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		<title>Save Big with Wedding Flower Packages</title>
		<link>http://www.russwholesaleflowers.com/blog/wedding-flower-packages/save-big-with-wedding-flower-packages/</link>
		<comments>http://www.russwholesaleflowers.com/blog/wedding-flower-packages/save-big-with-wedding-flower-packages/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 07 Aug 2011 16:21:18 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Wedding Packages]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.russwholesaleflowers.com/blog/wedding-flower-packages/save-big-with-wedding-flower-packages/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<img class="alignnone" title="Wedding Flower Packages - Russ Wholesale Flowers" src="http://www.russwholesaleflowers.com/bmz_cache/b/b176e1479bd273a34a745c2a6769dec8.image.144x150.jpg" alt="Wedding Flower Packages - Russ Wholesale Flowers" width="144" height="150" />From the decorations to the bridal dress, the food to the flowers, weddings are anything but inexpensive.  Its no surprise that brides and grooms-to-be are choosing to cut costs wherever possible.  <a class="zem_slink" title="Wedding Flowers" rel="amazon" href="http://www.amazon.com/Wedding-Flowers-Paula-Pryke/dp/0847825817%3FSubscriptionId%3D0G81C5DAZ03ZR9WH9X82%26tag%3Dzemanta-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D0847825817">Wedding flowers</a> often become the first cut-back of a budget-minded couples matrimonial plans, so by choosing a complete wedding flower package your flowers will be the last thing over budget.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="alignnone" title="Wedding Flower Packages - Russ Wholesale Flowers" src="http://www.russwholesaleflowers.com/bmz_cache/b/b176e1479bd273a34a745c2a6769dec8.image.144x150.jpg" alt="b176e1479bd273a34a745c2a6769dec8.image.144x150 Save Big with Wedding Flower Packages" width="144" height="150" />From the decorations to the bridal dress, the food to the flowers, weddings are anything but inexpensive.  Its no surprise that brides and grooms-to-be are choosing to cut costs wherever possible.  <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.amazon.com/Wedding-Flowers-Paula-Pryke/dp/0847825817%3FSubscriptionId%3D0G81C5DAZ03ZR9WH9X82%26tag%3Dzemanta-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D0847825817" class="zem_slink" title="Wedding Flowers" rel="amazon" >Wedding flowers</a> often become the first cut-back of a budget-minded couples matrimonial plans, so by choosing a complete wedding flower package your flowers will be the last thing over budget.<br />
<a href="http://www.russwholesaleflowers.com/wedding-flower-packages" title="Wedding Flower Packages" >Wedding flower packages</a> are ideal if you are on a tight budget, are having a simple ceremony, renewing your vows, or if flowers simply aren&#8217;t that important to you. Additionally, wedding flower packages are a great for destination weddings because you avoid the hassle of working with a florist hundreds of miles away and your flowers will arrive to you completely arranged and ready to go.<br />
The basics of these packages generally include the bridal bouquet, groom&#8217;s boutonniere, and bouquets for the bridal attendants and the boutonnieres for the groomsmen. If youre lucky, options will be available to include table arrangements, toss-away bouquets, flower girl petals, and additional corsages and boutonnieres.<br />
Wedding flower packages are often designed based on a color scheme that matches and contrasts throughout the wedding party. For example, the bride may want her bouquet to contrast the bridesmaids handheld rose bouquet, and the flower girl may be given something similar to the bride. With all the accents and ribbons, and attachments chosen by the bride and groom, it can be a lengthy process bringing this all together. This is why wedding flower packages are such a hit with wedding planners and couples who need professional help on a DIY budget.<br />
You have waited your entire life to reach this day, and it should be as remarkable as you always imagined it would be. A wedding without the soft, delicate splendor and fragrance of flowers would be like having no icing on your wedding cake. Paying the traditional retail price for wedding flowers can cost you a bundle in materials and fees, not to mention the cost of labor to have your flowers designed.<br />
A full line of complete wedding flower packages are available at www.RussWholesaleFlowers.com. Discover the savings, see the beauty, and fall in love with a wedding flower package thats just right for you. www.russwholesaleflowers.com/wedding-flower-packages.</p>
<div class="zemanta-pixie" style="margin-top: 10px; height: 15px;"><a href="http://www.zemanta.com/" class="zemanta-pixie-a" title="Enhanced by Zemanta" ><img class="zemanta-pixie-img" style="border: medium none; float: right;" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=8dbe8f71-707d-4756-9cad-e927c49b84e7" alt=" Save Big with Wedding Flower Packages"  title="Save Big with Wedding Flower Packages" /></a></div>


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		<title>Wedding Flower Package &#8211; Avoid the Hassle and Save the</title>
		<link>http://www.russwholesaleflowers.com/blog/wedding-flower-packages/wedding-flower-package-avoid-the-hassle-and-save-the/</link>
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		<pubDate>Thu, 04 Aug 2011 14:32:16 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Wedding Packages]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[<div class="img"></div>
<p>Wedding Flower Package &#8211; Avoid the Hassle and Save the Time<br />
Buying a wedding flower package has become a common trend amongst todays brides looking to avoid headaches down the road. When you stop and think about the many, many things that could (and sometimes do) go wrong on the big day, having a complete wedding flower package not only is a time saver, but also a stress reliever.<br />
Getting married is one of the most important events in your life and you have to start planning the ahead to make sure that everything is in place when the big ... <a href="http://www.russwholesaleflowers.com/blog/wedding-flower-packages/wedding-flower-package-avoid-the-hassle-and-save-the/">read more</a></p>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Wedding Flower Package &#8211; Avoid the Hassle and Save the Time<br />
Buying a wedding flower package has become a common trend amongst todays brides looking to avoid headaches down the road. When you stop and think about the many, many things that could (and sometimes do) go wrong on the big day, having a complete wedding flower package not only is a time saver, but also a stress reliever.<br />
Getting married is one of the most important events in your life and you have to start planning the ahead to make sure that everything is in place when the big day arrives. Just the aspect of planning the wedding can be difficult to say the least. There are hundreds of things to consider and its not easy to stay on top of them all. There are caterers to deal with as well as the rehearsal hall, church, reception location, the bride and good need to decide on their attire along with those of the bridal party, and the list goes on and on.<br />
In the past, the norm was to have your local florist handling your wedding flowers but a new trend is growing that leaves the florist out of the picture entirely. These brides are opting to do their wedding flower shopping online and choosing complete wedding flower packages.<br />
By deciding on a wedding flower package you avoid the seemingly endless hours you would spend working with a florist, not to mention the headaches that come from negotiating for reasonable prices.  Shopping for a bridal flower package online can be done from your home when its convenient for you, not to mention that pricing is standard and you dont have to haggle your head off to get a great deal.<br />
