Make your wedding reception an event that not only celebrates your loved one and yourself, but also the food, the land and the guests you are bringing to the table. Gone are the days of stuffy hotel wedding receptions with generic “American” fare—sure, we all love a good steak and potatoes, but the modern wedding is giving its food a bit more attention these days.

The farm-to-table movement, which hit restaurants years ago, has now made its way into weddings. Brides and grooms are ditching the hotels and heading to the countryside; they’re kicking off their shoes in the fields, working with the farmers to make a seasonal, local feast and giving their guests an experience almost as memorable as it will be for themselves. Here are 8 essential tips for making your own wedding reception a farm-to-table affair.

Getting familiar with the sustainability dos and don’ts of seafood can send your head swimming. There’s wild fish, farmed fish, lake fish, ocean fish . . . the list goes on. And to make matters more complicated, there is no black and white answer of one type of seafood being better than the other. Wild salmon? Sustainable. Wild shark? Not sustainable. Farmed catfish? Sustainable. Farmed salmon? Not sustainable. Check out the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch site to learn the overall ins and outs of sustainable seafood. But this spring season, simplify things a bit, and make menu planning easy on yourself. Here are the top four picks of sustainable seafood choices that are perfect for spring dining.

Alright Sister, you’re taking charge of the grill this season. You’ve got your pink polka-dot apron, your shiny new spatula and tongs, and a determination to master that darned grill before summer fully strikes. Before you get started, you’ll need to know a few basics on how to make grilled foods taste awesome. Between the glaze, the marinade and the rub, you’ve got a few choices on how to sauce up your entrée--and do it better than Pop. Read on to learn the differences among them and where they each work best.

Strawberries are the star fruit of the summer season, and for good reason: The bright red color and fresh sweet taste lift the spirit, thrill the taste buds and remind us of happy times. Strawberry shortcake, strawberry milkshakes and strawberry pie all no doubt have a special place in your heart. But have you ever tried strawberry soup?

Just because Mother's Day has come and gone, doesn't mean all those lovely buds have. With all of the springtime freshness going on outside, is your house feeling a tad blah? Breathe a little life into your home. Bring the outdoors in by gathering a bouquet of fresh cut flowers from your garden.

You can scrounge together a stunning bouquet out of even the barest of plots. Even if that means an all out green arrangement. Designing a dramatic bouquet is all about how you arrange the flowers. With these tricks you can create a florist-quality bouquet all on your own.

"What beverage?" You might ask.

Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome May: A month that unofficially marks the beginning of summer, the period of perpetual outdoor activity, grilling and, for the luckiest, romance. Here at OA, we always like to find the best ways to mix the Earth’s business with much-needed pleasure; what better mash-up than the hottest season of the year and a love affair? 

Non dairy milks are easy to make, super healthy and they taste incredible. These recipes require little else, but you can sweeten with maple or brown rice syrup, agave or pureed dates. Add vanilla, nutmeg or cinnamon if you like, too. Yumm…

Treat your mom to a little pampering on Mother’s Day by serving her a homemade breakfast in bed.

This isn’t the breakfast of cereal and slightly burnt toast you served her in your childhood days. Discover the details on how to make your mom an updated version of breakfast in bed. She’ll love it just as much as, if not more than, she did when you were little.

About a month ago, I was out for dinner at my favorite restaurant in Manhattan—Il Buco on Bond Street. With its Tuscan barn-like aesthetic, it’s as if you’ve stepped into an Italian farmhouse. Chandeliers are made of old metal oil cans, kitchen tools and copper arms. Mismatched chairs surround cozy wood tables. And folklore even has it that the mystical wine cellar inspired Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado.” To top it off, chef Ignacio Mattos stocks the restaurant with food from all sorts of local and organic markets.