NEWS: See Blogger / Blogspot in a Different, Dynamic View

Blog enthusiasts, take note of today's Blogger announcement!  According to Google's Buzz page, the new system allows the blog reader/viewer/user to see Blogger blogs through a fresh, new perspective by using AJAX, HTML5 and CSS3 and more. Some cool features and future possibilities are said to include:

• Allowing more posts to be seen, without reloading or accessing another page: infinite scrolling.
• Different blogs may benefit from different layouts: dynamic views gives you five ways to be seen.
• Content can be experienced in increasingly interactive ways.
  AND, perhaps in the most appealing way for my purposes,
  
• Images no longer are downloaded at once: load speed increases cos you download images as you view them.

FLIPCARD, MOSAIC, SIDEBAR, TIMESLIDE, and SNAPSHOT are the five new views.  To see what they look like, see A Non-Denominational Ceremony's blog in the 'snapshot view'.  Toward the top right, click on the blue pulldown menu if you want to see any of the other new display types.

Want an Invite to The Aisle NY's Wedding-Focused Flash Sale Website?

Get ready, to-be-weds and the just engaged!  The latest private member-only online sale website is THE AISLE NEW YORK (TANY).  Gilt, ideeli, Groupon and similar sites, which post various bargains, deals and items for a limited-time only are all the rage these days...but TANY is the only one centered on the wedding market.

Invitation from The Aisle New York, the web's only
wedding-based flash sale site...  :)

A NON-DENOMINATIONAL CEREMONY has a handful of The Aisle New York 's invitations to join, in case you're curious to learn what it's all about.  Please leave contact information in the comments of this blog, or email celebrantvenus [AT] gmail [DOT] com directly!  First come, first served, and you're under no obligation to our officiant services (although, we'd love to ask you about your ceremony plans!).  For more information, please read on.

Lovely art from The Aisle NY's homepage.

According to a press release issued on eWEDNEWS.com, the website's founders consist of David Yassky (former Fashion Editor and Stylist at Women’s Wear Daily and W Magazine, where he covering the bridal industry in-depth); corporate attorney Shara Levy; Deborah Moses (of Moses Media and previously Elegant Bride Magazine's Editor- in-Chief and Creative Director) and Mark Ingram (owner and founder of New York City’s Mark Ingram Bridal Atelier).  Pre-registration for TANY began in August 2010.

The press release went on to say:

"Most featured merchandise including wedding dresses and gowns, veils and headpieces, designer and fine jewelry, lingerie, shoes, and evening bags are promotionally priced, passing along significant consumer savings.  The site also offers select new collections and designer initiatives at regular prices. Merchandise ranges from one-of-a kind runway pieces, coveted designer archives, new custom-made orders, and exclusive designer capsule initiatives.  The platform’s editorial section [vks - read: online magazine!], Inside The Aisle, features dynamic content for everything wedding, from aspirational fashion imagery, to ecommerce shopping guidance, and tips and pointers from industry experts. And to spread the love even further, The Aisle New York donates a portion of proceeds from every gown sold to the charity of the designers’ choice."

 Of course, please visit our website if you need an officiant (also known as a minister, reverend or clergy) for your Southern California ceremony!

IDEAS: BEYOND 20 (Stripper-Free) Bachelor Party Ideas

Believe it or not, some guys are NOT into strip bars and they are still good, smart, decent, real men!!!

This is a pretty good article which tries to avoid the whole "getting a bunch of guys together ≠ automatic debauchery or d-bag festival" thing. 

Although, i am a little disappointed they don't talk about LAN parties or video games.  But, whatever...that's ok.  At least, they're not insisting the bachelour party must contain nudity on the behalf of anyone other than the men participating...

i love websites like THE PLUNGE, THE MAN REGISTRY and STAGGERED.  'Tis about time wedding sites and magazines were designed for men!!?

INFO: How Do You Find a Couple's Webpage on The Knot?

Are you searching for an engaged couple's website on The Knot . com? Have you had a difficult time looking for a couple's personal wedding web page?

Many couples set up their wedding page on The Knot . com, but searching for a couple's page is not easy to find...it is especially not-so-obvious for internet novices, but even for a geek (like myself). So here's how you do it:

1. Go to the Community main page: http://community.theknot.com/cs/ks/community/default.aspx

2. Scroll DOWN on this community page. The "Wedding Web Page Search" is about halfway down.

3. Enter the name of the groom OR bride. If you have it, also enter the couple's home state and wedding date.

4. Click GO (or enter).

3. You will be shown a list of results. Find the couple you are looking for and click on the link.

There are lots of FREE wedding website services all over the internet. They are just a Google search away, but here are a few popular ones: Momentville, eWedding.com, and myWedding.com.

Alternately, you can simply set up a blog on Posterous, Blogger, Tumblr or LiveJournal for free, and away you go.

ONLINE: So Many Blogs, So Little Time Part 1

i have recently jumped on the TWITTER bandwagon (please follow me: @celebrantvenus or www.twitter.com/celebrantvenus). However, it has turned me on to some fantastic stuff on the web, including an endless supply of blogs!

Bridetide.com has composed its list of top 100 wedding blogs. There are blogs of every sort, including planning advice, DIY, wedding news, and of course, CAKE WRECKS. Interesting, many of these blogs are featured on aggregator sites like Alltop.com...

UPDATE: Same-Sex Marriage in CA

Recent developments have made me hopeful to wed gay/lesbian/GLBT/same-sex couples in a personalised, custom-written ceremony!

As an officiant and certified Celebrant authorized to solemnize marriages in the state of California, please contact me if you are in need of someone to perform your wedding. i honor all faiths, backgrounds, beliefs, preferences and cultures. Not religious, non-religious, spiritual, interfaith, traditional or unusual ceremonies are all OK. My website is A Non-Denominational Ceremony.

On to the latest:

Unless directed otherwise through further court action, Los Angeles County will begin issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples on Tuesday, June 17, 2008. For more information, the county has printed this flyer with the basic information you will need .

Also, here's an NPR story from the other day:
Same-Sex Ruling Drives Wedding Business in California

WEDDING: Props and Favors for a Non-Denominational Ceremony

i don't usually endorse commercial websites cos it's just not my style, but i discovered a website recently that offers an alternative from those cheesy and over-the-top wedding favour storefronts.

it's called MY SPIRITUAL WEDDING (http://www.myspiritualwedding.com/) and it has all the props a couple may need for a unity ritual. they carry items other sites don't often have in one place, like handfasting cords and Native American wedding vases, along with the typical stuff like unity candles, sand, ketubah, unity coins and more.

there's also a non-secular side to the spiritual, and the site has all that stuff, too.

i don't buy from the site, but i like using the information on the site to research the ceremonies and rituals i perform.