A common fear most brides have about ordering a wedding flower package from an online wholesaler is whether the arrangements will be of the same caliber as a florist. If you do your homework, this wont be a problem at all. Most companies have professionally trained designers who are just as experienced and qualified as a florist.<br />
Eliminating the anxiety of last-minute florist mix-ups, ordering your wedding flower package on-line is both convenient and cost-effective. Many times during the wedding season, communicating with your florist can be difficult because of the amount of work on their plate. Often this results in flowers not being the correct colors or certain arrangements are missing, and thats if the florist shows up to the right place to deliver the flowers.<br />
It is not surprising that many couples avoid the high costs and headaches of a florist and select a complete wedding package found online. Is something like that right for you? Well, I couldnt say. Many wedding flower packages come with a wide range of options such as additional boutonnieres and corsages, table arrangements, and more. The best thing to do is to do your homework and check it out for yourself.</p>
<p>Article 2  Easy, Stress-Free</p>


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		<title>Wedding Flower Packages Please the Senses and Pocket Book</title>
		<link>http://www.russwholesaleflowers.com/blog/wedding-flower-packages/wedding-flower-packages-please-the-senses-and-pocket-book/</link>
		<comments>http://www.russwholesaleflowers.com/blog/wedding-flower-packages/wedding-flower-packages-please-the-senses-and-pocket-book/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 03 Aug 2011 11:04:56 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Wedding Packages]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Do it yourself]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Flower]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wedding flower package]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wedding flower packages]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wedding Flowers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Weddings]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[<div class="img"></div>
<p>Wedding Flower Packages Please the Senses and Pocket Book<br /> Wedding flowers are more than eye candy; they set the ambiance for the entire event. Its okay if you don&#8217;t have the money to be able to afford the fanciest of everything, you can still host the wedding of your dreams. People throw weddings on a budget every day and you can too with just a little effort. One of the best ways to incorporate affordable flowers into your budget is to choose a complete wedding flower package.<br /> Wedding flowers are perhaps the most important as well as expensive ... <a href="http://www.russwholesaleflowers.com/blog/wedding-flower-packages/wedding-flower-packages-please-the-senses-and-pocket-book/">read more</a></p>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Wedding Flower Packages Please the Senses and Pocket Book<br /> Wedding flowers are more than eye candy; they set the ambiance for the entire event. Its okay if you don&#8217;t have the money to be able to afford the fanciest of everything, you can still host the wedding of your dreams. People throw weddings on a budget every day and you can too with just a little effort. One of the best ways to incorporate affordable flowers into your budget is to choose a complete wedding flower package.<br /> Wedding flowers are perhaps the most important as well as expensive aspect of any wedding. If you take a look, you shall notice that a major portion of the wedding budget is allocated to wedding flower arrangements. But with wedding flower packages, you save big!<br /> Wedding flowers are more than the bridal bouquet, the boutonnieres, and the corsages. There are the decorations where the reception is being held. In the chapel, even the alter can be adorned with flowers, the pews can have bows or fresh flowers on the end of each of them. Even the candelabra that are used for a unity service can have flowers on the base under the candles. In the ceremony, an arch might be requested, and that too might be decorated with flowers. Finally the honeymoon; adorn your honeymoon suite with rose petals strewn across the room for a romantic flair.<br /> Sound expensive right? Not at all. Complete wedding flower packages come with everything from the bridal bouquet down to the rose petals. Many flower packages include fresh rose petals, wedding roses and spray roses, fresh foliages, and seasonal bridal flowers all at a great price package.<br /> You save big bucks NOT because the flowers are a lower quality, but because you are buying them wholesale. They are the same wedding flowers packages provide you as you would from your florist but for a lesser price.<br /> When you are younger and planning your your dream wedding cost is not an issue, but now that you are in the real world the expense of flowers can quickly add up. A great way to save big without sacrificing quality is by shopping online for a complete wedding flower package.</p>
<p>Article 3 &#8211; Cost</p>


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		<title>Wedding Flower Packages Planning &#8211; Your Wedding Just Got A Whole Lot Easier With Your Wedding Flower Packages</title>
		<link>http://www.russwholesaleflowers.com/blog/wedding-flower-packages/wedding-flower-packages-planning-your-wedding-just-got-a-whole-lot-easier-with-your-wedding-flower-packages/</link>
		<comments>http://www.russwholesaleflowers.com/blog/wedding-flower-packages/wedding-flower-packages-planning-your-wedding-just-got-a-whole-lot-easier-with-your-wedding-flower-packages/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 03 Aug 2011 05:45:14 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Wedding Packages]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[Flower]]></category>
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		<description><![CDATA[Planning Just Got A Whole Lot Easier With Your Wedding Flower Package<br /> When you are trying to select your wedding flowers, it can be an overwhelming and daunting taskwith the hundreds of flower types to choose from. Wedding flower packages are great for brides who are unsure of where to start or just want a bit of everything for a good price.<br /> Wedding flowers are one of the most important parts of a wedding and one of the hardest things to plan for. They are responsible for bringing decoration, color, and incredible aromas to a reception and wedding flowers alone can turn a dull, plain wedding into an extravagant and unforgettable affair. For beginners, it can be very confusing to pick the perfect ones to match your theme and what you are looking for in your wedding and it can also be surprising to learn just how much they can cost.<br /> An important prospect of any wedding is the preparation of the flowers including bride bouquets, bridesmaid flowers, boutonnieres, corsages, ceremony and wedding reception. By choosing a bridal flower package all preparation is done as everything will arrive to you completely pre-arranged and ready-to-go.<br /> If you are entertaining the idea of doing your own wedding flowers, think about the commitment of time and energy. Properly designing wedding flowers takes time and flexibility. It can be very frustrating unless everything goes just right and how often does that happen. Your wedding day will be full of activity, and you won't want to spend vital hours fumbling with the wiring of each bouquet.<br /> One of the unique advantages of getting your wedding flower package from an online florist is that the wedding arrangements are already assembled at the time of shipping. All you need to do is to take them out of the box when they arrive at your doorstep and keep them fresh in water until it is time for you to take them to your wedding location.<br /> You deserve nothing less than the most amazing wedding flowers available, and wedding flower packages deliver stunning arrangements that will most undoubtly exceed your highest expectations. Whether you are planning a small and intimate ceremony or a large reception celebration, you are sure to find a wedding flower package to perfectly fit your style and color theme.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p align="center"><font size="2"><strong>&nbsp;</strong></font></p>
