Area couple possibly regrets planning golf course wedding during Obama vacation

Here at The Washington Post (dot com), I usually write about things likecoloring books and barnyard animals. "Write what you know!" I say to myself, before churning out more hot haunted sword content.
Except today. Because today, I'm writing about a bride and groom whose wedding in Hawaii was relocated because of President Obama's golf game.
Sigh.
Do you know what I know about weddings? I know that Dan Bylsma once appeared on "Say Yes to the Dress." (He was the Penguins coach, guys. I actually know a lot about hockey! Can we talk about that instead? Oh.)
And … that is basically it. Oh, that, and the fact that if something can go wrong on a wedding day, it probably will. Because, come on. Everyone knows this.
But don't worry: The story of Natalie Heimel and Edward Mallue Jr.'s wedding day disaster actually has a nice ending.
Their ceremony was relocated because the president wanted to play atKaneohe Klipper Golf Course during his holiday in Hawaii, according to reports. Bloomberg reports that the couple found out about the conflict a day before the scheduled event, which, yes, is not exactly ideal.
The AP reported that "a person familiar with the incident" said the White House "didn't learn about the conflict until after the fact."
Did I mention that Heimel and Mallue are both members of the military?
And, oh yes, according to Bloomberg, they had actually invited Obama, because why not, I guess?
Aw, jeez. Yes. I know. It's not looking good. But stick with me.
"It was emotional, especially for her — she’s the bride and in less than 24 hours they had to change everything they had planned," Jamie McCarthy, Mallue's sister, told Bloomberg.
Bloomberg reports:
The golf course, located on the Marine Corps Base Hawaii, is a regular stop for Obama when he's in the state, with the Ko’olau Mountains framing the front nine and majestic views of Pacific coastline spanning the back nine. It's also a favorite spot for Mallue, a golfing enthusiast.
Still, anyone planning an event at the course when the president may be in town is warned about the potential for last-minute shuffling, said Naile Brennan, manager of K Bay Catering, which was handling logistics for the wedding. Brennan said they had other sites ready to go, and the couple ended up choosing the lush, green lawn near the home of Colonel Eric Schaefer, the commanding officer of the base, which offers an elevated view near the 16th hole.
"It's much prettier and much nicer venue unless you're an avid golfer," Brennan said. "It's more secluded and there are no golfers yelling, 'Fore!'"See! A happy ending! Just like I promised. And there's more — Bloomberg noted that Obama personally called the bride to apologize and offer his congratulations.
"We were all there, it was perfect," McCarthy told Bloomberg. "Made their day."

Confidential to the president: it looks like the couple is registered at Bed Bath & Beyond. You're welcome.

Duggar Family Year In Review: Weddings, Pregnancies, Scandals And Everything Else That Happened In 2014

