Have A Simple, Small, Green Wedding

A wedding is one of life's major rites of passage. It is certainly something to celebrate! Today, wedding books and magazines promote large weddings so that more and more wedding products can be sold. Wedding expenditures run into many thousands of dollars. And after this major outlay of money, most of what is purchased is never used again.

On the Spring Equinox 2004, my ex-husband (yes, that's right! my ex-husband!) Larry and I remarried. We had been together for almost seventeen years, and had divorced several years ago when our relationship problems seemed impossible to resolve. But we still loved each other, so we figured out what to do to make things better, and are now happier than ever.

In planning our wedding, we wanted to keep it simple, small, and full of meaning. We wanted a ceremony and celebration that would be easy to prepare for and manage. We wanted an intimate occasion, surrounded by our closest friends who would participate with us in the intention of our union. And as we planned our wedding, we used the same guidelines for health and the environment that we practice in our daily home life.

Since most books and articles are about planning big weddings, I want to offer some tips on planning another sort of wedding that can be beautiful and meaningful in it's own way.

* Make it your day. Each wedding can and should be a unique expression of the couple getting married. So create the day just the way you want it, to please the two of you.

* Choose the wedding traditions that are important to you. When it comes right down to it, the essentials of a wedding are the two people to be married, the minister or justice of the peace who performs the ceremony, the ceremony itself, and the guests who witness it. Everything else is decoration and tradition. Learn about wedding traditions and choose to do those that will make your day special.

* Write your own ceremony. The entire reason for having a wedding, really, is the ceremony. The most important aspect of a wedding is not the decorations, but the vows and intentions that are stated in the ceremony and that you give to each other. Research the time-honored patterns to wedding ceremonies and follow this pattern in your own personal way.

* Invite meaningful guests. When you have a small number of guests, you can spend more time with them and really experience their presence. Minimum is just the two of you, the minister, and a witness. Invite family and friends with whom you have real relationships. Eliminate those that might be invited out of social obligation.

* Have your wedding at home, either indoors or in your garden, or in a park. Rather than spending a lot of money on floral arrangements, we put that money into tidying up our back yard and planting perennial flowers that we are still enjoying today.

Looking back on our wedding day, we are very pleased with our simple, small wedding. We were able to relax and enjoy the day and experience the love and support of our best friends. Best of all, we still had energy left for the honeymoon...

For many more details on planning your simple, small, green wedding (including choosing flowers, rings, clothing and reciption, and photos of Debra's wedding), visit http://www.debraslist.com/wedding, and click on "You are invited to... My Simple, Small, Green Wedding". Debra is also available as a consultant to help you plan your wedding.

Hailed as "The Queen of Green" by the New York Times, Debra Lynn Dadd has been a consumer advocate for products and lifestyle choices that are better for health and the environment since 1982. Visit her website for 100s of links to 1000s of nontoxic, natural and earthwise products, and to sign up for her free email newsletters. http://www.debraslist.com/wedding

professional maid services Mundelein ..
In The News:

Unlike robotaxi competitors, Tensor focuses on consumer-owned self-driving cars that adapt to highways and urban roads with full redundancy systems for safety.
Medicare scams cost $54 billion in 2024 as fraudsters target beneficiaries with fake calls demanding payments and personal information to steal benefits.
Scammers create fake Evite invitations that mimic legitimate event emails, requiring users to verify senders and use antivirus software for protection.
The new Apple Watch hypertension feature passively monitors blood pressure patterns over 30 days using sensors to detect chronic high blood pressure signs.
Chrome extension spyware disguised as a free VPN service highlights security risks after it captured private browsing data from trusted sites.
New research shows how fatty acids in cooking oil can safely dissolve and recover silver from circuit boards without harmful chemicals or environmental damage.
The Fox News AI newsletter gives you information on the latest AI technology advancements, and about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
Anthropic investigates alarming AI abuse case where hacker automated entire cybercrime campaign using Claude, stealing sensitive data from defense and healthcare firms.
TikTok, Meta and YouTube restrict Charlie Kirk shooting videos with age gates and warnings while X faces criticism for allowing continued circulation.
Cybercriminals use fake troubleshooting websites to trick Mac users into running terminal commands that install Shamos malware through ClickFix tactics.
San Francisco startup Fable launches Showrunner, an AI platform dubbed the 'Netflix of AI' that generates animated episodes from text descriptions with Amazon support.
Apple raised iPhone prices for some models despite receiving tariff relief from President Donald Trump, with the new lineup starting at $799 for the base model.
A two-story 3D concrete printed home in Western Australia demonstrates faster construction methods that could reshape American housing amid rising costs.
Credit scores remain important during retirement for insurance rates and housing applications, while seniors become prime targets for identity theft and financial scams.
Scammers now send unexpected packages with QR codes that redirect victims to fraudulent websites or download malicious software to steal sensitive information.
Meeting AI tools record private conversations alongside work discussions, creating privacy risks that can be managed with proper settings and awareness.
Hotel privacy concerns are valid but rare, with methods to detect hidden tech using smartphone flashlights, mirror tests and scanning apps.
Improve your Wi-Fi speed and reliability with 10 simple router optimization tips that don't require special apps or expensive subscriptions.
A Columbia University breach exposed names, Social Security numbers and academic records of nearly 869,000 people, with notifications beginning in August.
Rental car drivers use AI-powered apps like Proofr to protect themselves from unfair damage fees as major companies deploy automated inspection tools.
Fox News' AI newsletter brings you the latest on technology advancements around artificial intelligence.
OnTrac data breach between April 13-15, 2025, exposed personal information of over 40,000 people including Social Security numbers and medical records.
A woman named Wika announces her engagement to an AI chatbot sparking worldwide debate about virtual relationships and technology.
The notorious people search site National Public Data relaunches despite a previous breach affecting 3 billion individuals, raising fresh privacy concerns.
Revolutionary TRAUMAGEL gel controls life-threatening bleeding from gunshot wounds and traumatic injuries, helping first responders prevent prehospital deaths.

Invitation Anatomy 101 - Optional Components - Part 2 of 3

Hopefully, you've read my prerequisite lesson "Invitation Anatomy 101 ?... Read More

How to Nurture Intimacy When Youre in a Long-Distance Marriage

The biggest problem long-distance spouses often face is how to... Read More

Marriage Advice: What to Throw Overboard When Your Marriage Is In Trouble

When your marriage is in trouble and you're fighting to... Read More

Do-It-Yourself Wedding Invitation Guide

Think creatively and add a personal touch to your special... Read More

After Wedding Tips - Five Tips for a Great Marriage - (That Produces The Good Feelings That Last)

Here are five seeds of a great marriage from grandmother.... Read More

Wedding Rings

Your wedding rings were meant to last a lifetime. They... Read More

The Maid of Honor ? Remember, It?s All About the Bride!

The term and role "Maid of Honor" is sometimes confusing,... Read More

Send Flowers and Liberate Your Bridal Party From the Shackles Of Monogram Hell

With so many ways to ask your closest friends and... Read More

Weddings - Wedding Plan - Wedding Planner Tools - Ten Essential Tips

Getting Married? Congratulations! You just set the date for the... Read More

Honeymoon Registries: A Guide to Asking for Your Honeymoon as a Wedding Gift

Is the cost of your wedding putting the honeymoon of... Read More

Wedding Planning: Involve your Fianc? in 10 Easy Steps

He's popped the question. You've chosen a date. And now,... Read More

?ello? ?ello? ?ello? Is that the Wedding, then?

You hear them at champagne-flowing parties. You hear them in... Read More

A Tale of Two Weddings

In the next six months, my... Read More

Six Ways to Decorate Your Wedding Arch

Sometimes a wedding arch is a no-brainer way to spruce... Read More

Theres More to Wedding Invitations Than You Might Think

Everybody talks about wedding invitations, but what about all the... Read More

An Inexpensive, Yet Beautiful, Wedding: One Brides Story

Most girls know by the age of 12 what kind... Read More

Hot Wedding Trend: Platinum Wedding Rings

In our hungry-for-anything new pop culture world, celebrities are often... Read More

Honeymoon Destinations

Your big day is now over all the stress of... Read More

Maui: A Prime Wedding Destination

Most visitors to Hawaii would agree that Maui is the... Read More

Searching For An Affordable Mother Of The Bride Dress

It is absolutely possible to find a beautiful and affordable... Read More

The Perfect String Quartet Repertoire for Your Wedding

Here follows suggestions and tips that will help you determine... Read More

The Charm of Homemade Wedding Favors

Homemade wedding favors come from a centuries old tradition of... Read More

Low Budget Wedding Reception

The reception alone will bust your wedding budget if you're... Read More

Choosing a Maui Wedding Photographer

You can rest assured that the charm of your Maui... Read More

Planning Your Outdoor Wedding Reception

An outdoor wedding reception can be host to an almost... Read More

same day cleaning service Morton Grove ..