Why Couples Don’t Invest In Marriage Prep When We Know How Much Grief and Money It Saves Down The Road

I'm so interested in Marriage Prep and learing more about how to make a marriage really last that I had this idea to contact some of the country's top experts in the areas of Marriage, Divorce and Relationships. I posed a provocative question... Why do engaged couples invest an arm and leg into their wedding day, but don't invest into their marriage when we all know how much grief and money it saves them?

Revealed Today: The #1 Reason Why Your Relationship Might be Lacking Intimacy

There are so many things that can go right and wrong in your marriage that it's extremely important to get them out in the open and expose what can ruin that loving feeling after the wedding. After meeting with one of my clients and discussing why she hasn't been feeling satisfied in her marriage lately, we came to the conclusion that there is one HUGE thing that goes on in EVERY relationship that tears your happiness at the seams. And that is BLAME!!!

Melissa Sweet Wedding Dress Line at Priscilla of Boston – Deliciously Sweet Styles!

Think all wedding dresses begin to look alike after a while? Check out the Melissa Sweet line at Priscilla of Boston and you'll change your mind tout de suite. That's French for "right away", which is the same amount of time it'll take you to fall in love with these wedding gowns.

Would You Rather Be Right Or Happy?

Have you heard the question, "would you rather be right or happy?" Many of us are known to be what I call "right fighters". We are all guilty of it to some extent and it can serve you in certain areas of your life, but when it comes to marriage, all the experts agree that if you focus on fighting for your point to be right, you are likely sacrificing the happiness of your relationship.

The 6 Biggest Mistakes Couples Make Before They Get Married

So, we could do what most wedding blogs do and talk only about all the great things that come along with your wedding... yep, we could be Pollyanna's and walk around with rose colored glasses, but the chances that we will fall victim to the almost 60% of couples who get divorced would be way too high if we did that... Let's be different! After all these years, I've pin pointed 6 very common mistakes that couples made before they got married that ultimately turned out to be the cause of their divorce.

Real Wedding: Dana & Erik

Posted by Shira Savada, Real Wedding Editor In spite of the weather, we've got a cheery wedding for you today, complete with California sunshine! Thayer Allyson Gowdy shot Dana and Erik's super creative wedding. Fun fact? The groom's family has...

Fashion: Maison Michel Paris

Posted by Sherri Caudell Brennan, Shopping and Fashion Market Expert Beautiful headbands abound at Maison Michel Paris. The company has been in the millinery business since 1936, and they have become increasingly popular again in the past few years. They...

Etiquette: Having a Larger Reception the Next Day

Posted by Talley Sue Hohlfeld, Etiquette Expert A recent letter to our AskMartha e-mail box posed this conundrum: I have always envisioned a small and intimate wedding . . . no more than 50 people. My parents . . ....

My Conversation with Shannon Braden of Dennis Daniels Frames

Posted By Darcy Miller, Editorial Director I have so much going on this week! Wednesday, I'll be on the MARTHA show to promote the February issue of Martha Stewart Living, which features a story on"scrapboxing." l'll also be sharing lots...

Introducing the Martha Stewart Weddings Collection on Pingg.com

Posted by Darcy Miller, Editorial Director When it comes to wedding etiquette I have to say that I'm still in the camp of a hard copy invitation (for countless invite ideas go to marthastewartweddings.com and we even have a whole...

Event Planner Forum - Need Help Finding Wedding Coordinator Job: Yes I am actually a member on Linked In ...

Yes I am actually a member on Linked In and made a post on there. I actually have applied to Dakota Co Tech College for the certificate program! I am currently in the process of getting that started. Thanks for your info!

Event Planner Forum - Need Help Finding Wedding Coordinator Job: Are you familiar with the MN Chapter of ...

Are you familiar with the MN Chapter of Meeting Planners International? They're a very active group in the Twin Cities www.mnmpi.org. Also, there is a Meeting and Event Planning Management program at Dakota County Technical College that seems to have regular postings http://dctchospitality.ning.com/ Rosealee Lee is the contact, and she has probably 40+ years of corporate meeting/event connections. Good luck.

Event Planner Forum - Assistant Wedding Planner: [QUOTE who="designyourdreamevent in Irvi...

