Paper lanterns bring a tranquil, romantic ambience to any event, especially weddings! The soft glow alone is so soothing and sexy! They've been a decorative favorite in China for centuries, and now people around the world recognize their potential for event design.

Paper lanterns have flourished since the 2nd century in China. The Chinese are so captivated by the beauty of paper lanterns, they devoted their second most important holiday to the paper lantern--Lantern Festival. Covered with rice paper and dressed in a wide variety of styles, the lanterns are being used more and more for illumination, decoration and celebration. If you want to bring an inspiring elegance to your wedding reception, please think about paper lanterns. They're cost-effective and a delight for the eyes!

FIVE TIPS FOR DECORATING WITH PAPER LANTERNS

1. Before you choose the size of the paper lanterns, research the size of the room or the tent. You need to consider the height of the room and the placement of the lanterns.

2. To create dimension and depth, choose several different sizes of paper lanterns.

3. Hang the lanterns at varied heights for the most striking appearance.

4. White paper lanterns are most popular for weddings and receptions because of their versatility and elegance, whether lit or unlit.

5. Paper lanterns come in a variety of colors, so it's easy to coordinate with your color scheme and decor. To add sparkle and pizzazz, put low-watt colored light bulbs in white paper lanterns, which looks better than using colored paper lanterns.

Once you have your sea of paper lanterns above, you'll want to concentrate on complementary wedding centerpieces. Since you've created a "heaven" of dramatic orbs, think about balancing things out with centerpieces that are square. Add to the glow of the paper lanterns with beautiful, square pillar candles (left,) which also come in several sizes for an abstract look. You can even mix them with round candles just to be different. Classic square, glass vases (right) vary in size, too, and they let you bring even more dazzle to your color scheme with flowers, glass bead stems or lucky bamboo shoots.

Your guests will be talking about your nuptials for weeks afterward, and your paper lanterns will come in handy for other celebrations throughout your lives together!

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My love affair with pants is deep-seated and goes back a long way. When I was in K-12 school, girls weren't allowed to wear pants. It was either skirts or dresses. My chubby legs and I hated it, but we got through it. I did, however, swear to myself that, unless it was absolutely necessary or I just felt like it, I would never wear a dress or skirt again. A few decades later, I'm proud to say I've stuck to my decision, and I've loved every minute of it. I'm certain I've spent 97% of those years in pants. Yes, I wore pants for my wedding and, if you're a maverick with a free spirit and a sense of style, you can, too. Though I admit your options for bridal pants suits are few and far between, they are out there--and most of them are gorgeous!

Make Your Grand Entrance In Manolo Blahnik

You know Manolo--"Sex and the City" and the whole shoe thing. Well, Manolo does bridal wear also, and he's the designer of the sweet little number at upper left. The first thing that comes to mind when you see that photo is, hmmmm, a veil would look pretty stupid with a pants suit. Well, if you're willing to give up the dress, you should be willing to let the veil go, too. Fortunately, there are some other beautiful ways to adorn your hair. I think this hair jewelry is beautiful, feminine and the perfect complement to a bridal pants suit. Here are just a couple of ideas...

As the self-coronated "pants princess," I think those of you who don't live in the fairy tale would look absolutely smashing in a bridal pants suit. They're comfortable, chic, and with some imagination and a few accessories you should be able to wear it for other dressy (or rather, "pantsy") occasions. Speaking of "chic," you and your avant-garde spirit should buy your bridesmaids gifts with the same flair. My Wedding Favors has a sexy selection of bridesmaids gifts. Have a look at this spicy, bejeweled Bridesmaid Tank Top (left) and the seductive Pearl Drop Necklace and Earrings Set. You can't go wrong with either one! And remember--take a chance on pants!

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Do I get paid for going to weddings? No, so I guess I'm not a professional in the true sense of the word. But I do leave the weddings with wedding favors so, in a way, I do get paid--for doing something I totally enjoy!

I have a huge family and friends in every corner of the globe, and I'm invited to an average of 14 weddings a year. Do I go to all of them? Yes--unless I'm invited to two on the same day, which does occasionally happen. By the way, my name is Violet, I'm a true romantic and I love weddings! And after so many weddings (and bridal showers) year after year, I've become something of a bridal shower favor and wedding favor expert.

Jayne has invited me to share what I've learned with you, and I'm thrilled to do it! For starters, I think you should know that most shower and wedding guests, including me, are a little disappointed when we leave an event empty-handed. I enjoy receiving a "thank you" favor from the bride and groom or shower host that makes the memories last longer for me.

