Rev. Laurie Sue Brockway is a leading interfaith and non-denominational wedding officiant, and a widely recognized expert on blended marriages and bridal stress. She reguarly presides over interfaith weddings.

She is known for her warm, loving and creative approach to blessing couples of all backgrounds, faiths and cultures and for guiding them on their journey to the altar and beyond. She helps interfaith couples explore challenges they face, and unites them in marriage while helping them to blend families and cultures.

She has an active wedding ministry in New York City and serves hundreds of couples each year. She is author of Wedding Goddess: a Guide to Transforming Wedding Stress into Wedding Bliss and Your Perfect Wedding Vows: How to Write, Find and Select the Words that Express What is in Your Heart.

She will be co-officiating The Annual Wedding Goddess Blessing of the Brides and Grooms in Central Park on June 14. Please e-mail her, or contact her at WeddingGoddess.com and 212-631-3520.

The following are excerpts from a recent radio nterview with Rev. Laurie Sue.

What is an interfaith marriage?

People tend to think of "interfaith" as Jewish and Christian but it is actually an umbrella term for many diverse pairings. The combinations are unlimited. When any two people of differing faith and/or cultural backgrounds decide to marry it is considered interfaith. On one end of the spectrum is a Catholic marrying a Lutheran – both are Christians but technically of different faiths. Or it could be a union between a Hindu from Trinidad and an African American Jehovah’s Witness. In that scenario there is a blending of both religions and cultures.

Tell us a little bit about the very interesting couples you've married.

Wow. As an interfaith minister I have had the honor of marrying so many diverse couples, from so many different backgrounds and points of view. I am often called to create ceremonies that weave together different cultures, traditions, faiths, personal values and families. For example, just recently the faith and cultural pairing of some of my couples included:

Christian and Hindu; Hindu and Buddhist-Christian-Jewish groom; American lapsed Catholic and Sri Lankan Buddhist; French Canadian Lebanese and Dominican Republic Catholic; Wiccan and Atheist; Muslin and Hindu; Hindu and Jewish (both from conservative families); Scottish traditional to Church of English British; Catholic of Mexican heritage and religious Jewish; Russian Jewish and Russian Christian; African Christian and American Jewish.

That’s quite a range. Out of over 2 million couples who marry each year, how many are interfaith couples?
The numbers now look to be about 25 percent. NBC recently reported that there are 28 people in interfaith unions in this country.

Do you think the numbers of interfaith marriages are on the rise? Why?

There are a number of factors:
1. First of all, one of the things that most people want in life is to find true love with a devoted partner. In our global community, and our daily lives -- where we live, work and travel in blended communities -- it is so easy to meet and become attracted to someone who may have a different faith, culture, country, skin color.

2. A lot of people today are open-minded enough to opt for LOVE over the "package" that love comes in and in the process they find the package is quite lovely as well.

3. Many people feel disconnected from the religion of their birth so they don't actively seek a mate by religious standards. A recent study showed us that 16 per cent of all Americans do not consider themselves to be on any faith. And 25 per of Americans “switched” faiths at some point of their lives, and some believe this is in part due to interfaith marriage.

Continue reading "Interfaith Weddings: Interview with Rev. Laurie Sue Brockway" »

Posted April 15, 2008 5:32 AM by Editor | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This

A bride-to-be facing breast cancer was able to get married before starting chemotherapy due to the generosity of local vendors in Florida.

It turned into a mini bridal show, where vendors could showcase their talents, but in the end bride Tammy Clifton had her dream wedding.

Just goes to show you that there is kindness in the world! And a wedding can be a healing event even in the most challenging fo circumstances. Prayers for a full recovery go out to Tammy and her new hubby!

Read more and see photos in the Orlando Sentinel.

Posted March 3, 2008 5:12 AM by Editor | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This

And they called it puppy love... just because we're in our ... eighties.

That could be the wedding song playing at the upcoming nuptials of Dennis Jones and Sophie Scragg, respectively 85 and 86.

The story of their later in life romance and marriage is reported today in a charming story, Couple To Marry in their Eighties, in Britan's ExpressandStar.com.

Although Ms. Scragg is apparently a cougar, robbing the craddle, at one year older than her soon-to-be husband, the couple has come to terms with it.

They've been together for four years. Apparently, the two met on a seniors bus trip. The groom admired his bride from afar and asked to be seated next to her. Clever fellow! He asked her to marry him the same day.

