COWORKERS AT YOUR WEDDING? The Detroit Free Press runs a short, smart piece with tips for navigating the etiquette of wedding invitations and the workplace.

An excerpt:

If you work in a small office, how should you handle inviting only a few people? You don't have to invite every coworker to your wedding, and you certainly don't have to invite anyone you don't want there, coworker or not. Just be very tactful about inviting the colleagues you do want. Send the invites to their homes -- don't bring them to the office -- and let them know that you would rather they didn't talk about it at work out of courtesy to those you didn't invite.

More here.

MARRIAGE, L.A. STYLE From The Los Angeles Times:

On Saturday I will be a groomsman at what can only be described as a very L.A. wedding: It will feature English and Spanish, rap and marimba, Rick James and Celia Cruz.

[...]

The future Mr. and Mrs. Hall say it has taken creativity to incorporate both cultures into their festivities. For the father-daughter dance, Karina will dance a traditional Guatemalan marimba. The groom has requested that his groomsmen move down the aisle to one of his favorite rap songs, while the bridesmaids will enter to a ballad by the Spanish-speaking Italian pop star Laura Pausini. The wedding will have two emcees, one who will speak Spanish and the other English. The couple also requested that I say grace in both languages. (I have reluctantly accepted. But fair warning: My prayer may be more eloquent in English.)

HERE COMES THE FUDGE The summer wedding and party season may be winding down, but Cudge.net never sleeps. Two new items:

First, cases of Chocolate Fudge Sauce.

At $41.22 plus shipping per case of 12 jars, it's a great favor option--particularly as we move into colder weather.

And speaking of colder weather, Cudge.net is now stocking cases of Earl Grey Tea Tins:

Cases of twelve tins, at $39.77 per case, are a true bargain.

Enjoy!

WEDDING CRASHERS From The New York Times:

Federal law enforcement agents sent out invitations for a mock wedding on a yacht off Atlantic City to lure 42 people who were accused of taking part in an Asian smuggling ring that brought counterfeit money, drugs and cigarettes into the United States, officials said Monday. The wedding "guests," who had been invited to attend the nuptials of two supposed American smugglers who were actually undercover agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, were among 57 people arrested in recent days as part of the smuggling inquiry, the officials said. In all, 87 people have been indicted.

[...]

The wedding was to be held aboard a yacht called Royal Charm docked off Atlantic City, officials said, and the guests were told in the invitations that the hosts would provide transportation to the ceremony once they arrived in town. "Transportation was provided for them - by law enforcement," said Christopher J. Christie, the United States attorney for New Jersey. "They never made it to any wedding."

WEDDING GUEST RENTAL? The Daily Times in Lahore, Pakistan informs us:

An Indian firm which rents out wedding guests says business is booming. The Best Guests Centre, at Jodhpur in Rajasthan, is looking to expand across the state. The company caters for families who fear they will fall short of guests at weddings. It hires out guests, either traditionally dressed or wearing smart western clothes, according to requirements and budget. The guests dance and try to impress with their etiquette without letting anyone know they are being paid for it. Proprietor M I Syed briefs his staff about the groom, the bride and their families before the wedding to avoid a faux pas.

Think this would fly in the US?

WEDDING HORROR STORIES The Shreveport Times brings us this anecdote-driven story:

We posted a message on wedding Web site the Knot (www.theknot.com), asking for wedding guest horror stories and elicited many responses, mostly from recent brides who didn't want their names used for fear of embarrassing relatives. There was a relative who, unbeknownst to the bride and groom, invited a friend who showed up to the dressy reception wearing jeans and cowboy boots. At another wedding, a couple RSVP'd for two then brought their four children with them. At still another wedding, a guest wore a white dress that looked like a prom dress, causing some to mistake her for the bride.

Anyone have anything to add?

THE BRIDESMAID BLUES From the Asbury Park Press:

Always a bridesmaid and never a bride — it's a more expensive cliche than most realize. At the final fitting for her bridesmaid dress, Tammy Toporek is trying on a deep red strapless A-line with red shoes dyed to match the dress and costing more than $300. Toporek spent more than $1,300 to be in her friend Melissa Peterson's wedding — excluding a professional hair styling. Such spending isn't unusual. Being a bridesmaid costs more than buying a dress you'll probably only wear once. Being in a wedding party often means attending a bachelor or bachelorette party, contributing time and money to the bridal shower, having your hair professionally done, traveling to the wedding and ponying up for a hotel room. Lastly, don't forget the gift.