This year has been a big one for the Duggar family of TLC’s reality-TV series “19 Kids and Counting.” With everything from weddings, to pregnancy announcements and even a few scandals, the Duggars have their work cut out for them in the New Year if they want top 2014.
Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar had their first daughter walk down the aisle in 2014. In June, Jill, 23, wed Derick Dillard, 25, after six months of courting. The couple, who saved their first kiss for their wedding day, said their vows in front of over 1,000 guests in Springdale, Arkansas, June 21. Their wedding was featured on a special episode of “19 Kids and Counting” in October.
Less than two months after Jill tied the knot, Jessa and her now-husband Ben Seewald, 19, announced their engagement. The couple of one-year married at the First Baptist Church of Bentonville, Arkansas, Nov. 1. Similar to her sister, Jill, their wedding was also an elaborate affair. Their wedding will be featured on Season 9 of “19 Kids and Counting” when the series returns to TLC in 2015. In the meantime, fans can check out a sneak peek video of their lavish affair.
Honeymoon
Following their unique nuptials, Ben and Jessa went overseas to celebrate their honeymoon. The couple was spotted visiting the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame during their trip to Paris, France. Star Magazine reported that TLC cameras were on hand to capture their first trip as newlyweds which has raised some speculation that their honeymoon could be featured on a future episode of "19 Kids and Counting."
Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar learned that they would be welcoming not one, but two grandchildren, in 2014. In August, Jill announced she and Derick were expecting their first child just two months after their wedding. The duo has since confirmed they will be welcoming a baby boy in March.
In November, Michelle and Jim Bob’s oldest child Josh and his wife Anna, both 26, hinted they might be expecting baby no. 4 on the family’s TV series. Just two weeks after Anna's pregnancy test came back negative on the show, the couple announced they were expecting another child due in June 2015. The new baby will join their other three children, Mackynzie, 5, Michael 3, and Marcus, 1.
Mission trip
This year, the Duggar family headed to El Salvador for their 2014 mission trip. The clan ended their getaway with a quick stop to the beach. “Trips like this are such a reminder of the many things we enjoy- even small things that we take for granted- but most of all it is a reminder of the deep joy it is to give and love and serve others,” Jim Bob and Michelle wrote on Facebook Dec. 19.
This year has not been kind to the Duggar family in the way of scandals. Following Jessa’s wedding day, one of her guests alleged that the reality star and her college beau were allegedly caught consummating their marriage inside the church immediately following their nuptials. The drama continued on social media when Jessa posted a steamy photo of her sharing a kiss with her new husband on Instagram.
And the scandals didn’t stop with Jessa. In an effort to support their daughter, Jim Bob and Michelle posted a similar kissing photo to their Facebook page. After receiving positive feedback for their image, they decided to create a kissing photo challenge for their fans. Thousands of viewers shared their submissions, but a controversy ensued when a few same-sex couples claimed there images were deleted from the challenge and that they had been promptly banned from the Duggar family's page. Jim Bob and Michelle responded to the accusations by posting a Bible verse about standing for truth.
After the religious family was accused of being anti-gay, an old petition requesting TLC to cancel “19 Kids and Counting” found a new audience. The petition, which first came about after Michelle was heard asking native Arkansas residents to vote against at anti-LBGT law, received hundreds of thousands of signatures. Jim Bob responded to the petition by denouncing his critics and stating that the petition controversy had only granted his family more exposure.

And it wasn’t just outsiders the Duggars faced this year. After Jana admitted to having a childhood feud with Jessa, another scandal erupted when it was speculated that Jessa and Jill were going head-to-head behind-the-scenes. After it was discovered that Jill did not follow Jessa on Twitter, reports of an alleged feud between the sisters starting brewing. In the past months, the siblings have been rumored to be fighting over everything from the size of their homes, to Jill’s pregnancy. Jessa most recently responded to the rumors on Christmas, posting a special message to Jill on Instagram.

Couples find new ways to include their kids in the wedding

When Angelina Jolie wed Brad Pitt in one of the most publicized nuptials of the 21st century, she wore a jaw-dropping silk and satin gown designed by Donatella Versace. Embroidered on her floor-length veil were colorful drawings by the couple's six children. One even read "Buttock Fatock."
Eldest sons Maddox and Pax walked Jolie down the aisle, daughters Zahara and Vivienne tossed flower petals, and daughter Shiloh and son Knox were ringbearers. Pax baked the wedding cake.
It all sounds very Hollywood. But it's not just Brangelina.
Many brides and grooms have children from previous relationships and are going beyond the traditional to find ways to incorporate them into their weddings.
Yes, the kids add cuteness. But it's often more about blending families.
"The need to create a family bond early is vital to stepparents' success," says Stacey James Wheeler, a California family dynamics researcher and author, whose wife had two daughters when they married more than 12 years ago. "Involving the children in our marriage was a great way to do that."
The girls were flower girls, and they received an engraved locket and a verbal commitment from Wheeler after he proposed to their mother.
"I let them know I was committing to be there as a parent and to raise them as my own," he says.
Like Jolie and Pitt's brood, many children take part in the ceremony as flower girls, ring bearers and readers, while others walk their mother down the aisle.
Children also can help light a unity candle or participate in what's become known as a sand ceremony, in which the bride, groom and children pour different-colored sand into a container to symbolize a new union.
San Francisco physician Kyra Bobinet and her fiancé, Josh Leichter, designed wedding bands with a diamond for each of their four children.
"Our kids will be our only bridesmaids and groomsmen, setting them apart as special attendants to the wedding," Bobinet says. "We're inviting them to offer words of support for our partnership, so it gives them a voice and a choice in the matter."
Instead of having a traditional processional, event planner Sandy Sloane and her husband, Bob Czworka, danced down the aisle with their four children to the song Love Is Strange. All four kids stood with them under the Jewish chupah, or canopy, during their ceremony in Sunrise and at the reception sang a song written by two of them.
"I gave my daughter and two 'bonus daughters' necklaces that said 'daughter,' and my son a commemorative keepsake box," Sloane says.
Chicago-area event planner Amanda Morris created a semi-sweetheart table for a newly married couple and their 4-year-old daughter. The little girl sat between her mom and dad at the reception, and each sat in a chair with signs that read, "I'm his," "I'm hers" or "I'm theirs."
Morris also created a "favorite things" station instead of a traditional dessert table. "What was cute is that it even had items like mini Heinz ketchup packets and Starbucks pink cake pops because their daughter loved both," she says.
Cupcake stations are another kid-friendly dessert idea. The children of the bride and groom can play host and help other kids decorate cupcakes during the reception.
And then there's the first dance. Not between bride and groom, but between each of them and their children and/or stepchildren.

