Martha Stewart Does DIY Weddings at Walmart

NEW YORK – Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia and Wal-Mart are stepping out, which is a pairing that is likely to inflict pangs of jealousy both on Kmart and its parent Sears Holdings. The Martha Stewart Crafts line will roll into Wal-Mart stores throughout the U.S. and Canada in two new assortments, Martha Stewart Create and Martha Stewart Celebrate, beginning this month.
Martha Stewart Celebrate includes ready-made, paper-based wedding essentials such as stationery, guest books, embellishments, favor boxes, cake toppers and customizable centerpieces, as well as flower baskets and ring pillows.

Looks like Martha Stewart recognizes that more and more brides are doing DIY projects for their weddings. 

See also wedding cake table decoration ideas

Do It Yourself Weddings Gain Steam

When Renée Falcone and Sal DiNino started planning their July wedding earlier this year, they decided quickly against a lavish and grand affair.

They’d be paying for much of the event themselves and needed to keep things simple and on budget. But more than that, in these times when nearly everyone they know is trying to cut back amid rising costs, how could they ask people to dig a little deeper for fancy bridesmaids’ dresses and tuxedos?

“Everything is so expensive nowadays, right down to the marriage license and the rings,” says Falcone, 37, host of “Celebrity Access” on WHCN-FM (105.9). “At this age, maybe we just have more wisdom about what’s important and what’s not. So everywhere we could cut a corner, everything we could do ourselves, we did.”

http://www.courant.com/features/hc-recessionweddings.artjun13,0,6613856.story

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Beach Weddings in the Caymans

They are getting bigger, more elaborate, are recession–proof and are likely to bring their visitors back as repeat guests. No wonder Cayman is saying “I do” to destination weddings.

And although the number of visitor weddings taking place in these islands has not grown in the past year, there seems to be an across the board increase in the size of weddings and in wedding spending in general.

The Department of Tourism, which has focused heavily on marketing the romance market in the past few years, is pleased with the results.

Director of Tourism Pilar Bush said, “The DoT is very excited to hear from wedding industry private partners in all segments of the business that they have experienced an across the board rise in numbers of guests attending weddings, as well as increase in average spending per wedding as destination weddings are getting larger and larger…”

http://www.caycompass.com/cgi-bin/CFPnews.cgi?ID=1030508

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Las Vegas Weddings Aren’t for the Fainthearted

Las Vegas. For some, that city’s name conjures up pictures of glitz, glamour and gambling, while others think of it only in terms of debauchery, revelry and sin.

My husband and I recently returned from Las Vegas, where we attended a “destination wedding.” We had vacationed in Vegas six years ago, but were at the south end of “The Strip,” which had left us somewhat isolated. This time, we were more centrally located on Las Vegas Boulevard, just across the street from Caesar’s Palace, where the wedding festivities were held.

http://www.journal-advocate.com/news/2008/jun/03/seeing-it-all-vegas/

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Forget bridal gifts, say ‘I do’ to a down payment fund

 

A wedding-day cash infusion can make it easier to put a down payment on a home. With home prices appreciating rapidly in much of the country, lots of couples need all the help they can get.

There are formal and informal rules governing gifts of money to help newlyweds buy a house. First, the informal rules: Is it OK to ask one’s wedding guests for money?

“It’s not rude to request money as a wedding gift,” says Peggy Post, author of “Emily Post’s Wedding Etiquette.” “However, it’s extremely important to ask politely.”

If you seek down payment money, get the word out through family and friends, recommends Post, who is Emily Post’s great-granddaughter-in-law. Just don’t ask for money in the same envelope as a wedding invitation.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08112/870915-355.stm

See also do it yourself wedding invitations

 

Wedding Color Trends

More on the latest wedding color combinations and the latest wedding color trends -

http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071231/APC04/712310590/1029

See also wedding color combinations

My Wedding Planning Guide Blog

My Wedding Planning Guide Blog

Wedding Pizza, Anyone?

Karen McMillen, owner of Coshocton’s East of Chicago Pizza, enjoys being creative and cooking. On Friday, she combined both passions to make a wedding pizza.

The bottom pizza is adorned with flowers – made out of ham, pepperoni, peppers and black olives. The second pizza has a flower made out of tomatoes, black olives and peppers, while the third pizza has a ring of pepperoni around the edge. Once cooled, they will be topped with a bride and groom, just

http://zanesvilletimesrecorder.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070721/NEWS01/707210318/1002

Also see wedding cake tips