Make your next date night an adventure by exploring an area of town you're unfamiliar with. Create yourselves a neighborhood walking tour by having a traveling dinner- an appetizer at one restaurant, dinner at the next, and dessert at a third. You never know what new favorites you'll find! Here are a few of Junebug's favorite possibilities. In Madrona try Cremant, St. Clouds and Dulces. On lower Queen Anne try Veil, Crow and The Sitting Room. And in Wallingford try Smash Wine Bar and Bistro , Tutta Bella Neapolitan Pizzeria, and Bizarro Italian Café, 206-545-7327.

What to wear for the big day can feel like a bit of a mystery for the groom. A suit or a tux? Buy or rent? Black or grey? Colorful or classic? With so many options to consider we asked Mario's Men's Wear Buyer, Simon Chan, to walk us through the basics of choosing the perfect suit or tux for your wedding day. Follow his lead and you'll come to the perfect decision in no time!

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While packing for a cruise to College Fjord Park in Alaska, Prashanthi tried sneaking a twelfth pair of shoes into her boyfriend Charlie's suitcase. He became "strangely defensive of his luggage" so Prashanthi gave up and went back to her computer to lust over the jewelry at Tiffany.com (a fairly regular occurrence.) Eleven pairs of shoes would have to do.

A few days later, during a beautiful afternoon on the ship's deck, Charlie asked a fellow passenger to take some photos of them. As he clicked away, Charlie rooted around in his camera bag while Prashanthi thrust some rolls of film at him, certain that film was what he was looking for. Much to her surprise, Charlie was looking for a ring (from Tiffany, of course) which he then offered her, along with his proposal. No wonder he didn't want her anywhere near his luggage!

Prashanthi said yes, and she and Charlie were married on June 25, 2006 at the Woodland Park Rose Garden, where the lovely Prashanthi got to wear three different pairs of shoes.

I'm a little worried about the first dance...
Don't think about it, just sign up! Surprise your girl with lessons for two. Be it ballroom, swing, line, or tango, the classes will be fun for you both, and all your friends will be uber-impressed as you strut your stuff at the wedding. Hook up with our favorite instructor Shannon Knauss at Dance Experts and get your moves polished in no time.

Should I give my fiancée a wedding present?
You bet! Give it some thought and make it unique - a piece of artwork, a birdbath for the garden, a great piece of jewelry. Stumped about what she'll love? Just ask her friends! One thing you can't go wrong with is a day of pampering. A generous gift certificate to Ummelina Day Spa or Cristy Carner Salon will make her swoon and she'll look forward to the post honeymoon treat.

Do I need to make a toast at the wedding?
Why not? It's the perfect time to give a big thank you to your friends, your family, and your bride. Spend some time creating a special toast for your wife (Yep, that's who she'll be by toast time!). Find the perfect quote, a song lyric, or your own heart felt words and gather everyone in raising their glass to her. Wax eloquent by reciting a sonnet from Shakespeare or Browning, or keep it short and sweet with something lovely and to the point. Here is one of our favorite sayings, To my beautiful wife and best friend, who knows me better than anyone else and loves me all the same.

Do you want to treat your lady like a real princess? Then take her on a tour of France's ultra romantic Loire Valley. For the royal treatment book a room with a storybook turret at the Chateau de Chissay in Montrichard and spend several lazy days hopping from one spectacular estate to the next in your rented Mercedes convertible. Stop to shop at the quaint open-air markets, sip wine at the world's finest wineries and pay a visit to the famous walled city of Amboise, the final resting place of Leonardo daVinci.

Adventurous honeymoon couples will love touring the Loire on bikes. Buy a new or used bike and sell it back to the closest shop when you leave. Make reservations at the much-loved Hotel Diderot in the medieval city of Chinon and go for a full immersion experience. In May and June when the stone bridges and ancient walls of the Loire are covered in climbing roses and a riot of wisteria, you'll be happy you took the slow road!

Thinking about getting married in France? We know the perfect spot! Chateau St Julian l'Ars, just outside the delightful city of Poitiers. Invite 40 to 100 of your closest friends for a vacation of a lifetime. For complete reservations and information contact our French-speaking image editor, Kim Bamberg of La Vie Photography.

Archive: August 2006
Archive: July 2006