients the opportunity to indulge in the venue’s signature, 100-Mile Menu, a culinary experience featuring foods foraged (produced and farmed), from within a 100 mile radius of Atlantic City. The venue offers personal foraging services to match the culinary appetite of each couple. Popular items that often grace One Atlantic’s wedding menus include Clams Casino, prepared with clams dug from Clam Daddy’s, a shellfish nursery in Brigantine and fine organic cheeses and eggs from Cherry Grove Farm in Lawrenceville. The venue also offers a special opportunity for the bride and groom-to-be to plant and later forage the fruits and vegetables for their special day. Watch a video of One Atlantic’s foraging excursion here: http://www.cinemacake.com/video/oa-foraging/

Other Tasty Trends Include:

- Champagne Tasting Bar: A twist on the traditional ice-topped bar and sculpture, the champagne tasting bar is a more elegant and less potent version of the familiar vodka bar. Champagne is served from magnums in an ice bar. Many couples are further customizing this feature with rosé champagnes.

- Wines from the Source: Wines made from grapes that were grown, harvested, vinified and cellared by the winemaker offer a healthy break from generic wines. One Atlantic features its own label of wines from an exclusive estate in Napa County , CA .

- Custom Cocktails: One Atlantic ’s expert mixologist can create custom cocktails to satisfy both the bride and grooms flavors of choice, while being paired accordingly with the menu.

- “Comfort” foods: “Simple, down-home foods with quality products are growing in popularity,” said Weinrott. “We’re seeing more couples choose foods that evoke warmth. Food is another avenue through which couples can connect and share their love with friends and family. Utilizing family recipes or serving classic comfort foods is a way to make the culinary aspects of your wedding more personal.”

- Mini-Cakes for your Guests: Individual cakes are a wonderful way for couples to communicate to their guests that they appreciate each and every one of them taking part in their special day.

- After-Party Munchies: Classics Make a Comeback: French fries, friend dough, onion rings, sliders and other sinful snacks are re-gaining a foothold for post-wedding noshing. Located on Atlantic City ’s famous boardwalk, One Atlantic has a natural historical connection to these Jersey Shore stalwarts.


‘Green’ is the New White: Give back on your Big Day

Brides and grooms are looking for creative and unique ways to contribute to the community and the earth when planning their wedding. One Atlantic offers a number of ways for the couple to give back including:

- A partnership with Carbonfund.org, offering brides and grooms-to-be the opportunity to purchase carbon offsets for their wedding. Carbonfund.org is leading the fight against global warming, making it easy and affordable for any individual, business or organization to reduce and offset their climate impact and hasten the transition to a clean energy future. One Atlantic works with CarbonFund.org to calculate the carbon emissions of the event. Client purchased carbon offsets will be used to support projects that reduce carbon emissions such as Reforestation & Avoided Deforestation or Renewable Energy & Methane Projects.

- A community partnership with AtlantiCare for which the venue donates all floral arrangements to the organization after every event held in the space. The AtlantiCare Foundation exists to improve the health and wellbeing of our community through a comprehensive development program to support safe, equitable, quality healthcare.

- Use of top regional vendors who offer environmentally-friendly products for events including: cardboard furniture, no bottled water, recycled paper or digital invitations, greenery and flowers in wood boxes in lieu of large flower arrangements.

Post-Reception Events

After-parties have become more and more popular. And, if you’re getting married at One Atlantic, you are in luck; located in the heart of Atlantic City , the party never stops! Those attending receptions at One Atlantic have a posh option right in Caesars, the glitzy Dusk Nightclub (www.duskac.com) , where well-known DJs spin to a spirited dance floor well into the wee hours.

Getting the Wedding Party Intimately Involved

The responsibilities of the wedding party have expanded beyond participation in the ceremony and planning bachelor/bachelorette parties. “Couples are finding new and meaningful ways to involve the wedding party in the festivities,” said Weinrott. “Excursions and group projects add to the memories.” A few examples of this include creating a pre-wedding video filmed in advance of the ceremony featuring photos and interviews with friends and family of the bride and groom; One Atlantic also offers couples the opportunity to take their wedding party on foraging excursions to source the food for the wedding, which makes for a great photo shoot opportunity. Some wedding parties may even opt to create a dance to the bride and grooms favorite song that can be choreographed.

