Seriously. A recent blog post at YourFuneralGuy.com suggests that, because funerals have evolved from their somber beginnings to all-out celebrations, people are now hiring wedding planners to plan funerals.

This revolutionary concept has captured my imagination, and I simply cannot resist sharing with you my somewhat twisted perception of a funeral put together by a wedding planner.

Dearly Beloved…

Beautiful flower arrangements fill the (church, funeral home, bar, or the appropriate venue.) Weddings and funerals do have flowers in common, along with a guest book and pen. The guests are escorted into the venue by ushers while an organist entertains with a playlist of the deceased’s favorite music. When all the guests are assembled, our organist begins to play “Here Comes the Bod.”

The March Down the Aisle

The pallbearers enter carrying the coffin. Like bridesmaids, the pallbearers are style- and color-coordinated.

They’re also wearing boutonnieres. When the officiant asks, “Who gives this body to be buried,” naturally, they all answer, “We do.”

The casket is chosen like a bridal gown—something that fits the deceased’s style and personality.  The coffin below might be perfect for a sci-fi/fantasy fan. Let’s assume it’s an open casket. The guest of honor is wearing a “See You Later!” button.

After the officiant says a few words, he or she says “If there is anyone who would like to share memories of (John or Jane,) please speak now or forever hold your peace.”

The Party Goes Live!

After the service, the celebration begins, with music, a light buffet, a toast to the happy corpse and, of course, the cutting of the cake. Before the guest of honor and the mourners leave the venue to travel to the graveside, they are each given a funeral-themed favor filled with delicious treats.

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The Graveside Service

After a final, short prayer, the coffin is lowered into the ground as family and friends remove the rose petals from the tulle bags they were given when they arrived at the cemetery and scatter them on what can now only be described as the guest of honor’s getaway vehicle, to which someone has attached angel wings and a tiny harp at the bottom.  With the deceased well on the way to that final destination, the guests go home with their funeral favor and the comforting feeling that it wasn’t them.

Today’s Bride on the Brink is just 25 days away from her stroll down the aisle, and it promises to be something to sea! Her groom is an active-duty naval officer in San Diego, so the wedding will have touches of Navy here and there. In fact, as an officer, he’ll be wearing his dress white uniform, and they’ll have six ROTC Navy swordsmen, not only ushering guests into the ceremony (including both moms,) but they’re also going to do a traditional sword arch the newlywed couple will walk through to enter the reception! How incredibly cool is that!

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NAME:  Nicole Garcia

LOCATION:  La Jolla, CA

DATE:  August 28 

THEME:  Beachy Military

COLORS:  Black, White, shades of blue and yellow

GUESTS:  About 50

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Q. Swords and sailors, huh? You and your guests should feel quite safe. Tell me about your ceremony! How long ago did you start planning?

A. We’ve been engaged for almost a year and a half. We’ve been planning since we hit the one-year-ahead mark and worked towards our goal little by little. The ceremony will be at Cuvier Park in La Jolla. It’s a small, grassy area overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Our theme has been a combination of beachy, casual, untraditional and military. Our bridesmaids will be in tea-length, black dresses with light-blue sashes. The wedding aisle will be covered with light-yellow and cream-colored flower petals. 

Q. Sounds lovely. You’re only days away from the big moment. What’s the most important thing on your mind right now?

A. Making sure we stay true to ourselves. More specifically, making sure we do things for the wedding that fit us and our personalities/style. This includes making sure we’re still having fun—both in the planning process and on the wedding day!

Q. Any stress at all?

A. I wasn’t stressed for the most part. When I started to feel it creep up, my fiance has been a great source of support. His sarcasm and sense of humor definitely shakes me out of my anxiety. (Take note, brides! If you don’t laugh about the bumps in the road to your wedding day, you’ll surely cry about them, so don’t take them so seriously! It all works out in the end. Ed.) So far [the most stressful part] has been planning the bridal shower and bachelorette party. All my girls are either in different cities and states or are pregnant. It’s been a difficult process trying to get in contact with the girls and coordinate schedules. 

Q.  Other than your shower and bachelorette party, things seemed to have gone pretty smoothly. Did you use a wedding planner? Are your plans complete?