My Favorites?

So what kind of favors do I like best? It depends. It depends on the favor, how well it goes with the theme and decor and what happens when I take it home. Now's as good a time as any to start with my favor stories, and I'll begin with a bridal shower--for a bride-to-be who had never cooked a day in her life! Naturally, it was a kitchen shower. My cousin Beth had gone from home, where her Mom always made the meals, to college, which meant cafeteria food, eating out and ordering in, to career--during which she continued her love affair with restaurants and ordering in. But is was her love affair with Jason that brought us to this happy day.

Her friends threw her a kitchen shower, and she got cookbooks out the yingyang! She also got a good start on all the things she'd need for a well-equipped kitchen. I got her a set of really good knives, because I know they make all the difference in the world when you're cooking. And I must tell you, the favors were outstanding--practical, pretty and beautifully gift-boxed!

Cute Kitchen Gadgets!

We found two different favors on the tables--both useful kitchen gadgets--and, believe it or not, the gift packaging of both favors was coordinated. In fact, Beth's friends used the gift packaging for their decor and color scheme for the party--red, black and white, with black-and-white checks. Check out the "A-Peel to My Heart" Stainless-Steel Peeler and "A Slice of Love" Pizza Cutter! And, as you might have guessed, they served pizza. I can only hope, after getting all the recipe books, appliances and kitchen gadgets, that Beth and Jason's first pizza at home is homemade! I also hope Jason's health insurance is up to date!

That was fun! I'll be back soon with some more "confessions!" Meanwhile, keep saying "I do" to love and life!

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I briefly passed through Amish country in Pennsylvania once, very long ago, and I only remember how peaceful it seemed. The little bit I know about the Amish came to me from television and a few articles here and there, but I recently found some interesting information about Amish weddings and wedding feasts, so I thought I'd share it with you.

Wed on a Weekday

Did you know that most Amish weddings take place in November or December, after the harvesting season is over? And while most of us look for weekend dates for our weddings, among the Amish Tuesdays or Thursdays are the popular days of the week to get married because a full day before and after are needed to prepare for the Amish wedding, and this can never include a Sunday. The wedding ceremony and feast are typically held in the home of the bride's parents.

The day before the Amish wedding, married couples in the Amish community help the bride to prepare the food for the wedding celebration. This is one of the few days where the Amish men assist the women in the kitchen. I can only imagine how amazing an undertaking this must be. There's a lot to be said for catering your own wedding feast, especially when it includes amazing comfort foods like roasted chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, salads, creamed celery, cheese, bologna, bread, butter, honey, jelly, fruits, pudding, cakes, pies, and ice cream. And from what I've read, Amish cooking is absolutely luscious! One of their traditional wedding foods is a date pudding with sauce--it may be a butterscotch or caramel or some other divine sauce. I'll give you a recipe in a moment.

But first, here's why they need the day after the wedding--most Amish wedding celebrations usually go on late into the night with singing, talking and game-playing. The Amish don't do honeymoons. The newlywed Amish couple usually spends their first night in the bride’s home so they can help with the clean-up the next day. I don't know what they do with the leftovers, but they can feel free to send them my way. Now, as promised, a recipe for Amish date pudding, and after that--a couple of ideas for fall and winter wedding favors!

DATE-NUT PUDDING WITH CARAMEL SAUCE

Ingredients :
1 c. dates, cut up
1 c. boiling water
1 c. sugar
1-1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. chopped nuts
1 tsp. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. soda
1 egg
Pinch of salt
CARAMEL SAUCE:
1/2 c. cream
1/2 c. butter
2 c. brown sugar
Pinch of salt

Preparation :
Pour boiling water over dates and let cool. Add sugar, flour, nuts, butter, vanilla, soda, egg and salt to date mixture and blend well. Bake in a 9 x 13 inch greased and floured pan at 350 degrees for 30 to 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. When cool, break into pieces and fold in caramel sauce. Cook the caramel sauce until it candies. Cool before folding into date pudding; add sliced bananas and whipped cream when ready to serve.

If this recipe tastes as good as it sounds, it's totally irresistible, just like these favors for fall and winter--

The Fall-Leaf Tea Light and Place Card/Photo Holder (left) reminds me so much of autumn--brilliantly colored leaves and cozy fires. As I've always said, fall is my favorite season, followed by winter with its wonderful holidays and beautiful snow. MyWeddingFavors.com has just added some new winter favors, and this "Snow Flurry" Flocked-Glass Ornament Place Card/Photo Holder (right) is one of my favorites. You can certainly see why! Meanwhile, if any of you make the Date-Nut Pudding recipe, let me know how you like it. I'll probably make it, too, sometime in the fall. It just sounds like the perfect coo-weather dessert!

