Columnist Lisa Ferguson: SunLite for June 7, 2004

Lisa Ferguson

Monday, June 7, 2004 | 9:53 a.m.

Lisa Ferguson's Laugh Lines column appears Fridays. Her Sun Lite Column appears Mondays. Reach her at lmsferguson@yahoo.com.

Taking the plunge this month? It being June and all, you surely must know you and your beloved won't be the only ones belly-flopping into matrimony.

According to info provided by online-appetizer retailer (there really is a market for everything) www.appetizerstogo, some 2.5 million people wed each year, with June, August, September and October being the most popular months for reciting vows.

The company, in North Bergen, N.J., is promoting a fairly obvious agenda by encouraging aisle-bound couples to opt for "do-it-yourself cocktail receptions" featuring its bite-sized products, as opposed to more traditional - and often expensive - full-blown wedding receptions. Appetizerstogo.com also reports that in Las Vegas, upwards of 115,000 ceremonies are officiated annually. Meanwhile, in Hawaii, 20,000-plus weddings are performed each year.

More knot-tying trivia: About 186 guests attend the "average wedding" (between the antics of the crazy relatives and sauced groomsmen, has anyone ever been to a wedding that he or she could actually call "average"?), which typically boast price tags of between $16,000 and $20,000.

Fancy falsehoods

Factor the purchase price of the groom's tuxedo into that mix, and the happy couple may as well bid bye-bye to that pricey island honeymoon they had planned.

Or should they? Savvi Formalwear, an association of 300 North American formalwear retailers, begs to differ. The Manchester, N.H.-headquartered organization this season is attempting to debunk some common myths and misconceptions about penguin suits - the first being that it's simply too expensive to buy a tuxedo. Actually, it contends, the ensembles typically cost about as much as "the average men's suit" and can be had "for as little as $250."

Another big, fat lie is that tuxedos are uncomfortable to wear. These days, many tuxes are made from "high-quality wool fabric," according to the association, and are likely a great deal more comfy than the suits of yesteryear that were notorious for their ability to "stand on their own."

Likewise, the notion that if you've seen one tuxedo, you've seen them all is hooey, Savvi reps insists. The duds have become much more fashion forward with the addition of colors, stylish ties and even hats.

Think there's no reason to own a tux? Think again. Similar to the much-maligned bridesmaid's dress (that the bride promises you'll be able to wear again), the formalwear folks are absolutely certain that having a tux of your own will "simplify your life when it comes to special occasions" - say, the next time you get married.

What a Tree-t

It just wouldn't be a wedding without cake - even when it's served in a tiny paper wrapper. Turns out cupcakes are making headway in the world of whimsical wedding desserts. Trouble is, they're not quite as easy to display at receptions as their multilayered, butter-cream-slathered cousins.

Enter the Cupcake Tree, an easy-to-assemble, round, tiered stand on which up to 300 individual cupcakes can be arranged. Made of white cardboard, it can be painted or otherwise adorned to match a wedding's motif and hues. Much like a tux, owning a Cupcake Tree will prove handy in the future, assures Meg Truesdell, owner of the Web site www.cupcaketree.com. She says the stand (which costs $39.95 on the site) can be broken down post-nuptials and stored for use later.