[QUOTE who="designyourdreamevent in Irvine, California"]I am looking for an assistant to work with my company on the day of the wedding. Please contact me if you are in Southern California and are interested. designyourdreamevent@yahoo.com thanks![/QUOTE] Hi, my name is Nadia and I have a passion for wedding/event planning and I would love to work as an assistant with a wedding planning company. I have experience in weddings as I used to assist my husband (who used to do wedding photography) and also we used to go to lots of bridal shows. I live in Southern California and I am very interested. My email is: nadiausa9@yahoo.com

Event Planner Forum - Becoming an Event Planner: [QUOTE who="KMS in West Palm Beach, Flor...

[QUOTE who="KMS in West Palm Beach, Florida"]Hi - I can certainly offer some advice. I too am an event planner in Florida and my bofriend is ATC. Do you have a personal email address where we can correspond?[/QUOTE] Hi, I am in the process of becoming a certified event planner and getting a certification in public relations....by spring 2011 i want to be in florida...i am from nyc originally...I need help on the job front!!! my e-mail is asilber416@optonline.net...would love to hear from you!!! God Bless!!!

Event Planner Forum - Becoming Certified: I am in career transition and was intere...

I am in career transition and was interested in learning more about event and/or wedding planning. i live in los angeles. can somebody suggest wat school.

Q&A with bride-to-be, Kellie Livingstone

Kellie Livingstone works in the medical field and is engaged to Billy Balcom. The two met at the Tee

A Brand New Look.

My new website is finished thanks to Brian Thomas and his amazing brain. He built my last site from

Cake Walk...

So The Knot has some super fab wedding cakes up to gawk at… check out some of my favorites bel

Published in The Philadelphia Inquirer!!

Today one of my weddings got a half page spread in The Philadelphia Inquirer!!! It’s on the se

2010 Wedding Trend Predictions

The Knot, a trusted source of wedding information, recently released its predictions for 2010. Time

Wedding Cake Alternatives

A glorious wedding cake beautifully decorated with sweet icing goodness is always a great addition to any reception, but who says you need to have one? Nowadays brides are exploring their options and trying something new. Consider one of these tasty and creative ideas.The Dessert TableOffer your guests a variety of treats, such as fruit tarts, mini crème brûlée or different fruits and cakes they can dip into a chocolate fountain. They'll love the bite-sized servings and all the choices. You can even personalize your table by working with your caterer to put together a selection that represents some of your favorite desserts.A Little Bit of EverythingOne bride, who wasn't a huge fan of frosting, chose to have this dessert buffet, which included peach and blueberry crostada, fallen chocolate soufflé, miniature ice cream cones, almond toffee with chocolates and dipped strawberries.To see more photos from this wedding, check out Real Wedding: Garden Magic.Just a Little TasteThese delicious bites of cheesecake covered with chocolate make the perfect addition to any wedding's dessert table.Read Wedding Trends You'll Love for more fun dessert trends.A Dessert PlateOffer your wedding guests an amazing assortment of mouth-watering desserts right at their fingertips. Serve each table a platter of mini desserts or create a sampler plate of your three favorites for each guest. The SamplerThis dessert plate offers a tasty selection of dulce de leche flan, a mini chocolate soufflé, ice cream and meringues. Looking for other ways to keep catering costs down? Check out Luxury Style Budget Wedding Food Tips.Too SweetInstead of a pricey, elaborate cake, serve a selection of beautifully decorated petit fours.Take a look at Real Wedding: Home, Sweet Home for more photos from this wedding.Mini CakesMake your wedding guests feel special by giving them their own personal cakes, but on a much smaller scale. They'll enjoy looking at these stunning mini creations just as much as they'll enjoy eating them.Little TreatsThese tiny marzipan-and-chocolate cakes echoed the design on a bride's dress. Looking for a great cake design? Get inspiration from our Wedding Cake Gallery.A Small SurpriseA three-inch-tall cake on top of a sugar cookie was served for dessert at a wedding designed by Sasha Souza. Check out Color of Love for wedding advice and ideas from event planner Sasha Souza.Cupcakes & MoreMany brides are choosing to personalize their weddings by serving budget-friendly towers of their favorite sweets and pastries. These can include cupcakes, donuts, pies and even Ding Dongs and Twinkies. The possibilities are endless!Everyone Loves a Cupcake!A small cake with a double heart cake topper is surrounded by a sea of purple and white cupcakes. See another great cupcake tower in Real Wedding: Vintage Style.A Traditional TwistThis traditionl croquembouche, a tower of caramel-covered cream puffs, was served at a wedding in a French village. For other creative cake ideas, read Snack Cakes as Wedding Cakes?