<p>When you are doing wedding planning and trying to select your <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.amazon.com/Wedding-Flowers-Paula-Pryke/dp/0847825817%3FSubscriptionId%3D0G81C5DAZ03ZR9WH9X82%26tag%3Dzemanta-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D0847825817" class="zem_slink" title="Wedding Flowers" rel="amazon" >wedding flowers</a>, it can be an overwhelming and daunting task with the hundreds of <a rel="nofollow" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flower" class="zem_slink" title="Flower" rel="wikipedia" >flower</a> types to choose from.<strong> <a title="Wedding Flower Packages" href="/wedding-flower-packages">Wedding flower packages</a></strong> are great for brides who are unsure of where to start or just want a bit of everything for a good price.</p>
<p>Wedding flowers are one of the most important parts of a <a rel="nofollow" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wedding" class="zem_slink" title="Wedding" rel="wikipedia" >wedding</a> and one of the hardest things to plan for. They are responsible for bringing decoration, color, and incredible aromas to a reception and wedding flowers alone can turn a dull, plain wedding into an extravagant and unforgettable affair. For beginners, it can be very confusing to pick the perfect ones to match your theme and what you are looking for in your wedding and it can also be surprising to learn just how much they can cost.</p>
<p><a rel="nofollow" href="/wedding-flower-packages" title=""><img style="margin: 5px 10px 5px 5px" alt="Wedding%20Flower%20Packages Wedding Flower Packages Planning   Your Wedding Just Got A Whole Lot Easier With Your Wedding Flower Packages" title="" src="/blog/wp-content/uploads/Wedding%20Flower%20Packages.gif" align="left" border="0" height="200" width="200" /></a>An important prospect of any wedding is the preparation of the flowers including bride bouquets, bridesmaid flowers, <a class="zem_slink" title="Boutonnière" rel="wikipedia" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boutonni%C3%A8re" >boutonnieres</a>, corsages, ceremony and <a rel="nofollow" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wedding_reception" class="zem_slink" title="Wedding reception" rel="wikipedia" >wedding reception</a>. By choosing a bridal flower package all preparation is done as everything will arrive to you completely pre-arranged and ready-to-go.</p>
<p>If you are entertaining the idea of doing your own wedding flowers, think about the commitment of time and energy. Properly designing wedding flowers takes time and flexibility. It can be very frustrating unless everything goes just right and how often does that happen. Your wedding day will be full of activity, and you won&#8217;t want to spend vital hours fumbling with the wiring of each bouquet.</p>
<p>One of the unique advantages of getting your <a title="Wedding Flower Packages" href="/wedding-flower-packages"><strong>wedding flower package</strong></a> from an online florist is that the wedding arrangements, bouquets, corsages, reception flowers, and more are already assembled at the time of shipping. All you need to do is to take them out of the box when they arrive at your doorstep and keep them fresh in water until it is time for you to take them to your wedding location.</p>
<p>You deserve nothing less than the most amazing wedding flowers available, and wedding flower packages deliver stunning arrangements that will most undoubtedly exceed your highest expectations. Whether you are planning a small and intimate ceremony or a large reception celebration, you are sure to find a wedding flower package to perfectly fit your style and color theme.</p>
<div class="zemanta-pixie" style="margin-top: 10px; height: 15px"></div>


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		<title>Chicago Hotel&#8217;s In-House Special Event Design and Production Company Wins Top Honor</title>
		<link>http://www.russwholesaleflowers.com/blog/chicago-news/chicago-hotels-in-house-special-event-design-and-production-company-wins-top-honor/</link>
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		<pubDate>Sun, 20 Mar 2011 14:31:35 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Chicago - My Hometown]]></category>
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		<description><![CDATA[<div class="img"></div>
<p class="releaseDateline">Chicago, IL (PRWEB) April 30, 2008</p>
<p>The Chicago chapters of the National Association of Catering Executives (NACE) and the International Special Events Society (ISES) have announced the winners of their seventh annual NICE Awards (NACE ISES Chicago Excellence Awards). The Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile&#8217;s in-house special event design and production firm, The Chicago hotel&#8217;s Meetinghouse Companies, Inc. walked away with four distinguished honors at the March 25 awards dinner and celebration. The ceremony, named &#8220;The Nature of NICE&#8221; took place at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum. Nearly 200 guests attended the event hosted by the Comcast Network&#8217;s Cindy Bravos, ... <a href="http://www.russwholesaleflowers.com/blog/chicago-news/chicago-hotels-in-house-special-event-design-and-production-company-wins-top-honor/">read more</a></p>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p class="releaseDateline">Chicago, IL (PRWEB) April 30, 2008</p>
<p>The Chicago chapters of the National Association of Catering Executives (NACE) and the International Special Events Society (ISES) have announced the winners of their seventh annual NICE Awards (NACE ISES Chicago Excellence Awards). The Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile&#8217;s in-house special event design and production firm, The Chicago hotel&#8217;s Meetinghouse Companies, Inc. walked away with four distinguished honors at the March 25 awards dinner and celebration. The ceremony, named &#8220;The Nature of NICE&#8221; took place at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum. Nearly 200 guests attended the event hosted by the Comcast Network&#8217;s Cindy Bravos, to recognize local event professionals for their outstanding work.</p>
<p>This year&#8217;s winners were honored for events that occurred between November 1, 2006 and October 31, 2007. The joint awards ceremony celebrates achievements in the areas of event planning, catering, entertainment, creative and support services.</p>
<p>The 2008 NICE Awards entries were judged anonymously on their merit by the Columbus, Ohio Chapters of NACE and ISES in accordance with pre-established judging criteria. The Meetinghouse Companies, Inc. won the following categories:<br/></p>
<ul class="releaseul">
<li>    Best Corporate Event $25,000-$75,000 &#8211; David Halsey/Siiri Lobe</li>
<li>    Best Social Event Over $75,000 &#8211; Lori Manby, CSEP</li>
<li>    Best Wedding $25,000-$75,000 &#8211; Lori Manby, CSEP</li>
<li>    Best Theme Décor Over $50,000 &#8211; Margarita Heinzel, CSEP</li>
</ul>
