The post Proud proud pride first appeared on Lesbian.com.

The post Lesbian plumbing, Kirson workout, McManus cheeses with Queen first appeared on Lesbian.com.

Here are some simple tips to make sure your wedding has all the panache you want without spending a Bridezilla amount of money. In exchange for saving loads of money, you will have to do some extra work.

The most common time of year for weddings is spring and summer, so don’t rule out flowers that bloom naturally in your area. A friend of mine in Oregon had a wedding when roses are abundant and she realized that about 30 of her friends and family grew some sort of rose in their yard. Early in the morning of the day of her wedding, guest after guest, brought bunch after bunch of fresh cut roses to her mother’s home. I have never seen such an extravagance of flowers at any wedding before or since. Her friends were thrilled to contribute to the splendor of her day. Her Mom and a few friends, spent the morning drinking champagne and arranging the broad variety of roses into vases with ribbons bringing a lovely continuity to it all.

Also, don’t underestimate the impact of flowering trees. The jacaranda, lilac and quince come to mind first. By using branches as long as 6-feet tall, you can strike a breathtaking frame to the area where you will be standing to get married.

For other mood-setting decor, click here to learn how-to make a beautiful backdrop for an altar or the head table. This is a bunch of busy work. It only requires string and wax paper, but looks beautiful and ethereal, if you make enough of it. You can do it while you watch TV.

While we’re talking crafty stuff, here is a link to cover some simple, yummy, glazed donuts with edible glitter, which looks amazing. We just did it at a wedding and the donuts were gone, POOF, like it was a magic show.

It is expected that you will provide drinks, including alcohol. That can get pretty spendy. As for hard liquor, create one fabulous signature cocktail and showcase it.

My favorite wedding drink is my own creation called the Honeymoon. It is vodka, orange (or pineapple) juice, passionfruit juice and 7-up. It tastes like a trip to Hawaii. It’s clean, crisp and distinctive. Want to make it more special? Muddle some fresh mint in water and freeze one minty ice cube for each drink.

Also, it is OK to buy a simple red and white wine without having to be too fancy. Go to Costco or Trader Joes. No one will hold it against you. Leave them with nothing to drink, and there will be a curse on your union. I’m kidding, of course.

Now, go get married.

Shann Carr is a comedian and wedding officiant based in Palm Springs.

The post Make your wedding glamorous on a shoestring first appeared on Lesbian.com.

A number of lesbian couples that I’ve married have showed up in cargo shorts and sandals. I’m not a diva, but I admit I found it sad.

Crocks are less “I do” and more “I do not care.”

Even if you’ve been together for 20 years and you always wear cargo shorts and sandals, getting married is something really special. Honor yourself, each other and lesbians everywhere by putting on something thoughtful, clean and at least a little bit special.

Plan a honeymoon even if you are the two busiest people in the world. It is a gift to yourselves to take even a few days to celebrate and focus on this most amazing thing that has happened to you. If you only to go two small towns over and stay at a little B&B, make a special effort to settle into this next stage in your relationship.

If your families have not met each other, go to the trouble of having a dinner or cocktail party the day before. The wedding day itself is always a little more scattered and it is nice for families to have a day to put together the pieces of who is who and is related to whom.

Shann Carr is a comedian and wedding officiant based in Palm Springs.

The post Don’t take your wedding too casually first appeared on Lesbian.com.

The post Top 10 social media posts from The Dinah first appeared on Lesbian.com.

Shann Carr is a stand-up comedian and the Executive Producer of The Moxie Studios Inc., a visionary company hoping to build a home for the burgeoning industry of gay entertainment production in Palm Springs, Calif.

Carr has been performing exclusively for gay and lesbian audiences for over 26 years and has a storytelling style that makes you feel like you’re sitting in your living room with an eccentric friend who has your whole dinner party in stitches.

We recently trapped Carr in our Fast 5 web and extracted these responses.

1. Finish this sentence: “I think the key to being happy is…”

Deciding to be happy. It is pretty simple most of the time.

2. If you had to give up one of the following for an entire year, which would you choose to live without: cell phone, television, hair products or chocolate?

My ass would appreciate it if I would abstain from chocolate!

3. What’s the maximum number of cats you’d feel comfortable owning before worrying that the neighbors were starting to whisper, “There goes the cat lady.”

I am super allergic to cats so, finding out that a woman has even one cat makes me sad since it means I’ll have to like her from afar.

4. Early bird or night owl?

I am highly irregular. I love being both but usually not on the same day or week. I didn’t discover the wonders of being an early bird until quite later in life.

5. What’s your favorite home-cooked meal?

My own red sauce and pasta with goat chevre, Kalamata olives, mushrooms and sausage. But that is only my favorite because Nutella on spaghetti seems ridiculous! Great now I’m hungry.

For more on Carr, visit her website and be sure to find her on Twitter and Facebook.

The post Fast 5 with comedian Shann Carr first appeared on Lesbian.com.

Summer is still scorching much of the country, but Sweet is already looking ahead to September when the lesbian travel company will be bringing its unique brand of debauchery and do-goodery to Playa del Carmen, Mexico.