Finishing Touches – Little Things That Say a Lot

Once the big decisions have been made – the centerpieces, floral arrangements, table set-ups – it is the final touches that can help cement a lasting impression and can often exemplify the bride and groom’s personalities and interests. Signature finishing touches recognized by One Atlantic and its vendors include:

- The Perfect Package: A ribbon and a flower tied on every napkin. Another option is an elegantly folded napkin with a personalized menu nestled in the fold. “This really gives guests the assurance that the bride and groom thought specifically of them when thinking of their seat,” said Weinrott. “Often menus for each guest are slightly varied based on personal preferences, allergies and whether or not the guest is a vegetarian or vegan.”

- The ‘WOW’ Factor – A chandelier accenting each table. One interesting spin on this is an “ice chandelier” over one or more tables. As the chandelier melts it slowly adds to a lily-pad pond centerpiece.

- Surprising Elements – Unique twists on mundane items, such as alternatives to vases or unconventional salt and pepper shakers. For example, the salt shaker may be made of hardened sea salt – a container that exemplifies its contents.

There is however one important wedding trend that will never change. “Couples want their wedding to be different, to be unique – special not only to themselves but memorable for their guests as well,” said Wesley Adams, marketing director, One Atlantic. “They want their wedding day to celebrate their own personal relationship and, just as importantly, create lasting memories for themselves and their guests. At One Atlantic we appreciate the months of creative planning that go into planning a wedding and how important it is for a couple’s vision to be realized.”

One Atlantic has a distinction almost no other wedding venue can claim: it is an upscale event space located entirely over water. Stretching some 900 feet out over the Atlantic Ocean , One Atlantic provides vantage points unrivaled in the region through its floor-to-ceiling windows. Its 10,000 square feet of interior space and adjoining 2,000-square-foot garden terrace can accommodate weddings of up to 500.

For more information or to inquire about reservations for a wedding at One Atlantic, visit www.oneatlanticevents.com .

To speak with a One Atlantic representative, please call 609-343-9902 or email info@oneatlanticevents.com

Earth 911 Earth Day Contest

Check this out- I am giving away 2 signed copies of The Everything Green Wedding Book for this contest

Earth911.com recently launched a special section of its Web site to mark the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. The channel not only features 40 tips about reducing, reusing and recycling, but also hosts a Twitter contest beginning March 29 and ending in a giveaway on Earth Day, April 22.

“We hope that people participate in our contest not only to learn more about how to improve their waste output and environmental footprint, but also to encourage their friends, family, and followers to do the same,” says Colt Melby, CEO of Earth911. “This Earth Day should be a celebration not of what we will accomplish on April 22, but what we will do the other 364 days of the year.”

During the contest, two tips will be released each day on the Earth Day channel, counting down to Earth Day itself. By simply tweeting the channel’s Web address each day a new set of tips is released (http://earth911.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=83da47614bd8be66468397bfc&id=dab9a65664&e=e9a5d88bdb), members of the Twitter audience will be entered into a drawing to receive eco-friendly prizes from organizations and authors such as:

- One home composting starter kit, courtesy of SunChips

- Two copies of Disneynature's EARTH, courtesy of Disneynature OCEANS

- One historic tree sponsorship, courtesy of American Forests

- One copy of "Ten Ways to Change the World in Your 20s," courtesy of author Libuse Binder

- One Interactive Boxed Set of stationery, courtesy of Ecosaurus

- Two desk clocks and one photo frame, courtesy of Corrugated Art

- One, certified CarbonFree® Certified GoECOlife™ SOHO 8

-Sheet ULTRA-QUIET™ Paper Shredder, courtesy of Carbonfund.org

- One copy of the e-book "Small Spaces, Fast Paces: New York Organizing Secrets," courtesy of author Sharon Lowenheim

- Three pairs of Performance Toesocks™ in CoolMax® EcoMade™, courtesy of Injinji

- One copy of "Celebrate Green!" courtesy of Celebrate Green!

