Spend an afternoon with David inside a specially designed space at Tanger Outlets at The Arches as David Tutera shares his insight and expertise not only for wedding planning but also for setting a romantic environment on Valentine’s Day for all couples.  Whether you are a Long Island bride-to-be, or just enjoy the wisdom and innovation of David’s entertaining ideas, this event is for you!  Admission to the Style & Romance event is free. David will also be available to sign his books and meet shoppers after the event.

Visit Tanger Outlets at The Arches Facebook page now through January 31st and Enter to Win VIP tickets to the event!  VIP ticket holders will meet David at an exclusive pre-event reception and receive VIP seating at the Style & Romance Event.  Winners will be announced on February 1st.

Q:  My fiance and I are having our reception in Stony Brook in August 2012. We are finding it impossible to find a ceremony site! We want to have an outdoor ceremony (not on the beach). Ideally it would be someplace quiet and as natural as possible (i.e. a little distance between us and the parking lot). Also we are looking for the area to have mature trees to provide shade and charm (it will be August!). To make matters even more challenging, we are both attending graduate school in Arizona so the internet is our main resource. Any suggestions?

A:  Jacklyn, have you considered the Long Island Museum?   They have lovely grounds and have experience in outdoor wedding receptions, and of course, they are right in the heart of Stony Brook!   There will be a fee to have your wedding there — it starts at $550.  For more info, call Julia, their events coordinator at 631-751-0066, ext. 247.   Another idea — how about the Stony Brook Grist Mill for a unique ceremony?   There’s a lovely area behind the mill itself, as well as a pond.  A fee is also required, and the amount depends on your number of guests.  For information, call Deborah at 631-751-2244.   And let us know what you decide on!

And we have very exciting news to share today — This fabulously elegant site was selected as a 2012 ­­winner in The Knot Best of Weddings, a special section in The Knot Long Island magazine and on Long Island Best of Weddings from The Knot.

Says the Inn:  “We’re absolutely thrilled to receive such wonderful feedback from our brides. The Inn is, and has always been a family owned and operated facility—our top priority is always the happiness of the couples that have chosen to start their families with us. Thank you for this honor, and we look forward to meeting all of the new “Inn” couples in 2012!”

In a statement released yesterday, Franklin said, “Will and I have decided we were moving a little too fast, and there were a number of things that had not been thought through thoroughly. There will be no wedding at this time,” Franklin said. “We will not comment on it any further because of the very personal and sensitive nature of it.  We appreciate all of the many well wishes from friends.”

Let’s give the lady some r-e-s-p-e-c-t, please.

“Sure to add a touch of beauty and romance to wedding correspondence, the Wedding Cake stamp, first introduced in 2009, is a timeless addition to the U.S. Postal Service’s Weddings series,” said U.S. Postal Service Stamp Services Manager Stephen Kearney. “Often the centerpiece of a wedding reception, the cake has been a wedding tradition for many generations.”  The stamps are available at Post Offices nationwide, online at usps.com and by phone at 800-782-6724.

Pastry chef Peter Brett of Washington, DC, created and designed the cake photographed by Renée Comet of Washington, DC.

“Can’t Help Falling in Love and At Last remain the most popular songs, with newer songs like Train’s Marry Me breaking into the top 5,” says Marta Segal Block, GigMasters’ Editorial Director.  “Although many of the songs being chosen aren’t new, what is new is that brides and grooms are taking a larger role in choosing the rest of the songs for the reception. The majority of couples are creating “Must Play” and “Do Not Play” lists for their reception, and some are even creating specific set lists.”

TOP 5 FIRST DANCE SONGS
1.    At Last – Etta James
2.    Can’t Help Falling in Love – Elvis Presley
3.    Marry Me – Train
4.    You and Me – Dave Matthews Band
5.    All My Life – K-Ci & JoJo tied with Lucky – Jason Mraz, The Way You Look Tonight – Frank Sinatra and Then – Brad Paisley

TOP 5 FATHER/DAUGHTER DANCE SONGS
1.    I Loved Her First – Heartland
2.    Wonderful World – Louis Armstrong
3.    The Way You Look Tonight – Frank Sinatra
4.    Cinderella – Steven Curtis Chapman
5.    My Girl – The Temptations tied with Unforgettable – Natalie Cole

TOP 5 ‘DO NOT PLAY’ SONGS
1.    Chicken Dance
2.    Electric Slide
3.    Macarena
4.    YMCA
5.    Cotton Eye Joe

TOP SONGS FROM 2011 FOR 2012 WEDDINGS
1.    Marry You – Bruno Mars
2.    Just a Kiss – Lady Antebellum
3.    Love You Like a Love Song –Selena Gomez
4.    Countdown – Beyoncé
5.    We Found Love – Rihanna

The process is fairly simple:   Visit NEWLYMAID.com and purchase a trade-in mailer for sending one garment.  The mailer includes two types of packaging, one clear bag for the dress and one shipping bag.  A prepaid return shipping label is also included, along with packing and shipping instructions.  Once NEWLYMAID receives the garment and the criteria for trade-in credit are met, special pricing (30 to 50 percent credit) for a  new dress is unlocked for that customer’s account on the NEWLYMAID.com site.

(This new service is courtesy of  The Dessy Group, a leading manufacturer of bridesmaid dresses, social occasion dresses, flower girl dresses and destination wedding gowns under the labels Dessy Collection, Cynthia Rowley Bridesmaids, After Six, Alfred Sung, Lela Rose Bridesmaid and Sandals Destination Wedding Dresses.)