Sometimes nothing can blow you away as much as your bridal shower. I had mine this past weekend.

It was a surprise shower. My bridesmaids decided on a luau theme and sent me an invitation to a luau at my friend's house. When I arrived -- 45 minutes late, thanks Kenny Chesney and fans (concert) -- I was handed a lei and the party began.

Throwing a bridal shower is no easy task -- especially if you're trying to keep it a surprise. My mom and the bridesmaids cooked all the food, ordered a cake and had tents and chairs and tables set up around the yard. There were lots of thoughful little touches, like hula-girl salt-and-pepper shakers and Hawaiian-themed food. Even better, friends and family came from miles away to attend the shower -- some even drove two hours to be there.

It's amazing to see the lengths people will go to in the name of friendship. My bridemaids literally spent months planning and preparing for this shower and kep me in mind the whole time. I'm a casual person, so they put together a casual cookout. I also don't like presents, so everyone was asked to send a recipe and bring canned goods for a local food pantry.

No time was spent opening presents -- it was all just hanging out and having fun. For me at least. My bridesmaids worked pretty much the entire time. As did my mother, who put together a truly fantastic spread.

I can't thank them enough. While most bridesmaids will have to throw a shower at some point, the fact that mine were so thoughtful and worked so hard made me glad I have such special people in my life. 

So if you're not trashing the dress, or even if you're just lightly trashing it so you can save it for future generations -- you've got to preserve your wedding dress.

According to CNN, the average bride spends a little more than $1,000 on a gown, and if you don't preserve it, it's going to get ugly. According to the CNN article, you should get your dress to the cleaners within a few weeks of the wedding. Then, you have the best chance of getting stains out and preserving the gown. Brides who wait years before heading to the cleaners may not have the same results.

I have a friend who was married a few years ago. She's very tiny and her gown is unlikely to fit her future children. But she still saved it, and plans to turn it into her child's baptism gown someday. So there's plenty of othr options, other than preserving it and hoping for a daughter who actually wants to wear your dress.

If you have a dress that's already preserved, cleaners recommend shifting the material every few years so your dress doesn't get permanent creaselines -- and wearing white glove when you do so (grease from fingers can also damage the gown).

There's a list of cleaners at partypop.com that lists those who preserve wedding gowns.

Also, CNN has wedding-related videos and articles on their Web site, so check them out. 

Another bridal beauty area to be considered is the feet. After all, you probably have a great pair of shoes to go with your dress and, if it's a warm-weather wedding, those shoes will likely show off your feet.

My feet are sadly neglected. If they weren't attached, they'd leave me for a someonw who wouldn't be as hard on them.

This little PR-piece from Microplane Personal Care offers some good tips on making sure your feet look fabulous at the wedding and secrets to keeping feet healthy.

Besides making your feet soft and smooth, the company suggests that you paint your toes a little brighter than your hands to make them pop in photos. It also advises steering clean of colors with a yellow base -- apparently they show up VERY yellow in photos.

And, as always, experiment before your wedding day. 

A great online article offers plenty of tips to look your best on your wedding day. Besides the usual, sleep and drink water advice, the writer offered up some great tips:

• Use a bronzer instead of tanning; it looks softer in photos.
• Go light on makeup. You'll photograph better if you emphasize lips and eyes.
• Do your hair before your makeup. Blow dryers will wreck the makeup
• Stay away from orange and coral lipstick; it makes your teeth look yellow.
• While salt can make your face puffy, sugar can make you look wrinkled -- stay away from both.

Check out the article and if you have any tried-and-true beauty tips, share them here.

For the bride who is stressed out -- or just needs a moment away from it all -- there are now meditation shawls. These big, cosy shawls allow the bride to wrap herself in them and get away from it all.

They can be found at On Slender Threads, where the knitting is done in solitude and the shawls are made from natural fibers. Often earth stones are included in the shawl to increase grounding. From the Web site:

Being infused with grounded symbols each
mindfulness mantle awakens your inner calling,
soothes transitions, and summons embodied change.

Do they work? I don't know for sure, but just looking at them, they seem cozy and peaceful. I'm picturing crisp, fall days with tea and a book. Perhaps it's not the shawl, but the time it allows to be peaceful and reflective that brides really need.

A recently "Dear Abby" column took on the issue of potluck dinners. A guest questioned if it was OK for a bride to ask guest to bring a dish and pitch in and do dishes.

What was particularly interesting to me was the reader response. Several readers wrote in mentioning that in many cultures and religions, such as the Mexicans and Quakers, consider it a honor to be asked to help out, and certainly are willing to help the guests.

In fact, most readers considered it a great way to have a relaxed and inclusive wedding. As times get tighter and food costs rise, we may even see a trend of potluck weddings.  I think even guests who don't have a lot of money can participate, even if they bring a less expensive dish or perhaps the soda.

I do, though, think brides should keep finances in mind. If guests are bringing the food to your wedding, perhaps you should spread the word that their participation is you wedding gift, presents are not expected. That may relieve some of the pressure for guests who may think they have to bring food and a gift and feel stretched a little thin.

Any thoughts on potluck weddings? 

They say the wedding industrial complex is virtually recession-proof. As in, we'll just keep spending money on our weddings regardless of whether we can actually afford it.

Well, many articles online and in newspapers have come up with tips to cut the cost of throwing a bash. In particular, The News & Observer, of Raleigh, N.C., had some great tips from readers.

Among the highlights:

- Register at every bridal store you set foot in. Sure, you'll get junk mail, but you'll also get coupons. One bride saved 50 bucks on her dress, and $50 is $50.

- Make your own favors, expecially from things like Valentine's Day candy, which you can pick up after the holiday for half off.

