Experts say choose flowers that release less pollen.

Flowers like spray roses, which are tiny but come in a variety of colors, have a light scent and a low capacity to release airborne pollen can still add color and style to your wedding.

Other safe flowers

hydrangeas

orchids

roses

hybrid tea roses

Some lilies can also be a good choice if the brown pollen-bearing anthers on the tip of each stamens are removed.

Flowers to avoid

oriental lilies

mini asters

montecasino

goldenrod

sunflowers

chrysanthemums

stephanotis

gardenias

babies breath

stock

misty

Various blossoms from trees should also be avoided. So, steer away from blossoms from orange, almond and cherry trees.

A good floral designer or a how to do-it-yourself floral guide can help put together arrangements and bouquets with any flower.

There is no reason for a bride with allergies to forgo a flower filled wedding event. If she chooses the right flowers she can avoid an allergic wedding catastrophe.

2. Have a backup plan: What are you going to do if you wake up the day of your wedding and see threatening rain clouds hanging overhead? The ideal outdoor location (which we will discuss later) would also have an indoor location on site too, just in case of inclement weather. If your location doesn’t have indoor facilities too you can rent a tent, as another option, but this only works for light to moderate rain. A heavy rain will soak the ground underneath, leaving guests with soggy shoes. Also: make sure that any tent you rent is sturdy so it won’t flip over. Thick, weighted sides also help ensure the tent is sturdy.

3.Plan for wind: Planning for wind is also part of having a backup plan. Many outdoor wedding unfortunately suffer from windy conditions; so in order to ensure that things still run smoothly avoid light fabrics like chiffons and china silks in your dress and the bridesmaid’s dresses. When you are getting your hair styled for your big day make sure to tell your stylist that you are having an outdoor wedding, this way they are able to style your hair accordingly.

4. Can everybody hear?: When you picture your dream wedding at the beach, you probably aren’t envisioning the roar of the ocean waves, the rushing of the wind, and the local kids running and screaming about. Therefore, you should look into renting a sound system with clip mikes for the bride, groom, and officiant. Your DJ or band (if you are having one) may be able to set this up for you.

5. Decorations: One of the wonderful advantages to having an outdoor wedding is the natural beauty that surrounds your venue. Due to this natural beauty, you don’t need to invest so much in decorating – perhaps, only chair ties, and flowers are needed. Other decorations you may want to consider are: an arch or trellis to focus on the ceremony and frame the bride and groom as they say their vows, strings of lights or lanterns in the trees, or torches.

6.Make things tasty outside: Does your caterer have experience planning an outdoor wedding menu? This is probably something you want to check. Make sure they are planning dishes that will keep well outdoors in the heat. Avoid foods that contain mayonnaise or dishes which must be served cold.

7.Don’t leave your guests parched: As previously stated have your ushers hand out ice-cold water bottles to guests as they are seated for the ceremony. Also consider serving a variety of lemonades, teas, and punches, instead of alcohol, which is dehydrating. Be sure to have plenty of ice and cold water around too. If you are serving cocktails, serve fancy drinks like mint julep or a mojita – the mint will refresh and cool your guests.

8.Those pesky flying things: Be sure to put out citronella candles or a bug zapper so your guests won’t spend the ceremony swatting at the air.
9.Here comes the sun: Consider timing your outdoor wedding for sunset where your guests will see you take your vows surrounded by the warm glow of the sun. If you are having a daytime ceremony, however, orient the ceremony so that the sun will be on the guests’ backs, not in their eyes.

10.Permits: Don’t forget to contact your city parks department or other local government to get a permit for an outdoor wedding. Be sure to ask about the rules surrounding trash removal, candle or torch lighting, and pre-wedding photographs.

Well, there you have it – the top ten tips/things to remember when you are planning an outdoor wedding. Although these weddings come with additional caveats and pitfalls, if you follow these tips you will be sure to shine on your wedding day.

