Weddings are supposed to be joyousevents, which can make it difficult to honor adeceased parent. Doing so in a way that doesnot compromise the upbeat mood of theevent can prove quite a challenge to prospec-tive brides and grooms.

The death of someone close is rarely easyto accept, especially when it happens close toa couple's wedding day. But there are manyways couples can honor a deceased parent attheir ceremony.

■ Display pictures of the deceased with thewedding couple so that the memory of thesepeople can be part of the festivities.

■ Set up a table with a special floralarrangement and photo with a placard thatstates, "In memory of ..."

■ Wear a piece of clothing or jewelry that

belonged to the deceased. Cufflinks from afather or a veil from a mother.

■ Ask the pastor or officiant to specificallymention the deceased in the wedding cere-mony and offer a special prayer in that per-son's name.

■ Add a memoriam line to the end of thewedding program. "Today we honor MarySmith, mother of the bride who could not bewith us today."

■ Dedicate a special song during the recep-tion in the person's name.

■ A bride who will not be able to walk downthe aisle with her father can choose to do sowith her mother or another relative and car-ry something that belonged to their father.

See Parent on page 11

72011 Columbus Area Bridal FairThe Columbus TelegramSunday, January 16, 2011

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Environmentally friendlyideals are now permeating all as-pects of daily living. Many peoplewant to take the concept furtherand ensure their nuptials -- andsubsequent reception -- are goodfor the planet as well.

Although there are no firm sta-tistics on the number of greenweddings being held each year,emerging trends point to thegrowing interest in eco-consciousweddings. Individuals who al-ready do their best to recycle,reuse and reduce want to employthose same values on their wed-ding day.

There are many ways to employa green mindset to wedding plan-ning and execution. Largely thecarbon footprint of a wedding canbe reduced simply by scalingback and avoiding over-consump-tion. Here are some ideas to think

about. 1. Reduce travel. Research indi-

cates that more than two-thirdsof emissions in the U.S. are pro-duced by energy consumptionand transportation. By reducingguests' need to travel far for awedding or offering transporta-tion that can accommodate sever-al people at once (like a bus), car-bon emissions will be reduced.

2. Home is where the heart is.Keeping weddings close to homeis helpful. Those with big back-yards or a park nearby can hostthe event at home or in a nearbypark and reduce dependence onlarge reception halls that use uplarge amounts of energy to oper-ate. A home wedding also givescouples the opportunity to shoparound for locally produced, or-ganic foods.

3. Shop for floral alternatives.

Flowers would seem "green" inthemselves. However, manyblooms available at florist shopsare grown in hothouses with theuse of pesticides and chemicalfertilizers, something that is notvery good for the environment atall. Brides opting for somethingmore eco-conscious could consid-er alternative options, such asbouquets made of sustainablesucculent plants and center-pieces full of organic fruits andwildflowers.

4. Choose an open registry. In-stead of fine china that may nev-er be used, many couples are opt-ing for open registries that en-able guests to gift everythingfrom eco-friendly housewares tocharitable donations to cash fordown payments on a home.

5. Opt for mixed seating See Green on Page 9

8 2011 Columbus Area Bridal Fair The Columbus TelegramSunday, January 16, 2011

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92011 Columbus Area Bridal FairThe Columbus TelegramSunday, January 16, 2011

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Continued from Page 8arrangements: Instead of for-mal escort cards indicatingfirm seating arrangements,couples are saving paper by al-lowing guests to choose theirown seats from mix-matchedoptions, such as long, commu-nal benches and comfy sofas.

6. Go with something old. Re-cycled gowns and gently useditems are good alternatives foreco-conscious brides. ManyWeb sites will match up brideswith others looking to swapitems at low or no cost.

7. Skip the paper. Though eti-quette experts frown on aban-doning paper invitations forelectronic ones, many couplesare doing just that. For thosewho still prefer paper, print in-vitations on recycled paper. Re-duce other wedding stationeryneeds by posting information

on a wedding Web site sharedwith family and friends.