- One iPad sleeve, courtesy of First World Trash

- One therm-o-tote, one acrylic cup, one stainless steel water bottle, and two reuseable grocery totes, courtesy of LittleFeet Big Feats

- One copy of "Suddenly Frugal: How to live Happier and Healthier for Less," courtesy of author Leah Ingram

- Two copies of "The Everything Green Wedding Book: Plan an Elegant, Affordable, Earth-Friendly Wedding," courtesy of author Wenona Napolitano

- Eco-friendly T-shirts, courtesy of Earth911.com

SunChips will also sponsor tips about newly introduced compostable products, as the company recently launched the world’s first 100 percent compostable chip bag that decomposes in 14 weeks when placed in a hot active compost bin.

The contest will culminate on April 22 when the winners from the giveaway will be selected. Those interested in participating can visit the channel for official rules, a list of prizes and daily tips to tweet and also follow Earth911 (@Earth911).

DexKnows Weddings Recessionista Giveaway

DexKnows Weddings, a content-rich resource for brides, is gearing up to launch a contest that will offer four couples the chance to win $10,000 each towards their upcoming wedding.

The contest starts April 6

Couples can enter to win on Dexknowsweddings.com or on the DexKnows Weddings Facebook fan page, by sharing what recessionista inspiring alternatives they plan to use at their wedding.

A recessionista is stylish, yet frugal and ideas should be as creative as the recessionistas themselves.

DexKnows Weddings celebrity wedding planner, Yifat Oren will pick the most creative finalists and winners will be chosen based on online public voting.

Four winners with the highest number of votes will win.

Couples must be planning to get married after June 1, 2010 and before June 1, 2012.

DexKnows Weddings is the ideal partner for anyone planning a wedding and features include:

Videos – Hundreds of ‘how to’ wedding-related videos

Q&A – A social networking community for brides

Celebrity Wedding Planner – Wedding planning tips and secrets from renowned celebrity wedding planner Yifat Oren, who has coordinated weddings for such stars as Kevin Costner, Jason Bateman, Mariska Hargitay, among others.

Articles – Thousands of original articles providing informative content and invaluable wedding planning tools

Vendors – Access to a robust local wedding vendor resource

Wedding Checklists – A step-by-step guide to stay organized and within budget

I am Now A Featured Wedding Contributor for Associated Content

More of my wedding articles will be featured on AssociatedContent.com soon as I have been elevated to a featured wedding contributor position.

I'll be posting links here once new articles are up.

I am also now writing for GreenDivaMom.com my post is now live and can be viewed at http://www.greendivamom.com/2010/03/16/daily-giggles-organic-lip-balm-for-little-green-divas/

Unfortunately the name in the title is supposed to be Dilly Giggles not Daily Giggles, I am sure the editor will make the changes to that soon.

Green Options Media is under going some changes but I will still be writing for them but the sites have been going up and down as they switch to new servers and new layouts which makes posting difficult. Once everything is back to normal I will once again be posting there as well.

20% Off OKA b Shoes Eco-Conscious Bridal Line

Looking for comfortable yet stylish eco-shoes for the bridal party?

Check out OKA b. eco-friendly shoes and their all new Bridal Collection http://www.shoesthatloveyou.com/Collection-Bridal-Sandals-Wedding-Flip-Flops.aspx

The U.S. based manufacturer offers eco-friendly, recyclable, stylish and uber-comfortable flip-flops, thongs, sandals and slides.

You can receive 20% off of your entire bridal order

through August 31, 2010

by entering BRIDAL2010 at checkout

when ordering online only at

http://www.shoesthatloveyou.com/

Stubby Pencil Studio is Giving Away an Eco-Easter Basket Filled with Goodies

Stubby Pencil Studio is a one stop shop for eco-friendly arts and crafts supplies for kids. They also have games and small toys; all made with ethical and eco materials.