And as promised, here is a list of the ten more popular (and beautiful) places to have an outdoor wedding in Miami, Florida.
-The Zen House
-Vizcaya Museum and Gardens
-Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden
-Koubek Mansion and Gardens
-Miami Shores Country Club
-Coral Gables’ Venetian Pool
-Fastrack Charters
-Kovens Conference Centre at Florida International University
-Grand Salon Reception Hall
-Birdside Bouquet Hall

1. Pick your wedding colours in advance. You don’t necessarily need to have all the details worked out, but the main colours should be decided on. Arrangements, decorations, and the bridal bouquet should all have a common theme.
2. Look through wedding magazines and cut out pictures of any style you may like.
3. Pick at least one or two types of flowers that you would like to feature. Learn the meanings of the flowers, if this is important to you, or just choose one that has a special personal meaning.
4. Do some research to find out if your preferred flowers will be in season for your wedding date. Even if it is not in season, you will probably still be able to get it, but be prepared to spend a little extra.
5. Know your budget. Keep the maximum amount you are willing to spend, but don’t reveal that figure to a florist. Keep in mind the approximate amount of money you would like to spend. If you are comfortable, you can reveal that figure to the florist – it will help them decide how to get the most value for your money.

Colour: You can generally see the flashes of colour in a diamond when it is exposed to sunlight. A diamond’s colour is judged according to a grading system which determines its value. This is how the grading system works.
D, E, F = colourless
G, H, I, J = near colourless
K, L, M = faint yellow
N, O, P, Q, R = very light yellow
S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z = light yellow
Grade D is the most expensive, and as you work your way down to grade Z the prices drop.

Cut: The accuracy of how well the diamond is cut will determine the brightness of the colour and how well it sparkles, so it is vital that the diamond is cut accurately. Still, the cost is mostly determined by the portion and the finish. Diamonds can be cut into a variety of fancy shapes; common ones include pear, marquise, emerald, and oval shapes.

Clarity: Clarity refers to the amount of flaws a stone has. An inclusion is an internal flaw, while a blemish is an external flaw. Of course, you will be hard presses to find a flawless stone, so this is how clarity is judged:
FI = flawless
IF = internally flawless
WS1/WS2 = very very slightly imperfect
VS1/VS2 = very slight imperfect
SI1/SI2 = slightly imperfect
I1/I2/I3 = imperfect
If a stone is rated as I1/I2/I3 that means the imperfections are visible to the naked eye. If possible, avoid buying these diamonds.

Carat: When people ask what size a diamond is, they are generally referring to how many carats it has. A carat defines the weight of the stone. Slight changes in size can affect the price tremendously.

Sometimes a fifth C is added, referring to a diamond certificate. A diamond certificate provides you with the 4Cs – colour, cut, clarity, and carat – and, therefore, the diamond’s value. Get one – it’s a small price to pay for peace of mind.

The trash the dress movement began in 2001 when John Michael Cooper, a Las Vegas photographer, wrote an online article about the concept. A photographer in New Orleans, Mark Eric, read the article, and was instantly hooked – coining the phrase “trash the dress”. What was Cooper’s article about? Well, he was tired of shooting traditional wedding photos, so he prompted some of his brides to be daring – and as a result, he began taking unusual wedding photos instead.

Why was Cooper’s idea so successful? Well, brides have had a longstanding iniquitous relationship with their wedding gown, struggling for months to find the perfect one, spending a small fortune when they finally slip on the dress of their dreams, and then having it altered so it will fit magically. Brides go to great length and endure countless sleepless nights over a dress that is, usually, worn once. Some brides do say that they feel a bit nostalgic at first about trashing their dress, but they then realize they are going to have one-of-a-kind photos, rather than a wedding dress sitting perfectly in a box collecting dust and smelling of moth balls.

If completely trashing your dress doesn’t seem like you either, you are able to opt for less of a beating. Some brides get their dresses wet, dirty, or even light them on fire, but others don’t – they might just get their pictures taken in a field, in an alleyway, at an amusement park, or along railroad tracks. Even for these brides there is an unlimited number of ways to “step outside the box”. When a bride chooses to trash her dress she is able to decide what type of atmosphere she wants, but the ultimate message any photographer will try to exude through the photo is the love between the bride and groom, and that the dress is not going to be warn again (likely, although some brides choose to sell their dress after they have it dry cleaned, so someone will wear it, just not them). The overall focus is on the bride, not the dress; it is creative photography to express the bride’s personality, and sometimes the grooms too, if he chooses to be involved.