The bride, by the way, has 10 children. Her eldest, 60, will give her away.

Photo from ExpressandStar.com

Posted February 27, 2008 7:30 AM by Editor | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This

If you think one wedding is frenetic, imagine a mass of men and women saying "I Do" simultaneously!

One would imagine the scene was at least a little chaotic when about 750 brides and grooms renewed their wedding vows in Pittsburgh's Carnegie Hall on Valentine's Day.

Don't mean to be a killjoy, but somehow, renewing your vows alongside 749 other couples just does not seem to be the kind of intimate moment you'd hope for on such a milestone occasion in a couple's life.

And can't you just hear the groans of relatives, who apparently had to buy tickets for the event? They must done so mumbling under their breath: They better have an open bar and be serving awesome food at this cost!

Here's one thing we do know... its good pr.

Pittsburgh is celebrating its 250th year in 2008 and utilizing this big birthday to bring attention to the city. This massive vow renewal was said to be the brainchild of Kitty Julian, marketing director for Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History and Pittsburgh 250 Committee Member.

It was presided over by Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl, who was angling for a place in the world records.

As Julian explained it: "Pittsburgh is such a family town. We love weddings and celebrating. What better way to celebrate love and Pittsburgh's 250th anniversary than to try for the Guinness Record for the most couples to renew their vows together. It has been such a joy to bring everyone together to pull this off."

After press time we discovered of the 743 who registered, 629 couples showed up. Check out this article in the Pittsburgh Tribune for more information and photos.

Posted February 17, 2008 6:04 PM by Charlotte Rose | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This

Eddie Murphy and Tracey Edmonds get the prize for shortest Hollywood wedding of the year.

The two had a reportedly lavish spiritual ceremony on Bora Bora the first of January only to get back to the states and decide not to make it legal.

Many couples who marry in destination weddings outside of the United States elect to formally solemnize their vows back in their own country. This is often due to tricky issues of legality in the country or location in which they choose to wed. Or it may have to do with issues of time. Some locales require a couple to be in town for a week or days and to go through local legal protocol that is time consuming.

Celebrity couples often have spiritual ceremonies at the destination and quietly make it legal in the states.

Anyone can have a "spiritual" or "religious" ceremony without it being legally binding. It is however meant to be a bond between the couple and a promise of marriage.

Edmonds, once married to the performer and music producer known as Babyface, is a producer and met Murphy when they were filming Dreamgirls in 2006. The engagement was announced within a year.

There are rumors as to why the couple did not go through with their legal ceremony. Some say it had to do with the fact that Edmonds did not want to change her last name, because it is the same last name as her child. There are whispers that it was due to Murphy's behavior or arguments about a prenup.

Who knows for sure. But if the couple is not going to stay together, they might want to also consider a "Spiritual Divorce" because a spiritual wedding is still a wedding in spirit.

Posted January 23, 2008 5:21 AM by Editor | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This

President Bush is about to gain a son-in-law.

Jenna Bush and her fiancé Henry Hager will wed May 10, this year. according to People.com.

Hmmmm. We wonder, will they be playing Hail to the Chief as the President of the United States walks his daughter down the aisle?

We know the Bush twins have gotten a lot of flack in their day for being party girls, but we saw Jenna on the repeat of the Tonight Show not long ago and she seemed smart and funny, and like any bride to be, enjoyed sharing her engagement story.

Posted January 17, 2008 10:29 AM by Editor | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This

We know brides can be a little, shall we say, self-involved. But this story truly takes the cake.

Chidi Ogbuta of Allen, Texas got hitched last September and for her wedding cake she had a life-sized replica of herself. It took a week and Lord knows how much of her wedding budget to create the thing. Then the groom had to stand by and watch all his relatives and friends eat a little piece of his bride.

Check out the photos at CNN.com.

Some say it was a little too narcissistic for their tastes. Ya think?

Rumor has it she always dreamed of having a doll in her own likeness and now she considers that fantasy fulfilled.

We wish the happy couple lots of good luck.

Posted January 16, 2008 5:02 AM by Charlotte Rose | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This

Las Vegas has always enjoyed bragging rights as the America's hot spot for weddings.

Things may be changing according to new statistics from Clark County showing a drop in weddings -- or at least, a drop in the number of marriage licenses issued -- in 2007.

According to today's Las Vegas Review- Journal, some Las Vegas chapels are noting a dip in brides and grooms, while others see an increase in vow renewals.