A. I wanted to hire a wedding planner for the whole process! Unfortunately, it was too expensive for us, but we did end up hiring a “day of” coordinator who has been wonderful in organizing our vendor contracts and staying in touch with us.  All of the big things to do are done. We’re just waiting to get more RSVP’s and phone calls from family and friends about the big day. 

Q. Did you forgo anything in your wedding planning because of the economy?

A. We both decided right away to have a small wedding. We didn’t want to have a big wedding with people that were merely acquaintances or long-lost friends who we haven’t kept in touch.  By cutting our guest list, we have saved a LOT of money. We also went through a lot of independent wedding vendors. We found our photographer on Craig’s List and contacted a small, independent florist referred to us by the Reverend. 

Q. Knowing what you know now, would you have done anything differently?

A. [We would have] made the wedding date sooner! I don’t think we realized how quickly and early we would get all our planning done.

Q. What’s been the most rewarding part of all this?

A. Getting closer to my fiance. We took our first dance the other night, and it was so exciting! Just being in his arms and looking into his eyes made me super-excited to be his wifey! Every so often I catch glimpses of him that make me realize how lucky I am to have such a supportive and caring husband-to-be. (NOTE: We think he’s pretty lucky to have found you, too! Ed.)

Q. Have you learned any life lessons from planning your wedding?

A. To be patient. No matter how quickly we plan the wedding day, it won’t come any sooner. Being anxious will only make you stress, which will affect your relationship.

Q.  So what advice would you give your friend who was planning her wedding?

A.  Do a LOT of research! (NOTE: That advice comes up a lot from our Brides On the Brink. There must be something to it! Ed.) You don’t have to settle for the first vendors you see. There are plenty of resources available to you if you put in a li’l elbow grease! It will save you money in the end! Oh, and be sure to have fun! You’re getting married! (Well said, Nicole! Ed.)

Watch for the next edition of Brides On the Brink…30 Days and Counting! It’s for brides, it’s about brides, and most importantly, it’s by Brides On the Brink who are one month away from walking down the aisle.

Become One of our Brides On The Brink!

If you’re about one, two or three months from tying the knot and would like to be a featured bride, please click here to e-mail your contact information and wedding date. I’ll send you the questionnaire to fill out and return. For passing on your wedding wisdom, featured brides will receive a $25 gift certificate* for MyWeddingFavors.com, where you’ll find fabulous wedding favors, wedding accessories, bridesmaids’ gifts and so much more!

* For shipping only within the US and Canada.

…as she walks down the aisle? No, this isn’t a caption contest, although if it were, my submission for the photo on the left would be “Poor Dad. Wait until he sees the bill for this shindig. Fortunately, when he does, I’ll be lying on a beach in Cancun, sipping a margarita and deciding which sexy lingerie to wear that night.”

Why Am I Asking?

I ask because, although I’m married, I didn’t have a traditional wedding, so I’ve never walked down an aisle. My husband and I went to beautiful Savannah, GA for three days and got married by a blind judge. No aisle. No bridesmaids or groomsmen. No MOB, FOB, MOG or FOG. No reception. No first dance.  Literally, no one saw us get married. And I have absolutely no regrets.

So I’m curious about what brides are thinking as they walk down the aisle. Are they wondering if they’re marrying the right guy?  Are they thinking about the wedding night? Are they taking a quick audit to make sure they didn’t forget anything? Are they wishing they hadn’t bought those trendy—but too tight—bridal shoes? Are they hoping crazy Aunt Phyllis can stay sober for just one night? Are they dying to get the ceremony over with so they can scarf down food at the reception, because they haven’t eaten in days to make sure they fit into their elegant wedding gown? Or are they simply in a post-wedding planning daze, too tired to think of anything at all?

Looking for Your Answers!

I’m sure it’s different for every bride, and I’d love to know what you were thinking as you took those final steps as a single woman. I’d be asking grooms what they were thinking as they watched their brides walk toward them, but I suspect very few men subscribe to this blog. So brides, please add a comment and let me know what was on your mind during the most exciting 30-second walk of your life! If I get several responses, I’ll reveal them in a future post. (I promise not to use last names!) Once again, I’ll ask, “What were you thinking?” And I mean that in the nicest way possible!

Boy, we’ve come a long way from the simple rectangular chocolate bars with their sweet taste and straight edges.  Now, chocolate wedding favors come in all sorts of shapes and sizes.  Here are a few that will WOW any guest!