8. Go small scale. Instead ofinviting every last cousin anddistant uncle, couples are opt-ing for more intimate affairs,including only the people theyare closest to, which saves oncost and helps the environment.

9. Trim some of the weddingday fat. Some couples opt for anall-you-can-eat buffet and thena subsequent dessert bar lateron in the evening. Stuffedguests may end up wastingmore food than eating it. In-stead of all-you-can, go for amore traditional meal.

10. Choose a charitable partyfavor. Instead of a party favorthat collects dust on a shelf,couples are choosing to giftwith organic products or a do-nation to a charitable organiza-tion in the guests' names.

Green

According to TheKnot.com, the unofficial expertson all things weddings, there are some things thatmay surprise the average person about weddingsacross the country. Here are some facts to consider.

☛ Weddings in Iowa and Nebraska are thebiggest, averaging 200 guests.

☛ The average engagement ring costs more than$5,800.

☛ Most brides have one do-it-yourself element,such as favors or escort cards.

☛ "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" and "Lady inRed" are the two most popular first dance songs(even though 87 percent of brides wear white).

☛ Only 19 percent of couples rely on a weddingplanner.

☛ Ancient Romans broke a cake over the bride'shead to symbolize fertility. Today, brides must befortunate to have only a little cake smashed in theirfaces!

Wacky wedding facts

Leading up to their big day,couples have lots to worryabout before they finally get towalk down the aisle as man andwife. The trials and tribulationsof planning a wedding is nosmall task, as even the most mi-nor details must be accountedfor.

Such is the case with the flo-ral arrangements. Though not aminor detail in any way,preparing a wedding day floralarrangement does have its mi-nor details, particularly when itcomes to the more individualaspects of a floral plan. For in-stance, the following compo-nents must be considered whendevising a floral plan.

* The bridal bouquet. It's tra-dition for bridal bouquets tocontain white or cream-coloredflowers such as stephanotis,

roses, orchids, or lilies. Manybridal bouquets also includefillers like baby's breath as wellas some green or ivy, as well asribbons or additonal acces-sories.

■ Bouquets for attendants.Attendants' bouquets should beidentical, and it's best to coordi-nate these bouquets with the at-tendants' gowns. Only the maidof honor traditionally receivesa slighlty different bouquet, asit's customary to give her oneapart from the rest, though notsignificantly so.

■ Boutonnieres for grooms-men and ushers. The guy's sideof the wedding also needs totake part in the floral plan.Worn in a buttonhole or lapel, aboutonniere should be worn onthe left lapel and match aflower from the bridesmaids'

bouquet. The groom should alsowear a boutonniere, though hisshould match a flower from thebride's bouquet. When wearingboutonnieres, men should notwear additional accessoriessuch as pocket squares.

■ Flowers for special guests.Certain special guests, such asgrandmothers and mothers,should receive corsages. Whilethe corsages do not need to beidentical, they should matchthe bridesmaids' bouquets. It'sbest to consult with a florist fora corsage color that matches alldresses, as typically the cor-sages must be ordered beforethe bride and groom know whattheir mothers, grandmothersand other special guests will bewearing. A corsage that goeswith anything, therefore, is ide-al.

10 2011 Columbus Area Bridal Fair The Columbus TelegramSunday, January 16, 2011

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Continued from Page 7■ Set up a photo slide

show that includes photosof the deceased. Choosepoignant but upbeat musicso that the moment is notoverly somber.

■ Light a candle at theceremony for the de-ceased relative.

■ Leave an empty chairand place setting at the re-ception for the person whocould not be there.

■ Display somethingthat symbolizes the per-son at the wedding, suchas a flag for a deceasedveteran or an item thatrepresents the person's fa-vorite hobby.

There are many ways toremember a special lovedone at a wedding withoutbringing down the moodof the event.

Parent

12 2011 Columbus Area Bridal Fair The Columbus TelegramSunday, January 16, 2011

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