Location really affects what kind of trash the dress session is possible. However, any locale, from cities to the country, offers creative possibilities.

These trash the dress photo sessions usually take place in the week following the wedding. Since the ceremony is over the bride is able to relax and have fun at the shoot. These photo shoots give the bride and groom awesome imagery from their wedding, resulting in fantastic (and unique) memories for the rest of their lives. More and more couples these days are favouring the un-styled, un-planned moments of their wedding rather than the prescribed agenda of highly organized groups of people staring at the camera.

If you consider yourself to be an unconventional bride, a unique photo shoot like trash the dress might be a great way for you to relieve any leftover stress from your wedding.

What have you done with your wedding dress? If you have any ideas on what to do with a wedding dress that will never be worn again, leave us a comment! Or have you trashed your dress? Share your stories with us.

Suggestion #1: Avoid Fragrant Flowers. Even though some flowers have such a strong, sweet scent, we recommend avoiding using them, or at the very least, using them sparingly. You may love the scent, but your guests may not. Some flowers have such an overbearing scent that it can give guests a headache, and some even have the potential to change the taste of your meal and cake if they are placed nearby.

Suggestion #2: Avoid Flowers That Die Quickly. This seems fairly obvious, doesn’t it? If you are having an outdoor, summer wedding, avoid these types of flowers especially, since the hot sun blazing down on them will result in them dehydrating quickly.

Suggestion #3: Avoid Flowers That Will Stain. Pollen is a particular culprit – and a pollen stain is very difficult to remove from a white wedding gown. Also, if you are using flowers that are artificially coloured, sometimes dyes may rub off onto your dress. If you must use dyed flowers just remember to avoid having them rest against your dress when walking up the aisle, standing at the alter, or posing for photographs.

Roses are – plain and simple – the quintessential wedding flower, but why is that?

Since roses are synonymous with romance it seems only normal that they would be the most popular wedding flower. They are more elegant than daisies, less pretentious than tulips, and more affordable than orchids.

• They are symbolic. The rose, myrtle, and apple were all sacred to Venus, the goddess of love. Even though roses were sacred to the goddess of love, they were turned into poetry by the Victorians. The Victorians were inspired by the French book Le Language des Fleurs by Charlotte de la Tour, and adopted the flowers code to convey their sentiments. Soon every young Victorian woman took pleasure in in knowing that receiving a rose – a symbol for true love – was of the highest meaning.
• Despite their worldwide cultivation, roses are still considered a luxury. No matter how often you receive roses, or use them in an arrangement, they always have the utmost importance due to their symbolic nature.
• There are over eleven thousand varieties and forms of roses in existence. With such a large selection there is a rose for any wedding theme, no matter how exotic. Plus, due to such a variety, styles range from small blooms with sturdy leaves to larger flowers with soft, delicate petals. But the real beauty? Roses are widely available and can be reasonably priced.
• Roses are varied. As a result, there are three main types of roses that are likely the best candidates for weddings:
  • Hybrid Tea Roses: The hybrid tea rose is valued for its classic uniform shape, its durability (it can last a whole day without wilting) and its availability.
  • Spray Roses: These are smaller roses that include five to ten small heads per stem and help fill out a bouquet more than a single stem, which makes them a great value. Spray roses are available in single hues or bicolour, like the hybrid tea rose too. Because of their variance in size, they are ideal for giving texture and visual interest to an arrangement.
  • Garden Roses: These roses are larger and lusher than the other varieties. They are often very open, and they are more natural and free form than other varieties. Because of their fragility they are rarer, precious, and costly – but they definitely add an element of elegance to your wedding.
    