Read the rest here.

MORE ON THANK YOU NOTES The Hampton Roads, VA-based Daily Press has some sound advice about writing thank you notes:

When writing your note, use detail to describe what it is you are thankful for, such as, "I really appreciated you listening to me complain about my job for three hours on Tuesday." Elaborate and be enthusiastic, but don't go crazy. "I realize it must have been annoying to hear me talk on and on about my obnoxious coworkers, but you really did make me feel much better about my situation by the time we hung up the phone." End the letter by saying something somewhat unrelated to the instance but still appreciative to the reader. "You are a great listener; I hope someday I can give you as good advice as you always give me."

CULTURE CLASH? The Wilkes-Barre Times Leaders notices that the range of ceremony choices available to couples is expanding:

The invitations to Annie Chen and Kevin Zealand’s November wedding were red and gold. Chen wore a red dress to the reception and there wasn’t a white flower to be found. In Taiwan, where Chen was born, red is the symbol for good luck, while white is a sign of mourning. Guests at the wedding of Liz Ngonzi and John Nandigobe took home votive candles in gold and purple pouches, because those two colors are regal in the couple’s native Uganda. In multicultural regions, such as North Jersey, wedding customs often go way beyond something-borrowed, something-blue Americana. Many couples instead pay homage to ancient traditions or forge a unique ceremony to avoid a culture clash between families.

More here.

MEN AND THE JUMBOTRON The Wall Street Journal runs a (subscription-only) article titled, "Why Men Turn Marriage Proposals Into Public Events."

Two excerpts:

Two saturdays ago, a scuba diver jumped into a 150,000-gallon fish tank inside the restaurant at Houston's Downtown Aquarium. As curious diners looked on, he swam toward a young couple at a far table, and held up a sign: "Tisha, will you marry me?" The romantic stunt was planned by Kavon Rajabi, the man at the table. He turned to his tearful girlfriend, Tisha Avara, and in the presence of dozens of cheering strangers and 1,000 indifferent fish, slipped an engagement ring on her finger. "I was proud to let everyone know I love this woman," Mr. Rajabi said later. In past generations, "Will you marry me?" was often asked very privately, with the woman on a porch swing and the suitor on bended knee. Now, of course, marriage proposals are routinely delivered publicly and extravagantly. Marriage researchers say the public-proposal phenomenon is being fueled by businesses looking to ratchet up wedding-related billings, by reality TV shows such as TLC's "Perfect Proposal," and by a culture that celebrates attention-seekers. "A wedding is a moment of 'lay celebrity' -- you're the star of your own show -- and now people want to extend that to the proposal," says Elizabeth Freeman, a wedding historian and associate professor at University of California, Davis.

[...]

Public proposal prices vary. For $1,850, skywriting pilot Mort Arken will spell out an eight-mile-long proposal over the skies of New York. For under $100, you can just buy two tickets to see Clay Aiken. On the singer's current tour, people can text-message proposals from their cellphones onto giant screens near the stage. (At his show in Buffalo, N.Y., this week, there were several proposals -- but all were for Mr. Aiken.) Witnesses find proposals compelling to watch in part because there's always a possibility of rejection. In February, after a man proposed at an Orlando Magic game, the scoreboard flashed, "She said no," the crowd gasped, and the woman ran off the court. Turned out it was a stunt featuring actors. Fan proposals, which cost $50 to $200, are so routine that the team's marketing office concocted the stunt to generate buzz. In actuality, though, women almost always say yes to public proposals, so they don't embarrass suitors. Only later, privately, will the women back out, wedding planners say.

HERE COMES SYRUP Just when you thought Cudge.net was taking it easy, two new items.

First, cases of Vermont Maple Syrup. A great favor item: Each case contains 24 mini jugs (1.7oz each) of grade A, medium amber syrup. Yum.

And with an introductory price of $33.88 per case plus shipping, we think you'll agree it's a pretty sensational deal.

Of course we didn't want the syrup to get lonely, so we've added another item as well:

Yup: Buttermilk Pancake Mix.

The mix match up nicely with the syrup for obvious reasons. But it's a great stand-alone favor as well. $59.66 plus shipping per case of 24 one pound bags.

Send your guests home with breakfast!