Tips for picking out a florist

It's hard to imagine a wedding without flowers. They add a special touch of beauty and fragrance to the event that complements the overall style and color scheme. But before you begin making up bouquets of roses and lillies, you must invest time in choosing a quality florist. Here are some tips from the experts.

• Family and friends are excellent sources for recommending florists. If you've admired the flowers at a friend's wedding, request the name of her florist. The role of the florist is to demystify the whole experience. But there must be a level of trust.
  
• The bride should allow them to use their discretion when it comes to choosing the right flowers.
  
• The florist you choose should help you work within your price range as well.
  
  

Planning ahead is key to marrying outdoors

For Julia, the dream of having an outdoor wedding began long ago. In August, she plans to marry her fiancée at The Lyons Manor, at the base of the Rocky Mountains.

"My biggest hope," says Julia, "Is that it doesn't rain. We decided to go for it, but if Mother Nature doesn't cooperate, we'll of course wed indoors."

Experts say rain is everybody's biggest concern, yet outdoor weddings are beautiful when everything works out. "The key is to envision and plan for both scenarios," says Mary Jane Forrester, adding that she has attended outdoor weddings for as many as 250 to 300 people.

If you're planning your ceremony at a public park, have an alternate indoor site and indicate it on the invitation, she suggests. A private home makes the best alternate site, as a function hall is likely to require that you reserve and pay for space, even if it is never used.

"There are very sophisticated tents available for rental today" too, she says, adding that tents should be set up the night before the event so the ground beneath will be dry. "They can be heated or air-conditioned and equipped with (full or partial) hardwood floors for dancing."

Tents are a good idea even if the weather turns out to be perfect. "Have one anyway so your guests may seek shade. The food and the cake should also be sheltered from the sun so nothing melts or goes awry."

When marrying outdoors, whether it be at home or in a public location, Forrester says you should enclose maps with clear directions to guests with your wedding invitation. She strongly suggests checking with local officials to see if special permits are required for cooking fires or increased parking and traffic. If you'll be too busy to do it yourself, designate a friend or family member to be responsible for obtaining permit fee and payment schedule information.

One of the things that will make the event less of a personal headache is hiring a wedding consultant who agrees to be on hand for the event. "They'll come to your home and take care of things like keeping votives lit in the bathrooms and ensuring there are plenty of guest towels."

Once you've done all the necessary planning, there's nothing left to do but pray for good weather. But even with rain, an outdoor wedding can be beautiful. "Rain on the wedding day is considered good luck for the couple," says Forrester. "Rain ensures that crops will grow and bountiful crops
insure that the couple will eat and prosper."

Beach/Outdoor wedding checklist

-- For some brides, the impetus for having an outdoor or home wedding is to cut the cost. Experts suggest tallying up the cost of everything you need to rent (tent, floor, tables, chairs, linens, restrooms, etc) before making a final decision. You may find it more costly than renting a reception hall.

-- Once you commit to an outdoor local, start praying for a clear day. But in case of rain, be sure to reserve an alternate venue and indicate it on the invitation. Many professional wedding facilities have indoor contingency options. If you are planning your wedding at a public park,
experts advise that your home will often work in case of inclement weather.

-- Many outdoor facilities have rules and regulations that govern their use. Check with local officials to see if special permits are required for cooking fires, public parking, etc. Also, be sure to find out in advance if you will be able to serve food and alcohol there.

-- Make sure you have enough restrooms. This applies to home affairs as well as remote sites. In many cases, this means that you'll have to rent portable latrines. If you're having a tent wedding, designate at least two easily accessible bathrooms. But remember, if scores of people are walking across grass before entering the house, the route you arrange should circumvent your mother's prized geraniums.

-- Have adequate outdoor lighting. If people can't see the face of the person they're talking to, they tend to leave once it gets dark. Also have your photographer and videographer visit the site in advance to test lighting before and after dark.

-- Have the disc jockey or band leader visit the site beforehand to check out acoustics and make adequate adjustments.