  

• When picked and processed, roses are one of the most long-lasting flowers.
• Many rose varieties produce a sweet fragrance – and more than 85 percent of North Americans identify it as their favourite smell.
• Roses are versatile; they are able to transform your wedding from minimal to mod all in a single arrangement. Here are some fantastic ways to use roses on your wedding day:
  • For a classic, clean look pair white roses with a classic flower like a gardenia or hydrangea. White-on-white creates a stunning sight for you and your guests to enjoy.
  • Or you can take a classic white arrangement and throw in something a bit unexpected, like a shocking black or brown floral element (i.e.,  an olive or fern shoot) to create a dynamic contrast.
  • If you want to create something a bit more romantic try making a visual statement with roses by adding fur-trimmed or beaded wraps to your bouquet. Or try jewel-toned, tear-shaped beads dangling from candelabras instead.
  • Think feminine and modern by incorporating sweet elements like satin ribbons looped into an arrangement of big, open, garden roses.
  • Do you want something romantic, yet eccentric? Suspend a wreath of garden roses from the ceiling over each table. That will be a wonderful décor element for your guests to admire.
  • If you are looking for something a bit more modern try monochromatic arrangements in any colour you wish. Take the single-colour cluster of flowers and arrange them in a glass cube or vase with a strong geometric shape.
  • Or juxtapose roses with bright flowers, like spiky dahlias in yellow and orange. Place them in a cool coloured vase, like blue, for a stunning contrast.
    

  

• Roses are simply perfection. It doesn’t matter where you are getting married; an outdoor garden, or a ballroom, roses make your wedding ring romance.
• After your wedding, you can dry your wedding bouquet to keep as a reminder of your special day (stay tuned for an upcoming blog about how you can dry your wedding bouquet yourself – it is a great way to keep a part of your wedding day).

Skip the boots: Boots are  big in the area of trends this year, from cute ankle boots to sexy knee highs – a girl has plenty of options when she is boot shopping. However, one option that is not available is wearing them to a wedding, no matter how casual the wedding may be. Even in the fall, strappy heels, peep-toe pumps, and traditional pumps are appropriate. Most weddings require cocktail attire, and boots are definitely not part of traditional cocktail attire. Dressing up is fun; find a gorgeous pair of heels for a friend’s special day!

Cover your shoulders: In the summer it’s great to be able to wear strapless dresses, halter dresses and other –less dresses without having to worry about getting cold. In the fall, however, you need to keep warm and often dresses don’t provide enough coverage to keep you adequately heated. This year Pashminas and wraps are very popular, but shrugs seem to be on the way out of the fashion foreground. Many dresses are sold with a coordinating wrap for cooler weather, but if the dress you purchase isn’t you can always purchase one separately. Especially hot this year is contrasting and bright colours. Have a black or brown dress? Match it with a bright wrap for bang of colour to your ensemble.

Go for a feminine sweater: Sweaters are a great way to keep warm and are always super cozy; however, they can sometimes make a cocktail dress look too casual. Sweaters are great to wear when you are travelling to the wedding, from the wedding to the reception, and back home again, but don’t wear it during the ceremony or at the reception – you want to look dressed up and fancy, so don’t let a cardigan bring down your fashionable outfit. When you are choosing a sweater to wear, look for something feminine with small buttons, low-key embellishments or ruffles, plus make sure you choose a colour that will compliment or contrast your dress, the same way a wrap would.

Modified from: NJ.com

Mail-Order Brides

This is a label that is considered offensive by some definitions because of the negative stereotype mail-order brides have received. A mail-order bride is a label applied to a woman who publishes her intent to marry someone from another country, which is usually more financially developed. Often brides come to Canada, the USA, and Australia from the Philippines, Russia, Romania, Ukraine, and to a lesser extent Latin America.

Historically, mail order brides were women who listed themselves in catalogues and were selected by men for marrying. Sometimes the men and women were citizens of different countries (i.e., a women from a European country moving to the United States), and sometimes they were citizens of the same country. Usually, however, the women were from different, developing countries.

In the past, international marriage agencies allowed women to sign up to be listed in picture magazines and catalogues, but the Internet has largely eliminated this. Now women are able to register on websites, have their picture and biography posted, and contact men interested in them via email. In the past, these women would move to a country to marry a man without even meeting, or talking to him, but now she is able to talk to him, and a courtship process is possible. Normally, a man who is interested in finding a mail-order bride will buy a membership to one or more agencies that allow him to meet and communicate with potential brides. He is able to travel to the country where the agency is based, and meet many of the women there. He is able to go on private dates with the women that he is interested in, and is even able to propose marriage. Women are able to be selective and do not have to marry the first man who is interested in them, but many do because they are desperate to leave their homeland. Leaving with any man is better than living in poverty and despair.