"Make sure to bring the tissues," says wedding planner Stephany Allongo in Palm Beach, Florida. "This is usually a tearjerker."

Lance Bass and Michael Turchin's wedding aimed for 'royal vibe'

Lance Bass and artist Michael Turchin were married Saturday -- and the N'Sync alum was more than happy to share details about the big day.
"We wanted our wedding to be full of elements that we grew up with and things that we learned from our parents," Bass told People. "It's all about one generation passing on to the next generation how to do things."
That said, the evening was not exactly 100% traditional.
About 300 guests -- down from an original guest list of 750 -- showed up for the nondenominational ceremony at L.A.'s Park Plaza Hotel, which Bass said had a "royal vibe."
The wedding party included the couple's three dogs, plus supermodels as flower girls, Bass told the mag. Hey, he said, they didn't want to hurt any feelings by narrowing it down to a a few bridesmaids and groomsmen.
Actresses JoAnna Garcia Swisher and Jamie-Lynn Sigler officiated a ceremony that included nods to the grooms' Jewish and Baptist backgrounds. Yup, there was a chuppah. N'Sync pal JC Chasez sang during the first dance -- taking the torch from Jordin Sparks, the couple's first pick, who couldn't be there.
The guest list reportedly included Lisa Vanderpump, Cheryl Burke and boy-band buddies Joey Fatone and Chris Kirkpatrick.
N'Sync missing link Justin Timberlake couldn't make the party, however: He was in Atlanta that night as part of his "20/20 Experience" tour, which wraps with shows in Las Vegas on Jan. 1 and 2.
Color seems to have been an important element in the celebration, which was coordinated by Sharon Sacks, who also did Kim Kardashian's wedding to Kanye West.
"We didn’t just want the typical white flowers everywhere," Turchin said. "We wanted it to be masculine so we chose these dark, rich, red and purple flowers with a lot of dark green mixed in."
The couple was hoping guests would have fun getting dressed for the event and seeing the pictures afterward.
"We said, 'Imagine you are going to a royal wedding but at the Met Ball,'" Bass told People last week.
Of course, the push to pump up the fashion may have been fueled by an ulterior motive: The event will be featured in a Feb. 5 wedding special on the E! network -- and color always looks better on camera.
Bass acknowledged a higher-profile same-sex wedding that happened over the weekend: that of Elton John and David Furnish.

"So honored to share the same anniversary weekend as these two!," he said Monday on Instagram, posting a photo of himself with Turchin next to one of Furnish with John. "They have worked so hard changing the minds of so many making it possible for myself and countless others to get married. #LoveIsLove#lancelovesmichael."