More than just dipped, these chocolate covered strawberries are divine!  Dressed for the special occasion, they are decorated to look like a tuxedo and a wedding gown.  The artful precision is amazing, and guests will hardly want to take a bite, but alas…they can’t resist.

Double dipped in chocolate and covered with sprinkles, who wouldn’t love an Oreo cookie like this?  Probably no one.  America’s favorite cookie gets an upgrade and your guests get to enjoy every sweet bite of these Wedding Chocolate Oreo® Cookies that are wrapped in dark, milk or white chocolate and finished with an assortment of 100% Hand Made Royal Icing Wedding Decorations.

Not your typical lollipop, it’s hard to believe that these gorgeous brides and bridesmaids are actually made of chocolate.  Definitely clever and as cute as can be, the woman’s chocolate form comes dressed in an assortment of fine couture gowns made of fabric, ribbon and tulle that are perfect for your bridal shower or just to give to your bridesmaids.  They’re almost too pretty to eat.

It’s for brides, it’s about brides and, most importantly, it’s by Brides On the Brink who are a month away from walking down the aisle!

Beginning May 1st, our new series will feature a real bride on the brink who will share her emotions, her most difficult part of wedding planning, the most rewarding part of the planning process, what she would do differently if she had the chance, how she saved money, what she’s feeling with only 30 days to go and so much more!

We’ll spotlight a new bride every two weeks. Karen and I have created an outstanding list of interview questions focusing on those things that helped—and didn’t help—get our bride through the most important party planning of her life. Our hope is that our Brides on the Brink will help future brides look forward to the planning process, avoid some pitfalls and side-step stress as they plan their weddings.

We found our first two brides on the brink right here at My Wedding Favors. Brooke and Jennifer are both getting married this June (to terrific guys, I might add,) and they have some great stories, ideas and feelings to share with you.

Become One of Our Brides on the Brink!

If you’re about one, two or three months from tying the knot and would like to be a featured bride, please click here to e-mail me with your contact information and wedding date. I’ll send you the questionnaire to fill out and return. For passing on your wedding wisdom, featured brides will receive a $25 gift certificate for MyWeddingFavors.com, where you’ll find fabulous wedding favors, wedding accessories, bridesmaids’ gifts and so much more!

“Our best thoughts come from others.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson

You’re right in the middle of the happiest moment in your life—and then this…

Watch more BREAK.COM videos on AOL Video

If nothing else, this video underscores two things: 1) the importance of brushing and flossing and 2) the potential dangers of videotaping your wedding ceremony. If something bizarre like this happens at your wedding ceremony, you can make your wedding guests forget about it quickly with unforgettable wedding favors. I recommend wedding favor boxes filled with something chewy, sweet and yummy, like jelly beans. Here are three fantastic favor boxes that will instantly take your guests’ minds of your faux pas:

While it may be gloomy outside (it’s REALLY raining here today), it’s bursting with spring on the inside.  And we just have to share our enthusiasm with you!  Spring is here, and we’re excited!  It won’t be long before flowers will be blooming, and the days will be warmer.

To celebrate spring’s arrival last week, we decided to put everything in the store on sale.  That’s right!  You can shop from now until the end of April and save 10% on all of our unique wedding favors,  bridesmaid’s gifts, groomsmen gifts, save-the-date cards, bridal shower favors… I guess you get the idea.  Everything means everything.

Shhh.  This deal is just for our blog readers.  So you’ll have to use the coupon code SPRING9 to get the savings.  Happy Shopping!

First, let me commend you for taking the planet into consideration as you plan your wedding. I suspect you’ve chosen this path because you want your world to look like the photo above. And wouldn’t that be lovely? It sure beats concrete and bare dirt.

How to Be an Eco-Friendly Bride

As you’ve probably already discovered, it’s not all that difficult to have an eco-friendly wedding.  Here are just a few ideas to get you started:

• Have invitations and other paper necessities printed on recycled paper.
• Choose a caterer who uses locally grown food in season.
• Use organically grown flowers or potted plants.
• Look online for eco-friendly wedding gowns and bridesmaid dresses.
• Take this opportunity to grow wildflower gardens near and far by giving your guests seed wedding favors.