<p>An internationally recognized special event design and production firm, The Meetinghouse Companies, Inc. offers award-winning services, including event design and décor, floral design, audio-visual and entertainment production and more to provide a single source for integrated, creative and impactful special events. The Marriott Hotel in downtown Chicago, Illinois is proud of their in-house production company and the events that they produce at the property.</p>
<p>For more information on The Meetinghouse Companies, Inc., visit <a href="http://www.meetinghouse.com"  onclick="linkClick(this.href)">http://www.meetinghouse.com</a> or call the Chicago office at (312) 836-6121, or the Corporate office at (630) 941-0600.</p>
<p>About Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile<br/>The Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile is fresh from a multi-million dollar renovation, highlighted by their new lobby, restaurants and lounge, meeting facilities, ballrooms, and public spaces. Situated on Michigan Avenue&#8217;s Magnificent Mile among world-famous shopping, restaurants, and entertainment, this luxurious Chicago, Illinois hotel is also within walking distance to the Navy Pier, American Girl Place, Theater and Museum Districts, as well as many other top Windy City attractions. 65,000 square feet of versatile event space gives this Chicago luxury hotel the perfect setting for successful business engagements and spectacular social gatherings. Experience a sophisticated downtown Chicago hotel Beyond Magnificent at the extraordinary Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile. For more information or to make a reservation, call 312-836-0100 or visit <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/chidt-chicago-marriott-downtown-magnificent-mile/"  onclick="linkClick(this.href)">http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/chidt-chicago-marriott-downtown-magnificent-mile/</a>.</p>
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		<title>Businesses proudly serve for military wedding</title>
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		<pubDate>Wed, 09 Mar 2011 09:26:50 +0000</pubDate>
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				<category><![CDATA[Around the Web]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[military]]></category>
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<p>This past Monday marked a special occasion for a young Lee County couple on Fort Myers Beach. A U.S. Marine Staff Sergeant married his girlfriend in a beachfront wedding at the Pink Shell Resort.</p>
<p>Operation Open Arms Capt. John &#8220;Giddy-up&#8221; Bunch -noted wedding planner these days- arranged the wedding, but it was the way many businesses on Fort Myers Beach and around Lee County came together to provide free services to make the wedding extra special and complete.</p>
<p>Besides Pink Shell, several other businesses poured out their hearts and services by lining up in a &#8220;call of duty&#8221; to contribute to the ... <a href="http://www.russwholesaleflowers.com/blog/around-the-web/businesses-proudly-serve-for-military-wedding/">read more</a></p>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>This past Monday marked a special occasion for a young Lee County couple on Fort Myers Beach. A U.S. Marine Staff Sergeant married his girlfriend in a beachfront wedding at the Pink Shell Resort.</p>
<p>Operation Open Arms Capt. John &#8220;Giddy-up&#8221; Bunch -noted wedding planner these days- arranged the wedding, but it was the way many businesses on Fort Myers Beach and around Lee County came together to provide free services to make the wedding extra special and complete.</p>
<p>Besides Pink Shell, several other businesses poured out their hearts and services by lining up in a &#8220;call of duty&#8221; to contribute to the cause. The local Marine, who has served two tours already overseas, will be deploying for a third tour to Afghanistan in April.</p>
<p>Bunch said all businesses that participated in this event received an Operation Open Arms Special Medallion for their significant contributions to the charitable organization.</p>
<p>Here is a list of the free contributions that the bride and groom received during and after the military wedding:</p>
<p>n Pink Shell donated their beach property, chairs and archway for the wedding ceremony set-up. Dony Lubig, Pink Shell&#8217;s wedding planner for this particular occasion, said: &#8220;We want to say thank you for his service to our country. We want to make sure they have a beautiful service.&#8221;;</p>
<p>n Libbey&#8217;s Flowers provided the bouquet and a boutonnire for the bride and groom. Owners Muffy and Greg Sander said: &#8220;We feel like we can contribute something because it is in support of our troops.&#8221;;</p>
<p>n Fort Myers Photographer Valarie Hoffman of Valarie Hoffman Photography took photos at the wedding and the reception, processed a variety of prints for the bride and groom, created a slide show that will be set to music and supplied an email link so that the bride&#8217;s overseas family (which is unable to attend the wedding) can view website photos of the special evening. (The bride did have three cousins drive over from the east coast of Florida. One cousin served as her father and gave her away at the ceremony.);</p>
<p>n Beach Musician Steve Farst played acoustic guitar songs during the processional and recessional parts of the wedding. Farst said: &#8220;We are always presented with information about wanting to support the troops and to take direct actions with the military. This is one of those chances and a great way to support in a direct way.&#8221;</p>
<p>n Limousine Driver Nestor Barreiro of 1st Class Limousine in Fort Myers took the newlyweds from Pink Shell to Parrot Key Caribbean Grill then to Tween Waters Resort on Captiva Island.;</p>
<p>n While at Parrot Key, the couple and eight other guests enjoyed a reception dinner for 10 people after the wedding.;</p>
<p>n Navy veteran Chuck Wininger picked up the wedding cake from Extreme Cake Shop in Fort Myers and delivered it to Parrot Key. He also presented the OOA medallions to the businesses at the reception.;</p>
<p>n &#8216;tween Waters Inn offered two nights of accommodations;</p>
<p>n Silver Sands Resort on Fort Myers Beach provided a one-night stay after the Captiva portion of the honeymoon. Owner Andrea Groves said: &#8220;The military is very important to me and my heart. The least we can do is provide them a nice wedding and honeymoon for all their service.&#8221;</p>
<p>The local Marine is the son of a retired Lt. Army Colonel who served in the Gulf War. His wife said she was fighting back tears after the chain of offerings continued to grow.</p>
<p>&#8220;The outpouring patriotism and support from this community for an active military person that they do not even know is truly, truly amazing. It&#8217;s a true testament of this Lee County community and these businesses,&#8221; she said. &#8220;I just made one phone call, and I couldn&#8217;t believe how quickly people just stepped up to the plate. Donating their time and talent, as little as they think it might be, is amazing for someone who is putting his life on the line for his country.&#8221;</p>
<p>The phone call to Lubig is what started the heartfelt outpouring.</p>
<p>&#8220;Once I connected with Dony, she kept calling me back to ask me if I had flowers and other needs,&#8221; she said. &#8220;It was overwhelming. I was constantly fighting back tears. He will have some great memories to take with him to inspire him to come back.&#8221;</p>
<p>For security reasons, the names of the bride and groom and family members were not disclosed and the photo of the wedding was &#8220;skewed&#8221; as to not reveal identities.</p>
