An Adorable Dress for Your Outdoor Flower Girl

I have a five-year-old daughter, so my mailbox is constantly filled with catalogs advertising children's clothing. Chasing Fireflies was a new name to me, though, so while most of the catalogs land in a pile in my office, I couldn't resist taking a peek inside this one. Right away, on pages 2 and 3, I was captivated by the little girl's meringue dress, which I think would be absolutely adorable for the flower girl at an outdoor wedding.

It's not inexpensive ($288 + shipping), but this sleeveless, creamy white dress has a delightfully whimsical ruffled, ruched and ribboned skirt. The little girl who models the dress for the catalog is shown barefoot on a beach, but I think this sweet little dress with its full skirt would also be perfect for a summer outdoor wedding at a plantation house or in an elegant garden. The dress can be ordered online in sizes 2 through 8, or request your free Chasing Fireflies catalog by using this online form. I'm impressed by Chasing Fireflies' 60-day, no questions asked return policy, which allows plenty of time to make sure the dress is the right style and size for your little attendant.

A New Line of Gowns for Outdoor Brides

According to this Grand Junction Sentinel article, designer Judy Panozzo specifically had outdoor brides in mind when she designed her new line of Bridal Fashion by Millie wedding gowns. Millie's debut collection is small: there are just six gowns. But if you're planning an outdoor wedding, you may find a dress that catches your eye among these simple, yet sophisticated styles that are lacking long trains, fragile buttons and lace and other intricate details that don't tend to hold up well outdoors. Gowns can be ordered online, and they're also sold by Panozzo at her bridal salon, Victoria Rose, in Grand Junction, Colorado. The two Millie designs that caught my eye: Tyla ($650) and Emily ($650).

Non-Alcoholic Cocktails for your Outdoor Wedding

Signature drinks are all the rage for wedding cocktail hours. Why not take this idea one step further by serving a refreshing and creative non-alcoholic beverage as guests arrive? Often, outdoor weddings require guests to sit in the sun for a spell waiting for the ceremony to start. Serving cool, colorful beverages is a nice touch that takes guests' comfort and well-being into consideration.

You can take a cue from trends in the business event industry as you discuss beverage concoctions with your caterer or bartender. According to this article from BizBash, fresh ingredients from the produce aisle are key to designing a custom "mocktail." Other out-of-the-ordinary ideas suggested by the mixologists interviewed include everything from tea drinks to hibiscus soda.

Having a do-it-yourself outdoor wedding? Here are some non-alcoholic beverage recipes you might try:

• Passion Fruit Spritzer
• Hibiscus Grape Iced Tea
• Lavender Lemonade

Webcast Your Outdoor Wedding

Jewel Savadelis of Savadelis Films in California emailed me last year to share an interesting story. You can read more details in her company's press release, but here's the gist:

When a bride's mother broke her leg just days before her daughter's outdoor wedding, making it impossible for her to attend, Jewel and her husband, Chuck, swung into action to find a way to make sure the mother-of-the-bride wouldn't miss the wedding ceremony. "On 48 hours' notice, we set up a live Webcast from an outdoor location directly to the bride's mother in a hospital 2,500 miles away," Jewel wrote in her email. "It made all the difference to our sweet bride to know her Mother was watching," she said.

Many outdoor weddings are destination weddings, which increases the likelihood that some family members and friends will be unable to attend. Technology now offers a solution, even when weddings are held in non-traditional settings. "What is new is that you can Webcast from an outdoor location, such as a beach or mountaintop, or an indoor location that does not have Internet connectivity," Jewel told me. "And, rather than broadcasting just a few frames a second (very jumpy), the latest technology allows you to see full-motion at the moment it is happening," she added.

Although Savadelis Films' focus is on wedding videography, they're happy to help couples connect with companies that provide webcasting if this service is desired. Contact them at 408-749-1211.

Two Phenomenal Outdoor Weddings

The Spring/Summer issue of Grace Ormonde Wedding Style magazine hits newsstands this month. For a preview of what's in the latest issue of this trend-setting bridal magazine, you can see photos from two phenomenal outdoor weddings and read my stories about the couples online. NFL safety Lamont Thompson married Tinnetta Rockquemore on the beach at the Ihilani Resort & Spa on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. Fisher Island Investments Chief Operating Officer Cedrik Denain wed Geraldine Holze in the courtyard of the Vanderbilt Mansion on Florida's ultra-exclusive Fisher Island.

100 Online Tools to Help You Save on Your Outdoor Wedding

Congratulations to all of the new brides- and grooms-to-be who became engaged over the holidays! You have an exciting year ahead as you plan your wedding celebration. Outdoor weddings can be affordable, but like any wedding, costs can mount quickly. If you've made a resolution to plan a beautiful outdoor wedding on a budget, then you need to know about this comprehensive list compiled by Laura Milligan for Bootstrapper of 100 Online Tools and Resources to Affordably Have the Wedding of Your Dreams. Among the blogs, calculators and Web sites in this "toolbox" for brides-to-be, you'll find tips for saving money on your wedding gown (a great strategy for outdoor brides), online guest management tools and even cheap honeymoon ideas.