4 Fabulous Centerpieces

Alexia & Blaine: Rustic Wedding in North CarolinaKeeping in line with their rustic elegant theme, Alexia and Blaine chose a nature-inspired color palette of green, orange, brown and yellow. They worked with floral designer Carolyn Clement of Millefleurs to create floral arrangements with a natural, unstructured look to complement their wedding location. This centerpiece incorporates orange and yellow flowers with tea light candles suspended from wrought-iron branches.Photo by Emily AngleSee more photos from their wedding >>Brenda & Chris: Nautical Wedding in Rhode IslandBrenda and Chris chose a yellow and celadon green color theme to create a fresh summer vibe at their seaside wedding. The ceremony and reception were decorated with yellow roses in memory of Brenda's mother, who loved the golden blooms. The tall centerpieces added height and a traditional, elegant touch to the tables. These silver vases were filled with a mix of yellow and white flowers, which included roses, stock, snapdragons, peonies, bupleurum and oncidium orchids.Photo by Peter Silvia StudiosSee more photos from their wedding >>Jessica & Jason: Eco-Chic Wedding in CaliforniaWith the help of Eden Rodriguez of End Design, which specializes in sustainable events, Jessica and Jason were able to create an eco-friendly wedding. They decided to use a variety of local organic flowers, including tuberose, jasmine, cottage roses and fragrant herbs for their arrangements. They also added reclaimed antique décor elements and natural products to complete the look. The table numbers were made of reclaimed terra-cotta tiles and metal house numbers. Fruit and antique glassware also adorned the tables. All these pieces combined created a unique, eclectic table centerpiece that enhanced the wedding's theme.Photo by Gertrude & Mabel PhotographySee more photos from their wedding >>Jean & Michael: Garden Wedding in CaliforniaTo incorporate the natural beauty of their wedding site, Jean and Michael used a variety of bright pink, green, orange and yellow flowers and mixed them with different leaves to carry out their garden theme. The centerpieces varied from table to table and included tall bunches of calla lilies and low vases of roses to an eclectic mix of orchids, hydrangeas, roses and more. To add more visual interest, vases were lined with leaves, kumquats or cherry tomatoes. Photo by Carol Irvine PhotographySee more photos from their wedding >>For more information about creating the perfect centerpieces and bouquets for your wedding, check out our video: Interview with Flower Expert Michael George. Related Articles:Table Talk with Colin CowieHow to Select Your Wedding Floral ArrangementsSelecting a Wedding Florist

How to Perserve Your Top Wedding Cake Tier

If you want to preserve the top wedding cake tier out of tradition then there are a few tips that can help you do it successfully. Many people like to do this out of tradition so on their first wedding anniversary they can celebrate with their wedding cake. However any cake that is in the freezer for a straight year is bound to be a bit stale. Different cakes flavors and or fillings can be worse then others. For instance, the more delicate the cake ingredients the the dryer the cake will tend to become in the freezer.Cakes that do well in the freezer: chocolate, hazelnut, almond, and carrot cake.Cakes that do not do so well in the freezer: white cake, cake with fresh fruit, and cakes with whipped cream fillings.Here are some useful tips on storing the top tier:STEP 1Make sure you let the cater and their staff know you intend on saving the top tier. STEP 2Set someone in charge of taking the cake home with them since you may be heading straight out onto your honeymoon. You also want to give them the following tips to ensure they store it properly. STEP 3Remove any sugar flowers or other sugar decorations that may be on the cake, and set them aside. STEP 4Place the cake in the refrigerator to allow it to chill. This helps to make sure the icing hardens so it does not stick to the plastic wrap. How to Cut Wedding Cake -- powered by eHow.com STEP 5Once hardened, wrap the cake in several layers of plastic wrap, several layers! Do not use foil as this causes freezer burn for sure to your cake! STEP 6Now seal the cake in an air-tight bag or container, and place it in the freezer. STEP 7Be sure to make it so that it does not get mistaken for anything else in the freezer. STEP 8If you do not want to freeze the cake, here's an alternative to consider: You can reorder a similar cake on your anniversary, only smaller for the two of you to enjoy and remember your wedding day.