For wine-themed table decoration for your wedding, try candles that sit atop wine bottles from Beau-coup Wedding Favors.  These candles merely sit on top any empty wine bottle and make a creative way to jazz up your wedding tables.  The cork is actually not cork, but wax like a candle should be.  Enjoy!

For coming out last night and ‘rocking’ with us at our first Time to Rock event.  Last night we held a bride appreciation night along with the Making Memories Foundation, (they run the Brides Against Breast Cancer gown events), to give local brides a night off from wedding planning.  The night featured a signature drink, the Blushing Bride, made with Support Her Vodka courtesy of the Making Memories Foundation.  We had a chance to chat with lots of our local members and fellow DC wedding blogger Marissa from the Bridal Party Blog.  Additionally, we had Dr. Maggie Daniels on hand to answer questions and offer advice on wedding planning.  So thanks again to all that attended and we look forward to meeting our members in another city very soon!

Here’s a few photos from the event.  More photos can be found on our Facebook page.

This past weekend Scarlett Johanssen got engaged to fellow actor Ryan Reynolds.  Ryan Reynolds was previously engaged to Alanis Morissette, but had his engagement called off.  So assuming they make it to the alter, it will be the first marriage for each of them.

Now it’s time for a WeddingWire poll!

Travel and Leisure is getting ready to release their June edition, which is also their annual hotels issue.  And to kick things off, they’ve put together a list of 50 Hotel Deals all over the world. Deals like 20% off Jamaica’s Ritz-Carlton and 50% savings on Venice romance package can be found here.

Jumby Bay Resort Antigua, St. Johns

Also, be sure to check out their list of the 500 Best Hotels in the world as well. Could be a good place to start if you’re looking at booking your honeymoon hotel.

via Daily Travel and Deal Blog

If you looking for a simple centerpiece you can do yourself relatively easily (and inexpensively) Preston Bailey offers this quick video on how to create a centerpiece with rose petals.  Have a look:

via Blue Orchid Designs

TLC is looking for couples getting married that think they can dance and would want to dance on camera.  This is your opportunity to surprise your guests with a production of a first dance at your wedding.  They are looking for couples getting married in May, June, or July in the Southern California area. Send an email to firstdancecasting@gmail.com for more information or to set up an interview.

via Bridal Bar Blog

This could be you….

As you get closer to marriage, you probably have seen that it’s taken some patience to deal with one another through this wedding planning process.  It’s no secret relationships take work and here’s a good article from ZenHabits labeled “The Seven Deadly Sins of a Relationship“.  It’s a good read and a good reason to take a step back and look at how you live within your relationship.  The list of seven things to avoid in your relationship includes things like jealousy, resentment and unrealistic expectations.  Have a look and see if you’ve been guilty of any recently.

While flying a bio-diesel fueled airplane may not be happening in the near future, there are ways to be ‘green’ with your honeymoon. Companies like Elevate Destinations offer trip packages to locations you may not think of when planning your honeymoon, like Africa, South and Central America or even India and New Zealand. While there you can be involved with philanthropic activities in the local region while still getting a great tan and enjoying beach time depending on location.

You can also look into resorts that are going green like the Hotel Eco Paraíso Xixim on the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico that filters waste water to use in their gardens and solar panels to heat the water in their pools.

There’s even a site dedicated to Eco-Tourism.  They offer tips and ideas for traveling and destination choices.  Even MSN has a Green Travel site and Yahoo! has entire property dedicated to being ‘green’.

So when planning your honeymoon travel, if you’re interested in doing something a little ‘green’, finding ideas is getting easier and easier.  Enjoy!

As you look into options for your wedding flowers, you’ll see very quickly that there are lots of gorgeous and creative options, and many with an expensive price tag. One great way to do flowers in a more earth friendly manor (and cut costs) is to look at using locally grown and/or in season flowers. Flowers that are more difficult obtain mean more in terms in transportation costs to get them to you. Also, if you’re having an outdoor wedding, use any trees or foliage around the area as part of your wedding decor.

Also, when the wedding is over, consider having your guests take them with you or if you used plants that can be planted, consider donating them to a local community center or senior center nearby.

Over the course of your wedding planning, there is a lot of paper that is typically used.  Save the Dates and Invitations are the common, but you may also be printing Bridal Shower invites, ceremony programs, table number cards, thank you cards and possibly others.  When thinking green about all this, look into using high-count recycled paper and soy or veggie-based ink.  Perhaps even some DIY projects using a natural ink is another idea.  Also, don’t be afraid to simply cut back on mailings.  Using Online RSVP functions on your wedding website is a great way to cut back on paper and postage (as prices for stamps go up next month).