-- Have a plan in place for handling uninvited guests -- mosquitoes and bugs! Some experts suggest having the site sprayed in advance when possible and having citronella torches posted and ready to light as the sun goes down. You can also provide cans of insect repellent in decorative baskets accessible to guests. On hot, sunny days, a basket filled with bottles of
sunscreen would also be a good idea.

-- Be sure to wear high heels to your dress rehearsal. This will give you a chance to determine if the ground is too soft for you to walk down the isle without tripping because your heels sink into the ground.

-- If you don't want your wedding cake to melt or topple, stay away from mousse fillings, custard, or whipped cream.

-- Enclose maps with clear directions to guests. Be sure to specify an alternative location for inclement weather if necessary.

Make special arrangements for kids at weddings

When George and Jill planned their September wedding, they decided not to include children on the guest list.

"It was cost and also because we have so many children in our families," said Jill, adding, "I thought parents would enjoy themselves more if they didn't have to worry about their kids. "

Thus, the only children at their wedding were the two flower girls - Melissa's half-sisters - and the ring bearer.

The issue of whether to invite entire families or just adults to a wedding can be a touchy one. While some parents relish the notion of a few hours of dining and dancing without the little ones clutching their knees, others may be highly offended that their four offspring were not invited to the festivities as well.

Likewise some couples wouldn't dream of planning a major gathering of the clan like a wedding without including the youngest relatives.

Wedding etiquette dictates that it is strictly up to the bride and groom whether to invite some, all or no children to their nuptials. But this prerogative is not always recognized or happily accepted by other family members and guests.

Addressing an invitation simply to Mr. and Mrs., or whatever names the parents go by, should be enough to indicate exactly who is invited. If children are to be included, their names should be written on the inside envelope of the invitation. Example: Mr. and Mrs. Smith/Jennifer and Kyle.

Not all people are aware of this rule of etiquette, however. To avoid any misunderstandings, invitations could read "Adult reception to follow at . " This is an acceptable way of clearly conveying the "no children" rule, say wedding experts.

If you are going to invite children, experts advise that you have things for them to do. Some couples have set up special tables covered with cloths that can be colored or stocked with coloring books, crayons and puzzles. If there is no room for separate tables, you could make up little gift bags for the children with things like a little coloring book, crayons, a miniature puzzle...These can be used at their place at any table.

Another option for overseeing children during a reception is to arrange for a babysitter to take children off to a guest room where they can watch movies, play board games, have snacks or nap.

How -to: Rosebud topiaries are a perfect wedding craft

Today's stylishly frugal brides are turning to the friends for help in making their own wedding decorations and reception favors. Such projects are as beautiful as they are cost-conscious, and add a touch of handmade charm to even the most elegant of weddings.

Heidi Tyline King and Nancy Worrell have createdr a beautiful book of wedding crafts for Lark Books, a publishing company in Asheville. From an elegant, yet simple doorknob sachet - perhaps a gift for the maid of honor - to a dainty flower girl's basket, the book features dozens of traditional wedding projects for the big day. Also included are directions for items which can be made as tokens of appreciation by the bride to the wedding party or by family and friends to the couple.

Here's a look at two of the projects from their book, "Beautiful Wedding Crafts" (ISBN: 1-57990-084-4, $ 24.95):

Tabletop topiaries

Cut flowers last only days, but tabletop topiaries - whether dried or planted - can be enjoyed long after the wedding and reception. Use them as centerpieces at your reception, then give them as bridesmaids' gifts. If you choose a live topiary, start growing it well ahead of time, so that you can trim the topiary into the desired shape by the wedding.

Dried Herb Topiary

Here's what you will need:

• 4-inch diameter polystyrene ball
  
• Loose rosebuds, lavender, rose petals or potpourri
  
• Floral foam
  
• 6-inch diameter terra-cotta pot
  
• 1/2-inch diameter twig, 15 inches long
  
• Spanish moss
  
• Ribbon (optional)
  
• Hot glue gun and glue sticks
  

Here's how to make it:

1. Cover a small portion of the polystyrene ball with hot glue, the stick rosebuds onto the ball one at a time until the entire ball is covered.