Alan Choate's article, Fewer Going to the Chapel, offers an excellent overview of this breaking story.

As Choate reports: "The number of marriage licenses issued in Clark County dropped in 2007 for the third straight year to just under 107,000, the lowest number since 1996."

"A variety of factors get the blame: the economy, gas prices, national trends in marriage and family, international competition, and a fracas over a rogue wedding chapel that was forcibly closed in October."

"But just because weddings are down doesn't necessarily mean the wedding business is down. Some in the industry point to increased traffic and new opportunities, and there's evidence that Las Vegas' share of the national wedding market is holding steady."

In its hey day, Las Vegas wedding stats were up to 125,967, in 2004. Interestingly, the 7-7-07 excitement did not drive the number of weddings off the charts in 2007. Better luck on 8-8-08!

Read more of Fewer Going to the Chapel.

Posted January 10, 2008 10:34 AM by Editor | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This

That's the latest number, according to The Today Show on NBC. And that number does not even include blended-culture unions!

Inspired by an article in Tango Magazine that Wedlok.com editor Laurie Sue Brockway participated in, The Today Show ran a fascinating feature on the prevalence of interfaith relationships and how couples cope with the differences, especially around the holidays.

Read the article online in the October 2007 Tango Magazine, by Holly Lebowitz Rossi: Finding Our Religion: Cath-wics? Hin-jews? The face of interfaith is changing fast but the secrets to a successful dual faith relationship remain the same.

Also, you might want to view the Today Show segment on interfaith couples. Really gives you food for thought and some ways to consider raising an interfaith family.

Posted January 9, 2008 10:14 AM by Editor | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This

A contest sponsored by Cheap-Chic-Weddings.com and backed by Charmin brought a new kind of wedding gown to several brides this holiday season. The gowns were made of toilet paper and designers sought the number one prize for the most creative dress.

There were also winning couples, who got to use the dresses and get married -- in Charmin portable bathrooms set up temporarily for the day. A bow of toilet paper was tied to each stall door.

It was all very clever and cute, but the gals who wore them were, of course, considered "flushing brides." And the wedding took place in the loo. I lost my sense of humor on that note.

What an awful concept, to begin a marriage with the energy of that which is disposable.

We all remember the days of being little girls, clipping long strands of what toilet paper to our heads, pretending to be brides in veils. But this contest took that childhood fantasy too far.

A wedding is meant to be sacred, so yes, the dress does not matter as much as the intentions of the couple. But a toilet paper wedding dress? Would you ever wear one?

Any place can be a temple, even a bathroom, when there is love. But ... was this a celebration of love or another blatant attempt to promote a product on the backs of couples in love? Brides have become the focal point of almost every product imaginable. Obviously, we all need toilet paper (in this country, anyway) but shoul it be the context for a wedding?

And they say Las Vegas is over the top?

Posted December 23, 2007 9:21 AM by Charlotte Rose | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This

Do you have a winter wedding to attend?

Barbara Quinn's article in the Grand Fork Herald offers some interesting insight into how our nutritional health goes out the window in the days leading up to, during and after a wedding.

Like the holidays, at weddings, people tend to eat a lot and drink a lot, and there goes the diet.

You can end up with a sugar hang over from wedding cake or a Viennese table just as easily as a hang over from too much alcohol. And as Quinn points out, you might end up eating wedding leftovers for days -- since we all fell obligated to take home the leftovers that have cost us so dearly.

She writes: "Just because a wedding is over doesn't mean the wedding is over. There are rental items to return and explanations to be made over a groomsman's shirt that no longer has sleeves. And there were leftovers of food we were obliged to bring home."

"I finally plopped on the couch one afternoon when my friend called to see how I was faring. “What are you doing?“ she asked. Eating a piece of wedding cake ... for lunch, I said sadly. "

Okay, so no one is forcing you to eat left over cake for lunch, but you get the picture.

Our trick for weddings is to eat before we go, lay off alcohol and eat enough to feel too full for cake.

Posted December 23, 2007 9:08 AM by Editor | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This

By Rev. Laurie Sue Brockway

Find out more at http://www.artofmarriage.org and http://www.marriageframe.com.

I have been corresponding with Erik Kent, who, along with his wife Beth Kent, is co-publisher of the New Jersey tri-state area wedding planning site www.njwedding.com. These wedding professionals fell in love with "The Art of Marriage," by Wilfred Arlan Peterson and have established a foundation to help couples bring those thoughtful words to life in their marriages.