Living wake becomes surprise wedding

About a week ago Liza Heaton, 25, received the prognosis — the young woman from Shreveport had less than one month to live.
A rare cancer that affects young people, synovial sarcoma, had returned to her body after three years of remission. The disease was back and more aggressive than ever, and a gastrointestinal obstruction would prevent treatment.
Oncologists at Johns Hopkins cancer center recommended hospice and palliative care.
When Heaton's family in Shreveport shared the news of Liza's prognosis, more than 100 friends and family members from around the country flocked to her side to spend last hours together.
Rather than play host to her own living wake, Heaton turned a final gathering into a large-scale celebration — her wedding.
Liza and her new husband, Wyatt Heaton, had talked briefly about getting married after they learned the cancer had returned on Thanksgiving Day.
It wasn't until last week that doctors explained how little time Liza had left.
"When they said it would not be months, but weeks, I took that to mean a wedding was off the table," Liza said. "Wyatt took it to mean, OK, we have to get married this weekend."
The two decided to get married last Thursday, and they were married Saturday at Liza's aunt and uncle's house on Cross Lake.
The surprise ceremony was disguised as a lakeside fish fry, a chance for everyone to get together in one place to spend time with Liza.
"We had 150 people. Tons came in from out of town — from all areas of my life," she said. "From summer camps, college, friends from Atlanta, Baltimore. It was amazing. That's how I wanted to spend my time."
The couple said spirits were high at their wedding despite the circumstances.
"I wanted that day to be about the wedding, not about cancer. We still thought at the time it may be my last week, so I wanted it to be about the wedding and about love," Liza said.
The wedding was a success, Wyatt said. Liza was strong despite going from about 30 minutes a day out of bed to "eight hours of straight partying."
"I kept thinking, she needs to be on her fluids, but her dad said, 'No. She's having the time of her life,'" Wyatt said.
The day after the wedding, the obstruction that prevented Liza's treatment cleared. Oncologists prescribed a chemotherapy pill to halt the progression of the tumors.
"The hope is that the pill will stop the tumors, and in the spring she can join a trial and treat the cancer," said Liza's mother, Michelle Haynie. "The chemo pill could even shrink it."
Liza said she wants it to be known she no longer is in hospice care, and her treatment is not considered palliative.
She is fighting.
Her father, Dr. Richard Haynie, said the trial Liza will participate in is with a new drug that is working well on other tumors.
This week stands in stark contrast to last week in the Haynie household, where Liza and Wyatt are waiting out the illness surrounded by family.
"Last week we were thinking hospice. Only a few weeks left. Then with this chemo pill we weren't given a time frame. We're hopeful to beat it again and go into remission and spend the rest of our lives together," Liza said.
A seeming second chance inspired the Haynie family to start a GoFundMe campaign online to raise money for the Johns Hopkins-hosted "Love for Liza Fund" to further research for the rare disease.
The family did not expect the overwhelming response.
In about 24 hours, the fund had received close to $200,000. Friday, contributions were more than $280,000 of the $500,000 goal.
Liza said she is overwhelmed both by the money and the support of family and friends who have donated, sent gifts, cards and paintings.
"Someone got Lance Armstrong to call me last night. It was unbelievable. It's humbling to know so many love you and care about you and are willing to stand up for you," she said. "And now looking at the donations, there are people I don't even know."
Liza hopes her story, which the generally private young woman reluctantly tells in order to raise money for the disease's research, inspires others with negative prognoses to stay strong and to hold onto hope.

"Maybe it will turn around, and if it doesn't, enjoy what you have. Enjoy the time you have left," she said. "

Jason Kennedy and Lauren Scruggs Share New Wedding Details: "I Honestly Thought I Was Going to Lose It"

A woman always dreams of her wedding day, and it was no different for Lauren Scruggs when she married E! News co-host Jason Kennedy, but in an interview withPeople, Kennedy confesses he had also been thinking about it for a long time!
"This is a moment I imagined happening my whole life," he tells the magazine. "It just felt so right with Lauren..."
Kennedy opens up even more about his Dallas wedding to Scruggs and says that he had to try not to cry while standing on the altar.
"I honestly thought I was going to lose it," he admits. "My groomsmen were giving me a hard time. They were like, 'Don't do the ugly baby cry!'"
But when he saw his bride walking down the aisle to Amos Lee's "Sweet Pea," the 33-year-old couldn't help but get a lump in his throat.
"I was just trying to not completely cry my eyes out," he says.
Scruggs, 26, was just as swept up in her emotions as her now-husband. Still elated by how many people attend the wedding, which took place at the Four Seasons Resort & Club Dallas, Scruggs gushes about her dream wedding.
"The whole night was surreal," she shares. "Everyone came to celebrate with us...and the effort that people made was so special."
But right before the two were about to get hitched, there was an emergency! Kennedy's mother fell and dislocated her hip while getting ready for her son's big day, and subsequently had to be sent to the hospital.
"She was rushed to the emergency room and it took two surgeons to get her hip back in place," Kennedy explains, adding that he was told about her accident only two hours before the ceremony began. Worried that she wouldn't be able to make it, Kennedy got the surprise of a lifetime.
"Minutes before they opened the door for me to walk down the aisle with the pastors, my mom comes around the corner in a wheelchair with my dad pushing her," he says.
What a trooper!
Her grateful son tells the magazine that she still looked like "a million bucks" despite her impromptu trip.
Of course, now that they have officially tied the knot, Kennedy admits that they're already facing pressure to give their parents grandkids, but they're insistent on spending time enjoying one another.
"For now we just want to enjoy being newlyweds and traveling and exploring a bit," he reveals.
"It hasn't sunk in," Scruggs adds, talking about married life with her husband. "But it's the most amazing feeling to be his wife. It feels like a gift to me, to be Jason's wife, and I can't wait to see what's to come."