- Use city, state, county or church facilities. These are often cheaper. In addition you have the ability to cut costs further by bringing your own alcohol.

The Telegraph also has a wedding Web site MapYourWedding.com. There's plenty of advice and links to local vendors available there.

I have decided not to do a seating chart for my wedding. I mean, the reception's in a pub, so why shouldn't people just sit where they want?

Well, according to Perfect Table Plan, I'm making a big mistake. The Web site says only 13 percent of people feel comfortable making their own seating choice, people usually end up wandering around, trying to find a place to sit and there's always someone who doesn't have anyone to sit with. The site said some couples even choose to sit outside because they can't sit together.

So, for a moment, I was a little nervous. After all, I had made my choice based on some anecdotal feedback from my invited guests, and they said they prefer to have a choice. I was also motivated by laziness. The last thing I really want to do a month before my wedding is sit down and figure out where everyone should sit. I mean, addressing the invitations was bad enough.

The it ocurred to me that the Web site is trying to sell me software to do my seating plan. Of course, they're going to tell me I need a seating plan!

They did a have some good suggestions for the seating plan and it's worth checking out if you're planning to have one. You can also download free software to help you arrange the seating.

I think I'm going to stick with my original idea to keep things casual and -- hopefully -- fun and relaxed. Let the butts fall where they may! 

Sometimes my fiance checks in on my blog. And today I want to talk about the wedding clothes, which I'm trying to keep as a surprise for him on our wedding day. I know, you're thinking, "Then don't post it on the Internet." True, but what's a wedding blog without some fashion talk.

So, thus far, I've acquired a headpiece and shoes. Yes, the shoe gods have seen fit to throw a suitable pair in my path. I really wanted silver, but ended up going with a pair of white eyelet flats that I found at Sears for $20. They're super-comfortable, and they're a little different. I couldn't find a picture of them on the Web, so you'll have to use your imagination.

My headpiece is really cool. I did end up going for a circlet to match the Celtic theme of the dress. No veil. Just keeping it simple. It's a silver, woven circlet with a moonstone in the middle. Moonstone means "white magic," and who couldn't use a few blessings on their wedding day? That was $40, cheaper than most veils and fits in to the celtic theme of the dress. I found a great place selling Celtic designs made to order -- Cloak and Dagger Creations in Littleton, Mass. The circlet looks similar to this, if you can picture the silver band woven together instead of laying side by side.

If you're looking for something to do on a lazy Sunday afternoon, head down to the Peabody-Essex Museum in Salem, Mass., and renew you're ability to look at weddings through rose-tinted spectacles.

"Wedded Bliss The Marriage of Art and Ceremony" is running through Sept. 14 and looks at how our ideas of matrimony have shaped art for the past three ceremonies. There are 130 objects -- including a Picasso -- and you'll see paintings alongside jewelery and historical gowns.

The exhibit crosses borders too, with art from the U.S., Asia, Africa and Europe. You can also check out a slideshow.

Here's "Bride with Fan" by Mark Chagall 

The Bridal Stock Exchange in Seabrook is giving away 50 wedding dresses to women serving overseas or engaged to men serving overseas tonight (Wednesday) until 8 p.m.

In the spirit of charity, most places will allow you to donate your wedding dress. The I Do Foundation sells the dresses and donates 10 percent of the proceeds to a charity of a couple's choice.

WedAlert.com has other ideas for brides to turn their wedding into a time of giving to celebrate their special day. 

If you have the chance, pick up tomorrow's Telegraph. I, being in the office, usually get a sneak peek at the next day's pages. Tomorrow's lifestyles section has a lengthly artice on where to cut and where to splurge on your wedding.

For example, did you know that in these hard times, wedding budgets are dropping for the first time since 1999? And that they're dropping $40? It's true. I'm not really sure what the $40 savings gets you when you're spending $28,000 for a wedding -- a trip to the movies? But apparently the tight economy is having an effect on an industry once thought of as "recession-proof."

It's an interesting article and it offers some great ideas about how to cut costs and what guests are really looking at when they head to the wedding.

Tuesday. Telegraph. Lifestyles section. Check it out. 

If you're planning on having a small wedding, or simply have many out-of-town guests that can be present, it's now possible to offer up a Web cast of your wedding.

Some towns and chapels offer the service for as little as $30. Private companies may charge as much as $600, and you'll need a video camera, computer and Internet access. But compared to having and ill parent unable to see the wedding or the travel expenses of family members who live out of country, this can be well worth the expense.

It can also be a great way to keep your wedding small if you're trying to cut expenses, which often means cutting the guest list. Even if you can't invite some friends and family to your wedding, they can tune in at the designated time and see the ceremony.

The downside, of course, is that these friends and family still won't be there for you to celebrate with on the big day. I think it's a great alternative for people who would otherwise not be able to see you married at all, but I don't think it replaces the physical experience.

Also, be aware that some people who are downloading the event in other countries have seen only a blank screen, which Web casters may be due to Web service in that country. It doesn't happen often, but it does happen.

Has anyone out there considered a Web cast for their wedding? Let me know how it works out! 

So you can now feature your wedding on TV -- Star Jone's doesn't have the copyright on it. Even better,you can learn to dance, with a professional choreographer leading the way. TLC's new "Rock the Reception" is teaching average couples to perform a complicated dance for their first time on the floor as man and wife. The next episode airs on TLC at 8:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 15.

Beyond watching the stories of couples planning their wedding and learning to dance, you, too, can have your 15 minutes of fame. TLC is inviting brides and grooms to contact it and try for a spot on the show if you're looking for that awe-inspiring first dance. Check it out: