Love Blooms At Ikea-Flash Mob And All!

This cute article by Beth Greenfield, Shine Staff at Yahoo Shine! Karen particularly loves Ikea, so this one's for her! I am actually partial to those famous meatballs.........

What’s in the water at IKEA?

Earlier this month, a New Jersey couple exchanged wedding vows in the picture-frame aisle at their local IKEA store, where they had first locked eyes eight years earlier. Now, in the latest romantic tale for the Swedish furniture retailer, a Miami man, Carlos Gatos, has staged an elaborate flash-mob proposal in the Sunrise, Florida store. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=zj7CSoWY38k

For some couples, navigating the maze of an IKEA store the ultimate relationship test. But for Gatos and Rebecca Shackelford, it's the place they first met.  Two years later, on June 15th, Shackelford looked floored as a suit-clad Gatos descended the store’s long escalator, bouquet of flowers in hand. Then, at the end of a flash mob’s dance routine to Bruno Mars’s “Marry You,” Gatos dropped to his knees before Shackelford (and in front of a large crowd), saying, “You're the greatest thing that's ever happened to me. I can't think of my life without you. I love you. Will you please marry me?” She responded with a resounding “Yes!” 

Soon afterward, Shackelford told the Palm Beach New Times, “When I saw him, I was in shock. I'm still shaking.”

Gatos, a 29-year-old paramedic, said he was determined to propose to her in the place that brought them together. “I had to bring her back here because, against all odds, we met here,” he told the Times. “We had lunch in the cafeteria, separate checks, and then we spent the rest of the day here. When it closed is when we left.” He worked with Sean's Dance Factory of West Palm, where Sean Green choreographed the number and worked with the crew of dancers. 

“I love how it came out,” Green said. “I’m just excited for Carlos and his new wife-to-be. We thank IKEA for allowing us to be here and put this project together.”

It's not the first time Ikea played Cupid. On June 8, Shirley Stewart and Rashid Smith were married an IKEA store in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Shirley, a reciprocal clerk at AAA, had been shopping with her daughter when she noticed fellow customer Smith. 

“I couldn’t tell if he was wearing a wedding ring or was with a woman so I followed him around the store for an entire hour, trying to find a reason to talk to him,” she told Yahoo! Shine. “Eventually, my daughter got impatient so she offered to get his phone number for me.” That got his attention, and, eight years later, they tied the knot in the exact spot where they first spoke.

Earlier this year, in Australia, another couple tied the knot in IKEA, in a ceremony orchestrated and paid for by the store itself. “Meet Lynne and Chad. They're the lucky couple selected to hold their wedding at the IKEA Tempe store. For them it's a dream come true,” read a promotional announcement on the company’s website about the wedding, designed to show the public how it can still be possible to orchestrate an elegant, affordable event (with IKEA products, of course). 

“It feels right to be married somewhere we both love—and we adore IKEA,” the couple was quoted as saying, adding that their many shopping trips to the store over the years had brought them closer. "It's true, romance can be alive anywhere, even in the aisles of IKEA!"

According to IKEA spokesperson Marty Marston, such romances have been a part of the store's allure for a while now. "I remember 20 years ago we had a couple get married on Valentine's Day in the New Jersey store," she told Shine. At the Burbank store, she added, IKEA partnered with Universal Studios for the 2008 film release of "Mamma Mia!," marrying 20 couples in the store with a festive disco theme. 

"I think it's great that people feel so attached to the store that they want it to have a place in their memories," Marston said. As far as why love seems to bloom in their aisles, she posited, "You feel good when you're at an IKEA store. I think that promotes a very positive frame of mind."

It seems to be the case around the globe, including in Shanghai, China, where new IKEA stores were seen as magnets for older lonely hearts seeking a shot at romance, according to a 2011 Wall Street Journal story. Tang Yingzhuo, a retired widow, told a reporter she didn’t think it was right to try to meet men at bars, clubs or Karaoke joints, and preferred the aisles and café area of IKEA instead. But the new town square was fulfilling in other ways, too. "I make more senior citizen friends when I come here," Tang said. "There's more to offer than meeting a boyfriend at IKEA."

Who knew?

Bride Gets a New Dress After Losing Original in Tornado!

