(Photo courtesy of http://marriageguardian.com/Images/Divorce_and_Wedding_Rings.jpg.)

This blog began about two years ago as a school project and for the most part, I only wrote posts because I was being graded on them. But after graduating in May with my bachelors degree in Mass Communication, I was not sure if continuing was something I was going to be up for.

After about a three month gap, I have decided not to break up with blogging. A criticism I received from both my peers and professors revealed they did not believe my blog had personality. To change this, I am changing the direction of the blog.

Instead of the typical posts I did before, I will now be incorporating my own opinions and experiences about weddings (including my own).

Weddings have not divorced me. I plan on making this experience better and more enjoyable and lasting than ever.

If you have any ideas for a post, please click the contact page to the right.

A bouquet of white Daffodils. Photo courtesy of Do-It-Yourself-Weddings.com

Spring flowers: Tulips, Orchids, Lilacs, Hyacinths, Iris and Daffodils.

Summer flowers: Calla Lillies, Gerberas, Snapdragons, Delphiniums, Irises and Columbines.

A bouquet of Sunflowers. Photo courtesy of Do-It-Yourself-Weddings.com

Fall flowers: Sunflowers, Black-Eyed Susans, Chryanthemum, Hydrangeas, Dahlias and Gladiolis.

Winter flowers: Amaryllis, Ivy, Holly, Anigozanthos, Nerines and Red and Yellow Dogwoods.

Creating a bouquet using flowers in season adds to the interest not only of the bouquet but the overall dynamics of the wedding. Flowers not in season typically clash with other decorations and confuse guests.

Sometime before the wedding, the bride and groom make the crucial decision if they will hire a florist or buy and assemble their flowers for the wedding day themselves. Think about the following questions when deciding the answer to this question.

1. Do I have time to do this project?
2. Do I have the patience for this project?
3. Do I have the creativity to take this project on?
4. Who will help me when I get tired and irritated because the glue just will not stick?
5. Is there a budget for a florist?

Photo courtesy of Wilhide's.

While it may make sense to take a DIY approach to the wedding flowers from the start, a good florist will work with brides and grooms to come up with ideas and show them how to put together an arrangement. It may be a good idea to meet with a florist initially to brainstorm for ideas but complete the projects with family and friends.

If you do decide to arrange your own flowers for the big day, you might ask yourself where you can get your flowers. There are plenty of websites which guarantee beautiful flowers delivered just days before the wedding from a box. The surprising part comes when the box is opened and there are hundreds of wilted red roses inside.

Photo courtesy of Wilhide's.

The problem with these websites is that freshness, even though they say it is, cannot be guaranteed because the flowers were cut, packed and shipped, a process which can be quite lengthy. Couples should resolve to find local resources. Not only are they more often cheaper (because shipping costs are lower or non-existent) but you can see them before you buy them.

A great local place is Wilhide’s Unique Flowers and Gifts in Ellicott City, Md. The  flower shop offers premium quality flowers which are “professionally designed with latest styles,” according to the company’s website. Wilhides also provides flower alternatives like silk and dried flower bouquets.

Should brides and grooms get confused when talking about wedding floral arrangements, they should check out Wildhide’s glossary of wedding flower terms.

Photo courtesy of Kerry Hiett.

First meeting in February 2004, the Hiett’s began to see each other as friends two years before even contemplating the idea of dating one another.

“He was very different from a lot of guys I knew at the time,” Hiett said. “He was polite, looked me in the eyes, and paid for dinner when we were just friends.”

Love came slowly for the couple even after they began to date in 2006. They made an agreement to wait to say they loved each other until the moment was right.

“We wanted to wait until we knew we wanted to spend the rest of our lives together to say the ‘L’ word, “Hiett said. “After eight months, I knew he was the one.”

While a student at Towson University majoring in Deaf Studies and a wife, Hiett said she often gets asked why she decided to marry at such a young age.

“I just tell them there is no ‘right’ age to be married,” Hiett said. “Dan and I knew each other for a long time before we got engaged and we had also been through a lot emotionally,” Hiett said.

“Some people are not ready to be married at 22,” Hiett said. “Why should we let age stand in our way?”

Hiett proposed during a missions trip in the Dominican Republic.

“The moon was out and the waves were crashing against the rocks,” Hiett said. “Dan looked at me and signed ‘Will you marry me?’ and of course I freaked out.” Hiett said it was one of the most romantic nights of her life because her future husband had proposed to her and found a creative and unique way to ask her.

The thigh muscle structure is powerful and one of the largest muscle masses in the the human body according to Jim Harrison, a fitness instructor at Towson University. But, what does this mean for you?

1. These muscles are capable of burning a lot of calories and therefore, a lot of fat.
2. If toned correctly, the thigh provides support and corrects balance problems.

