What I Loved about the Wedding of William and Catherine

You loved the royal wedding? But it was - it was - it was - expensive!

Yeah, but you know what? Given the expectations, it had to be. But the look itself can be mimicked on a budget, almost any budget, and that is what I loved about the wedding.

Stunningly beautiful yet simply designed dress? Take your pick of thrift, discount, outlet, or department stores.

Tousled greenery behind the alter? Whether greenery is bought, borrowed, grown, or a combination - time and coordination will be bigger issues here than money. After all, very few of us will need the large arrangements seen in Westminster Abbey.

Trees down the aisle? Get ready for a trip to the nursery!

The future (now current) Duchess of Cambridge also did her own hair and makeup. What a seriously classy example to others she is.

I also love that the couple personalized their ceremony, but in ways that would not be offensive to their guests. They had a hand in writing the prayer, and Prince William had a best man - not traditional for a royal wedding. Traditionally, he would have had an older, married mentor stand beside him; instead, he had his brother.

Giving Outbrain a Try

Outbrain is a service that adds reading recommendations to blog posts. I'm hoping it will drive traffic to the blog by adding links to some of my posts to others' blogs.

We'll see how it works out.

Exciting News?

A (fairly) local floral and event planning company is hiring event coordinator/operators and would like me to come in for an interview.

I would love the opportunity to learn the business, because one day I would like to open a small wedding and reception venue designed to be both attractive and affordable to all couples.

The company is willing to train, so I think the biggest issues I'll face in getting the job will be some previously planned commitments (two weeks' worth) right at the height of wedding season.

I was originally also worried that my outspoken support of the use of faux flowers (this is a floral and event planning company, after all) would be a problem, but I see from the company website that the business also specializes in silk flower arrangements. Yes! An events company that meets its customers' needs instead of trying to convince its customers to need limited offerings. That is something I can get excited about!

Update (04/09/11): What a load of garbage that was! Essentially, the woman was looking for someone to do all the work of organizing and coordinating a trade show for no base pay, only commission. And, she was unwilling to invest anything. Even the caterer and the venue were expected to donate their services for the free advertising. Her justification? "Why would I pay someone to sit there and make phone calls?" (Um, because they'd be making phone calls for you?)

Faux Flowers Tacky? Says Who (and Why Do Their Opinions Matter)?

Browse a number of wedding forums and it quickly becomes apparent that one topic that just will not go away is the question of whether artificial flowers are tacky. The consensus is capricious.

We know the arguments each way, so I won't rehash them here. What I'd like to address instead is the spirit behind those impassioned arguments. It's the same spirit found behind arguments about the best band, the best cola, and the best fusion restaurant, and it's ridiculous.

Other people don't have to share your tastes.

Again, other people don't have to share your tastes. And you don't have to share theirs.

At some point in school (when I attended, it was the second grade), we learned the difference between opinion and fact. How soon we forget that difference. More importantly, how soon we forget that when it comes to matters of taste, other people's opinions just don't matter.

And neither do ours.

When do opinions matter? When can stupid opinions actually lead to harm? When those opinions allow us to justify cruelty to others. We might find certain political moves morally reprehensible. We might flinch at certain religious rhetoric. And we might find ourselves belittling those who disagree with us in matters of politics, religion, or - flowers.

When opinions matter, we feel morally compelled to share them. Well, many people do. I do. And I don't think there is anything wrong with that; in fact, I believe sharing important opinions and the reasons we hold them is vitally important. One of my strongly held opinions is that attaching negative labels to things that are simply not to our taste is just mean. Using a bad name doesn't cease to be name calling just because the name is attached to a person's expression of self rather than a person's whole self.

Tacky is a word I reserve for things that are inconsiderate, things that reflect bad manners. By that definition, artificial flowers are not tacky. I certainly can't make anyone agree with my definition, and I can't make anyone stop using the word to belittle the stylistic choices of others. But I feel compelled to try.