I agree with the Kents. Peterson's reading captures the essence of what it takes to make a marriage a great success and I love that they have established a forum for this kind of marriage education. It certainly helps newlyweds look beyond wedding planning and into what it takes to build a good life together.

Here is their stated mission:

Mission: To promote healthy marriages through marriage education in New Jersey and throughout the United States

Goal: To reach engaged couples with positive messages about "planning for their marriage, while planning their wedding" through bridal media

Objective: To provide "The Art of Marriage" essay by Wilferd A. Peterson
in various formats, helping couples to learn the "art" of building a strong marriage, and provide additional resources for couples to consider (such as premarital counseling, specialized programs and workshops or talking with a member of the clergy).

Beyond the reading itself, the Kents have begun to work with the family of Wilfred Arlan Peterson to keep his legacy alive. Peterson was the author of many "The Art Of Living" books and essays.

The Kents have also licensed the reading to create an awesome wedding gift product. It's a lovely frame with a matted version of "The Art of Marriage" and room for your wedding photo. Very cool! Find out more at: http://www.marriageframe.com.

Wedlok.com will stay on top of the Art of Marriage story as it develops. As mentioned, parts of the reading were recited at the Las Vegas nuptials of Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward; then Joanne Woodward read it at daughter Nells wedding in 1995. Will it surface again at a vow renewal ceremony next January 29 when the Newman's celebrate their silver anniversary? Stay tuned!

Continue reading "New Jersey Wedding Pros Establish "The Art of Marriage Foundation"" »

Posted November 6, 2007 11:46 AM by Rev. Laurie Sue Brockway | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This

The classic wedding reading "The Art of Marriage," by Wilferd Arlan Peterson, is one of the most oft read and inspiring wedding readings around. As we reported several months ago, wedding lore has it that several lines of this reading was included in the nuptials of Joanne Woodward and Paul Newman, who got hitched in Las Vegas.

That was almost fifty years ago! Today it stands out as a classic for our times.

I have been using this reading in my wedding ministry for many years. Couples love it because it reflects the values and sentiments that truly enhance life together! It's the stuff a good marriage is made of.

Wanted to share it again here because it is so important for all of us to remember that a good marriage must be created, nurtured, built over time. Marriage is an art unto itself. And …

In the Art of Marriage the little things are the important things.

It means never being too old to hold hands, or to say I love you.

It's never going to bed angry.

It is at no time taking the other for granted; the courtship should
not end with the honeymoon. Allow it to continue through the years.

It's having a mutual sense of values and common objectives.

It's standing together facing the world.

It's forming a circle of love that gathers in the whole family.

It's doing things for each other, not in the attitude of duty or
sacrifice, but in the spirit of joy.

It's speaking words of appreciation and demonstrating gratitude in
thoughtful ways.

It is not looking for perfection in each other and yet seeing each
other perfect as you are.

It is cultivating flexibility, patience, understanding and a sense of
humor.

It's having the capacity to forgive and forget.

It's giving each other an atmosphere in which each can grow.

It is finding room for things of the spirit.

It is a common search for the good and the beautiful.

It is establishing a relationship in which the independence is
equal, dependence is mutual and the obligation is reciprocal.

It's not only marrying the right partner, it's being the right partner.

The above is a version of "The Art of Marriage" that I may have slightly tweaked over time, so I offer it with apologies to Mr. Peterson if a word was changed here or there. However, I imagine it would please him to know how much his words have meant to so many over time!

You can find links to the original short and long versions, with related copyright information, at http://www.artofmarriage.org.

Posted November 6, 2007 11:33 AM by Rev. Laurie Sue Brockway | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This

Sending a shout out to my collegue, Sharon Naylor, with congratulations on her newest book What's Your Bridal Style, co-authored by Casey Cooper.

Sharon is the consumate wedding author and has penned a gazillion wedding books (okay, more than 30!). She is the most prolific wedding author I know.

Soon she will be walking down the aisle as a bride in April 2008.

She'll be tying the knot in New Jersey at a banquet hall her beloved took her as his date to a wedding when their relationship was beginning. Romantic! "We had our very first slow dance there, and now we'll have our first dance as husband and wife on the very same dance floor," she says.

You can bet this will be a fun wedding. Congratulations Sharon and Joe!

Posted November 4, 2007 6:24 AM by Rev. Laurie Sue Brockway | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This

So what happens to the brides who already planned and paid to get hitched at the now defunct Garden of Love? Afterall, it is not as if there is no place else in town to tie the knot!

KVBC/DT News 3 in Las Vegas reported on the couples who would have been wed there and says that some could not get a hold of anyone from management since they had their license pulled by the Las Vegas City Council last Monday.

In at least one case, they chapel refused to refund any money but tried to make amends for this wedding disaster by sending a couple to another venue in Red Rock to get married.

We heard a report of a local chapel stepping in to help out would be Chapel of Love patrons.

Will we see a spate of kindness -- and positive publicity opportunities -- as local Vegas chapels open their hearts and doors to couples who got caught in the Chapel of Love shut down mess? Let us hope.

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If you are looking for the best wedding Jewelry, where are you going to look? The internet of course! No matter if you are looking for wedding reception favors or you want to find the best selection of unique bridal accessories, the internet is your best source!

Posted October 29, 2007 6:01 AM by Charlotte Rose | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This

Its not the first mass wedding in history, but perhaps is right up there among the unusual.

200 Muslim couples said their "I Dos" in a Cairo stadium, with relatives packing the seats to capacity. Organizers say this holy ceremony helped young couples avert sin, while also giving the opportunity to aquire appliances and furniture to begin their lives together.

The brides -- all 200 apparently - were wearing what looked more like traditional western wedding white. Only difference were the veils had a bit of Burka look to them, yet the material seems to be tulle or see-through white.

It was a holy event, and while organizers stated that it was meant to instill religious values in young couples, they clearly believed they were doing their part to stamp out problems associated with celibacy.

If comments reported by AFP in this article are correct, one of the lead organizers stated that "celibacy is a growing time bomb" about to burst. This mass marriage -- and others conducted in the past -- allow lower income couples to have a proper religious union and set up a life with all the natural privileges of husbands and wives.

Contrary to western reports that state less people are formally tying the knot, marriage in that part of the world apparently is valued as, among other things, an alternative to deviant behavior.

Local merchants donated furniture and kitchen appliances.

Posted September 27, 2007 7:31 AM by Charlotte Rose | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This

Yikes. Satirist Tina Dupuy writes a very cranky -- but interesting -- commentary on the American marriage in today's Huffington Post.

She spins the political angle around the idea that gay marriage is getting more support in this presidential election than any other in history. It sets the stage to chat in general about her opionons on marriage, but really, these are her opinions on weddings.

Honestly, I do not disagree with some of her assertions that the hyper-sales approach the wedding industry lures brides into believing a big wedding means a good marriage. Sigh. Unfortunately, for some couples, it can mean the opposite.

Essentially, Dupuy sites a survey about American marriage that says people ain't getting hitched like they used to (reported in Wedlok.com months ago) and a recent Census report that states their are more "unmarried" households than "married" households.

She does point out a pithy factoid about why she believes less people are marrying and more are shacking up without a license: "According to a survey done by the Fairchild Bridal Group, the average American wedding costs $30,000. On the other hand, according to the US Census Bureau the median American household income is only $44,389."

The fact that the average American wedding can cost $30,000 (other's say it is $23,000 to $26,000 by the way) and be the equivalent of two-thirds of the Average annual income is indeed a sobering thought. Perhaps this is why Las Vegas is host of 120,000-140,000 of the two million weddings in the US each year.
They certainly require a smaller portion of your annual income!

Read Tina Dupuy's column at the HuffingtonPost.com.

Posted September 25, 2007 9:38 AM by Editor | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This

Rev. Laurie Sue Brockway

I had the honor of being a guest on The Joan Hamburg Show on WOR, out of New York, and was part of an exciting show on weddings. Joan invited leaders of the New York City wedding industry - cake maven Sylvia Weinstock, celebrity wedding planner Marcy Blum, editors of TheKnot.com among them -- and asked me to her be her guest on interfaith and non denominational weddings.

The show was taped live, with an audience, at Bridal Reflections at 286 Fifth Avenue, and airs this morning in the 9 AM to 11 AM time slot of The Joan Hamburg Show. You can also listen to it on line.

Joan is an amazing consumer reporter and interviewer and all-around lovely person. I was thrilled last year when she featured me as a leading non-denominational and interfaith minister in her book, City Weddings: A Guide to the Best Bridal Resources in New York, Long Island, Westchester, New Jersey & Connecticutt (Universe Publishing, 2006).