<p>According to its website, Operation Open Arms is a nationally acclaimed military outreach program which was founded in 2005 with a simple mission statement: &#8220;To provide US Servicemen/women visiting Southwest Florida or the Eastern Shore of Maryland every conceivable benefit during their two-week combat leave or return from any foreign duty station.&#8221;</p>
<p>OOA has been designated a 501(c)(3) charity by the IRS and all donations are tax deductible. It provides extraordinary benefits such as free limo service, lodging, restaurants, fishing charters, golf, tennis, bowling, kayaking, biking, emergency dental care, and other health care.</p>
<p>Bunch, who served in the Marine Corps, noted the self-administering program is &#8220;facing serious challenges&#8221; during these tough economical times. If interested in contributing, go to <a href="http://www.operationopenarms.com" >www.operationopenarms.com</a>.</p>
<p>&#8220;To provide this outstanding level of service to US Troops, OOA must be sustained by tax deductible donations and new sponsors (more restaurants/ hotels/ condos/ fishing guides/ parasailing). It should be clear no one associated with Operation Open Arms enjoys a salary or benefits,&#8221; said Bunch.</p>
<p>Bunch still takes pride in setting up weddings for military personnel.</p>
<p>&#8220;Planning this wedding has been an honor. US Troops on their combat leave have one favorite destination: Fort Myers Beach,&#8221; said Bunch. &#8220;The Silver Sands Resort was the first resort to offer free lodging to Our Troops. Andrea and Tom have extended a level of kindness that can only be described as truly extraordinary. The same applies to Diamondhead Resort, The Pink Shell and, of course, Salty Sams/Parrot Key.&#8221;</p>
<p>The local Marine&#8217;s family is appreciative of the effort put forth by Bunch and OOA.</p>
<p>&#8220;Capt. John Bunch is the best wedding planner. He should win some sort of award,&#8221; said the groom&#8217;s stepmother. &#8220;He&#8217;s kind of a one-man band. We give money to other agencies whose folks get paid a salary. John does this for free.&#8221;</p>
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		<title>Chicago Poetry Brothel mixes verse, burlesque dancers and fortune tellers</title>
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		<pubDate>Fri, 04 Mar 2011 08:30:46 +0000</pubDate>
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				<category><![CDATA[Chicago - My Hometown]]></category>

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<h3>Chicago Poetry Brothel mixes verse, burlesque dancers and fortune tellers</h3>
<p class="by-line">BY Dave Hoekstra Staff Reporter/dhoekstra@suntimes.com  <span class="date-time">Mar 4, 2011 <span class="jqueryTime">02:10AM</span></span> </p>
</div>
<div class="article-image-container" readability="33">
<p class="image-description">Chicago Poetry Brothel “madame”/poet Susan Yount and doorman Michael Pichowsky dress in Victorian era costumes for readings. &#124; John J. Kim~Sun-Times</p>
</div>
<div id="internal-side-bar" readability="9.5">
<div class="section-container factbox" readability="14">
<p class="breakout.head">CHICAGO POETRY BROTHEL</p>
<p class="breakout">◆ 8 p.m. to midnight Saturday</p>
<p class="breakout">◆ House of Blues, 322 N. Dearborn</p>
<p class="breakout">◆ $10 cover ($5 if wearing Victorian dress)</p>
<p class="breakout">◆ chicagopoetrybrothel.com</p>
</div>
</div>
<p class="body.dropcap">The poetry slam emerged from Chicago because of a fierce, stand-up style that reflects the soul of the city.</p>
<p class="body.textrr">The Chicago ... <a href="http://www.russwholesaleflowers.com/blog/chicago-news/chicago-poetry-brothel-mixes-verse-burlesque-dancers-and-fortune-tellers/">read more</a></p>]]></description>
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<h3>Chicago Poetry Brothel mixes verse, burlesque dancers and fortune tellers</h3>
<p class="by-line">BY Dave Hoekstra Staff Reporter/dhoekstra@suntimes.com  <span class="date-time">Mar 4, 2011 <span class="jqueryTime">02:10AM</span></span> </p>
</div>
<div class="article-image-container" readability="33"><img id="imgWidth" alt=" Chicago Poetry Brothel mixes verse, burlesque dancers and fortune tellers" src="http://www.suntimes.com/csp/cms/sites/dt.common.streams.StreamServer.cls?STREAMOID=2tigzVNCQ3m4EcPO_D3dds$daE2N3K4ZzOUsqbU5sYvNGvs7X_NGkiN08hooMGq$WCsjLu883Ygn4B49Lvm9bPe2QeMKQdVeZmXF$9l$4uCZ8QDXhaHEp3rvzXRJFdy0KqPHLoMevcTLo3h8xh70Y6N_U_CryOsw6FTOdKL_jpQ-&amp;CONTENTTYPE=image/jpeg" title="Chicago Poetry Brothel mixes verse, burlesque dancers and fortune tellers" />
<p class="image-description">Chicago Poetry Brothel “madame”/poet Susan Yount and doorman Michael Pichowsky dress in Victorian era costumes for readings. | John J. Kim~Sun-Times</p>
</div>
<div id="internal-side-bar" readability="9.5">
<div class="section-container factbox" readability="14">
<p class="breakout.head">CHICAGO POETRY BROTHEL</p>
<p class="breakout">◆ 8 p.m. to midnight Saturday</p>
<p class="breakout">◆ House of Blues, 322 N. Dearborn</p>
<p class="breakout">◆ $10 cover ($5 if wearing Victorian dress)</p>
<p class="breakout">◆ chicagopoetrybrothel.com</p>
</div>
</div>
<p class="body.dropcap">The poetry slam emerged from Chicago because of a fierce, stand-up style that reflects the soul of the city.</p>
<p class="body.textrr">The Chicago Poetry Brothel is best considered sitting down.</p>
<p class="body.textrr">Held every six weeks amid the soft maroon sofas and silk tapestries of the Foundation Room at the House of Blues, the brothel features 10 Chicago poets reading original works. They call themselves poetry “whores” and perform under aliases such as August Rose, Pearl Du Mal and Durham Pure. Two are male.</p>
<p class="body.textrr">The brothel features burlesque dancers, fortune tellers, Victorian piano player Jeffrey Levin and Lula Houp-Garou, a fairy dancer who performs with a Hula-Hoop. A DJ plays digitized recordings of wax cylinder music circa 1860-1930.</p>
<p class="body.textrr">The brothel next reopens Saturday, with the Cleveland-based vaudeville band Pinch n’ Squeal making a special appearance with accordion, saw and spoons.</p>
<p class="body.textrr">Acclaimed Chicago poet Susan Yount, a k a “Black-Eyed Susan,” is the house madame. Her real-life husband, Michael Pichowsky, is the “Good Doctor” who takes money at the door. He also sells $5 brothel tokens, just as it would have gone down in a Victorian brothel. Guests pick a whore and pay him or her with the token. Since the whore is being paid, he or she will read anything that is requested.</p>
<p class="body.textrr">During a conversation in a House of Blues parlor room, Yount, 36, is wearing a black corset, ruffle laced skirt and white brothel underwear. Pichowsky, 40, is decked out in a Victorian frock coat, ascot tie, wool pinstripe pants and black top hat.</p>
<p class="body.textrr">They look like something out of a Coen Brothers movie.</p>
<p class="body.textrr">By day Pichowsky is a quantitative analyst for a hedge fund. A scientist by trade, he makes mathematical models for high-speed futures trading.</p>
<p class="body.textrr">Yount is an office manager at the Associated Press. “I start my brothel conversation with ‘Do you want your poetry light, or would you like it rough?’ she explains. “It’s definitely a more intimate form of poetry. Like the slam, there is a performance feature to the brothel. We do a poetry tease in which we read one poem for free. Everyone gets to experience the whore’s poem so they can decide who they want.”</p>
<p class="body.textrr">The poetry brothel is dressed up by the emerging “Steampunk” scene in Chicago.</p>
<p class="body.textrr">Steampunk is an art-fashion-music-literature movement that embraces a world where steam power is still the norm. People even rebuild their computers with polished brass, and in 2006 the artist collective Kinetic Steam Works hauled a working steam engine to the Burning Man Festival.</p>