Megan and Justin Acord (Photo by Megan Acorn)

• During hard times the things we cherish and embrace the most are family and friends. These friends knew exactly what to do to help ease this bride's burden and wrap her in friendship, love-and a wedding dress!
• Article by Elise Solé on the Yahoo Shine! Staff

Megan Acord is grateful that she survived the devastating tornado that hit her town of Moore, Oklahoma last month—even though her wedding dress did not. 
“My house had been completely destroyed in part by a truck that ripped through it and landed in my backyard,” Acord told Yahoo! Shine. “After making sure my family members were safe, my first thought was, ‘I hope my wedding dress is OK.’” After the tornado passed, Acord returned to what was left of her home and took the remains apart brick by brick. “I didn’t want to bulldoze in case the dress and other valuables were salvageable,” she says. In April, Acord and her now-husband Justin, 25, a senior airman in the Air Force, had gotten hitched in order to be transferred as a married couple to Justin’s next station in South Carolina. However, they were planning a proper wedding for July 12 for which Acord had purchased a $350 gown from David’s Bridal. “I liked the dress, but it was a little plain and I was on a budget,” says Acord. Sadly, Acord couldn't locate her dress and postponed her wedding. “I was devastated when it was gone. I wasn’t sure I could afford another one.” 

On Saturday, her friends offered to take Acord to lunch to cheer her up. While they were crossing the street in the town of Norman, one of them steered her in the direction of a wedding dress shop named BeLoved Bridal Boutique. “I didn’t understand what we were doing there but once inside, I saw my boss, Laura, and Channel 4 News,” says Acord. “Laura was smiling with tears in her eyes and said, ‘I hear you need a new wedding dress.’”  

Laura Hilgenfeld, co-owner of a local Chick-fil-A where Acord works as a cashier, told Yahoo! Shine, “We were saddened by the loss of Megan’s home and wedding dress. We started a fundraiser at Chick-fil-A for team members affected by the tornado but I wanted to do something special for Megan. So on Wednesday, totally on a whim, I called BeLoved Bridal Boutique and asked if we could buy one of their floor sample dresses at a discount.” 

The owners of the boutique jumped at the chance to assist. “We thought we could do better than help,” co-owner Andrea Mantooth told Yahoo! Shine. “We’re in the business of helping brides so we thought, ‘Let’s just blow her away.’ We called one of our designers, Stella York, and asked if they could donate one of their many gowns we had in stock. They immediately said yes.” 

Acord tried on 10 different dresses before settling on her dream gown: A $1,500 jeweled, belted “fit-n-flare” dress with a sweetheart neckline. “It was so rewarding to walk into a bridal shop and choose whatever gown I wanted,” says Acord. “It was every girl's dream! I’m so thankful to my boss. It was such a blessing."

The couple have rescheduled their nuptials for August. So, can we preview the new gown? “Not before my husband sees it. It's a surprise!" says Acord.

Toilet Paper Wedding Dress Contest!

I've heard of wedding dresses being fashioned out of duct tape, but this is a whole new concept to me! I'm not sure how wearable the dress would actually be, but it certainly scores high in the creative department. This article from Yahoo Shine! By Elise Solé.
An Albanian hairdresser from South Carolina is “flush” with pride after winning a $2,000 grand prize for her wedding dress creation, made entirely from toilet paper. 
Mimoza Haska, the first-place winner, was flown into New York from her home in South Carolina for the live judging event at RK Bridal on Thursday. 
The contest was sponsored by Charmin and hosted by Chic Cheap Weddings, a wedding-planning site created by a woman named Roxie Radford and her two daughters, Susan Bain and Laura Gawne. The three have backgrounds in restaurant ownership, catering, and event planning, and they share a love for “all things beautiful,” according to their website. 
“At bridesmaids parties, one of the games that you play is you wrap each other in toilet paper and you make these dresses and it’s normally a competition,” says Kate Pankoke, a judge. “Sometimes there’s prizes involved. But the girls who made these gowns obviously took it to a whole other level. So, as you can see here, the detail that goes into them. They’re only allowed to use Charmin toilet paper, glue, needle and thread and tape. So there’s no fabric in there. This is all paper. It’s amazing!” 
After winning the contest, Haska, wearing a ribbon sash, said, “Everybody did such a wonderful job. I’m honored, this is wonderful. I like clothes, I like art. I always create and I like to keep doing it and see where it takes me.”
Sounds like she's on a roll. 

