I was a flower girl several times throughout my life, and I still remember it quite vividly: pulling my cousin P.J. by the arm when he refused to walk down the aisle, crying because I didn't want to put on hot pink lipstick (hey, it was the '80s!) and riding in a limo for the first time like a grown-up. I didn't fully understand what was going on, but the solemn ceremonies ("you may now kiss the bride") and the joyful celebrations that followed (my relatives' funky dance moves to "Now That We Found Love" by Heavy D & The Boyz) left an indelible impression on me.

Finally, I'm the bride, and I can't wait to have my precious cousin Viviana be my flower girl. She's just three years old, but her wide-eyed wonder and feistiness remind me of another little girl I used to know—me. I'd like my flower girl to have a say in the outfit she wears come September, so I've started to gather options that are fit for a little princess.

Here's a photo of Viviana's first walk down the aisle at her aunt Alexis' wedding last May. She's pictured on the left, and to the right of her is Valentina, her adorable sister!

Is there a wedding décor detail as beloved as the Mason jar? We think not — unless it’s the more elusive blue Mason jar. Vintage specimens are known to fetch as much as $40 on eBay, but for a limited time, you can get a 6-pack of the Ball Heritage Collection pint jar for way, way less.
 
The heavenly blue jar debuted exactly 100 years ago, hence this everything-old-is-new collection. The 2013 models are embossed with a period-correct logo on one side and commemorative dates on the back. Happy birthday!

 
At select retailers nationwide at the end of March or for pre-order at freshpreservingstore.com ($12.99 for six one-pint jars).

Guest blogger: Kate Harrison, creator of greenbrideguide.com.
After planning her own green wedding in 2007, Kate wrote the best-selling green wedding book, The Green Bride Guide: How to Plan an Earth-Friendly Wedding on Any Budget (Sourcebooks, 2008). In 2009, she founded greenbrideguide.com to help couples use their weddings to promote social and environmental change while supporting the local green economy. Kate has a JD in Environmental Law and a Master's from Yale in Environmental Policy.

Once you hear that familiar buzz in the springtime air, blooming flowers, plants and trees are sure to follow. The hottest wedding trend this spring and summer is a honeybee theme. Bees are popping up on invitations, couples are using beeswax candles for the reception, and guests are taking home raw honey favors. The honeybee is a symbol of spring, regrowth and fertility, but they are also fragile and easily impacted by our choices. Bees can easily become disoriented as a result of environmental changes such as drought, or human activities like moving a colony to speed up honey production. Even phone lines can disrupt a bee’s navigation pattern. 

Guest blogger: Kate Harrison, creator of greenbrideguide.com.
After planning her own green wedding in 2007, Kate wrote the best-selling green wedding book, The Green Bride Guide: How to Plan an Earth-Friendly Wedding on Any Budget (Sourcebooks, 2008). In 2009, she founded greenbrideguide.com to help couples use their weddings to promote social and environmental change while supporting the local green economy. Kate has a JD in Environmental Law and a Master's from Yale in Environmental Policy.

From the bridal bouquet to the floral arrangements, the average couple spends $2,000 on flowers. "What could be more naturally beautiful or green than a floral arrangement?" you might ask. Well, unfortunately, there are lots of problems with conventionally grown flowers. 

First, there are the environmental concerns. About 60 percent of the flowers available in the United States are imported, and because flowers are not eaten, the government does not regulate the levels of pesticide residue on imported blooms. With each watering, pesticide residues are washed into rivers and streams, polluting the aquatic habitat and contaminating drinking-water supplies, both in the country where they are grown and again here, when florists rinse the flowers before arranging them.

Guest blogger: Liz Sellassie, Owner and Manager of Designer Loft bridal boutique, a Manhattan bridal salon serving brides over the past decade with a variety of unique designers under one roof, in an atmosphere without sales pressure and snobbery. Designer Loft features today's top and emerging bridal couture designers, including a number whose work is shown exclusively at Designer Loft. The gowns reflect a variety of tastes, sizes, and styles, celebrating the diversity of every Designer Loft bride. Service is what makes us different! For more info and to see a listing of bridal designers and upcoming trunkshow events, visit designerloftnyc.com.

Photo Credit: Judy Pak Photography

In honor of St. Patrick's Day, here are some of our favorite ways to honor your Irish heritage in your wedding day. 

With warm weather around the corner, some of you may be looking forward to your outdoor summer wedding. You’ve no doubt tried to think of everything, from what type of décor is best to the farewell favors. Let’s see: indoor location or tent in case of rain? Check. Bottled water provided for guests before the ceremony? Check. Pashminas on hand for cool breezes — or parasols at the ready for bright sun? Check. But what about those most unwelcome of guests that might just show up and ruin your party: the dreaded insects! You know, those annoying buzzing flies and mosquitoes that bite and bother everyone?

Well, here’s a terrific solution to ward off these pesky visitors: ThermaCELL’s new bronze-colored lantern (priced at $22.99) not only looks great but will keep the pests away allowing you and your guests to thoroughly enjoy being outdoors.

Good news: The ThermaCELL Lantern’s repellent mat contains a natural insecticide found in chrysanthemum flowers and each one creates a 15 ft. x 15 ft. comfort zone with up to four hours of protection (3 mats are included with each lantern). They’re silent, odorless, and the lantern’s light just needs three AAA batteries. You can use the lit lanterns with or without the repellent mats to give your tables a soft glow as night falls.