It was such a fun show. First of all, Bridal Reflections is an amazing bridal salon. It is an almost zen approach to bridal gowns, with a lovely waterfall outside the door before you even enter. Inside is so elegant, with some of the most scrumptious wedding gowns hanging beautifully on mannequins and elegantly displayed on racks.

The wedding industry is know for causing "snow blindness" and "white out" when brides go to bigger salons to shop. Bridal Reflections makes brides -- and everyone -- feel welcome and treats the eye to a truly beautiful bridal site. They hosted a loved reception for Joan's radio show. I met the owners. I can only image their service to brides is top notch and very RELAXING!

During the taping of Joan's show, two models came out between segments to model awesome wedding gowns, offering an informal bridal fashion show. I see A LOT of wedding dresses in my line of work but even I got excited by some of the gorgeous gowns at Bridal Reflections.

Check them out at www.bridalreflections.com

Visit Joan Hamburg at: http://wor710.com/pages/39665.php

Posted September 21, 2007 5:31 AM by Rev. Laurie Sue Brockway | Permalink | Comments (1) | Email This

Bethesda Terrace in Central Park was hopping on September 1 when Shari Fox and Michael Laval said their "I Dos" before a crowd of hundreds.

They only had about 20 guests, but the area was filled with characters lounging by the perimeter of one of the most famous and beautiful fountains (the one with the big angel) in Central Park and wandering around the area.

I spoted three separate processionals of young girls dressed like colorful mini brides, escorted around the fountain by at least 8 uniformed men each. They were celebrating a custom many Latina girls will follow when they turn 15 called The "quinceanera" and posing for photos like crazy. Off to the side I could see a big man dressed like a wizard. Not to mention the 75 to 100 people seated on the huge, long, majestic staircase to the left, watching the break dancing team that is there every Saturday.

Continue reading "Thoth of "America's Got Talent" Serenades Central Park Wedding Couple" »

Posted September 3, 2007 11:54 PM by Rev. Laurie Sue Brockway | Permalink | Comments (2) | Email This

A British bride was escorted down the aisle recently by a very special friend.

He was handsome and walked proudly down the aisle. He was so anxious, he seemed to be pulling her part of the way. But when it came to the part in the ceremony when the vicar asked if anyone had any objections to the marriage, he sneezed. A Freudian sneeze? Perhaps it was, based on a tad of pet possessiveness.

Bride Julie Hargreaves had her English Sheepdog, Thom, give her way at her wedding. Her Dad had passed on and she felt that Thom was the right one to do the job!

This was one of the oddest wedding sites most guests had ever seen, and even the manager of the venue where the wedding was held took paws. And it was not even in Las Vegas! It was in the UK. The story was reported in the local newspaper, the Macclesfield Express.

After the wedding, Thom joins the bride and groom at the B&B and cuddled at the end of the honeymoon bed.

Posted August 31, 2007 8:01 AM by Editor | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This

Although many people tend to think that Brides are not using their noggins (an power!) for anything other than wedding planning details such as flowers and dress, our friends at Theknot.com know better.

In conjunction with WeddingChannel.com, they created BridesDecide.com just in time for the presidential elections, to get brides-to-be chatting about their views and hopes on important issues.

Brides and politics. Does this mean that the focus is off the wedding gowns and onto the issues of the day? Actually, it seems that the site give a little of each, and remembers who the audience is.

Merging the power of two bridal megasites, this new online destination is meant to make it easy for brides-to-be and recently-marrieds to compare the candidates and issues. The target audience is busy women in their mid-twenties to mid-thirties. The goal is to get brides "engaged in the 2008 election and make informed decisions about their community through the political process."

Okay... do we hear a yawn or two in the background?

Continue reading "Brides and Politics, TheKnot.com Launches BridesDecide.com" »

Posted August 14, 2007 5:55 AM by Editor | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This

Celebrity Wedding Buzz

Busy celebrities have been tying the knot ... and some of them untying it!

Big news this weekend is that multiplatinum singer Usher and his pregnant bride-to-be Tameka Foster called off their highly publicized nuptials yesterday, the day of their wedding. The glitzy affair was to be held in Sagaponack, New York -- in the Hamptoms -- at home of a friend.