<p class="body.textrr">While leaning on his brown walking cane, Pichowsky says, “If Jules Verne’s novels were real, this is what everyone would look like.”</p>
<p class="body.textrr">“Brothel Poetry” is not a journey to the center of sexual mirth.</p>
<p class="body.textrr">It is not erotic.</p>
<p class="body.textrr">“It is our poetry that we write every day,” Yount says. “We’re serious poets. Several of our poets teach. Kathleen Rooney (brothel name: Vivian Nightwood) is a professor at DePaul University.</p>
<p class="body.textrr">“I am inspired by the poetry brothel. I did research on the Everleigh Club and I’ve started a series of poems on the historical side of the brothels and the everyday life of people in the Victorian age in Chicago.”</p>
<p class="body.textrr">The Everleigh Club, a high-end Chicago brothel that ran from 1900 to 1911, was the subject of Karen Abbott’s acclaimed 2007 book Sin in the Second City: Madams, Ministers, Playboys and the Battle for America’s Soul.</p>
<p class="body.textrr">“We’re trying to get Karen Abbott to do a show with us,” Yount says.</p>
<p class="body.textrr">The Chicago Poetry Brothel debuted to a full house of nearly 100 people in September. A New York Poetry Brothel inspired the Chicago troupe, and New York poets came to Chicago to help Yount and Pichowsky launch the project. There also are poetry brothels in Barcelona, Spain, and Leicester, England.</p>
<p class="body.textrr">“It started as a joke,” says Pichowsky, a native of Brooklyn, N.Y. “In 2007 a bunch of comedians from Brighton, England, did a show called ‘The Poetry Brothel’ [for the Brighton Fringe Festival]. The BBC liked it, picked it up and became a hit. They had a lot more burlesque. New York became more serious and much more dark and romantic.”</p>
<p class="body.textrr">Yount says, “In Chicago we focus more on Victorian era brothels like the Everleigh Club. New York does different periods and sometimes go up to the 1920s and ’30s.”</p>
<p class="body.textrr">“The Los Angeles group was like that too,” says Pichowsky. “They did later material and had a lot of flappers. Barcelona is more avant-garde, up to the 1940s. We focus on Victorian because Chicago is more of a Victorian town.”</p>
<p class="body.textrr">Yount fell into the mix because she had just won the Poetry Center of Chicago Juried Reading Award.</p>
<p class="body.textrr">“It’s a way to talk about your poetry one-on-one with people,” she explains. “You get personal feedback. It’s fabulous. I’m interested in costume and Steampunk. Michael and I want to redo our house in Steampunk. I don’t get nervous when I read in the brothel. I get nervous when I’m reading in stuffy academia. If they’re being critical in the brothel, they’re only being critical of ‘Madame Black-Eyed Susan’. It’s very free.”</p>
<p class="body.textrr">Unlike a Victorian brothel.</p>
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		<title>Chicago Poetry Brothel mixes verse, burlesque dancers and fortune tellers</title>
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		<pubDate>Fri, 04 Mar 2011 08:30:46 +0000</pubDate>
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				<category><![CDATA[Chicago - My Hometown]]></category>
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<div class="story-details" readability="33">
<h3>Chicago Poetry Brothel mixes verse, burlesque dancers and fortune tellers</h3>
<p class="by-line">BY Dave Hoekstra Staff Reporter/dhoekstra@suntimes.com  <span class="date-time">Mar 4, 2011 <span class="jqueryTime">02:10AM</span></span> </p>
</div>
<div class="article-image-container" readability="33">
<p class="image-description">Chicago Poetry Brothel “madame”/poet Susan Yount and doorman Michael Pichowsky dress in Victorian era costumes for readings. &#124; John J. Kim~Sun-Times</p>
</div>
<div id="internal-side-bar" readability="9.5">
<div class="section-container factbox" readability="14">
<p class="breakout.head">CHICAGO POETRY BROTHEL</p>
<p class="breakout">◆ 8 p.m. to midnight Saturday</p>
<p class="breakout">◆ House of Blues, 322 N. Dearborn</p>
<p class="breakout">◆ $10 cover ($5 if wearing Victorian dress)</p>
<p class="breakout">◆ chicagopoetrybrothel.com</p>
</div>
</div>
<p class="body.dropcap">The poetry slam emerged from Chicago because of a fierce, stand-up style that reflects the soul of the city.</p>
<p class="body.textrr">The Chicago ... <a href="http://www.russwholesaleflowers.com/blog/chicago-news/chicago-poetry-brothel-mixes-verse-burlesque-dancers-and-fortune-tellers/">read more</a></p>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="story-details" readability="33">
<h3>Chicago Poetry Brothel mixes verse, burlesque dancers and fortune tellers</h3>
<p class="by-line">BY Dave Hoekstra Staff Reporter/dhoekstra@suntimes.com  <span class="date-time">Mar 4, 2011 <span class="jqueryTime">02:10AM</span></span> </p>
</div>
<div class="article-image-container" readability="33"><img id="imgWidth" alt=" Chicago Poetry Brothel mixes verse, burlesque dancers and fortune tellers" src="http://www.suntimes.com/csp/cms/sites/dt.common.streams.StreamServer.cls?STREAMOID=2tigzVNCQ3m4EcPO_D3dds$daE2N3K4ZzOUsqbU5sYvNGvs7X_NGkiN08hooMGq$WCsjLu883Ygn4B49Lvm9bPe2QeMKQdVeZmXF$9l$4uCZ8QDXhaHEp3rvzXRJFdy0KqPHLoMevcTLo3h8xh70Y6N_U_CryOsw6FTOdKL_jpQ-&amp;CONTENTTYPE=image/jpeg" title="Chicago Poetry Brothel mixes verse, burlesque dancers and fortune tellers" />
<p class="image-description">Chicago Poetry Brothel “madame”/poet Susan Yount and doorman Michael Pichowsky dress in Victorian era costumes for readings. | John J. Kim~Sun-Times</p>
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<p class="breakout.head">CHICAGO POETRY BROTHEL</p>
<p class="breakout">◆ 8 p.m. to midnight Saturday</p>
<p class="breakout">◆ House of Blues, 322 N. Dearborn</p>
<p class="breakout">◆ $10 cover ($5 if wearing Victorian dress)</p>
<p class="breakout">◆ chicagopoetrybrothel.com</p>
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<p class="body.dropcap">The poetry slam emerged from Chicago because of a fierce, stand-up style that reflects the soul of the city.</p>
<p class="body.textrr">The Chicago Poetry Brothel is best considered sitting down.</p>
<p class="body.textrr">Held every six weeks amid the soft maroon sofas and silk tapestries of the Foundation Room at the House of Blues, the brothel features 10 Chicago poets reading original works. They call themselves poetry “whores” and perform under aliases such as August Rose, Pearl Du Mal and Durham Pure. Two are male.</p>
<p class="body.textrr">The brothel features burlesque dancers, fortune tellers, Victorian piano player Jeffrey Levin and Lula Houp-Garou, a fairy dancer who performs with a Hula-Hoop. A DJ plays digitized recordings of wax cylinder music circa 1860-1930.</p>
<p class="body.textrr">The brothel next reopens Saturday, with the Cleveland-based vaudeville band Pinch n’ Squeal making a special appearance with accordion, saw and spoons.</p>
<p class="body.textrr">Acclaimed Chicago poet Susan Yount, a k a “Black-Eyed Susan,” is the house madame. Her real-life husband, Michael Pichowsky, is the “Good Doctor” who takes money at the door. He also sells $5 brothel tokens, just as it would have gone down in a Victorian brothel. Guests pick a whore and pay him or her with the token. Since the whore is being paid, he or she will read anything that is requested.</p>
<p class="body.textrr">During a conversation in a House of Blues parlor room, Yount, 36, is wearing a black corset, ruffle laced skirt and white brothel underwear. Pichowsky, 40, is decked out in a Victorian frock coat, ascot tie, wool pinstripe pants and black top hat.</p>
<p class="body.textrr">They look like something out of a Coen Brothers movie.</p>