The sticky problem with fat loss in humans is that there is no way (without surgery) that we can target fat loss, Harrison said. This means you have to loss fat all over the body in order to lose weight in the thigh area.

Photo courtesy of www.fitnessgurusam.com

Here are a few exercises to help tone the inner thigh while still helping the entire body:

1. The Squat: This exercise helps every part of the body. It engages muscles in every part of the leg. Just remember to point your toes forward and to go lower than parallel to the ground to target even more muscles in your abdomen.
2. The Lunge: Doing a lunge gets the muscles going but even more effective is the walking lunge, which engages nearly every muscle in the leg and thigh. Lunges help to improve balance because they promote the strengthening of stabilizer muscles. Development of these muscles increase calorie burn during workouts.
3. The sprint: While this may be an exhausting exercise, it does a lot more than just help to burn fat. It also helps the heart to strengthen itself. An increase in speed helps the muscles train differently so they learn to burn fat more effectively.

“While exercise it a part of a healthy lifestyle, you should consult a physician before beginning a new routine,” Harrison said.

How did you meet?

Her story: “We worked together at two jobs but we never hung out.”

His story: “She was always working at the same time I was in the photo lab so we got to know each other but only a little bit.”

When did you begin to like each other?

Her story: “I asked him out to drinks a few times and he kept saying no so I stopped for a bit. Then I felt like asking him out one more time so I did and we hit it off.”

His story: “She was so persistant in asking me out. I usually hung out with the guys on Fridays and one day I just decided to go out with her instead.”

How was the proposal done?

Her story: “I expected it to happen during a trip to New York City because I knew he had the ring already. It was so cold and the entire city was under ice that day. On top of that Mike’s coat got torn by some old lady who thought he was stealing her purse so he did not do it then. On Christmas he put the ring inside of a box, inside of a box that was inside of a box. I was so happy.”

His story: “I had everything planned in New York City. I wanted to propose to her on a horse carriage ride through Central Park, but it was so cold they did not have the horses out for rides. On top of that we could not even walk in the park because there was ice everywhere. Amy thought she might fall. I scraped the whole idea after this old lady’s purse whipped in the wind and got caught on my jacket button. When she ripped her purse back it tore my jacket. She thought I was trying to mug her.

Describe your relationship journey.

Her story: “It has had some ups and downs but after eight years, we are really ready to commit our lives to each other. We know it will be hard but life is hard. Why do it alone when you have people around you that you love?”

His story: “There was a point in our relationship when we were broken up but we continued to live together and that brought us through that turmoil I think. We could have easily given up but we did not. That makes us stronger as a couple.”

“Fitness is not just about getting ready for a wedding,” said Jim Harrison, a fitness instructor at Towson University. “Its about making sure your there with the person you love tomorrow.”

Harrison said the most important part of an exercise regime  is stretching out before. He said most exercise injuries happen when people do not stretch their muscles to loosen them.

Harrison said there are three basic exercises anyone can do to make their upper body look and feel better. Harrison said each exercise should be done in three sets of 10-12 repetititions.

“To get ready to tone the arms, chest and shoulders, get two dumbbells of any weight which is most comfortable.” Harrision said. “It between sets, do a one-minute set of jumping jacks or run in place.”

1. Push-ups: Place your arms on the floor and slowly stretch your body with your knees, you can also use your toes. Your knees and your hands should be supporting your whole body weight. Keep your back straight and use your hands in lowering yourself toward the floor. Slowly go back to the original position by pushing your body upward. Return to the original position and repeat. For beginners, do not lower your body too close to the floor, it will make it harder for you to push back.
2. Back and Shoulder tone: Stand straight with feet slightly apart. Hold your weights and slowly bend. Parallel your torso to the floor. Extend your arms, palms facing outwards, towards the floor. Lift your arms on your side, keep them straight and parallel to the floor. Return to the original position and repeat.
3. “Underarm Wing Eraser”: Stand straight with your feet wide apart. Raise your arms up, straight above your head. Hold your weights and do not bend your elbows. Lift the weights and bring them forward and down. Return to the original position and repeat.

As a general measure of wellness, brides should get enough sleep. Keeping in mind each person requires a different amount of sleep, Harrison said women should pay close attention to how their bodies are reacting to everyday stresses and adjust the amount of sleep to suit the stress.

“It is good to drink plenty of water everyday,” Harrison said. He said the task of drinking all of the required water is not so hard when brides think about what they eat throughout the day. “Fruits and veggies have a ton of water in them. Cucumbers are basically all water so if you eat those, your body is taking in water.”

“Everyone starting to work out should contact their doctor to find out what they should be doing to tone their body or lose weight,” Harrison said.

