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"OBVIOUSLY there are bigger things going on than weddings right now&amp;amp;#8212;people need food, shelter, clothing, and more in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. But there are many brides and grooms up and down the East Coast who have of friends and family members traveling to their weddings this weekend, and they could use some help, too. (To be clear: I&amp;#x27;m not saying help throw a wedding INSTEAD of donating blood or whatever. But if you have the resources to help in multiple ways, maybe consider all of them.)Most of Lower Manhattan is still without power, but the lights on the Freedom Tower (that shining construction site on the right) ALWAYS give me hope. The founders of The Knot started this Facebook page yesterday to connect brides and grooms with vendors and resources and people who just want to help out the 4,000-plus East Coast couples who were planning on getting married this weekend. There are brides and grooms looking for hotels with openings for their guests because their original hotels are without power and/or water, and couples whose caterers are shut down because they can&amp;#x27;t get fresh food. Here&amp;#x27;s an example: But the good news is, there are lots of people trying to help! It&amp;#x27;s also become a virtual space for brides to have a mini-meltdown and move on. One bride who is set to get married in Brooklyn this Saturday said that, in addition to her wedding rings being stuck in Manhattan and her photographer being stuck in California, she just doesn&amp;#x27;t feel like throwing a party in the wake of a hurricane: &amp;quot;This week has been emotionally draining. It feels wrong to celebrate when so much devastation has occurred.&amp;quot; One person&amp;#x27;s response almost brought me to tears: &amp;quot;[Events like this] put everything into perspective ... Life is short, and that is precisely WHY we celebrate&amp;amp;#8212;because love and family and commitment are worth celebrating and acknowledging. ... You are stronger than this moment in time. You have each other. It will all be OK.&amp;quot; If you need help, or, more importantly, if you have help to offer&amp;amp;#8212;even if your &amp;quot;help&amp;quot; is just kind, supportive words&amp;amp;#8212;you should definitely check it out. Here are more ways to help all the areas (national and international) affected by Hurricane Sandy. More miscellaneous wedding stuff: * Tips for Tipping Your Vendors * Is Waiting &amp;#x27;Til After Your Wedding To Have Sex a Good Idea? (This Bride Did! Her Results Might Surprise You!) * I Love This: Awesome Cocktail Napkin Idea!"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.glamour.com/weddings/blogs/save-the-date/2012/11/how-sandy-affected-weddingsand>