They have offered to give away a wonderful Eco-Easter Basket to one lucky winner.
The Eco Easter Basket from Stubby Pencil Studio has a retail value of $65

Want to win this eco-fab basket? Head on over to Creatively Green and leave a comment.

Get 2 Ecards for the Price of One at Verve Cards

TOP 5 ECARD SAFETY TIPS FOR A VIRUS-FREE VALENTINE’S DAY

How to Prevent Computer Viruses Masquerading as Valentine Ecards From Infecting Your Computer

This Valentine’s Day, let Cupid’s arrow strike - not a nasty computer virus contracted by clicking an ecard retrieval link.

With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, there’s a lot of fear-based buzz right now swirling around the topic of computer viruses hidden in fraudulent ecards. So much so, in fact, that the Greeting Card Association has posted this warning front and center on its homepage: “Beware of fraudulent emails stating you’ve received a greeting card or ecard from a ‘friend’ or ‘schoolmate’ or other unnamed person.” With the rise of virtual Valentines, what’s a cyber recipient to do?

VerveCards.com, home of “wry and snappy – never sappy” ecards for savvy senders, offers these Top 5 Tips for distinguishing the benevolent from the malevolent when it comes to Valentine’s Day ecards:

Tip #1 – Beware of vague labels such as “co-worker,” “family member” - or no name at all - in ecard notification emails. Legitimate ecard sites will always include the sender’s first and last name in this type of email.

Tip #2 – Even if a full name is provided, delete any ecard notification emails from senders you don’t recognize.

Tip #3 – Don’t be fooled by an authentic looking email from a reputable ecard company. Scammers have become quite skillful at replicating bona fide correspondence from established sites you know and trust. (But do pay attention to tell-tale typos and grammatical errors that may look fishy.)

Tip #4 – If you’re at all in doubt, do not click on the site link-back to retrieve the ecard in question. Instead, go to the real ecard site directly (not via the link), find the pick-up area on the site, and manually type your ecard retrieval information. (Do not copy/paste any information from the link, as this may take you to the rogue site you’re trying to avoid.) If no card awaits you, the email was a hoax.

Tip #5 – Avoid link-related uncertainty altogether by sending and viewing only linkless ecards.
VerveCards.com was created with a unique, linkless format to remove the fear from sending and receiving ecards. Ecards appear right in the recipient’s email, so there’s no virus risk from clicking on an unknown link. There’s also no waiting for a link-back to a home site to retrieve your ecard, or waiting for the ecard to load for viewing.

“In our quest for a quick, quality, linkless experience, we've pumped up the color, graphics and attitude to make up for the absence of Flash components - like music and moving graphics - that require a link-back to a home site,” explains VerveCards.com Co-founder, Leigh Copin.

“Security, speed and peace of mind are high on our list of priorities, since many folks simply won’t click on an unknown link - and many who do dislike waiting for the site, then the ecard to load and go through its paces,” adds Nancy Rielle, Co-founder.

Since so many approach ecards with fear, VerveCards.com hopes to shed some light on safe practices and options that do exist for enjoying ecards this Valentine’s Day.

About VerveCards.com:

VerveCards.com was founded by mompreneur and graphic designer, Leigh Copin, and her cousin/Co-founder, Nancy Rielle, a copywriter, marketing consultant, and former fine artist/painter.

When an ill-fated search for a decent ecard uncovered slim pickings, they created “wry and snappy – never sappy” ecards for savvy senders like themselves to fill the void. With their vibrant design and ingenious wit, paper-free VerveCards provide an eco-friendly, time-saving and cost-effective way to send quality online greetings with style!

VerveCards.com is wholly owned and operated by VerveCards, LLC, a Florida company based in West Palm Beach, FL with an office in Brooklyn, NY. For more information, please visit http://vervecards.com/.

Use Code "GREENVERVE"

to Buy One Get One Free

Yearly Memberships are just $14.95

through March 14, 2010

Visit Creatively Green for Your Chance to Win a Free Membership

Mentioned in Top 50 Wedding Planning Blogs Round Up

Everything Green Weddings and More was mentioned in a roundup of the Top 50 Wedding Planning Blogs.

