The ever fabulous SJ sent me a link to this article about a Romanian priest who is levying a fine upon non-virgins who want to marry in white in his church.

Father Petrica Bratu, 37, from Valea Sarii in central Romania said he wanted to introduce the fine to uphold Christian traditions.

Father Bratu said: ‘The fine depends on how intimate a couple have been before they get married. If they have just moved in together it will be around ten pounds but it goes up to 60 pounds if the bride is pregnant or already has a child.’ Thus introducing the interesting concept of a sliding scale of virginity.

He added: ‘What is the use of the white bridal dress if the bride went from one man to the next, or if she comes into church holding the hand of her child? White is a symbol of purity. I want this to stay unchanged. I do not want young people to think that there is no such thing as sacred matrimony.’

Okay, then. I just hope Bratu isn’t ‘seeing for himself’ before levying the fine.

Susanna of The Bling Blog pointed me toward a recent post of hers that discussed Vera Wang’s new line of matresses. Yes, that’s right, the black-clad gown designer is turning into Martha Stewart.

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If you want a wedding gown with sleeves, you want to be Mormon chic. No, really, that’s the name of an online shop I came across today. For those who are picky about chic, there is ‘gospel chic’ gear, ‘mommy chic’ gear, and even ‘deal diva chic’ gear, though I’m not quite sure what that’s all about. In their bridal showcase, you’ll find ‘bridal chic’ gear. Okay, I’m done saying chic now. Seriously.

But before I show you a gown with sleeves, I thought I’d share some of the gown guidelines Mormon brides who are married in temple must abide by:

Gowns must be white, long-sleeved with a high neck and high back. Lace must be lined and any ornamentation must be white. You can choose to wear inserts during the marriage ceremony if necessary.

When they say white, they mean white-white…none of this off-white jibberjabber. I’m not quite sure what they mean by inserts, but I do know that all gowns must cover the LDS “temple garments” in their entirety.

While the thick satin construction of this gown–crafted by The Gallery by Lynette–seems just a tad harsh (I’m picturing iron underwear underneath), I can guarantee you that no bride who dons this number will have to worry about cold shoulders, frozen elbows, or chilly wrists. And though I can’t say I agree with the choice of off-lime for the sash, it would look rather fetching in white, pale blue, or blush.

Not much for the mother of the groom out there, huh? Tell me about it. I know a few MOGs who would love to receive something as simple as a t-shirt or a mug this holiday season. But while MOBs can find everything from aprons and sweatshirts advertising their roles, MOGs are usually left out in the cold where gifts are concerned.

So, in case you, like me, know some proud MOGs in need of gifts, I’ve discovered a few options for you to look into.

Though A Song For My Son On His Wedding Day is just a single, it’s a real tearjerker. If you know a MOG who wants to enjoy a truly memorable mother-son dance, this may the gift you’re looking for. You might also try Drew’s Famous Mother & Groom’s Dance.

Sharon Naylor’s Mother Of The Groom: Everything you Need covers the basics from what to wear to what to pay for while touching on other helpful facts with eloquence.

Of course, there is the obligatory MOG t-shirt. And if that’s not enough free advertising for the MOGs in your life, don’t forget the “WARNING! BEWARE OF THE MOTHER OF THE GROOM! tote.

And, if you happen to know a MOG who is into those charm link bracelets, she may love a Mother of the Groom link from Pugster Exclusive.

Good luck, gifthunters!

I’ve recently fallen in love with Black Hills gold jewelry. What is Black Hills gold, you ask? Let me dazzle you with the backstory: In the 1870s, sometime after a prospector named Horatio Nelson Ross found a bit of gold in the waters of French Creek in the Black Hills of South Dakota, a French goldsmith named Henri LeBeauold (or LeBeau, depending on who’s telling the tale) traveled to the Dakotas to cash in on what is often called the last great gold rush in U.S. history.