Before they set off on their incredible honeymoon, the couple and guests got to nosh on a delicious meal of butternut squash soup with cinnamon cream and fish with risotto and root vegetables. Of course, who can leave a wedding without some cake?! The gorgeous dessert was designed by Fancy Cakes by Lauren.

Lauren Scruggs, E!’s Jason Kennedy were married Friday night in Las Colinas

Lauren Scruggs, working out with her physical therapist Sheri Walters at Athletes Performance in Frisco last year
At this very moment Lauren Scruggs, the Plano fashion writer who lost her left hand and left eye when she walked into a small plane’s propeller in December 2011, is on her honeymoon in Mexico.
She was married Friday night in Las Colinas, at the Four Seasons, to E! News co-host Jason Kennedy. And nothing about this wedding sounds small. The twosome, dating since the summer of 2013 and engaged in early summer, were married by two pastors: local Matt Chandler of The Village Church and out-of-towner Judah Smith. And a third — Rich Wilkerson Jr., who, according to E!, married Kim Kardashian and Kanye West — served as was Kennedy’s best man.
Oh — and a certain Dallas Cowboys quarterback was in attendance, just two days before becoming the first player in the history of the National Football League with four consecutive road games of three touchdowns and no interceptions. Tony Romo brought wife Candice and their 2-year-old son Hawkins, who served as the ring-bearer. Also on the guest list: Kathie Lee Gifford, as well as other faces familiar to people who watch E! for more than The Soup.
The wedding came just three years after Scruggs spent Christmas in the intensive care unit at Parkland Memorial Hospital, after she walked into a plane’s propeller at the McKinney airport following a Christmas-light tour. She recounted the incident, and life after, in a book titled Still LoLo published in 2012. Our Sarah Mervosh recounted Scruggs’ path to recovery in this award-winning 2013 profile.

“Jason has completely changed my life, and I could not be more thankful for who he is and how he loves me,” she told E! (who else). “I can’t wait to spend forever with him.”

