Wedding Album Wednesday - Safari Anyone?

These giraffes are at the Bronx Zoo but they are typical of those you might see on safari. © Photo by Francesca Di Meglio

A few years ago, when people still thought they were rich, destination weddings, including those on an African safari, were all the rage. Now that people are realizing they are not as wealthy as they thought, I would imagine more of them will be staying put for the weddings. Still, that doesn't mean you have to stay at home and do nothing. You can always opt for date nights that allow you to have fun without spending the fortune of airfare, hotels, etc. Indeed, while the giraffes above might have you thinking about one of those safaris, it could also depict the value of spending time with your spouse in general. After all, one of my suggestions for a summer date night (or day really) is to head to the zoo. How would you like to spend those summer days with your better half?

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Why quit sending invitations after the wedding festivities are over? I realize that with modern technology, it's easy to call up, text message, or e-mail friends and family when you want to get together or invite them to your place for dinner or game night or for whatever you're in the mood. But there's something special and exciting about receiving a printed invitation in the mail. You don't have to spend a fortune (like you might have for the wedding invites) to send printed invitations. You can even make them yourself. All you need is some cardstock and a little creativity. I have used computer programs, graphics, and family photos to create invitations for dinner parties and holidays. For my sister-in-law's bridal shower, I put images of teapots on a computer document, typed the party info over it in hot pink font, printed them, cut out each teapot, and attached pink silk bows to them. Printed invites are that little something extra that shows you're good at entertaining. I guarantee your guests will be impressed and get even more excited for the event, even if it's a simple pizza party at home.

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Many of you have been talking about the ways in which you've celebrated your spouse's birthday over the years. Since I love visiting blogs about party planning (and especially scrolling through the pictures of the fabulous DIY projects party hosts have taken on), I was inspired to gather even more ideas for anyone wishing to throw a special birthday party for themselves or their husband or wife. Here are some of the ideas you could incorporate into your next party for grown ups -

Dinner and Dancing - Even if you plan an intimate dinner at home to celebrate a birthday, you can still incorporate dancing. Clear the room of furniture, set up your computer or iPod to belt out the tunes of your choice, and get to it. You can stick with a theme. One party I saw featured jazz music and the decorations featured everything in a deep red, black, and white and included things relevant to music and jazz in particular. For instance, the tiered cake featured red roses and fondant musical notes with a sax player at center stage.

Personal Interests - Think about the person you are honoring. For example, the friends and family of one woman threw her a "Queen of Hearts" party for her 40th because she likes to play canasta. They had a tournament and they made decorations using ribbon and decks of playing cards. The finger sandwiches were in the shape of hearts. You could go bowling or golfing if that's the birthday boy or girl's preference. And then you can work around that theme.

Around the World - You don't have to leave home to sample another culture. On the party planning blogs, you'll find a slew of ethnic party themes that are great for adults - an Italian pizza party with artisan or homemade pizzas, a French cocktail party with the Eiffel tower and luggage on prominent display and champagne, French fries, and goat cheese tartlets on the menu, and a Mexican fiesta replete with colorful garlands and paper flowers on a buffet of empanadas, flautas, and tacos.

Relax - While kids birthdays tend to be full of energy and activity, grown ups usually crave some tranquility and the chance to do nothing. A beach or pool party that has the guest of honor and friends and family lounging is one way to accomplish this. Another - and this usually works particularly well for women - is a spa party. You don't have to go to a spa or spend a fortune to do this. Purchase some facial masks and kits for manicures and pedicures and you and your guests can treat each other. If you want to get fancy, you can hire a service that will come to your home or go to a spa that hosts these kinds of events. Then, you might be able to get massages, too.

Photo Frenzy - Incorporate photos into the invitation and decorations. A collage featuring the birthday girl or boy through the years is a nice decoration, as is a slide show that you can run on your TV or computer. Adding music to one of those is a nice touch. And you can set up your own photo booth. Hang a sheet for a backdrop and put some props like paper mustaches or funny eyeglasses for people to get a little silly and take some fun pictures of each other. Just make sure that you leave out your camera or a disposable one, so that you get copies of the pictures when the party is over.

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For the last three weeks, I've had a back ache that has me walking poorly and experiencing some serious pain. My husband took note of my limp and the yelps whenever I try to bend down. At first we spoke with doctors, but the only effective medication I can take is not a possibility for me because I'm still breastfeeding our son. So, my husband has become my personal masseur. Every night, he gives me a 10- to 15-minute massage on my lower back. Because I'm in pain, he uses BenGay cream to soften his hands and glide more easily across the skin. But if you turn your spouse into your personal masseur or masseuse, you can use massage oil or your favorite body lotion or cream. It might smell better. While we're using massage to help my back troubles, you can use it as a form of foreplay that leads to sexier sex. You might even pair massage with a dinner of aphrodisiacs and see what happens.

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