The Blogging Bride: Love is in Bloom

Do you know what a ranunculus is? A few weeks ago, I didn't either. Now, I spend my free time obsessively searching the Internet for images of ranunculus, lisanthius and a number of other tongue-twister plants in an effort to make some decisions about my wedding flowers.

How did I get here? Floral decor was the last of my wedding concerns. The dress, the venue, the food and the photographer were far higher on the totem pole. But after meeting with some florists this week, I became a flower convert. I realized that if used in the right way, flowers can be a gorgeous addition to your ceremony and reception. I also learned that they can be a total pain.

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Wedding White Does Not Have To Make You Blue

So your wedding is coming up, you're fighting with the wedding planner and the date is wrong on the invitations. Relax, take a step back and let let BV help you with the 10 essential ways not to be the dreaded Bridezilla!!!

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The College Survival Guide

A Fridge
Regardless of whether you have a wonderful sized meal plan, your fridge may come in handy with leftovers or when you feel like stocking it with bottled drinks.

Computer
The convenience of a computer is essential when sending your kids off to college. Forget the hike to the computer lab across campus students need a computer in the comfort of their room. A printer comes in handy as well. Depending on whether your child plans to carry his laptop around campus, you might opt for a desk top since they're lighter on the pockets.

Snacks
You will surely survive with off of a meal plan but it doesn't hurt to stock up on snacks when you don't feel like leaving your dorm room. Bottled water, pop corn, cereal and Ramen noodles are all low budget snacks to stock up on. Just be weary of the freshman 15.

Things from home
Some college students suffer from homesickness the first year. It's best to surround yourself with things like photos of the family, pillows or even stuffed animals. Anything that reminds your child of home.

MP3 Player
With all the stress that comes from school and exams, sometimes it's nice to block out the chaos in your life and even your roommate with music. It's nearly impossible to find students walking to class who aren't jamming to tunes.

Budget
Students who enter college often come in at the ripening age of 18. A great time for credit cards. Parents beware, your child may end up ruining their credit at a young age

Alarm Clock
When you're in college you don't have the luxury of getting awaken by your parents. It's now your responsibility to get to class on time so alarm clocks are a must. But keep your roommate in mind. You shouldn't wake him up ever morning with a blow horn alarm.

Cleaning supplies
Now you don't necessarily need to bring in the rubber gloves, mop and gas mask but it doesn't hurt to bring along Clorox all purpose wipes for spills or dust. Vacuums and brooms come in handy too depending if you have a carpeted dorm.

Bedding
What most parents aren't aware of is that most college beds are twin sized but extra long and require special sheets. When shopping keep your eye open for sheets that clearly state 'extra long' or else your child may come up short.

Shower shoes
You really don't know what some people do in the shower these days. College showers are known to be creeping with germs so spare yourself the fungus and purchase flip flops for the shower. You'll thank us later!

Flowers are expensive. I mean, really expensive. I mean, more than my too-pricey dress and my too-pricey photographer. Why so much? Well, to begin with, the cost of your wedding florist's labor. Depending on the size of your wedding, this could be a lot. Also, the U.S., particularly the East Coast, where I live, isn't that big in the flower-growing business. As a result, many varieties of flowers need to be flown in -- often on commercial flights -- from Asia, Europe and South America. Clearly, this sort of thing isn't cheap.

While you can't control the fact that your flowers will need to be flown in, you can control which flowers you choose. If you don't want to spend more on flowers than you already are, do your research and choose seasonal flowers. If peonies are a spring flower, you're asking for trouble if you insist upon having them in your bouquet for your fall wedding. A lot of magazines also tout the benefits of choosing local flowers to save money (and the environment). Because local flowers are few and far between, you will have to relinquish control over what kinds and also what color flowers you get. Unfortunately, my high-minded all-white flower concept does not apply.

Of course, if you're looking for a supersaver option, forgo the professional florist all together. You'll need lots of time, volunteers and creativity, but many brides -- after getting sticker shock at the florist -- are opting to go the DIY route. Whether you buy your flowers online from wholesalers like Blooms by the Box or the Flower Exchange or hit up the florist at your local supermarket for some inexpensive blooms, it's definitely the way to go to cut costs. After meeting with some professional florists, the DIY option is looking better and better.