<p class="body.textrr">By day Pichowsky is a quantitative analyst for a hedge fund. A scientist by trade, he makes mathematical models for high-speed futures trading.</p>
<p class="body.textrr">Yount is an office manager at the Associated Press. “I start my brothel conversation with ‘Do you want your poetry light, or would you like it rough?’ she explains. “It’s definitely a more intimate form of poetry. Like the slam, there is a performance feature to the brothel. We do a poetry tease in which we read one poem for free. Everyone gets to experience the whore’s poem so they can decide who they want.”</p>
<p class="body.textrr">The poetry brothel is dressed up by the emerging “Steampunk” scene in Chicago.</p>
<p class="body.textrr">Steampunk is an art-fashion-music-literature movement that embraces a world where steam power is still the norm. People even rebuild their computers with polished brass, and in 2006 the artist collective Kinetic Steam Works hauled a working steam engine to the Burning Man Festival.</p>
<p class="body.textrr">While leaning on his brown walking cane, Pichowsky says, “If Jules Verne’s novels were real, this is what everyone would look like.”</p>
<p class="body.textrr">“Brothel Poetry” is not a journey to the center of sexual mirth.</p>
<p class="body.textrr">It is not erotic.</p>
<p class="body.textrr">“It is our poetry that we write every day,” Yount says. “We’re serious poets. Several of our poets teach. Kathleen Rooney (brothel name: Vivian Nightwood) is a professor at DePaul University.</p>
<p class="body.textrr">“I am inspired by the poetry brothel. I did research on the Everleigh Club and I’ve started a series of poems on the historical side of the brothels and the everyday life of people in the Victorian age in Chicago.”</p>
<p class="body.textrr">The Everleigh Club, a high-end Chicago brothel that ran from 1900 to 1911, was the subject of Karen Abbott’s acclaimed 2007 book Sin in the Second City: Madams, Ministers, Playboys and the Battle for America’s Soul.</p>
<p class="body.textrr">“We’re trying to get Karen Abbott to do a show with us,” Yount says.</p>
<p class="body.textrr">The Chicago Poetry Brothel debuted to a full house of nearly 100 people in September. A New York Poetry Brothel inspired the Chicago troupe, and New York poets came to Chicago to help Yount and Pichowsky launch the project. There also are poetry brothels in Barcelona, Spain, and Leicester, England.</p>
<p class="body.textrr">“It started as a joke,” says Pichowsky, a native of Brooklyn, N.Y. “In 2007 a bunch of comedians from Brighton, England, did a show called ‘The Poetry Brothel’ [for the Brighton Fringe Festival]. The BBC liked it, picked it up and became a hit. They had a lot more burlesque. New York became more serious and much more dark and romantic.”</p>
<p class="body.textrr">Yount says, “In Chicago we focus more on Victorian era brothels like the Everleigh Club. New York does different periods and sometimes go up to the 1920s and ’30s.”</p>
<p class="body.textrr">“The Los Angeles group was like that too,” says Pichowsky. “They did later material and had a lot of flappers. Barcelona is more avant-garde, up to the 1940s. We focus on Victorian because Chicago is more of a Victorian town.”</p>
<p class="body.textrr">Yount fell into the mix because she had just won the Poetry Center of Chicago Juried Reading Award.</p>
<p class="body.textrr">“It’s a way to talk about your poetry one-on-one with people,” she explains. “You get personal feedback. It’s fabulous. I’m interested in costume and Steampunk. Michael and I want to redo our house in Steampunk. I don’t get nervous when I read in the brothel. I get nervous when I’m reading in stuffy academia. If they’re being critical in the brothel, they’re only being critical of ‘Madame Black-Eyed Susan’. It’s very free.”</p>
<p class="body.textrr">Unlike a Victorian brothel.</p>
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		<title>Wedding planning = nightmare!</title>
		<link>http://www.russwholesaleflowers.com/blog/around-the-web/wedding-planning-nightmare-2/</link>
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		<pubDate>Fri, 04 Feb 2011 01:26:59 +0000</pubDate>
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<p>Meet Konnie Kara &#8211; wedding journalist by day; bride-to-be by night. With insider access to the latest bridal news, trends and planning advice she’s been called a wedding guru many times, but does she have what it takes to plan her own special day? Offering honest, frank and humorous insights, this is an account of one of the most exhilarating, and rollercoaster-emotion-filled years of her life</p>
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<p> <span class="meta">From <span class="author">Konnie Kara</span></span></p>
<p class="ecxmsonormal">I woke up today after a barrage of unhealthy nightmares. The first was that ... <a href="http://www.russwholesaleflowers.com/blog/around-the-web/wedding-planning-nightmare-2/">read more</a></p>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="view view-iv-blog-intro view-id-iv_blog_intro view-display-id-default view-dom-id-1 view-content views-row views-row-1 views-row-odd views-row-first views-row-last" readability="35">
<div class="views-field-body field-content" readability="40">
<p>Meet Konnie Kara &#8211; wedding journalist by day; bride-to-be by night. With insider access to the latest bridal news, trends and planning advice she’s been called a wedding guru many times, but does she have what it takes to plan her own special day? Offering honest, frank and humorous insights, this is an account of one of the most exhilarating, and rollercoaster-emotion-filled years of her life</p>
</div>
</div>
<p> <span class="meta">From <span class="author">Konnie Kara</span></span></p>
<p class="ecxmsonormal">I woke up today after a barrage of unhealthy nightmares. The first was that I ran away from my wedding; the second was that I was on a honeymoon cruise boat that had started sinking while Vinnie and I were still on it, a la Titanic. I’ve been having a lot of these dreams recently. <span> </span></p>
<p class="ecxmsonormal">The nice thing is that when I wake up there is always a reassuring, loving text from Vinnie. I call him, we chat for about half an hour. I try desperately not to talk weddings &#8211; but that is hard now, much of our conversation revolves around ‘have you called so-and-so?’ or ‘have you put the order in?’ or ‘why is such-and-such being so bleeding meddlesome?&#8217; Now we’ve decided to do wedding talk via email &#8211; I find it much healthier and as we take care of business that way it frees up time to talk about our normal lives on the phone. We haven’t seen each other for a week which has been testing because all I want is a hug! My phone is permanently glued to my ear.</p>
<p class="ecxmsonormal">What was great about today was discussing henna patterns with my henna artist. She said I should go for something with a more Arabic design influence as opposed to Indian (which is more intricate) because I have a lot of floral motifs on my Indian Sari. I love henna, but never get it done apart from at other people’s wedding and even then I only have a small strip of art work on my palm. This time I’m having the full works, although not all the way up my arm as is the current trend because I don’t really enjoy the smell and also I’ve got a rather skimpy honeymoon wardrobe which doesn’t match the Indian henna look! I’ve also upgraded the flowers for the reception today and gone in for a nicely decorated top table &#8211; this has eaten into the budget so I’ve shifted expenses so that Vinnie has to find good supermarket offers on litre bottles of spirits. I think he and both dads have been making a habit of popping into Asda, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Morrison’s every lunch time to check if the gin, vodka, rum, whisky and brandy are on offer.</p>
