WEDDING TIDBITS
. . . more good stuff
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The customs and traditions of weddings, as well as the multitude of planning details they require, from betrothal to the honeymoon exit, have been a source of interest, confusion, and sometimes even of humor, throughout the ages. No doubt, you will make your own personal wedding memories, make your own choices for the style of wedding you will feel is meaningful, and go about planning in your own unique way. Here are some tidbits or bits and pieces related to weddings that may help and hopefully make you smile.

THE 1ST WEDDING WEB SITE
In 1870, sugar-cane planter George Durand created what might be called the first wedding web site. Legend has it that in honor of his daughter's forthcoming wedding, Durand imported South American spiders and released them in the oak-tree alley of his St. Martinville plantation. He then stood back and watched the spiders do their thing. They spun huge webs among the trees, which Durand then had sprinkled with gold dust to create a fairy tale entrance to the plantation. More than 100 years later, people in southwestern Louisiana still talk about the Durand Spider Web Wedding.

WHERE DID IT BEGIN
Since 1215, when Pope Innocent III declared that couples should undergo an official waiting period before marriage, the engagement period has been the standard time for planning the ceremony and reception. It is that time too that serves as the planning stage. Bookstores offer what seems like an endless array of wedding books and magazines. Friends are an invaluable source for advice. Use their input and let them help you when you get into a planning pinch. They'll no doubt do so gladly.

SOMEONE(S) TO WATCH OVER YOU
The roles of honor attendants have somewhat diminished with time, although the close friends you select as attendants certainly can be helpful. The tradition of having attendants dates back to ancient Rome. A Roman bride was accompanied by ten people who dressed identically to confuse evil spirits who might hex the new couple. Groomsmen became popular in medieval Europe, when marriage-by-abduction was common. Since the groom was likely to carry his screaming bride-to-be away from her stunned family members, he needed the reinforcement of several friends to fight them off.

A NEW CUSTOM
The wedding newsletter is one of newest wedding ideas around. It becomes a way in which the couple can really keep in touch with their guests about wedding plans. The newsletter can be mailed periodically to wedding guests during the months preceding the big event. Ultimately, It can be whatever the bride and groom want it to be, and may include, for example, updates to guests on information such as preparations and accommodations. It can be a vehicle by which the bride and groom can let out-of-town guests know about accommodations or anything that might make their stay more comfortable. It can also include such details as what colors you have chosen and where you plan to honeymoon. Some couples include information about area attractions and restaurants, to make out-of-town guests feel more at home.

Couples have chosen to put such newsletters on the Internet and some E-mail updates to a designated mailing list. A web site that includes a newsletter may also "end" joyfully with a selection of wedding photos for guests to share.

What a wonderful conglomeration of the old and the new a wedding is. Enjoy!

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