Couples covet 12/13/14 wedding date

More than 20,000 couples in the United States will get married Saturday, according to a David’s Bridal poll, nearly three times the number of couples who wed on that same weekend last year.
The reason: It’s a day for the record books – 12/13/14 – the last sequential date of the century.
That specific mathematical matrimonial magic won’t happen again until Jan. 2, 2103, or 1/2/03.
Charity Deere-Fitchett and James Wilson didn’t realize the significance of the date at first when they planned their Wichita wedding Saturday.
“I think we got even more excited when we realized it,” Deere-Fitchett said Friday, the day before she became Charity Wilson.
The date did come with some aggravation, she said.
“Do you know how hard it was to find a place?” she asked, laughing.
Ana Betancourt and Ascension Rojas of Wichita “absolutely” chose the date on purpose.
“I just wanted it to be memorable,” Betancourt said of their future anniversary.
Booking a reception place, Abode Venue, was one of her first tasks
“That was the first thing I booked because I knew it was going to be a popular date,” she said.
Years in the making
Online discussion boards frequented by brides-to-be lit up more than two years ago with breathless chatter about what the New York Post has declared “this year’s wedding status symbol.”
The marketing potential wasn’t lost on some wedding destinations that played up the hype with special offers like the Lucky in Love package at the Mandarin Oriental in Atlanta. One Caribbean resort offered the Sequential Love & Legacy.
Special deals flooded out of Las Vegas, the self-proclaimed “marriage capital of the world” where lucky numbers count for everything.
The MGM Grand offered couples a “numerology package.” Caesars Palace offered a chapel ceremony complete with two buffet lunches for $1,213.14.
Vegas tourism officials report that many of the city’s wedding chapels are booked up for Saturday. The most popular ceremony time? Thirteen minutes and 14 seconds past noon. That would be 12:13:14.
“Numerically quirky” dates, as the wedding planning website The Knot calls them, make many brides salivate. Hilton’s fiancee had actually eyed another unique date for their wedding – May 10, 2015, or 5/10/15 – “but I didn’t want to wait almost two years to marry her,” he said.
Palindromes prompt particular palpitations. And guaranteed there will be a rush on Jan. 2, 2034 – or 1/2/34.
The acknowledged biggest day ever for weddings was July 7, 2007 – lucky 7/7/07.
(For the record, The Knot advises brides to consider avoiding some of the calendar’s more dicey dates, including unlucky Friday the 13th and that pesky Ides of March.)
‘It’s meant to be’
Paige Ward and Phil Jones of Kansas City, Kan., are getting married Saturday in Lawrence, but the date sort of chose them. They were dating when they went to a wedding together on 11/11/11.
“Someone asked when the next time a date like this would fall on a Saturday and Phil … quickly pulled out his phone to check,” said Ward, 27, a senior associate with Grant Thornton in Overland Park.
“He promptly announced to our table that the next Saturday would be on 12/13/14, and then he nudged me and said, ‘There ya go babe, we can get married on 12/13/14!’ We all laughed it off and went on with our night.”
But the date came back to them after they got engaged in June 2013 and went on a look-see at the Oread in Lawrence, a venue that Ward had her heart set on. The hotel, on the edge of the University of Kansas campus, has become a popular wedding venue since opening in 2010, and available reception dates were limited.
But then the hotel’s wedding director told them of one date that was open: 12/13/14.
Pure luck?
“Phil’s jaw dropped as he turned to look at me,” Ward said. “He said, ‘Do you remember that conversation we had on 11/11/11 at so-and-so’s wedding? It’s meant to be! Plus, I’ll never forget our anniversary, but if I do, Christmas is just around the corner.’”

5 Of The Most Shocking Duggar Moments: Season 9, '19 Kids And Counting,' Jessa And Jill Duggar Break Family Dating Rules

Watching the Duggar family on "19 Kids and Counting" is a lot like Christmas. You know what to expect but once in a while, a few surprises are thrown in to shock you.
As the children are growing older and finding young love, the series has gone from conservative to questionable, with several scenarios played out that even the most die-hard Duggar fans didn't see coming.
Here are the Top 5 Most Shocking Duggar Moments From Season 19.
1. Jill Gives Derick A Full Body Hug
Derick Dillard and Jill Duggar had been courting long-distance for several months as Derick finished up his missionary work in Kathmandu. Jill and the entire Duggar family went to meet Derick at the airport with signs and balloons. Jill was so excited to see Derick that she forgot all about proper Duggar protocol and gave her beloved a full on chest-to-chest hug. Realizing her mistake, she quickly pulled away and gave him a side hug instead.
2. Jessa's Boyfriend Ben Moved In
In an attempt to be a good dad Jim Bob Duggar allowed Jessa's boyfriend, Ben Seewald, to move into the family home so they could spend more time together. Ben lived many miles away and Jessa only saw him on alternating weekends. With Ben's parents' blessings, Ben Seewald moved in and Jim Bob put him to work doing odd jobs around the house to earn his keep.
3. Jill And Derick's Wedding Had Over 1,000 Guests
While most couples have a tough time getting 100 people to show up at their wedding, Jill and Derick had well over 1,000 guests at their June wedding. It took dozens of church volunteers to assist in the mammoth preparation for the large-scale event. Part of their job included making more than 600 cupcakes, 3,000 chocolate-chip cookies and 3,000 root-beer floats for guests to enjoy. Tables were divided into sweet and salty snacks and more than 100 immediate family members were in attendance, as were guests from more than 30 states.
4. Cousin Amy Left Arkansas For Nashville
When you're a Duggar, you are likely going to stay close by your extended family. Eldest son Joshua Duggar moved to Washington, D.C. for a job, but most of the other Duggar children have stayed close by their parents. Amy Duggar, the daughter of Jim Bob Duggar's sister, left the family fold and headed to Nashville to try and make it as a country music singer. Amy does not subscribe to the Duggar tradition of modesty, so her break out from the family was scandalous to say the least.
5. Eldest Daughter Jana Treated Like Family Cinderella

Jana Duggar, the eldest daughter of Jim Bob and Michelle, may now be involved with professional football player Tim Tebow, but she is normally treated like the family Cinderella. She was recruited to make over one dozen bridesmaids dresses for sister Jill's wedding, and is usually the "mother" of the youngest Duggar children while her parents are away on business or working within the home. Quiet Jana rarely complains, even when asked to alter the dresses while the other Duggar girls giggled nearby.