Wow, the Truth Hurts, when you realize that a marriage simply is not mean to be and you must make that Confession to your beloved, and the world. Some people say that Tameka turned into a Bridezilla toward the end of wedding planning, but was she a Bad Girl, or just hormonal? Was it Usher who said, sorry Baby, but I just cannot Take Your Hand? Did she cry, how can you Do It To Me? Or did she ditch him?

A spokesperson issued a statement saying the wedding is off and guests were somehow contacted and told not to come. You can be sure there are a lot of gals out there saying Yeah! , he's back on the market.

Continue reading "Usher Wedding Called Off At The Last Minute - Or Was It?" »

Posted July 29, 2007 9:04 AM by Editor | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This

Can you imagine someone saving your wedding dress and all the artifacts from your big day and finding them on public display in your home six decades later?

How do you think you would feel seeing your wedding day brought to life again for all to see? Teary-eyed, touched, stirred to the core? Would it be too surreal for words or too far in the distances to remember?

The Queen of England took such a stroll down memory lane this week as she visited the exhibition titled a Royal Wedding. The display marks her 60th wedding anniversary.

Opening on July 29 and running through September 25, the exhibition is part of Buckingham Palace's summer opening. If you happen to be in London, you can also visit the Palace's State Rooms for a peak at the royal art collection.

Hello Magazine reported that the 81 year old Queen "paused to admire" the ivory gown she wore for her wedding to Prince Philip. Gee, if anyone has cause to wistfully remember and long for the simpler times, it is Queen Liz. Doubt she she a sentimental tear however.

The multimedia exhibit captures the bridal couture and royal occasion, as well as the public rejoicing on the Queen's wedding day. There is footage and photos of people who camped out along the processional route for hours awaiting a site of the Princess Bride as she rode by horse and carriage to her date with destiny Westminster Abbey.

Posted July 27, 2007 7:00 PM by Editor | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This

Thousands and thousands of couples now share the wedding date 7-7-07. Eva Longoria and Tony Parker tied the Knot in Paris.

Las Vegas is still brimming with brides and grooms. An estimated 40,000 couples said "I Do" around the country. What a wedding day!

We offer all the happy couples these 7 Blessings for their 7-7-07 unions.

1) We bless these couples in the name of Friendship.
May these marriages prosper in the passing years with the strengthening bonds of two who know, trust and savor each other.

Continue reading "Seven Blessings for Eva Longoria and Tony Parker - and All the Couples Who Tied the Knot on 7-7-07" »

Posted July 7, 2007 7:25 PM by Rev. Laurie Sue Brockway | Permalink | Comments (1) | Email This

We may not see anything but brides and grooms in Las Vegas this Saturday, the wedding day otherwise known as 7-7-07.

Couples are getting married enmasse around the country, but Las Vegas is a particular favorite.

This joint will be jumping! Media is covering all the commotion here like crazy, with stories all over the world.

Las Vegas chapels are being discussed as THE PLACE TO BE on 7-7-07. From the small chapels on the strip to the big hotel and casinos, weddings are in the air.

* Charolette Richards of the Little White Chapel says she already has over 400 weddings booked that day and is expecting more people to "walk in" or "drive through" her famous Vegas chapel.

* The Garden Chapel at Flamingo Las Vegas is preparing for 77 couples who will marry at one of 7 venues on the property.

* Mandalay Bay and Caesar's Palace will be hosting wedding with over 60 couples.

* The Venetian is booked with back-to-back 30 minute gondola rides and had to open another bridge in their indoor Venice-style water way to accommodate the couples who want to marry there on that day.

We'll keep you updated as we count down to the BIG DAY!

Posted July 3, 2007 8:30 AM by Editor | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This

Wedding Officiants, watch out! We may soon be obsolete.

According to reports worldwide, the first human couple was married by the first Robot officiant. Not in Las Vegas, folks.... this was in Seoul, South Korea last weekend.

"Tiro" is a robot priest/master-of-ceremonies who speaks in a "sweet female voice."

She joins a fleet of robots who include a chaperone Robot meant to keep teenagers virginal until they can then have their weddings officiated by Tiro.

Korean roboticists are proud as peacocks, according to The Taipei Times and other reports, because "their industry had achieved yet another world first ... a droid officiated at a wedding south of Seoul."

The cost to create this wedding officiant droid appears to be in the area of around $218,000 USD. Not quite affordable for Brides and Grooms on a budget!