The term mail-order brides originated during the colonial period when men travelled through various empires for financial gain. After they had established themselves in their new colony and began to generate an income they faced three choices: 1. Stay single, 2. Marry a local indigenous women, or, 3. Seek an available women to come from the metropolitan centre or their mother country. Many chose the later option. Often the marriages were arranged by members of the immigrant’s family back home and the relatives picked and negotiated amongst available women to find the one that would suit their family member. The women were often willing to travel because there was limited opportunity for marriage where they lived.

Nowadays, the men who are interested in mail-order brides are often relatively wealthy and have been divorced, or have not had success with women in the past. In many cases, they decide to pursue a woman from a less developed country because they believe that such women will be submissive to them, as opposed to the more independent women from their home country. They see such women as being more appreciative of them than others. These men also choose brides that are significantly younger, often by 20 or 30 years.

In recent years, in the United States, there have been several high profile murder cases, which have drawn a lot of attention to mail-order brides. Three separate cases in the past twenty years have resulted in a mail-order bride being murdered by her husband. In 2002, a mail-order bride was charged with poisoning her husband.

However, the success rate of these marriages in the United States is actually quite high. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has reported that “…marriages arranged through these services would appear to have a lower divorce rate than the nation as a whole, fully 80 percent of these marriages have lasted over the years…” The report continues that mail-order brides and email correspondence services result in 4000 to 6000 marriages each year between American men and foreign brides.

Arranged Marriages

An arranged marriage is often a perplexing thought to many of us living in the Western hemisphere since we have accepted love and traditional marriage as the norm. But as more and more people immigrate to North America, more and more arranged marriages are occurring here – families that immigrate want their children to remember and embrace their culture, and one way of doing this is by selecting their spouse for them, often from their home country. An arranged marriage is a marriage arranged by someone other than the couple getting wed, curtailing or avoiding the process of courtship.

Arranged marriages have deep roots in royal and aristocratic families around the world. Today, however, arranged marriages are commonly only found in South Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and India. Arranged marriages are also found in cultures where dating is not prevalent; they are able to bring people together who may have otherwise not met. In these cultures, arranged marriages are seen as the norm and are accepted by young adults. Even where courtship practices are becoming fashionable, young adults tend to view arranged marriages as an option to fall back on. In these cases, the parents become welcome partners in a hunt for marital bliss.

Arranged marriages are generally passed down as a tradition throughout some cultures through generations. Parents who take their son or daughter’s marriage into their own hands have themselves been married by the same process. If their child chooses a love marriage or even courtship over an arranged marriage it is seen as a failure on the part of the parents to maintain control of their child. Denying an arranged marriage is seen as a sign of disrespect toward the family.

Usually the most important aspect of choosing a suitable spouse is the bond between the two families, not the relationship between the couple being wed. Other factors the families consider are: his/her economic status, family reputations, education, vocation, looks, religion, and sometimes, the dowry. Property or land sometimes seals the marriage agreement.

When an arrangement is made, if both people are of age, the wedding should occur as soon as possible; engagements are not lengthy like they can be in the Western world. Sometimes, the couple will marry within two weeks of the proposal. Even with this short preparation period, and marriage to sometimes a complete stranger only 5-7% of arranged marriages end in divorce, compared to 50% of traditional American marriages. However, you must take the cultural norms of such marriages into account – usually cultures that practice arranged marriages see divorce as bringing disgrace to their family and therefore remain in the marriage even if they are not happy. They stay together because it is what is expected of them.

Online Marriages

Online dating or Internet dating is a dating system which allows individuals, couples, and groups to make contact and communicate with each other over the Internet, usually with the objective of developing a personal romantic or sexual relationship, with marriage becoming a common outcome after courtship. Online dating services provide unmoderated (usually) matchmaking over the Internet, through the use of personal computers or cell phones.

Initially, online dating and matchmaking sites had a negative stereotype attached to them – that people who searched online for love were lonely and desperate. However, over time public attitudes toward online dating are becoming more positive, and people are more comfortable talking about it, as the volume of online daters has grown in recent years. In the United States residents spent $469.5 million on online dating and personals in 2004, and over $500 million in 2005. Online dating is the largest segment of “paid content” online other than pornography. The US dating market is expected to increase spending to $932 million by 2011.