Campus Recreation Services in Burdick Hall offers a wide range of exercise and fitness courses which are free of charge to Towson University students, faculty and alumni.

The owner of Torqued Aperture, Staffieri is looking to book more weddings to develop her portfolio as well as continuing to networking  in wedding the industry. If you are interested in booking Staffieri as your wedding or engagement photographer, send her an e-mail.

(Photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/torquedaperture)

Q and A with Staffieri:

Q: How many weddings have you shot?
A: “Seven and a half. One of the weddings I shot was a civil ceremony so I only shot the ceremony. There was not any type of reception which made it interesting.”

Q: What has been your favorite experience in shooting weddings?
A: “I have enjoyed  all of the weddings I have shot so far. But Greek weddings are so much fun because it really is a party.”

(Photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/torquedaperture)

Q: What has been your least favorite experience thus far?
A: “At one wedding where I was the assistant, the main photographer was not prepared. Part of the way through the reception, the flash went out and he had to use mine. I was not prepared for that to happen.”

Q: Where is your favorite place to take photos?
A: “I love taking photos outside in unique environments. I also really like Circle D Farm off of [Route-]32 because it is a nice open space.”

Circle D Farm is located at 15535 Carrs Mill Road, Woodbine, Md. 21797. Circle D Farm can be reached by accessing the contact page.

Q: What is your photography style?
A: “I am a modern photographer. I love to make photos dynamic and bright. I want to make the bride and groom pop in the photo. I take a lot of candid photos at weddings.”

(Photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/torquedaperture)

Q: What type of equipment do you typically use at an event?
A: “My main camera is a Nikon D700. My first backup camera is a Nikon D80 but will soon be replaced by a Sony A550. My second backup is a D50. I also use a Minolta SRT 201 for film.”

Q: Approximately how many photos do you take at each wedding?
A: “I take around 800 to 1000 photos at weddings. It really depends on the event type.”

Q: How long does it take to receive proofs after the event?
A: “It usually takes between 2 weeks and two months to get the photos back. I like to meet with the bride and groom two or three times before I give the final product because I want them to be happy with what they get. I only give the couple about 400 photos because otherwise it just becomes too much.”

Q: What do you charge for your service?
A: “I usually charge a minimum of $1000 for a wedding but I am flexible with that because I am a student still.”

Q: Do you correct photos (using software like Adobe Photoshop)? If so, what do you edit?
A: “I correct any imperfection, especially skin problems that the bride and groom request me to. I shot a wedding where I took a close up of the bride and grooms hands and  because the groom did not get a manicure I had to go through and fix all of his nails. I suggest every groom get a manicure before the wedding even if they do not think they need it.”

(Photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/torquedaperture)

Earth Day is April 22, 2010. (Photo courtesy of http://www.bellafiorefloraldesign.com/flowers/uploaded_images/earthday-704241.jpg)

Bridal designer Adele Wechsler has recently launched her own collection of wedding gowns, which are completely environmentally friendly. Wechsler uses vegtable died silks, remnant fabric pieces and uses only certified organic fabrics. Check out a slide show of Wechsler’s collection.

Still do not know how to create a “green” wedding? Here are my top ten ways to a greener wedding:

1. Use conflict free diamonds.
2. Use recycled paper for invitations.
3. Give guest seed packets to plant when they get home as a favor.
4. Recycle items from your daily life and incorporate them into the wedding.
5. Encourage guests to carpool when coming to the celebration.
6. Choose wedding facilities based on the amount of water and energy they conserve or create.
7. Use plants and flowers that can be donated for other uses after the wedding.
8. Make sure the caterer is using organic foods.
9. Get photos hosted online for viewing versus printing them out using chemical processes.
10. Choose a wedding date when the foods and flowers you want to use will be in season.

According to Market Watch and DexKnows Weddings, the company will select four couples to receive $10,000 to put towards their wedding if they can come up with the savviest way to save money and still have the look of an expensive wedding.

The contest runs from April 7, 2010 until May 5, 2010. Entries to the contest were slow coming according to a Facebook status update; however, the number of entrants is quickly rising as the number of “likes” increases.

“We’ve gotten 140 great entries into our Recessionista Weddings contest,” DexKnows status read on April 20, 2010 at 8:57 p.m. “lots of great budget conscious wedding planning tips!”

According to Market Watch celebrity wedding planner Yifat Oren, who planned Mariska Hargitay’s wedding will help the company select the winners. Voting for the contest’s top 40 finalists begins on May 14, 2010 and ends on May 28, 2010. The winner will be announced after June 1, 2010.

To enter to win $10,000 for your wedding, click the “enter contest” link DexKnow’s website.