LeBeauold’s skills as a prospector were not up to snuff, however, and he found himself parched and starving in the Black Hills. Fearing his death was imminent, he went to sleep. And, as he dozed, he dreamt of beautiful rushing stream with lush grape vines growing on its banks. When he woke, he climbed over a rise similar to the one he’d dreamt about and came face to face with the very stream and vines he’d seen in his dream.

In his gratitude, LeBeauold chose to dedicate his life to crafting jewelry in yellow, green, and rose gold that featured grape leaves, vines, and clusters…no doubt after he’d slaked his thirst and calmed the rumbling in his belly with hefty handfuls of ripe grapes. So, Black Hills gold refers to the design as well as its origin. Here is an abridged description of the Black Hills gold jewelry-making process from Black Hills Gold Outlet:

The process of making Black Hills Gold jewelry begins with pure 24 Karat gold. It is alloyed with exact percentages of other metals to achieve a more durable karat quality of 10K, 12K or 14K. The traditional pink and green color gold used for leaves and other details is made when copper or silver is combined with the pure gold. The resulting gold bars are then readied for rolling.

The alloyed gold bars are rolled by presses to different thicknesses for different types of jewelery. Component parts are carefully stamped, one at a time, out of the rolled gold sheets using patterns and dies. The solid gold leaves and other patterns are now ready to be added to a cast jewelry base.

Great for engagement rings or wedding bands. Provided the male component of the partnership is willing to do pink.

Want $10,000 worth of jewelry? If you’re engaged (or even if you’re not, shhh, I won’t tell), Ross*Simons, an internet jewelry retailer headquartered in Rhode Island, is holding a contest geared toward future brides and grooms whose proposals didn’t quite go as planned. They are looking for funny, insightful, serious, awkward, poignant, and, above all, entertaining home videos in which newly engaged couples re-enact their “Proposals Gone Wrong.” Couples can also send in their actual proposal videos!

This contest is dedicated to the brave souls who have seen the abyss of a botched proposal and lived to tell the tale, even to laugh about it. Take a look at the current entries to see just how rough the going can get. And if you think you can top them (or bottom them, we suppose,) enter your own video. Our team of judges will review the entries, and if they think yours is the ultimate proposal gone awry, you could win a $10,000 shopping spree at Ross*Simons.

Below is one of their example videos…though I do hope that the videos real future brides and grooms send in won’t be as utterly depressing…

If any of you folks enter the contest, let me know!

“Wintertime flower girls get cold, too, ya know.” That’s just a little message I’d like to shoot off to the designers and manufacturers of most flower girl dresses. Luckily there’s Smitherman & Barnwell. This purveyor of luxury at its best (and littlest) will keep your flower girl cozy in teeny tiny ankle-length gowns with….drumroll please….sleeves! And let’s not forget the matching jackets!

This beautiful silk beaded diamond pintuck jacket and gown comes in gold, white, champagne, lilac, and celery

On a Christmas-y and Chanukah-y note, if you happen to know any pre-k age future flower girls dancing with excitement over upcoming weddings, The Flower Girl by Laura Godwin makes a great holiday gift. This book explains the wedding from the point of view of the flower girl…in rhyme, of course.

The fabulous Sara shared a most ingenious littel tip regarding vendors with me recently. I can’t remember now whether she used this tip while planning her own wedding or only thought about it after the fact. Either way, it’s a real gem.

She recommends that brides-to-be program their vendor telephone numbers into their cell phones by category rather than vendor name or company name. That way, when the pressure is on and they need to consult their florist, DJ, caterer, or cake artisan, all they have to do is scroll through their contacts until they hit upon the appropriate keyword. Want even easier access? Program your vendor numbers into your cell phone’s voice dialing system! That way, you can just shout “TENT!” when you realize that your contract says you’ve reserved at 40-person tent for a 200-person wedding.

But why not take it one step further? Make sure you can reach your vendors with nary more than a mouse click by adding their info to your e-mail address book by category. Because, hey, what’s easier to remember? The simple keyword ‘florist’? Or MaryJsBloom.O.Rama@yahoo.com?