Continue reading "Robot Officiant Marries Korean Couple" »

Posted June 29, 2007 8:18 AM by Rev. Laurie Sue Brockway | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This

WE, the Women's Entertainment Network, has found a sweet little enterprise in their Bridezilla show. Its doing well and it keep on going, delighting audiences with episodes of brides getting cranky, loud and sometimes abusive with everyone in their midst.

Every wedding season, WE trots out a new way to hype their show by challenging real brides to make themselves look like total bafoons.

This year, there was a $25,000 jackpot dangling at the end of a gross wedding cake eating competition. That's the cost of the average US wedding these days, so you can see why some budget-minded brides might consider making fools out of themselves.

Real brides in beautiful wedding dresses stood before a small mountain of little blue and white wedding cakes and stuffed in as much as they could, as quickly as they could, as the cameras rolled at the Times Square event in Manhattan.

Stephanie Florio, of Sayville, N.Y, was the winner according to the NY Daily news, which ran a gallery of photos today.

The cakefest promoted the upcoming season of Bridezillas and gave Bride-to-be Stephanie and her intended some extra wedding spending cash. But it is just another slam on brides and weddings, showing brides in a gross and unbecoming light.

Posted June 24, 2007 5:00 PM by Editor | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This

Las Vegas is truly an affordable way to get hitched without starting your marriage in debt. But here's a novel idea to help you completely beat the wedding budget blues. All your need is a dollar and a dream!

You can get married for 99 cents on June 30th if you happen to be anywhere near the 99 Cents Only store, on the Southeast corner of I-35 and Round Grove Road (3040) In Lewisville, Texas.

An ordained minister will officiate the ceremony. 99 Cents Only Stores' discount diva, Sue Goldstein, and the Underground Shopper Radio Show LIVE will host the event. It will be broadcast on KVCE 1160 from 10am-12pm.

Brides and grooms will need to have 99 cents and a marriage license from the Denton County Courthouse.

We bet that couples will end up spending 99 dollars on knick knacks and wedding favors before they leave the store! This 99 Cents Only is part of a chain that both Tyra Banks and Elizabeth Taylor frequent.

Posted June 24, 2007 10:53 AM by Rev. Laurie Sue Brockway | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This

Rev. Laurie Sue Brockway

I am probably the only wedding officiant on the planet who does not have a wedding booked on 7-7-07. Interestingly, I have barely gotten inquiries about that date.

I'm not worried though, I think God left my calendar free so I can trade my clergy robe for reporters pen and pad, and cover the exciting and possibly crazed wedding activities of the day. Whether it is the biggest wedding day of the century, or the biggest wedding hype of modern times, 7-7-07 remains a hot wedding story!

As a far as I can tell there are no formal national statistics on the actual numbers of people getting hitched but obviously, Las Vegas will see a healthy percentage of them, as one of the selling points of 7-7-07 is that it represents the winning numbers of a lucky jackpot.

Stories are spreading like wildfire and even those with a local angle often has a Las Vegas mention. See today's piece in the LA Times.

Estimates have been pouring out from TheKnot.com, the nation's leading wedding planning website. I've seen their estimate at 31,000 and, more recently, seems to be up to 38,000 "knotties" (the bride, and her groom) who plan to say "I do" on that day nationwide.

Continue reading "The Knot Says 38,000 Couples Will Wed on 7-7-07" »

Posted June 23, 2007 7:22 AM by Rev. Laurie Sue Brockway | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This

By Rev. Laurie Sue Brockway

Everyone is talking about 7-7-07. Let's not forget 6-21-07.

It is Summer Solstice, traditionally a heavenly time to pledge your love.

And its a lucky day indeed. It is the longest day of the year, a time when the sun is at the height of it’s power, and good vibrations abound.

The folks at Chiff.com put it this way:

"Awed by the great power of the sun, world civilizations for many centuries have celebrated the Summer Solstice - otherwise known as Midsummer. The Celts and Slavs celebrated with dancing and bonfires to help increase the sun's energy, the Chinese marked the day by honoring Li, the Chinese Goddess of Light, and the Druids celebrated it as the wedding of Heaven and Earth, resulting in the enduring modern custom of a "lucky" wedding in June.”

Continue reading "A Midsummer Night's Marriage - As Lucky as 7-7-07?" »

Posted June 20, 2007 6:59 PM by Rev. Laurie Sue Brockway | Permalink | Comments (0)