9 Common Wedding Planning Myths Debunked

This helpful article by Laurie Arons, wedding planner on Yahoo!Shine.com 

Planning a wedding can be overwhelming, and you can end up a stressed-out bridezilla if you make the wrong assumptions about how to smoothly plan a budget-friendly and well-executed big day. There are a lot of elements that go into a wedding, but at the end of the day, you want it to appear effortless. Here to help is wedding planner Laurie Arons, who shares her expert tips on how to make your wedding memorable and enjoyable for your guests, loved ones, and, of course, you and your beloved. Laurie debunks nine of the most common wedding planning myths - check 'em out now! 

• Myth: It's a good idea to mail invitations early, giving guests plenty of time to respond - "If you mail invitations too early, guests often set aside the invite, forget about it or lose it, and end up neglecting to RSVP," Laurie warns. "Or if they do RSVP, their plans can change if there are still a few months to go before the big day. Proper etiquette states four to eight weeks before is the correct time frame for sending the invitation. A save the date is a perfect tool for letting guests know about your wedding ahead of time and can be mailed up to a year in advance."
• Myth: Offering an entrée choice on the invitation is gracious for your guests and helps the caterer plan ahead. - "It can actually be confusing during dinner service to serve the meal the guest chose weeks ago," Laurie says. "Strict seating charts or place markers are needed so the caterer knows what to serve, but even then, guests forget or change their mind and ask to switch on site."
• Myth: Open seating is great for guests because it gives them the freedom to sit with the people they want. - "It can be chaotic and stressful for guests to find seats with their preferred companions," Laurie advises. "Always assign at least a table for the guest to sit at. But taking a little extra time to assign a seat really takes the guesswork out of the equation and puts guests in a group you think they'd get along with best."

• Myth: A wedding at home is more low-key and less expensive. - "Weddings at home are so special - I love them!" That said, Laurie notes: "However, big expenses come with readying a private home for a big event, including landscaping, valet parking, rental items, and portable restrooms . . . not to mention cleaning fees after the event is over. Weigh all of the costs before deciding to go down this path."
• Myth: Rustic weddings are less expensive and more casual to plan. - "Rustic weddings look effortless, but looks can be deceiving," Laurie points out. "Trucking rental items into a remote or rustic location can be a logistical ordeal - those beautifully crafted wood farm tables are heavy and bulky to transport. Plus, your caterer will have to build kitchens from scratch on site, lighting will be needed to help guests navigate woodland trails, uneven ground, etc."
• Myth: Registering for your honeymoon gives your guests a chance to buy you something memorable. - "While the honeymoon registry is a new trend that's catching on, it can be improper to ask guests to fund a vacation." Laurie says her opinion is controversial, but adds, "Guests love to buy long-lasting pieces the couple will cherish in their home. I advise my clients to register for the traditional china, silver, and crystal, along with other useful household items like linens and towels. Beautiful vases, candlesticks, and picture frames are also popular registry items that can be passed down to the couple's children later in life."

• Myth: When it comes to personalizing your wedding, more personal touches mean a more fun guest experience. - "With all the wedding blogs and magazines out there, it's easy to get overinspired to include every cute detail you see. But it can quickly get overwhelming and expensive." Laurie's solution: "Pick a couple cute details you like and include them on the day, but try to stay consistent in the look and feel of your wedding for a seamless guest experience."
• Myth: DIY wedding elements are a special way for brides to feel a part of the planning process. - "Homemade favors, printed pieces, and desserts sound like a wonderful idea at first," Laurie notes. "But if you're stuck baking and crafting into the wee hours the week before your wedding, you will be too stressed and tired to enjoy the occasion. If you can get something done well in advance, go for it. Then leave the last-minute details to professionals or friends so you can relax and enjoy!"
• Myth: If your venue has an in-house wedding coordinator, you don't need to hire a wedding planner. - "On-site coordinators are wonderful at managing the flow at the venue and executing their event operations," Laurie says. "But their assistance usually doesn't leave their grounds. If you need help with wedding invitations, wedding party attire, transportation at hotels, etc., a professional wedding planner will be the one to guide you. Venue coordinators usually love when an organized, thoughtful wedding planner is on board, so they can team up to deliver the perfect wedding day to brides."