NEW LOW PRICES Honey and jams have been so successful over at Cudge.net that we've been able adjust the prices: All three items are now available at a more than 10% discount to the original rate.

Not a sale. An honest-to-goodness price reduction. It's the Cudge.net way!

ENGAGEMENT COUNSELING? According to the Los Angeles Times, it's gaining in popularity:

In seminar halls or living rooms, dating couples practice the art of the painful conversation, face cold realities about sex and money, and catalog childhood traumas that might leak into their married life. They examine printouts summarizing their psychological makeup and the weaknesses -- sorry, "growth areas" -- of their relationship. It might not be the kind of love story found in Hollywood movies, but pre-pre-marital counseling responds to a yearning for a more reliable path to marriage. Using tools from social science, it aims to prepare them for conflict, to prevent unions based on blind impulse -- and, ultimately, to reduce a divorce rate as high for religious couples as for other Americans. "What we're trying to teach couples is, `This is romantic,' " said Rob Eagar, an Atlanta-based author and lecturer on Christian dating.

THE ADVICE GODDESS Amy Alkon at the Winston-Salem Journal unloads on young couples who plan their wedding before planning their marriage.

OUTDOOR WEDDINGS The NWI Times of northwest Indiana has a few warnings about outdoor weddings:

Beat rainy day blues * Rent a large tent * Reserve a backup location * Rent umbrellas for the groomsmen to cover guests as they are escorted to sheltered areas * Cover food * Request your band or disc jockey plays songs such as, "It's raining men" to add comic relief * Remember the Native American sayings that "A nuptial downpour means you'll never cry over the marriage" Beat the heat * Print wedding programs on hand fans that guests can use during the service * Seat guests under large umbrellas * Provide plenty of water with plenty of ice and lemons Beat the bugs * Provide odorless bug spray to wedding party and guests * Place citronella candles on tables, perimeter of wedding grounds and all walkways * One to two hours before ceremony, spray a diluted mixture of chili powder and water on the ground

All good advice.

BRIDEZILLAS ON TV We've seen a lot of billboards advertising this WE network show lately. Anyone seen it? What did you think?

INCOME TAX CHECKLIST As if newlyweds don't have enough to worry about, the Fauquier Times-Democrat reminds them to review their tax status. The article, by an accountant, includes some very useful advice.

WEDDINGS IN IRAQ Via the L.A. Times:

In Baghdad, business is booming for the wedding DJ. Overwhelmed by the demand for marriage contracts, two judges in Basra are turning away would-be brides and grooms. The party planner at the capital's upscale Hunting Club can't find enough floral designers to keep up with decoration demands. And a reality series following couples as they plan their weddings is among the most popular shows on Iraqi TV. Since Saddam Hussein was ousted two years ago, the number of nuptials in Iraq has soared, say party planners, judges and clergy members. Although there are no reliable countrywide statistics, those in the business estimate that "I do's"have doubled since the uneasy months before and after the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003. Some say a better living standard is driving Iraqis to the altar. Others speculate that many weddings were postponed because of the war, and couples are catching up. And there are those with a more existential bent, who see wedding celebration as a retort to death itself. "People tend to compensate for their losses," said Nagham Azzawi, whose sister is getting married later this year. "This is the natural response to all the deaths we're facing." Beneath crystal chandeliers, Wisam Hajjaj was spinning a funky mix of traditional and Western music. At 48, he claimed to be "the oldest DJ in Baghdad." At a recent engagement party, he sounded like the loudest as he cranked the sound to deafening levels. Heading for the dance floor, older women with hennaed hands and flowing black abayas grabbed younger relatives in colorful - and tight - clothing, their heads bare.

There's more.

WEDDING ROUNDUP We just spotted this special wedding section from the June 5th edition of The Palm Beach Post. It includes several articles and an interactive feature.

J. CREW GETS BRIDAL The Boston Globe brings us news that J. Crew has entered the bridalwear arena:

The company unveiled some bridal gear last spring, but is just beginning to aggressively push the wedding line, which includes gowns from $260 to $1,800 and bridesmaid dresses from $98 to $350. The dresses' presence on the retailer's website has grown over the past year, and J. Crew provides peeks of wedding selections in its seasonal catalogs. Popular items include the $425 ''Madeline" dress, a silk, spaghetti-strapped gown with a small train, and the $350 linen ''Elly" dress, a strapless, shimmering number that stops short at the knee. ''It's been across the board successful," said J. Crew spokeswoman Heather Lynch, adding that the idea for a wedding line came from a female employee in the company's distribution center.