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Have you noticed that voting has become something of a phenomenon in the US over the past few years? Yes, we've always had political voting--although this year's presidential race has people chomping at the bit to get into that voting booth. I'm talking about voting on a less world-changing level, like American Idol, Big Brother, Kids' Choice Awards--the list goes on. People of all ages now have opportunities to vote on all kinds of things, and they do vote by the millions. Now theknot.com says the latest wedding trend is having your wedding guests vote on the song for your first dance at your wedding via wedding Web sites. I guess I get it. Voting makes people feel like they have a say in the lives of others, and they also get to chime in with their preferences.

Why Stop There?

They don't. In fact, theknot.com says they "love the idea of setting up wedding polls on your website and asking your guests to vote" for their favorite cake flavor, entree choices, centerpiece flowers or color schemes and decor. Of course, you're in no way obligated to go with the majority on any of these things unless you really like what wins. Whatever you choose, some guests will feel like they had an influence on your wedding planning when their entree preference is set before them, or when they bite into the chocolate-raspberry cake they voted for. WhooHoo!

Okay. Now that we're in voting mode, I'd like you to vote on the fall wedding favor you'd most like to receive at a wedding this autumn. You have three choices, complements of MyWeddingFavors.com. Just use the comment section below to weigh in. I'd really like to know which one is your favorite and why. Here are your choices:

"Autumn Branches" Bronze-Finish Metal Photo Frame/Place Card Holder (Left)
"Autumn Elegance" Laser-Cut Fall Leaf Favor Box (Center)
"Lustrous Leaf" Copper-Finish Bottle Stopper (Right)

Thanks for voting--especially in November's election!

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It's hard to believe that one of your dearest friends would say "no" to the honor of being a bridesmaid in your wedding, but I'm here to tell you it's happening more and more. Even at the risk of damaging a longtime friendship, many women are unwilling to accept the financial obligation that goes along with what is becoming a dubious "honor." Let's see--there's the dress, the shoes, the hair, the make-up, the nails, the bridal shower, the bachelorette party, a wedding gift. If it's a destination wedding, there's airfare, accommodations, food. Bridesmaids are often out $1000 to $2000 or more, and all they get in return is a chartreuse dress they'll never wear again. It's easy to understand why, after one or two stints as a bridesmaid, some women will opt out of the bridesmaid business.

If you want your friends to say "yes" to the chartreuse dress, I have a few suggestions that will help get them to gladly participate in your wedding. Make sure they know, up front, how you plan to work with them:

1. Choose wisely. Ask only the friends you really want standing next to you--longtime, close friends who would be devastated if you didn't ask them--especially if it's a destination wedding, where the expenses will rise dramatically.

2. Keep the bridesmaids' dresses under $200. If at all possible (and it always is,) select a design that's stylish and appropriate for other occasions.

3. Don't require particular shoes. You can request white shoes or black shoes, but let them wear what's in their closet rather than having to purchase a special pair.

4. Let your bridesmaids wear their own jewelry, or give them special jewelry as a bridesmaids gift.

5. Let your bridesmaids do their own hair, make-up and nails, or pick up the tab for the salon.

6. Insist on a low-key bachelorette party. Have a dinner where everyone (but the bride, of course,) pays for themselves. Go dutch (except for the bride) for a night on the town. Put a fun veil on a baseball cap or funky headband for the bride to wear. It's an easy way to score free drinks at some bars.

7. Don't take it personally if a friend declines the honor of being one of your bridesmaids. A happy occasion ceases to be happy if it plunges someone you love into debt.

8. Give them exceptional bridesmaids' gifts! Remember suggestion #4? If you want them to wear wonderful, matching jewelry, choose something beautiful as a gift from you. They'd love this elegant pearl necklace with crystal accents and matching earrings from MyWeddingFavors.com, where you can also find a wonderful selection of more casual, everyday jewelry for your bridesmaids. Since they'll be doing their own make-up, I'm sure they'd love to have something just made for moving mascara, eyeliner and all the rest from place to place, which makes this monogrammed, hanging cosmetic case a perfect and personal bridesmaids gift.

Use these tips to make your best girlfriends an offer they won't refuse!

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