Widow drops wedding rings, note in Salvation Army kettle

A widow slipped her diamond engagement ring and wedding band into a Salvation Army red kettle outside North Station Wednesday without raising suspicion, even from the man ringing the bell.
Salvation Army officials said they were stunned — and grateful for her generosity. The engagement ring was valued at $1,850, according to an appraisal that the woman included with her donation.
“In addition to money, I’ve seen watch batteries, paper clips, safety pins, all sorts of strange things, but this one takes the cake,” said Lieutenant Michael Harper, commander of the Cambridge Salvation Army. He added that the rings’ value was the largest donation he’s
ever seen dropped into a red kettle.
The rings were donated along with a note honoring the benefactor’s late husband.
“I’ve dropped my wedding ring in your Red Kettle knowing that the money from its sale will buy toys for needy children,” the woman wrote. “In all seasons, my husband was a giver. I especially remember his joy in giving at Christmastime, especially to those in need. To honor his memory, I donate this ring.”
She went on to say that she hopes someone will purchase the ring for “ten times its worth,” since “there’s no price on love or the sentimental value of this ring.”
The appraisal did not address the value of the wedding band.
The organization said the donations they receive pay for meals, toys, and other support for children, families, and seniors across the state, as well as provide funding for food pantries, soup kitchens, social services, and education programs year-round.
“We were stunned,” Harper said. “We were really taken aback. One, by such generosity of something that was a deeply sacrificial gift, and something that was probably priceless to her. ... But then we didn’t know if she was giving out of sadness for her husband, or if it gave her great joy.”
Harper said that although the organization will not actively try to find the woman, he would like to meet her — even if it was privately — to tell her how grateful he is.
As for selling the rings, Harper did not know the next step.
“This is, like, one of those precedent-setting things, so we don’t necessary have a protocol to turn to,” he said.
The appraisal was from 2003, so commercially, the engagement ring may be worth more or less than $1,850.
But considering the “challenge of sorts” that the woman made — with her hope for a buyer who could spend 10 times the rings’ worth — Harper said the organization may consider other ways of selling the jewelry.
The Salvation Army’s statewide red kettle goal this year is $3.36 million.

The anonymous donor did give some clue to part of her motivation, writing a short proverb at the bottom of her note: “To find out what a man is worth, take away his money and his possessions.”