We made it into the section for top green wedding planning blogs.

Here's the link to the list for all you brides to be looking for inspiration and wedding planning help:

http://www.universityreviewsonline.com/2005/10/the-top-50-wedding-planner-blogs.html

My Wedding Workbook Online Wedding Planner for brides

2010 weddings will be both high-tech and homespun

Items like handmade reception favors and wedding websites are at the top of brides' wish lists as they plan their 2010 weddings, according to a new survey by My Wedding Workbook - http://www.myweddingworkbook.com/ - the next-generation online wedding software with more than 12,000 active users.

73.6% of all brides surveyed will be using handmade or homemade items such as favors, invitations and decorations for their weddings this coming year, and 68.7% will also have a wedding website to tell their story as a couple.

"Today's bride wants handmade items to give her wedding a sense of warmth and uniqueness, but she also wants the convenience of what modern technology has to offer," said Jeff Kear, co-owner of My Wedding Workbook and My Wedding Workbook Pro http://www.myweddingworkbookpro.com/ - the wedding planning software for bridal consultants. "Our findings show that, for brides, it's natural to send out handmade invitations and then have their guests RSVP by email."

In the past few years, more and more brides have come to rely on the Internet to generate ideas for their wedding as well as manage the hundreds of details associated with their wedding events. Three quarters of survey respondents regularly consult wedding websites, while 69.5% use electronic checklists, spreadsheets and wedding software and 54.9% use blogs and online forums to stay up on wedding trends, ask questions and share insights.

"Many newly engaged brides are already using social media sites like Facebook and Twitter to chat with their friends and share ideas, so they're used to using the Internet to find information, communicate, shop and basically make their lives easier," said Kear. "Planning their wedding with the help of the Web is the next logical step for them."

Along with their preference for homemade items and products, brides have also included in their wedding plans somewhat newer traditions such as save-the-date cards (62.6%), engagement photos (59.2%), self-written wedding vows (39.0%), mismatched bridesmaid dresses (34.7%), eco-friendly products (26.7%) and a photo booth at the reception (21.8%).

"Many of these newer traditions like engagement photos, mismatched bridesmaid dresses and photo booths all speak to the increasing personalization of weddings," said Kear. "Brides now have the opportunity to tailor their weddings down to the thread and pixel, and they are taking advantage of it."

The popularity of save-the-date cards also points to the growing size of weddings as well as the busy lives of Americans. "Families are much more spread out across the country than they once were, so weddings are now big gatherings that require lots of advance notice and preparation," said Kear.

About My Wedding Workbook - http://www.myweddingworkbook.com/

The next-generation free online wedding planner software, My Wedding Workbook provides engaged couples with everything they need to manage their wedding details. Its basic wedding planning tools are easy-to-use, comprehensive and enable couples to plan every wedding-related event, from their engagement party to their ceremony and reception to their honeymoon.

About My Wedding Workbook Pro - http://www.myweddingworkbookpro.com/


My Wedding Workbook Pro is online event management and wedding planning software for wedding professionals, providing wedding consultants with the tools they need to manage and build their business. It also lets consultants collaborate with their clients online to build stronger relationships and facilitate the planning process.

ROMANCE AND ECO-FRIENDLY MEET AT BUCUTI BEACH RESORT

Aruba’s greenest and most romantic getaway launches package for eco-lovers

EAGLE BEACH , ARUBA – January 27, 2010 – Bucuti Beach Resort, one of the greenest resorts in the Caribbean, invites guests to fall in love with their new eco-friendly Experience Aruba Green Package as they learn more about Aruba ’s environment, culture and history.

The Experience Aruba Green Package includes a guided hike with a native park ranger through Arikok National Park, a preserve of desert resources comprising of 20 percent of the land on Aruba that is home to most of the island’s flora and fauna, including the unique indigenous burrowing owl and Prikichi parrot; a tour of the Aruba Aloe factory to learn how Aruba’s oldest industry has been producing aloe for more than 100 years; an authentic Aruban dinner for two at the resort’s Pirates’ Nest restaurant; and a full American breakfast buffet daily. Guests can also participate in the resort’s monthly beach clean-up, watch sea turtles hatch (seasonally) and enjoy the widest and most pristine stretch of Eagle Beach . Bucuti also hosts seasonally environmental activities, including a bi-annual recycling contest where guests are invited to judge and a special Earth Day celebration. Rates for the five-night package start at $2,179 for a superior room, including all taxes and service charges.