2. Cut a piece of floral foam to fit snugly inside the terra-cotta pot and wedge in place

3. Stick the end of the twig into the bottom of the ball and the other end into the floral foam.

4. Cover the top of the floral foam with Spanish moss.

5. If desired, tie a bow around the center of the twig or around the top of the pot.

Easy Etched Stemware

Though it may seem as if etching would require advanced crafting skills, this technique is really quite easy to master. All you do is apply etching paste to glass using a precut pattern. For the pattern, use stencil designs or patterns from gift wrap or magazines that have distinct outer edges and no small, intricate lines running through the pattern.

Here's what you will need:

• Paper with adhesive backing
  
• Purchased champagne glasses
  
• Etching creme
  
• Pencil
  
• Craft knife
  
• Spatula
  
• Plastic container large enough to cover champagne glass (for etched glass with clear design only)
  

Here's how to make it:

1. First, trace the chosen design on adhesive-backed paper. Use a craft knife to cut around the design about 1 inch from the outside edge of the design.

2. Remove paper backing and position design on glass. Smooth adhesive paper flat against glass with a spatula. Make sure all bubbles and wrinkles are smoothed out.

3. To create an etched design on clear glass, cut around the outside edge of the design, then cut a slit down the center of the design with a craft knife. Using the tip of the craft knife, carefully lift the inside of the design from the glass. Smooth the edges of the adhesive paper against the glass with a spatula. Carefully apply etching creme over the clear cutout in the adhesive paper. Do not drip or spill etching creme on any other part of the glass, as it will cloud the glass.

4. To create an etched glass with a clear design, cut around the outside edge of the design. Using the craft knife, carefully lift the adhesive paper around the design from the glass, leaving the adhesive design intact. Smooth the edges of the adhesive design against the glass with a spatula. Pour the etching creme into a plastic container, then dip the glass into the creme.

5. Leave creme on glass for 15 minutes, the dab off excess with a clean rag. Rinse with cold water. Do not allow creme tat is rinsing off to run onto the bare glass. Remove the paper design from the glass.

Where to find it: Materials mentioned in this article are readily available from local craft and floral suppliers. You may even have some of the materials on hand.

The book "Beautiful Wedding Crafts" may be available at your local bookstore.

Preserving memories from your wedding

Wedding photographs are among the most important family photographs ever taken, and these mementos are often handed down from generation to generation. In order to preserve these memories properly, you have to take action.

Most brides and grooms assume that their color snapshots and portraits will survive in their wedding albums and picture frames as well as old black-and-white photos did. Unfortunately, that's not true, say preservation experts. If you live another 30 or 40 years, you're likely to outlive your color photos.

Shortly after your ceremony, you should take the time to identify what the pictures show, because only photos that are identified and labeled are worth saving. Buy a 6B drawing pencil or, second choice, a Stabilo "All" pencil. They're available at photo and art shops. Use it to write names and dates on the backs of photos. (Never the fronts.) Do not use ballpoint pens -- they
leave indentations.

When identifying the participants, write down their full names. You may know what you mean by "Grandma Henken," but your descendants may not. Don't be satisfied with "Father" or "Cousin Louise."

Avoid heat, humidity

The greatest evil to prints, slides and videos is variation in heat and humidity. They rapidly age images. The worst places to store them are in the basement (too damp) or attic (too hot). Fireplace mantels and walls with heat sources nearby also are poor. Wooden file cabinets are dangerous to photos. What's optimal is a cool, dry, dark place, with a steady temperature
under 68 degrees. A safe level of relative humidity is 30 to 40 percent. A closet in an air-conditioned, first-floor room may be your best bet. Keep the negatives there, too.

So what do we do?

Look for albums that have plastic enclosures of archival quality. Plastic pages should be made of polyethylene, polypropylene or polyester. Paper pages should be acid-free. Another very good method is the one our ancestors used: Corner mounts in a scrapbook. The glue touches only the page, not the print.

Displaying photos

Of course, some of your photos from your wedding should be displayed prominently throughout your home. Choose an elegant collage print as a beautiful way to remember your special day.