Stuffs' wedding of the week

Forty-eight-year-old contact centre team manager Leonie (Lee) and 41-year-old capability development advisor Dena didn't let a little rain get them down on the day. They tied the knot in a simple yet beautiful ceremony at the Cossars Wineshed, Canterbury, followed by some quirky photographs shot around the Christchurch rebuild.
But we'll let Lee spill all the romantic details . . .
How did you meet?
Dena told the story as part of her wedding speech.
"Lee crashed a barbecue at my house in 2010 and I didn't like her much," she said.
"But later, over a particularly good chicken dopiaza, things changed and I realised I had found 'The One'."
Tell us about the proposal: We had returned from a fantastic holiday in Melbourne in 2012, where we had spotted some rings by Jeanie Alderton.
Dena had to wait to have hers made and when it arrived at my work I came home, threw the bag at Dena and said: "Do you want to be my missus?" That was it!
Later I proposed in a slightly more appropriate way, down on one knee with white roses from our garden. The proposal was accepted – all whilst Dena was standing in the driveway spraying weeds.
Location of wedding: Cossars Wineshed in Tai Tapu, Canterbury.
WANT YOUR WEDDING TO BE FEATURED HERE?
Describe your wedding day: Dena and I stayed at The Heritage Hotel the night before, and picked up best babe Denise (my big sister) for hair and makeup on the morning of the big day.
Janine Jansen did a fabulous job with our "dos" as the champagne flowed. Following that, the MAC makeup counter at Ballantynes made us look and feel beautiful. We walked back to the Heritage in the December sun to meet Dena's best babe, David, and to dress.
Our photographer Emma Scott arrived and we took some fantastic shots around the vintage hotel and the ever-changing Christchurch CBD. We were then collected in a friend's vintage Holden Kingswood to travel out to Tai Tapu. We stopped for more pictures at Halswell Quarry but the weather gods had other ideas! There was such a rush to get everyone back into the Kingswood that we steamed up the windows!
The ceremony took place in Cossars' beautiful barn and our celebrant, Sean Joyce, brought solemnity, humour and joy to our nuptials. He included our UK friends who Skyped into the ceremony and had got up at 3:30am just to be there!
The reception featured beautiful food by White Tie catering, yummy table desserts, moving speeches and a lot of laughter before dancing and sparklers well into the night.
The dress: Two brides mean two dresses. My work team took me shopping and I found a style that made me feel beautiful. Dena looked for a classic style. Both dresses were purchased overseas from different stores but arrived in the exact same colour and fabric – perfect.
The flowers: The reception flowers were candy pink roses, freesias and green chrysanthemums provided by Moffats. The best flowers were the handmade paper ones used as garlands in the wedding barn and reception hall. Hundreds of them were made by our friends over three afternoon teas - it was their gift to us and they looked stunning!
Highlight of the wedding: We both had a "Perfect Day" and used this song by Holley Maher when signing the register. We could not have asked for more than a day surrounded by love, laughter, beautiful friends, food, wine and music, and this is exactly what we got!
Was there any drama? After a so-so day of weather, it rained 10 minutes before the outside ceremony was due to start. The Cossars and White Tie team threw Plan B swiftly into action, and we married inside the barn festooned with our paper garlands and candles. The cloud cleared afterwards and we could meet and greet in the stunning French provincial-style courtyard.
The honeymoon: Due to so much of my family coming over from Australia, we spent the week after the wedding with them touring Queenstown, Wanaka and Dunedin. T-shirts were printed for us all with the words "Cowen-Willis Familymoon 2013". We're planning on a relaxing break in a warm climate sometime in mid-2015.

Your photographer and favourite photo? Our photos were taken by Emma Scott from The Wedding Collective. We love the picture of us together in the Heritage Hotel laughing, and the shots in the pastel-coloured New Regent St, Christchurch.

Xzibit Catches DUI Charge On His Wedding Night

Over the weekend, Xzibit exchanged vows with now wife, Krista Joiner, during a ceremony near Laguna Beach, California. Unfortunately, he didn’t make it home that night to carry his new bride over the threshold. According to TMZ, the former “Pimp My Ride” host was arrested after partying with his new bride at the reception, which was held at the St. Regis Monarch Beach, early Sunday morning.
Apparently, the 40-year-old was pulled over for speeding and officers smelled alcohol on his breath. As a result, he was arrested and taken to the station. He was later released and although his DUI threw a bit of a boomerang in his wedding night plans, he still took to Instagram to gloat about how lovely his ceremony was and how much he loves his wife. His post reads:
“Yesterday was our wedding day. It was nothing short of amazing. We were surrounded by friends and family and had an outstanding ceremony. It was not tainted by negative energy and I made sure it stayed that way. There was a time I thought I would NEVER get married.
I thought that being single was the only way for me, not knowing that I was giving up more of myself to people who didn’t care about me or love me unconditionally. I had to do a LOT of growing up and over time came the maturity I needed to be able to make a commitment stronger than anything that I have done in my life outside of being a father to my two beautiful sons. Yesterday, I made my family complete. I had to realize that I am not perfect and I don’t always do the right thing, but when I was standing there, watching it all unfold, the only thing I could think about was, I am worthy of being a husband and she deserves the world and the security that comes from being a wife.
I have no regrets about my past, the good and the bad. But now,this is my future. My sons needed to see that. They now have an example to reference in life when it comes to being a man and how to treat a real woman when you find her, or in my case where she puts up with your bullsh-t until you come around..lol.
Thank you to the groomsmen and bridesmaids who made the day go so well, thank you to the wedding planner who made our day feel and look like a movie,(details details) @bignutellapb for keeping the idiots out and making sure we had no problems. @curtchambers Put together a band that rocked like you wouldn’t believe, couldn’t have asked for a better moment.

So now what? Well, we go forward, take the good with the bad and make room for blessings. Before I got married, some of my homies asked me if I was nervous, I said ‘you’re only nervous when you’re not sure.’ Keep it pushing ladies and gents, cause I’m going forward.”