A Black Wedding - Full

Long Cool Women in a black dress are not walking down the aisle.
By Paul Pannone

In the 1970’s the Hollies sang about a 5-9 “beautiful tall” Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress that had it all. But today’s sultry beauties don’t seem to be the nuptial cuties walking down the aisle in a black wedding dress to any great degree. Black wedding dresses are not the norm, in fact they’re very difficult, if not impossible to find among the sea of white dresses actually being sold.
Black items in wedding planning are said to be popular but are found to be limited to current trends like cakes and diamonds, according to the Wedding Report and tuxedos, as per tradition. Discussions with fashion experts and editors feel the buzz centered on “a few people that decided to wear a black bride’s dress to their wedding” should not be taken seriously.
“You always have the Hollywood factor on something like this. Someone that decides to make a statement doesn’t mean it will become publically accepted or becomes a sustainable business. So, even if a few hundred ladies followed along, there are over 2.2 million weddings a year; you do the math,” said several fashion editors and publishers.

In researching this story, actress Sarah Jessica Parker was mentioned most. Parker wore a black dress to her 1997 wedding to Matthew Broderick, for her own reasons. Updates say the actress is still regretting her decision. In published reports, Parker admitted regretting the decision and quoted as saying if she and Broderick ever decide to renew their wedding vows, she will definitely be wearing white.
Radical fashion experts say red wedding gowns are also beautiful, as well as popular. Some claim this trend will probably become a norm in wedding fashion in the future. Other trendy items like pastel shades in lavender, mint green and baby blue are also in. But when it comes to breaking all the rules and snubbing superstition, there is no greater statement than black.
In search of “mainstream” black wedding dresses, experts and retailers agree there is no such thing. “There is nothing mainstream about a black wedding dress—most are morphs and are simply customized evening gowns made to look like wedding dresses. If they’re not, they may be or one-offs by designers but certainly are not part of a style run and readily available,” say several retail sources.
On Twitter, comments mostly trashing the black dress idea say, “Black wedding dresses? I think that's pushing it too far. Soft colors like pale pinks, yellows, maybe, but definitely not black. I'm finding it interesting how many people are responding to this question. They feel it's whatever makes the bride happy. I agree to a point, however, to me, black is associated with mourning. Isn't this supposed to be the happiest day of her life?” feels Dorinda Duclos. Duclos and other business people feel a totally black dress is neither appropriate for a wedding nor significant in the numbers sold.
In a balancing statement, Melinda Massie of Melinda Massie Events told eWN, “Yes, the black wedding dress is decidedly untraditional. However, brides are personalizing their weddings more than ever these days and breaking from tradition. If a lady rarely wears white in her day to day life, why should she have to wear it on her wedding day if she’ll be uncomfortable? I think a black cocktail dress would be very chic for a wedding that was a quick, informal ceremony followed by a wonderful cocktail party. A bride should feel at her most comfortable and most beautiful on her wedding day. If that’s in a black dress, she should go for it! For a lesbian wedding I planned, both brides wore black. One was in a beautiful gown while the other wore a tailored suit. They were both relaxed and looked fantastic.”In many cases we found designs incorporating a bit of black into white dresses, making them stylish and very fashionable. But, in search of a production run of Lilly Munster black-black-black wedding dresses, the search remains allusive. “That’s because, as you’ve found, there is no demand for the item. The look is geared more toward Gothic segments and represents a very narrow market of people that don’t reflect the true market,” reiterate fashion publishers.

8 Foods that Fight Stress

8 Foods that Fight Stress

By Sara Reistad-Long

Chow down on eats that tame hunger and reduce anxiety

Eat It to Beat It

We all know that tension can wreak havoc on our eating patterns. But the right (healthy!) foods can often help tame mindless munching and cravings and, better yet, actually lower overall anxiety and its symptoms. Eight of our favorites:

Dark Chocolate

High in flavonoids, which are lauded for their relaxing properties (chamomile tea is another great source), chocolate also contains phenethylamine, a chemical that enhances your mood. The darker the chocolate, the more healthy substances you're getting in your diet, so look for bars that are 70 percent cacao or higher.

Skim Milk

Turns out that a glass of warm milk really is calming. One study found that women who drank four or more servings of lowfat or skim milk every day were about half as likely to experience stress-related PMS symptoms than those who drank less than one serving a week.

Oatmeal

Carbs help you produce serotonin, a calming hormone that helps fight anxiety's negative effects-which is probably why many of us crave them when we're stressed. Go with the craving and choose healthy sources. Oatmeal is high in fiber, which means that your body will absorb it slowly. In one fell swoop, you'll prolong the serotonin boost, keeping yourself feeling full for longer (and on less) and making sure your blood sugar's in check.

Salmon

Research shows that omega-3 fatty acids-abundant in fish like salmon-can help reverse stress symptoms by boosting serotonin levels, and that an omega-3-rich diet can also help suppress the production of the anxiety hormones cortisol and adrenaline.

Walnuts

They've been shown to help lower blood pressure, which is critical for those whose hearts are already working overtime thanks to high adrenaline levels. In fact, research so strongly backs their health benefits that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration goes so far as to recommend 1 1/2 oz per day.

Sunflower Seeds

A good source of folate, which helps your body produce a pleasure-inducing brain chemical called dopamine.

Spinach

Studies show that magnesium, which you'll find in leafy greens like spinach, improves your body's response to stress.

Blueberries

Their antioxidants counteract the effects of stress hormones like cortisol on your body.

A Black Wedding...

This picture was taken right after the lunch at the reception of the Black Wedding... In the picture (from left) are Dhan, CD, JR, Raymond, and Odeck.

Bohol Adventure

Bohol Escapade 2010