Save $500 on a Dominica Outdoor Wedding

Book by August 31, 2009, and you can use a special coupon code to save $500 off an Escape Wedding & Honeymoon package at Jungle Bay on the Caribbean island of Dominica. This offer includes the services of a professional wedding planner, who will ensure your Dominica outdoor wedding is a one-of-a-kind celebration in a romantic, tropical island atmosphere. Package rates begin at $1,500, and you'll save $500 when you refer to coupon code: wedding09. For more information, email info@junglebaydominica.com or call 767-446-1789.

Wedding Day Premieres Tomorrow on TNT

Wedding Day, a new wedding reality show, debuts June 16 on TNT at 8 p.m. (ET/PT). I'm watching the extended sneak preview online now, and I'm already drawn in by the story of Holli and Steve, whose wedding was postponed following Holli's near-fatal car accident.

Wedding Day marks TNT's first foray into the unscripted, reality TV genre. Each week, celebrity event planner and food expert Alan Dunn and celebrity wedding producer and designer Diann Valentine host as family, friends and community come together to create a dream wedding for a special couple. I'm guessing there are bound to be a few outdoor weddings featured.

If you watch the debut show... click Comments below to tell us what you think.

_{Media photo of Holli's emotional wedding day courtesy of Warner Bros.}

Don't Learn These Lessons the Hard Way

Lesson 1: Don't ever pack your wedding gown in your checked luggage.

Lesson 2: If at all possible, don't wait until the last minute to transport your dress to your wedding location.

If you need to transport your carefully selected, custom-altered gown to your wedding destination--as many outdoor brides do--it's important to read Jenn's sad story, reported today in the Consumerist, so you won't find yourself in a similar predicament. The gown in which Jenn had already invested $1,000 vanished from her checked bag on a US Airways flight to her hometown just eight days before her wedding, and she was forced to hastily shop for a substitute gown and pay extra to expedite alterations. And the stress is far from over: Now, she's battling the airline for compensation.

While it's not always possible to shop for your gown near your intended wedding destination, keep in mind that there are smart alternatives to checking your precious dress including carrying it on the plane (even if it will require a fresh pressing when you arrive), shipping it insured well in advance via UPS or FedEx, paying a trusted friend to drive the dress to your wedding location if possible, or wearing your gown on the plane. OK--that may not be the wisest choice unless your dress is sleek and comfortable, but it would definitely protect against loss and might even earn you an upgrade!

Two Ways to Win Your Wedding Gown

I always advise outdoor brides not to overspend on their wedding gowns, and winning the dress of your dreams is certainly one way to accomplish this! If you are getting married any time after August 2009, you'll want to play the new Match the Wedding Gowns memory game from Get Married and submit your score for a chance to win a dress valued at up to $1,800 from Alfred Angelo or the Alfred Angelo Sapphire Collection.

Want an even easier way to win? Simply fill out the entry form on the Alfred Angelo site for an additional chance to win a wedding gown in the designer's 75th anniversary giveaway. Other prizes include: NWA World Vacations honeymoon packages worth $5000, his and hers palladium wedding bands, Alfred Angelo bridesmaid dresses and a Mindy Weiss bridal gift package.

Alfred Angelo offers many bridal gowns perfect for outdoor nuptials, including several with blue accents that are ideal for beach weddings. Styles 2014 and 1774NT are two of my favorites for seaside brides. View the complete current collection, and tell us in the comments which Alfred Angelo designs caught your eye.

Poll: What type of outdoor wedding are you planning?

3 New Rooftop Outdoor Wedding Venues in NYC

Looking for a fun, creative and new outdoor space to host your wedding in New York City? BizBash reported yesterday on 3 New Rooftop Spots for Summer Events including the 2,700-square-foot Penthouse atop the Cooper Square Hotel with its 1,400-square-foot wraparound deck: The space can accommodate up to 175 guests. Hurry while there's still time to be the first bride on the block to book one of these chic new event venues.

Find Great Ideas and Vote for Your Favorite DIY Wedding Projects

There are some really clever ideas among the 25 entries in the DIY wedding project contest at Vintage Glam Weddings. Vote for your favorite by Wednesday, April 22. I really liked these three--all perfect for outdoor weddings:

• Entry #3: DIY Centerpiece - How gutsy to use toilet paper rolls as wedding decor!
• Entry #7: DIY Ribbon Pomanders - A cute, simple and colorful idea.
• Entry #25: DIY Water Bottle Labels - An elegant, yet affordable way to keep guests hydrated on hot outdoor wedding days.

Your Outdoor Wedding Shoes--Just $12.95!

6PM.com is offering Bouquets shoes in a multitude of styles at a sale price of $12.95, and I think several would make perfect outdoor wedding shoes. My faves: Beauty in white with an outdoor-friendly clear heel, the bejeweled Slide, Suzy in sheer silver mesh; and, especially for brides planning butterfly-themed weddings, Jean in either the champagne or silver faux leather. I'm actually pretty sure I'll order these for myself--just agonizing over the color!

Since it's almost a certainty that your wedding shoes will not "survive" an outdoor affair, why pay $100 or more when these styles are both cute and affordable? Even with the $6.95 shipping fee, you'll be getting away for under 20 bucks. You'll have to hurry, though, because I can't imagine supplies will last long at this price.

A Juicy Spot! Host Your Outdoor Wedding in a Florida Orange Grove

While vacationing on Florida's West Coast last month, I stumbled upon a
lovely outdoor wedding setting during a visit to the store at Mixon Fruit Farms. This working orange grove in Bradenton, Florida, calls its wedding facility Mixon's in the Grove, and it's ideally set up for couples who are dreaming of hosting their wedding in an intriguing outdoor setting but also want to ensure they have a "plan B" in case of rain.

It was actually cloudy and a bit drizzly when we arrived at Mixon Fruit
Farms, but these photos should still give you a sense of the property's many options for ceremony and photography locations. I loved this pergola's tropical landscaping!

The Garden Oasis (pictured above) is one potential ceremony spot. The white fenced dock on the left juts out over this Koi pond with its rock waterfall and fountain.

This flower-draped metal gazebo in the Butterfly Garden at Mixon's in the Grove is another potential site for an intimate wedding ceremony.

This spacious gazebo is a third option, and it offers a bit of cover from the sun and the elements. As we explored the lush grounds, including an outdoor patio area with a backdrop of orange trees that would make a suitable cocktail hour setting, we noticed that we could hear quite a bit of highway noise. Couples who choose Mixon's for their outdoor wedding should probably consider using a sound system (ask your DJ about wireless mics) to ensure guests can hear their officiant and their exchange of vows. Once the party gets going, I wouldn't imagine the traffic would be a distraction.

The best feature of Mixon's in the Grove is this reception pavilion, located directly across from the gazebo. It can comfortably hold about 200 guests and offers shelter in the event of wind or showers. Mixon Fruit Farms also has an indoor banquet hall that can seat 75 for smaller receptions. To tour this Florida outdoor wedding site or request more information, call 941-748-5829, ext. 280 or email Events@mixon.com.

More Florida Outdoor Wedding Locations

Win $4,000 Toward Your Perfect Start

Hallmark's Perfect Start Sweepstakes features a prize any couple in the throes of wedding planning could definitely use: $4,000 cash and a $1,000 Gold Crown Gift Card for a year's worth of Hallmark greeting cards. You can enter online once each day, but hurry! The deadline for entries is 11:59 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on March 16, 2009. Good luck!