People who are investing so much into online dating sites, to find “the one”, are seeing positive outcomes. About one in ten Internet-using adults or roughly 16 million people have visited a dating website or another site where they can meet people online. Thirty-one percent of all adults say they know someone who used a dating website. Forty-three percent of online daters, nearly 7 million, have gone on dates with people they met through the sites, and 17 percent, or 3 million, started long-term relationships or married their online dating partners. Seems like the Internet is a pretty good matchmaker!

The Romantic Song: “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” by Aerosmith
Why: Do you remember the movie Armageddon? No? Well, it wasn’t too memorable, but this song definitely stood out. Over ten years after the movies release the song remains a first dance favourite thanks to its dreamy lyrics of love and devotion.
Key Lyrics: “Lying close to you feeling our heart beating/And I’m wondering what you’re dreaming/Wondering if it’s me you’re seeing/Then I kiss your eyes and thank God were together/ I just want to stay with you in this moment forever”

The Sexy Song: “Your Body is a Wonderland” by John Mayer
Why: This is a fun and sexy wedding song. It’s more upbeat than your typical first dance song, but it is still one that you are able to sway to.
Key Lyrics: “And if you want love/We’ll make it/Swimming in a deep sea of blankets/Take all your big plans and break ‘em/This is bound to be a while”

The Traditional Song: “The Way Your Look Tonight” by Frank Sinatra
Why: Frank Sinatra is as classic as they come, and this song has probably been playing at wedding receptions since its recording in 1964. Sinatra’s voice adds a touch of elegance to any reception.
Key Lyrics: “Some day, when I’m awfully low/When the world is cold/I will feel a glow just think of you/And the way you look tonight”

The Non-Traditional Song: “Better Together” by Jack Johnson
Why: Jack Johnson’s voice is recognizable yet unique. This isn’t your usual first dance fare, but it hits all the right notes and acts as the ultimate sweet and loving wedding song.
Key Lyrics: “There’s no combination of words/I could put on the back of a postcard/No song that I could sing/But I can try for your heart/Our dreams, and they are made out of real things/Like a shoebox of photographs/With a sepia-tone loving”

The Fun Song: “I Found Love” by the Free Design
Why: What better song for a fun-loving couple than a wedding song that has you tapping your toes to its sunshine melody? It’s quirky, light, fluffy – and it’ll without a doubt make the bride and groom crack a smile.
Key Lyrics: “I found love in the fall and it did not hurt at all/I found sunlight and flowers, soft summer showers/ I can feel my heart touch my Adams apple/I can feel the feather in my head/There is a lightness, politeness, fingers tingle, tootsies tap/‘Til dawn comes and finds me never in my bed”

The Friends-First Song: “Because You Loved Me” by Celine Dion
Why: This song is from the Up Close and Personal soundtrack, where the film’s main characters build a relationship – both professional and romantic – that was rooted in mutual respect and friendship. The lyrics encompass the same type of love between two people, gathering strength from an encouraging friend and lover.
Key Lyrics: “You were my strength when I was weak/You were my voice when I couldn’t speak/You were my eyes when I couldn’t see/You saw the best there was in me”

The Rock n’ Roll Song: “November Rain” by Guns n’ Roses
Why: For the couple who lives a bit on the edge, it is probably the music video – and Stephanie Seymour’s wedding dress mini skirt – that made it one ultimate first dance song for the rockeuse in all of us.
Key Lyrics: “If we could take the time to lay it on the line/I could rest my head/Just knowin’ that you were mine/All mine/So if you want to love me, then darlin’ don’t refrain/Or I’ll just end up walkin’/In the cold November rain”

The Nostalgic Song: “Everything I Do (I Do It for You) by Bryan Adams
Why: This is probably the song we sway to with our first crush at the grade school dance. So for the couple who wants a dose of nostalgia this tune is it. While it has been overused as a first dance song, it remains a classic and most certainly conveys love and devotion.
Key Lyrics: “Look into my eyes, you will see/What you mean to me/Search your heart, search your soul/And when you find me here you’ll search no more”

Adapted from: Divine.ca