<p class="ecxmsonormal">The house smells of pot pourri too as I’ve taken to drying all the flowers from the registry wedding in the hallway (which is very airy and light and, most importantly, dry.) The Indian invites I have not got involved in at all and have left that task entirely up to both mums. My mother spends her evenings glued to the phone to my aunts, making plans, lists and sub-lists of items they need for the wedding ceremony &#8211; while writing invites and sealing invites. She has asked my sister not to get married for a long time because she needs five years to get over the mammoth affair my wedding has turned into.</p>
<p class="ecxmsonormal">I have left the wedding ceremony details up to her really and am concentrating on getting the reception finalised. She’s also organising the menu for the pre-wedding party with my aunt and cousin. I can’t wait for that meal &#8211; it’s going to be awesome.</p>
<p class="ecxmsonormal">Love Konnie xxx</p>
<p><em>This entry passed through the <a href="http://fivefilters.org/content-only/" >Full-Text RSS</a> service &mdash; if this is your content and you&#8217;re reading it on someone else&#8217;s site, please read our FAQ page at <a href="http://fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php" >fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php</a><br /><a href="http://fivefilters.org" >Five Filters</a> featured article: <a href="http://medialens.org/index.php?option=com_content&#038;view=article&#038;id=598:collateral-damage-wikileaks-in-the-crosshairs&#038;catid=24:alerts-2011&#038;Itemid=68" >Collateral Damage &#8211; WikiLeaks In The Crosshairs</a>.</em></p>
<p>View full post on <a href="http://www.ivillage.co.uk/wedding-planning-nightmare/122540" >Content King !!!</a></p>


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		<title>Wedding planning = nightmare!</title>
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		<pubDate>Fri, 04 Feb 2011 01:26:59 +0000</pubDate>
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<div class="view view-iv-blog-intro view-id-iv_blog_intro view-display-id-default view-dom-id-1 view-content views-row views-row-1 views-row-odd views-row-first views-row-last" readability="35">
<div class="views-field-body field-content" readability="40">
<p>Meet Konnie Kara &#8211; wedding journalist by day; bride-to-be by night. With insider access to the latest bridal news, trends and planning advice she’s been called a wedding guru many times, but does she have what it takes to plan her own special day? Offering honest, frank and humorous insights, this is an account of one of the most exhilarating, and rollercoaster-emotion-filled years of her life</p>
</div>
</div>
<p> <span class="meta">From <span class="author">Konnie Kara</span></span></p>
<p class="ecxmsonormal">I woke up today after a barrage of unhealthy nightmares. The first was that ... <a href="http://www.russwholesaleflowers.com/blog/around-the-web/wedding-planning-nightmare/">read more</a></p>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="view view-iv-blog-intro view-id-iv_blog_intro view-display-id-default view-dom-id-1 view-content views-row views-row-1 views-row-odd views-row-first views-row-last" readability="35">
<div class="views-field-body field-content" readability="40">
<p>Meet Konnie Kara &#8211; wedding journalist by day; bride-to-be by night. With insider access to the latest bridal news, trends and planning advice she’s been called a wedding guru many times, but does she have what it takes to plan her own special day? Offering honest, frank and humorous insights, this is an account of one of the most exhilarating, and rollercoaster-emotion-filled years of her life</p>
</div>
</div>
<p> <span class="meta">From <span class="author">Konnie Kara</span></span></p>
<p class="ecxmsonormal">I woke up today after a barrage of unhealthy nightmares. The first was that I ran away from my wedding; the second was that I was on a honeymoon cruise boat that had started sinking while Vinnie and I were still on it, a la Titanic. I’ve been having a lot of these dreams recently. <span> </span></p>
<p class="ecxmsonormal">The nice thing is that when I wake up there is always a reassuring, loving text from Vinnie. I call him, we chat for about half an hour. I try desperately not to talk weddings &#8211; but that is hard now, much of our conversation revolves around ‘have you called so-and-so?’ or ‘have you put the order in?’ or ‘why is such-and-such being so bleeding meddlesome?&#8217; Now we’ve decided to do wedding talk via email &#8211; I find it much healthier and as we take care of business that way it frees up time to talk about our normal lives on the phone. We haven’t seen each other for a week which has been testing because all I want is a hug! My phone is permanently glued to my ear.</p>
<p class="ecxmsonormal">What was great about today was discussing henna patterns with my henna artist. She said I should go for something with a more Arabic design influence as opposed to Indian (which is more intricate) because I have a lot of floral motifs on my Indian Sari. I love henna, but never get it done apart from at other people’s wedding and even then I only have a small strip of art work on my palm. This time I’m having the full works, although not all the way up my arm as is the current trend because I don’t really enjoy the smell and also I’ve got a rather skimpy honeymoon wardrobe which doesn’t match the Indian henna look! I’ve also upgraded the flowers for the reception today and gone in for a nicely decorated top table &#8211; this has eaten into the budget so I’ve shifted expenses so that Vinnie has to find good supermarket offers on litre bottles of spirits. I think he and both dads have been making a habit of popping into Asda, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Morrison’s every lunch time to check if the gin, vodka, rum, whisky and brandy are on offer.</p>
<p class="ecxmsonormal">The house smells of pot pourri too as I’ve taken to drying all the flowers from the registry wedding in the hallway (which is very airy and light and, most importantly, dry.) The Indian invites I have not got involved in at all and have left that task entirely up to both mums. My mother spends her evenings glued to the phone to my aunts, making plans, lists and sub-lists of items they need for the wedding ceremony &#8211; while writing invites and sealing invites. She has asked my sister not to get married for a long time because she needs five years to get over the mammoth affair my wedding has turned into.</p>
<p class="ecxmsonormal">I have left the wedding ceremony details up to her really and am concentrating on getting the reception finalised. She’s also organising the menu for the pre-wedding party with my aunt and cousin. I can’t wait for that meal &#8211; it’s going to be awesome.</p>
<p class="ecxmsonormal">Love Konnie xxx</p>
<p><em>This entry passed through the <a href="http://fivefilters.org/content-only/" >Full-Text RSS</a> service &mdash; if this is your content and you&#8217;re reading it on someone else&#8217;s site, please read our FAQ page at <a href="http://fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php" >fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php</a><br /><a href="http://fivefilters.org" >Five Filters</a> featured article: <a href="http://medialens.org/index.php?option=com_content&#038;view=article&#038;id=598:collateral-damage-wikileaks-in-the-crosshairs&#038;catid=24:alerts-2011&#038;Itemid=68" >Collateral Damage &#8211; WikiLeaks In The Crosshairs</a>.</em></p>
<p>View full post on <a href="http://www.ivillage.co.uk/wedding-planning-nightmare/122540" >Content King !!!</a></p>


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