All Orthodox Jewish, conservative and evangelic Christian, and Islamic brides-to-be--this is for you! It never occurred to me how difficult it might be for you to find a modest wedding gown for your ceremony in your church, synagogue or mosque until I found this story in the pressofatlanticcity.com. An Englewood, NJ woman has designed a line of gowns for brides who want modest, yet glamorous, dresses. She "knows there's a niche there," and she's going after it.

Who Knew?

I've been researching and writing for the wedding industry for quite a while now, and I could have sworn there were plenty of "demure" wedding dresses out there for women who don't want to be "fully exposed." So I did what I thought would be a brief Internet search to find dozens of wedding gowns with higher necklines, long sleeves and covered backs. Brief turned into more than half an hour, and even a Web site called totallymodest.com only had one or two dresses with long sleeves. David's Bridal has hundreds of gowns, and I found maybe two or three max there that could be considered modest or demure. Almost every dress was either strapless, bare-backed, sleeveless or revealed some serious cleavage. Don't get me wrong--they're gorgeous gowns and mainstream brides have endless options. But I admit I was quite surprised at the dearth of demure wedding gowns.

The Growing Trend

Apparently, there's a growing demand for modest versions of bridal gowns, but the industry as a whole hasn't noticed. Up until now, many religious brides-to-be have found it necessary to make serious alterations to existing gowns (higher necklines, longer sleeves) to get what they want. One national wedding gown chain even retains matching fabrics and seamstresses at their stores for exactly this purpose. So go for it, Tova Marc of Couture de Bride in Teaneck, NJ! You've definitely found your niche. It will be interesting to see if and when other designers follow suit.

MyWeddingFavors.com has long recognized that there's a large segment of brides-to-be whose traditional and religious values influence their wedding planning decisions. That's why they have a wide selection of elegant, traditional and even faith-based wedding favors. The "Timeless Traditions" Glass Photo Frame/Place Card Holder Coasters (left) look lovely on almost any traditional wedding reception table. A truly popular faith-based favor is the "Blessings" Silver Cross Bookmark in a Keepsake Book Box. In fact, it may be easier for you to find your ideal wedding favors than your dream wedding gown--at least for now.

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Happy Monday, y'all! Sue here, sitting in for Jayne, and I'm here with my TWIST (The Way I See Things,) because this story really got me thinking. In Gainesville, GA recently, a jury awarded $150,000 to a woman who sued her former fiance for calling off their wedding. RoseMary Shell said she left a high-paying job in Florida to be with her ex-fiance, Wayne Gibb, and she said she's suffered emotionally since their break-up. Well, that's understandable. So why did this guy take a hike?

The Fiance's Side of the Story

Apparently, Shell was in debt up to her eyeballs. If she had such a great, "high-paying" job, why was she so deeply in debt? He had paid off $30,000 of her debt while they were engaged, and when he found out she had even more debt, he canceled the wedding, but he let her keep the engagement ring. I clearly see why this man was reluctant to commit to this woman. The question is, why didn't the jury?

Emotional suffering? Come on! We all do that when we break up with someone, or if someone we love dies or we lose a job. Thousands of women and men have had to deal with a broken engagement. You get over it and move on. Why should this woman get $150,000 from this man who simply felt that this woman's lack of financial stability was a deal-breaker. This is probably a more logical and valid reason than most men or women give when they end an engagement. Yet this jury likely gave this woman enough money to pay off the rest of her debt. She should have been grateful to the guy just for that. And bottom line, he really did her a favor. By breaking the engagement, he told her that he wouldn't go along with the vow to stay together "for richer or poorer." The guy just wasn't right for her. Why should she get $150,000 for being saved from a doomed marriage? What do YOU think?

And speaking of favors, as I always do, here are a wedding favor and a wedding accessory that might have worked for this couple, had they made it to the altar. First is the "For Richer or Pourer" Chrome Wine Pourer/Stopper (left,) a practical favor that's solid and long-lasting, like a good marriage should be. My other cute idea is this comical cake topper. Maybe if she had just grabbed him by the leg and dragged him to the wedding, she'd have her man--and a miserable marriage--which is what I think she deserved a lot more than $150,000 from the poor guy.

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Now here's a clever promotion if I ever saw one! Ties-Necktie.com is now offering "Forever-Knot" Wedding Neckties for the groom along with matching ties for the groomsmen. The idea behind their Forever Knot ties is to "help remind everyone that marriage is supposed to be a once-in-a-lifetime event. They're confident that when "you tie a knot with one of their ties, it is one that will last forever."

The Promise

Now when I first read that, it sounded like the poor guys would never be able to get their ties off, which seems to be a fate worse then death for men. But no--they just promise that the marriage of any groom who wears one of their ties will last until death do you part. And what, you may ask (and rightly so, since about 50% of all U.S. marriages end in divorce,) will Ties-Neckties.com do if your wedded bliss becomes a wedded "miss?" Why, they'll issue a FULL refund, and it's a return policy that doesn't expire and is good "as long as the couple shall live." Their offer doesn't say whether you must have the receipt in order to get the refund.

Personally, I love this idea! It's romantic--and I suspect the percentage of customers who actually apply for a refund will be extraordinarily small for two reasons: neither half of the couple will remember the offer if and when the time comes, and they'll never find the receipt if it turns out they need it.

More Promises to Come?

What a perfect tie-in (pun totally intended!) to their product! The company is actually hoping the idea catches on with other tie sellers--online or in store. Who knows? It may lead to similar deals with other related products out there. I know of a couple of items off the top of my head that would qualify. They just happen to be fabulous wedding favors!

The elegantly presented "We Tied the Knot!" Chrome Bottle Stopper (left) is meaningful, practical and beautiful. And, unlike the fabric of a silk tie, chrome is a longer-lasting, sturdier material. There's also the "We Tied the Knot!" Frosted-Glass Votive Candle, with a clear disk imprinted with "We Tied the Knot!" on the candle. I know some people who know some people at the #1 wedding favors Web site. I'll see what I can do! ;)

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Newsflash! Science has discovered a food that can diminish a woman's sex drive by 90%--it's called a wedding cake.

Okay. The newsflash was a joke, but not as funny as you might think. According to research, a woman's sex drive begins to plummet once she is in a secure relationship. I guess that means that, even before the wedding guests have returned home with their wedding favors, the horny groom is doomed. Apparently, more than just the bride and groom get away in the getaway car. The German researchers found that four years into a relationship, less than half of 30-year-old women wanted regular sex. Conversely (and sadly for him,) the team found a man's libido remained the same regardless of how long he had been in a relationship.

For a man, they said, a good reason for sexual motivation would be to keep his wife faithful. For a woman--get this--the decline in her sex drive may be down to "supply and demand. If something is in infinite supply, the perceived value would drop." So I guess they're telling us that we subconsciously deny ourselves of one of the greatest pleasures in life because too much of a good thing might be bad for our relationship. But if the man's libido stays the same, and he's not being satisfied at home, I think wifey is shooting herself in the proverbial foot.

There are actually a number of reasons for a woman's diminished libido, including the quality of the relationship, attitudes of upbringing, the quality of touch and sex, age, illness, children, use of medications and emotional well-being.

That said, let's look at some ways to jump-start our little ol' libidos so hubby's happy, and so are we!

Revving Up the Romance

There are several medicines and herbal remedies that may do the trick--testosterone, Estratest and Wellbutrin, to name a few. However, none of these solutions should be tried without consulting a doctor regarding usage, side effects, etc. And in truth, these medicines and herbs may not be the best answer.

According to WebMD, changes in lifestyle, attitude, and relationships may not be bought in drugstores, but experts say they hold keys to unlocking libido woes.

"For women, sex drive is critically dependent on being healthy and really feeling good about a relationship. There will never be anything that we'll be able to pull out of our medicine cabinet that will be more important than those two things," says Jan Shifren, MD, director of the Vincent Obstetrics and Gynecology Service Menopause Program at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.

Carol Ellison, PhD. says TV has taught us to expect a burst of desire all the time, but in real life, where people are in long-term, one-on-one relationships with jobs, commutes, and kids, she says sexual drive isn't always present. Instead of looking for libido, Ellison recommends looking for a way to be more interested in your partner. Create a romantic atmosphere--do things together, take a walk with your partner, have some wine, hold hands, cuddle. Rebuild the romance and passion that was there at the beginning, and the desire for sex will return.

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How many times have you heard brides and grooms-to-be say they'd much prefer gifts of money, but they don't put it on the bridal shower or wedding invitation because it's socially unacceptable in this country. Believe it or not, a new way to give wedding couples a gift of money is sweeping Israel and the world. So you tell me. Is this crass and totally inappropriate or a sign of changing attitudes?

I'm talking about a new kind of credit card machine that brides and grooms can set up at the entrance to their wedding reception hall. Guests can insert their credit card into the machine and give the happy couple a gift of cash. The machine costs $155 to rent in Israel, and it resembles an ATM, but when guests use the machine to give a monetary gift, the recorded funds are transferred into the very happy couple's bank account the next day. The guest receives a "deposit" slip from the machine, which can be put into an envelope along with a congratulatory note and inserted into a slot in the device for the couple to retrieve. Nice, huh? I should mention that Israelis traditionally give gifts of money rather than boxed gifts.

So what do you think? Personally, I think it's a great idea. It saves the guests the time and effort of buying a gift. The bride and groom get what they want and don't need to spend hours registering somewhere, and everyone (except those who don't want a dollar amount attached to their gift) is happy!

And how, you may ask, do you thank guests who have given you exactly what you want for your wedding? Why, with the perfect wedding favor, of course! Here are two outstanding ideas:

After your guests have had their generous gifts withdrawn from their bank accounts and placed into yours, they'll have to enter the transaction into their checkbook.The "Write from the Heart" Calla Lily Pen (left) offers guests an elegant way to do so. Another unique wedding favor choice will help them when they're ready to reconcile their checkbooks. I give you the "Love...Let Me Count the Ways" Heart-Shaped Calculator (right,) which is both charming and useful.

Yes, despite Miss Manners' stringent objection, it just seems to me that in today's economy, the stigma of wanting cash wedding gifts should be lifted and the idea of giving money embraced. Hey, we'd all like some spending cash these days, right?

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I'll be the first one to admit that there are plenty of poor-quality, stupid wedding favors floating around out there, but what's with all these people asking if wedding favors have "fallen out of favor?" It's a provocative phrase, but you and I both know proper wedding etiquette recommends that you thank people for sharing the most important day of your life with you.

Everyone loves free stuff! Have you been to a bridal fair lately? There's a little giveaway at every booth--and you take it, don't you? And need I remind you how often wedding guests take off with the table centerpieces? Yes, girlfriends, if the truth be told, wedding favors are more in favor than ever before!

If you just keep your wedding theme and color scheme in mind as you search for your wedding favors in all the right places (i.e. MyWeddingFavors.com!) you'll find wedding favors--elegant, traditional, whimsical, fun--that your guests will both admire and enjoy. Here are six simply fabulous favors they'll love, take home and treasure the memories they bring!

New for fall is this "Lustrous Leaf" Bottle Stopper (left) with a beautiful copper finish. You can bet your guests will love popping this beauty into the top of one of their wine bottles. And as always with Kate Aspen designs, the packaging is stunning, with laser-cut leaves on the sides of the gift box. The "Slice of Love" Pizza Cutter is a fun, practical favor year-round. Once again, the miniature pizza-box packaging will have your guests wondering where you found such a clever favor! I promise you, it's the little touches that get noticed at your reception tables, because everything else looks pretty much the same as every other wedding.

Autumn is also the perfect time of year for "The Perfect Pair" Pear-Shaped Kitchen Timer (left.) You'll be amazed at how much it looks like a real pear, and it's a handy little gadget to have around the house. Note the packaging--the timer is nestled on a bed of straw in a real wooden box. If your event requires nothing less than an elegant wedding favor, the "Love Dove" Bottle Open (right) is exquisite--bottle opener, gift box and all! Graceful lines, unique design and guaranteed to make an impression--can you imagine anyone tossing this in the garbage after the wedding?

There's one type of favor that's often put to use almost immediately. Luggage tags with very cool designs are getting more and more popular along with destination and beach weddings. You can find them in classic chrome, like the "Destination Love" Cruise Ship Luggage Tag. By the way, luggage tags can also make great place card holders. If your wedding is a laid-back affair on a white-sand beach, you'll probably find the Flip-Flop Luggage tags irresistible! There are so many more amazing, affordable wedding favors where these six came from, so why would any bride and groom deprive their guests of the pleasure of a parting gift?

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We've all thrown a hairbrush at the mirror a time or two, and when we're having a bad hair day, nothing can console us. No matter what we're doing, it's hard to forget what's on top of our head. So the one day in our lives when our hair has to be absolutely perfect is--see, I didn't even have to say it. Maybe that's how the veil tradition got started. Someone way-back-when was having a lousy hair day on the day she was getting married, cried until the very last minute and then threw a silk shawl over her head--so she could see where she was going, but no one could see her hair.

Today, theknot.com unveiled its 150 favorite wedding hairstyles--all quite lovely. One thing I noticed, however, is that they gave short shrift to short hair. There we hardly any styles for those of us with less locks. The other thing I noticed was how easy it would be to coordinate your wedding favors with your hairstyle. Here's a delicious do for a garden wedding, tres chic with striking purple flowers. At your reception, guests get a sense of your attention to detail when they see these gorgeous Orchid Gel Candles sitting at their table.

I envisioned this beautiful style on the beach, with its casual, wavy look that would work with almost any wedding dress. She's accented her hairdo with a delicate yellow flower, and it just might be yellow jasmine, which grows along many beaches in the U.S. and has a wonderfully sweet fragrance. What's more, it's the color of sunshine, and isn't that why we have a beach wedding in the first place? The sun, sea and sand make a naturally romantic, yet relaxed setting.These colorful, Flip-Flop Frames each have just a touch of the yellow to match the jasmine and the sun. Imagine how these clever wedding favors will brighten up your reception tables!

Dozens of the 150 styles were ideal for an elegant wedding. I chose this one, not so much for the style as the embellishment. Just the right amount of exquisite sparkle to give the hairdo a classic, regal look. The "Coronation" Bottle Stoppers do exactly the same thing for your wedding reception tables, so your ceremony and reception sparkle from beginning to end. Be sure to check out the other 147 hair fashions on theknot.com. to find the one that suits your style!