“At Bucuti, we are passionate about preserving the environment so we can share Aruba ’s beauty and culture with guests for years to come,” said Bucuti’s owner Ewald Biemans. “The Experience Aruba Green Package will allow guests to experience some of the island’s spectacular sights, while also learning about our history and ecology. We hope this will help our guests develop a true sense of place.”

A multiple award-winning and owner-managed resort, Bucuti has been officially certified Green Globe 21 since 2000 and ISO 14001 since 2003, making it not only one of the greenest resorts in the Caribbean but one of the first and most progressively committed. To reduce environmental impacts, the resort has implemented many energy and water-saving practices that include the use of solar panels, equipping guest rooms with automatic air conditioner sensors, flowing wastewater from the toilets to the government treatment plant for re-use, using biodegradable containers for beverages and food instead of plastic material, and collecting all water used in showers, sinks and baths in a grey water recycling system. The resort is dedicated to a high level of service and associates are trained on environmental practices along with customer service. Bucuti also sponsors several local environmental groups, including Turtugaruba Aruba’s Sea Turtle Foundation and the island’s Reef Care Foundation.

For more information or reservations, visit www.bucuti.com or call (888) 4-BUCUTI.

About Bucuti Beach Resort: Bucuti Beach Resort featuring Tara Beach Suites & Spa is Aruba ’s premier, intimate, upscale boutique resort for couples. Located on the white-powder sands of Eagle Beach , Bucuti was named one of the world’s most romantic resorts by TripAdvisor. Bucuti offers 104 guest rooms, an abundance of contemporary European charm and a caring and attentive staff. Bucuti is a leader in sustainable tourism throughout the world, is ISO 14001 certified and has been recognized by notable organizations such as the Caribbean Hotel Association, American Express and the Intern ational Hotel and Restaurant Association for its environmentally responsible hotel operations.

For more information, visit http://www.bucuti.com/ or become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ArubaBucutiBeachResort .

A Review of The Paper Bride

If you are looking for a fabulously creative way to make personalized goods for your wedding then check out The Paper Bride: Wedding DIY from Pop-the-Question to Tie-the-Knot and Happily Ever After

Thsi splendid book is full of crafty ways to make beautiful decor, invitations and more from paper.

I've reviewed a lot of wedding books, craft books, wedding craft books, and wedding DIY books and I have to say The Paper Bride really stands out. It is full of unique, crafty, beautiful paper crafts that can be easily created by anyone and used during all stages of your wedding planning-even the very beginning.

The first craft how-to is a Secret Hidden Ring Box Book for the groom to make. How awesome is that? I might take that DIY tidbit and make a book to stash other goodies in. I'm just not sure I can defile a book (I hold them sacred). It'd have to be a useless book that I wouldn't mind cutting up.The next craft is something every bride needs- a Paper Pocket Planner. I bought one when planning my wedding-a little notebook with folders that held everything. I still have it tucked away with all my wedding mementos like dresses ripped from magazines, sample invitations, small fabric samples and swatches. It's all there. Believe me even if you are a digital gal, there are some things that digital isn't good enough like when it comes to fabric colors and textures. You'll want to see them in person and feel everything. Then you'll need somewhere to store it. That's why you'll need one of these handy little organizers. And if you're the crafty sort-which you probably are if you are reading this then you'll want to make it yourself.

In The Paper Bride you'll also find tons of designs and how-tos for save the date cards and invitations for every pre-party and of course for your wedding. You'll also find fun directions for making guest books, table runners, paper flowers, headdresses, wedding programs, place cards, napkin rings, paper lanterns, cake toppers, cake boxes, coasters, photo albums, and memory books- and yes everything is made from paper.


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Merry Christmas