May 2015

Two of Salt Lake’s most eclectic florists are generous with their advice. Pamela Olson Native Flower Company Tell me about Native Flower Company. Pamela Olson: The word “native” was inspired more by the aesthetic of the word. I wanted a rooted and loca …

You might marry for time and eternity, but it doesn’t have to seem like eternity. If you get it right, you’ll be amazed to find that 20 or 30 years have passed and you still love your partner at least as much as you did when you said “I do.” Not much i …

I once read a story by a prominent food writer and chef recalling a phone call from his son who wanted to know how to cook asparagus. Any pride in his son’s desire to cook was overpowered by the chef ’s sense of seasonality: “Why are you eating asparag …

When spring is in full swing, it’s almost as if being indoors is engaging in inappropriate behavior. Hiding inside is to live in exile, to squander precious sunlight. Fortunately, you know better than that. It’s barely May and you already have a tan li …

Nontraditional wedding and reception sites offer their own special charm and often cost less than traditional full-service venues. However, be sure to factor in time, effort and additional cost if you have additional needs: tents, portable potties, a d …

On May 31, 1999, my loving friend Brian Wright and I did something completely unconventional. We married each other. Brian was one of the most extraordinary, funny, loving, talented, literate, athletic, musically inclined, intelligent, strong, sensitiv …

Finnish anthropologist Edward Westermarck recounts some alarming traditional marriage rites in his 1891 book, The History of Human Marriage. Con­tents include the bride or groom beating the other, shutting up the bride in a box, the use of animal blood …

By the time Trent and I had been married three years, our relationship was in pretty bad shape. All the joy and fun we’d shared when we first tied the knot had somehow trickled away, and left behind were the giant piles of emotional baggage that, it tu …

A skilled and sensitive officiant can do more than simply guide your wedding ceremony. He or she can guide you through the process of creating a ritual that is meaningful and memorable. We reached out to two practiced officiants, Reverend Tom Goldsmith …

Jodi Mardesich Smith takes us beyond the bridal boutiques. What They Wore by Jodi Mardesich Smith As a freshman at Brigham Young University, I was an odd duck. I had no intentions of getting married anytime soon. But most other women seemed more intere …

Engaged couples have been exchanging gifts since the time of the Romans. Before betrothal rings became the dominant tradition around the 12th century, couples often exchanged thimbles or a piece of gold or silver. A gem like no other Diamonds gained ma …

In the midst of a Buddhist meditation retreat, in the summer of 2001, Carl asked me to marry him. With eyes and heart aglow, I said yes. It was so “us,” to get engaged at a Buddhist retreat. The shared intention to wake up, to open our hearts, had alwa …

Nothing is more beautiful than a woman in love. To help that beauty shine through naturally on your big day, follow these health and beauty tips. • Confidence and grace will outshine any perfect hair or make-up job. On your big day, let your smile and …

I was not what you’d call the marrying type. I never wanted a big day with a white dress. As a non-practitioner of any faith, the idea of walking down an aisle and standing in front of a person who had some magical authority to bind me to someone felt …

My first foray down the aisle was when I was nine years old. My only sister, 11 years my senior, was abandoning me for some guy. It was a consolation, the honor of being a junior bridesmaid and the opportunity to own a sapphire blue taffeta dress (with …