A joint project of
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From posies to pearls
A history of bridal flowers
Flowers have long been a symbol of love, romance, beauty, and renewal. People have used flowers, fruit, and herbs for centuries as offerings to assure good fortune, ward off evil, ensure fertility and celebrate rites of passage such as birth, death, and marriage.
Tips for choosing a florist
Local florists handle weddings large and small

An invitation to creativity
Art stores, artisans help couples design their announcements
When Mountain View residents Sofia Pinelli and Clifford McKenzie walked into University Art Center in Palo Alto last month, they didn't mean to buck tradition. The two, young and in love, just wanted to make their own wedding invitations. And so, over the course of an hour, they got started, picking out handmade papers, tissue and envelopes with which to announce their good news.

Adventure honeymoons
Some couples choose backpacking and bushwhacking over a day at the beach
The cliché notion of a honeymoon, as depicted by Hollywood and shelves of wedding magazines, would seem to involve sipping mai-tais on a tropical beach or renting a villa in a fabled Italian city. Certainly, those sorts of idyllic getaways can be a fantastic way for newlyweds to let go of the tension that comes with tying the knot, not to mention kick off their new life together in luxurious splendor.