Re: Planning 4 marriage-woman's part

WONDERFUL!!!! Freezing and/or canning is an excellent idea. Since you're getting married in the summer, why not have an outdoor wedding & reception and have a huge game roast! You can also roast many of the fresh vegetables that will be coming in from the garden. If you are interested, you might be able to find a beautiful wedding gown at an antique shop or online - today's bridal gowns are neither flattering nor pretty. They all look the same: sleeveless, backless, and tacky. The antique dresses were so lovely and the brides looked so beautiful. Flowers can be a huge expense, too - choose whatever is in season or, if you have yard space, plant some perennials this year to cut next summer for your decorations.

I'm old - 47, today, as a matter of fact, and I've been to many, many, many, MANY weddings & receptions. I've been married twice, myself. There are 2 weddings that stand out in my mind as the best that I ever attended. The first was between a stable manager and veterinarian - they wore very simple, period frontier outfits, rode off on horses, and had the reception outside, covered-dish style. The other was my second wedding. We had it in the backyard in May and all of the flowers were in bloom. My bouquet was actually azaleas and flowers cut from my own garden. Decorations were streamers and balloons. Our reception (cost $250) was also covered-dish and we provided hot dogs, burgers, and other barbeque meats. My dress was something that I already owned and everyone was encouraged to dress casually. I have attended some of those second mortgage weddings and they were so silly - the brides' dresses were outrageously expensive, too many flowers, food was gourmet (and, very little of it), and the brides had become the Evil Brides From Hell, by the time it was all over. Then, 3/4 of them were divorced within 4 years! So, after a $70,000.00 wedding, they had an $8,000.00 dress that they wanted to burn, a $7,000.00 wedding set that they either wanted to sell, pawn, or have reset, and a $40,000.00 attorney bill!

Yes, a wedding should be a special day - but, it is ONE day. And, you are very sharp to save as much as you can to spend on other things that you and your spouse will really want! Keep us posted on your plans! Sounds like absolute fun!

My favorite hors d'ouvre: dates stuffed with pecans and wrapped with thick-sliced bacon, pinned with wooden toothpicks, and broiled until the bacon is done. OH, YUMMY!!! I try to serve those things whenever I have a gallery reception and they go mighty fast!

Have fun!