“Hundreds of Sweeties will be taking over the Playacar Palace resort from September 21st – 28th,” explained Sweet Founder and CEO Shannon Wentworth. “We’ll be featuring an amazing group of comedic and musical performers, theme parties and, of course, our trendsetting  and very rewarding community service projects.”

For those looking for a relaxing late summer getaway, Sweet’s Playacar resort vacation may be the perfect combination of leisure and indulgence. Located on the spectacular Riviera Maya on the beach in the town of Playa del Carmen, the five-star Playacar Palace hotel is just steps away from Mexico’s legendary 5th Avenue shops. The resort features ocean-view rooms that overlook the crystalline waters of the Caribbean, a swim-up bar, Jacuzzi tubs in every room, 24-hour room service and a host of other amenities which are guaranteed to leave even the most finicky guest feeling pampered.

Beyond the daily Sweet-sponsored excursions, guests can tour the gateway to Mayan civilization, visiting the ruins at Tulum, Coba and the legendary Chichen Itza, or spend an afternoon frolicking with dolphins, windsurfing or getting sand in all sorts of unmentionable places while diving around on the beach volleyball court.

Sweet’s entertainment line-up for Playacar includes Jackie Monahan, a bi-coastal comedian and actress featured on Showtime’s “Pride Comedy Jam;” Rakefet Abergel, an accomplished actress and outspoken stand-up comedian; Cathy DeBuono, out and proud lesbian actress, LA Talk Radio host, therapist and empath; seasoned actress and comedian Erin Foley; singer/songwriters Hannah Thomas and Sarah Smith; television and film star Traci Dinwiddie, perhaps best known for her role as Peyton Lombard in “Elena Undone;” and comedians Jennie McNulty and Shann Carr, veteran Sweet performers and perennial traveler favorites.

“Sweet trips are such an incredible experience,” shared McNulty. “I know for some of the women it’s a chance for them to truly be themselves, perhaps for the only time all year. But that’s only part of what makes the atmosphere so special. We visit beautiful places, stay in gorgeous locations and experience all the debauchery that goes along with these types of trips, but with Sweet, there’s another level of consciousness that permeates the atmosphere, too. There’s the feeling that you’re part of something special – giving back, helping people.”

In addition to the endless sand, sun, shopping and sight-seeing available on the gorgeous Riviera Maya, Sweet will offer a variety of community service projects in which their guests are invited to participate. Projects may involve anything from spending an afternoon at an animal shelter bathing, walking and cuddling with the residents to organizing a library for local youth to raising funds for the local community via participation in a Texas Hold ‘Em tournament hosted by DeBuono.

“Playacar will be my third Sweet trip,” DeBuono offered, “And I’m looking forward to spending more than a few hours around the poker table getting to know some really wonderful women – and raising money for whatever good causes we can.”

DeBuono’s previous “shuffle up and deal” efforts raised thousands of dollars used to support women’s, children’s and animal support organizations in the communities fortunate enough to host the Sweet group.

Actress and animal rights enthusiast Natalie Garcia organizes Sweet’s four-legged focused projects. “For the September trip we’re planning to work with Coco’s cat rescue, take a daytrip to Cozumel where we’ll rent dune buggies, explore the island and visit the local animal shelter,” Garcia detailed. “I am so grateful to be able to travel with such inspiring women while saving animals and raising awareness about animal rights.”

Many agree that there is something special about the essence of the Sweet travelers, collectively known as Sweeties.

Recent first-time Sweetie Erin Lee described her vacation with Sweet in Puerto Vallarta as life-changing. “I experienced instant connections with an exceptional group of women,” said Lee who ventured out as a solo. “I felt it was a time where we could be our most true selves and left with new life-long friendships. And I loved the excursions and the entertainment. It was definitely more than a vacation.”

Another Sweet newbie and solo traveler, Heather Price, described her recent experience, “As a shy, somewhat introverted person, new people in a new environment can be a little intimidating, but that only lasted about an hour into my time with Sweet. There just aren’t words for the friendliness and kindness I was shown. I danced until my feet ached and laughed until tears were streaming down my face. “Solo” is a misnomer; you’re actualy traveling with friends you just hadn’t met yet.”

For more information on Sweet and fantastic last-minute Playacar resort deals, including low down payments and interest/fee-free payment plans, click here or call 877-793-3830. Be sure to ask about the $1,500/room resort credit!

She magazine is the longest running magazine for LGBT women in Florida.

The post Sweet travel sizzles in September first appeared on Lesbian.com.

Lesbian comedian Shann Carr breaks out the classic gay jokes in this stand-up performance.

The post Shann Carr: Classic gay comedy first appeared on Lesbian.com.

Comedian Shann Carr on lesbians who accidently land on all-gay Atlantis cruises.

The post Shann Carr on Atlantis and lesbians first appeared on Lesbian.com.

Lesbian comedian Shann Carr shares her uniquely hilarious coming out story.

The post Shann Carr Gay Comedy Classic Jokes first appeared on Lesbian.com.