Seed Favor Styles

Small wildflower seed packets can be very elegant and personalized. The seed packet at the right includes a verse of your choice and a colorful ribbon to match your decor, imprinted with your names and the wedding date.

Plantables (left) are also popular eco-favors. They come in a variety of styles and colors, and when your guests take them home, they simply put the favor in the ground, water it and watch their wildflower garden grow.

These elaborate wildflower seed bags on the right have a beautiful flower applique and the personalization options include a photo op for you and your groom.

There’s a song that asks, “What kind of world do you want?” If part of your answer is a planet full of flowers,  you can help make it happen with “seedy” favors at your wedding!

Yes, it’s true. Pink is the universal color of love. And pink comes in so many fabulous, fun shades, it’s easy to find one that complements your favorite color (if it’s not already pink!) The Chinese art of feng shui (decorating to create a vibrant feeling of joy and harmony) is partial to pink because it’s believed that pink literally soothes the heart and fills it with love! If you fill your ceremony and reception venue with pink accents, your guests will be surrounded by heartfelt love. Wow. What a powerful color! And there are so many areas in your wedding design and decor that can be infused with pink, right down to the pink wedding favors.

PLENTY OF PINKS!

There are more than 36 different shades of pink, which include hot pink, cherry blossom pink, French rose, coral pink, lavender rose, dark pink, magenta, fuchsia, carnation pink, cerise and, of course, shocking pink.  If this doesn’t get you to think pink, nothing will—except, perhaps, these incredible pink wedding favors.

Each guest gets a set of two, hmmmm, I’d say these are carnation pink coasters with a white floral design if you choose the “Picture Perfect” Glass Photo Coasters. You can also use these coasters as place cards or to give a favorite photo of the blushing bride (oooh! another shade of pink!) and her groom to all your family and friends. I’m sure you notice how beautiful they look with the pink place setting.

Maybe you just want to light up the room with spring-inspired pink. For that, I’d recommend the “Buttercream Dreams” Candle Cake on a Porcelain Pedestal. The light touches of refreshing green and the multiple shades of pink definitely give this sweet favor a seasonal look. I love that it’s on a little, porcelain pedestal, too. Even after the candle is gone, guests can use it for other candles.

Just as pretty and practical is the “Sweetheart” Translucent Pink Bottle Stopper. This bottle stopper (a pure pink color, to me) looks lovely in a half-full bottle of wine or champagne (oooh! pink champagne—another popular way to parade the pink,) but your non-drinking friends can also use it to pop the stopper in their partially used soda bottles to prevent the fizz from fizzling out.

You can find many more pink favors at MyWeddingFavors.com. Just remember to THINK PINK!

May the wings of the butterfly kiss the sun
And find your shoulder to light on,
To bring you luck, happiness and riches
Today, tomorrow and beyond.
~Irish Blessing

Butterflies. They’re as much a a symbol of spring and new beginnings as flowers in bloom, baby birds and a warming sun. If you’re planning a garden wedding for the spring or summer, you just might want to bring a bevy of butterflies to flit among the flowers on your reception tables. It’s easy to do with butterfly wedding favors.

 Butterfly Beauty—Fabulous Favors!

I happen to be very fond of butterflies. My childhood wouldn’t have been the same without a few butterflies to chase in the backyard. Have you ever been to a Butterfly Garden where there are so many butterflies that they actually land on you for a few magic moments before they flutter away? Butterfly favors bring the same delight to your guests. Here are three exceptional butterfly favor ideas:

Simply gorgeous! The “Spring Elegance” Laser-Cut Butterfly Favor Box (left) in pink or sage green. I love the color combination. Wouldn’t it be perfect for a garden wedding? Absolutely!

I’m an avid reader, and I like to use unusual bookmarks. This Butterfly Silver-Metal Bookmark (right) has beautiful detail and a shimmering, white tassel. Talk about enhancing the look of a book!

Here’s a favor that can be used as a thank-you gift for your guests or magnificent table decor. Imagine on each reception table an exquisite, shallow glass bowl filled with three or four Butterfly Floating Candles (left,) all lit, with small, heart-shaped crystals scattered around the bowl on the table. Uncomplicated enchantment.

Spring is so close, you can almost feel the breeze from the butterflies’ wings. Don’t forget to invite them!