So be sure to ask you paper company about using recycled or natural materials for your wedding paper.

These photos and more in WeddingWire Ideas

Earth Day is tomorrow so this week we’re going to offer ideas and tips for adding a ‘green’ touch to your wedding. Green weddings have been gaining in popularity lately so we thought we’d run with it this week.

Today, we’ll start with your wedding dress. There are a few ways to have a stylish, yet ‘green’ wedding dress. The main way is with the fabrics the dress is made from. Gowns can be created from organic cotton, silk, hemp and a hemp/silk combination. You could also consider having someone make one for you if you can’t find a bridal salon in your area that carries these types of dresses.

Another option is that you can look into buying a dress that was donated. This is also a great way to save money on a dress. Organizations like Brides Against Breast Cancer resell dresses and use the money to grant wishes to people diagnosed with terminal breast cancer.

When searching for wedding dresses on WeddingWire, be sure to ask if they offer any ‘green’ wedding dresses.

In the face of a slowing economy, especially on the housing side, the Bridal Party Blog asks an interesting question as the National Hardware Show is boasting that more couples today are registering for more practical gifts such as home improvement gifts.  For instance, Home Depot is in the registry market with a bridal registry of their own.

So I’m curious, are you or people you know really branching out and registering at places like Home Depot?

In the flood of celebrity wedding news lately, Ashlee Simpson and Pete Wentz announced they are engaged according to US Magazine. Hopefully she has more success in her first marriage than her sister and she’s not “just another line in the song.”

US Magazine is reporting that Beyonce and Jay Z have tied the knot this past Friday night at Jay Z’s Tribeca apartment.  While reps from both are not confirming publicly, US Magazine’s source is quoted as saying “It was amazing — very special, very private, very intimate, Everyone had so much fun. It ended up being a wild party. DJ Cassidy was spinning and people partied until 4:30 a.m.”

This morning we were at another Filenes Basement Running of the Brides event in Tyson’s Corner, Virginia and man was this one big.  There was easily 700 people in line for this event with the first group getting there at 8:30pm last night!  There were some bargains to be had also with one lucky bride snagging a $5000 dress for only $699!

This photo is from Fox 5 DC that was covering the event.  You can find their video coverage from this mornings news on their website.

More great photos can also be found on the Bridal Party Blog…and you might even some of WeddingWire’s very own.

Yesterday Andy Roddick announced he is engaged to 20 year old model Brooklyn Decker.  The couple met and started dating last year and have yet to set a wedding date.  Read more on Andy’s website.

If you were planning on using Aloha Airlines for your Hawaiian honeymoon, think again.  The company just announced they are shutting down.  The company will no longer be flying after March 31, 2008.  If you have plane tickets already or want to read more, check out their home page for more details.

By now I’m sure some of you have heard of the Clear program that allows you to be pre-screened and given a biometric pass that speeds up your time spent with security at an airport.  Not all airports have these Clear lanes just yet, but many do and many more are beginning to pop.  The kicker to the whole program is the $128 membership fee that turns many people away.

However, Gadling is reporting that members of Hyatt’s Platinum Rewards and Marriotts Rewards Platinum Elite members can enroll in a free year of Clear.  Hyatt is also running a promo where you can get Hyatt Platinum for free after one stay.  You just have to sign up on Hyatt’s special sign up page, and book a stay on at a Hyatt.

Hyatt Platinum members can sign up with Clear here at their special sign up page.

With Marriott, click here to sign up using your status with Marriott.

If you or your fiance is a regular traveler, this is an easy way to get into the program to possibly use for your honeymoon, especially if you booked an early morning flight the morning after your wedding.

Liene of Blue Orchid Designs wrote an honest and open post yesterday about how some (not all) wedding planners get kickbacks from other wedding vendors for having their brides book a particular vendor.  She talks about the dirty little secrets some wedding planners employ to earn extra cash at the expense of the bride.  She states that some vendors will raise their rates to brides to cover the kickbacks a wedding planner demands.  So in essence, you’re paying your wedding planner twice.

She also offers some advice on what to look for in your contract with a wedding planner and some advice on how to deal with a wedding planner that may be involved with this sort of practice.  It’s a good article to read for anyone who is considering using a wedding planner for their wedding.  Not all wedding planners do this, but it can’t hurt to read the fine print to ensure you’re not paying extra.

Read the full post here.