When it came time for Sivan Pardo, 31, to plan her wedding to her 28-year-old fiancé Scott Renwick, she knew she wanted a “big fat vegan wedding.” “As Scott and I are both vegans for ethical reasons, it was very clear to us that we wanted our wedding, and everything around it, to reflect our ethics and values,” said Pardo, the founder and director of “The Vegan Woman” website. Pardo has been vegan for one year and a vegetarian since she was 12. There will be no animal-derived products served at her reception on June 1. Scott Renwick and Sivan Pardo She is hardly the first bride to use her wedding menu to express her beliefs. In 2010, former first daughter Chelsea Clinton famously served a vegan menu and gluten-free cake during her nuptials to Marc Mezvinsky to reflect her own dietary choices. Clinton did, however, also offer the option of organic grass-fed beef to omnivorous attendees. She is among the brides and grooms meeting their guests halfway down the aisle on menu choices in the interest of making their big day more harmonious. It's a fine waltz between “it’s my wedding and I’ll serve seitan if I want to,” and appeasing the average guest’s palate. The compromise is one that Jennifer Fugo was willing to stomach. She was diagnosed with gluten sensitivity in 2008, and two years later, opted against a gluten-free wedding. “At first I wanted the entire wedding to be gluten-free, however I came to realize that the cost was just too much to bear,” said Philadelphia-based Fugo. She runs the “Gluten Free School,” an online educational resource for the gluten-free lifestyle. While her guests noshed on traditional wedding fare, Fugo enjoyed a personalized gluten-free meal. And when it came time to cut the cake, there was a gluten-free, vegan cupcake waiting for her. For those with gluten intolerance like Fugo, the flour in a regular wedding cake would have wreaked havoc on her digestive system. Sick and bloated is no way to spend your wedding day. “Most caterers should be able to accommodate health-related dietary restrictions individually and create a special meal for the bride or groom without serving it to all of the guests,” said Chicago-based wedding planner Camille McLamb . “But ultimately, whether the restrictions are health-related or due to religious or ethical reasons, it's the bride and groom's day, and they should choose a menu that they are most comfortable with.” For Pado and her fiancé, the menu with which they felt most at home was entirely vegan. “We could not imagine having our wedding tainted with the suffering of animals for the sake of keeping some of our guests pleased,” she said. “Especially as we know how wonderful, rich and exciting the world of vegan cuisine is , and that all people really need to do is just give it an honest try.” Among the items the couple will be serving: eggplant rolls with sun-dried tomatoes and vegan cream cheese, mushroom risotto, coconut milk-based penne pasta with peanuts and chives and honey-melon soup with mango sorbet. Pado says she and Scott are constantly invited to non-vegan events, and though the non-vegan food and drink “saddens” them, they attend as a sign of appreciation for the invitation – and hope for the same mutual respect on their big day. “We hope that by inviting our family and friends to an event that is cruelty-free, they will respect us and our chosen lifestyle on our very special day,” she said. McLamb says the menu can communicate something about the couple to the guests. “I've had couples that served curry to reflect their Indian heritage and hushpuppies to showcase their Southern roots,” she said. “Dietary restrictions based on religion, ethics, or beliefs are no different; they highlight something that's important to the couple and personalize the wedding.” When Siobhan Kent married her husband Aaron, they wanted to personalize their wedding with one of their favorite foods – Southern barbecue. The mother of the bride, however, advised the couple that since their officiating rabbi kept kosher, the reception should reflect the same, even if Siobhan's half-Catholic, half-Jewish family only kept kosher on major Jewish holidays. “I wasn't a bridezilla by any stretch, but I wasn't too mature about being denied bacon on what was supposed to be the best day of my life,” said Kent. In the end, her mother’s opinion meant more than her persuasion toward pork, especially since her parents paid for the wedding. No harm done. The Kents ended up getting more than their fill of barbecue on their big day, it just happened to be in the form of chicken. “The kicker on the whole day was that the rabbi ended up not being able to attend, so this delicious kosher buffet was served to an audience where absolutely no one kept kosher,” she said. Ultimately, the people invited to a wedding should know the bride and groom well enough to understand their choices. McLamb says a wedding should be treated like a dinner party; if you go to a vegetarian’s house for dinner, would you expect a T-bone? If guests know the hosts abide by certain dietary rules, they shouldn’t expect to be served outside those. And if your second cousin twice-removed does end up complaining because there isn’t any schnitzel, McLamb suggests the bride and groom can simply reply, “'I'm sorry you feel that way, but this is important to us.' In the end, most people understand that the bride and groom's preferences reign supreme on wedding day.” No further explanation needs to be served. Take Our Poll

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Here comes the bride … and her dietary restrictions

A s more sordid details emerge in the trial of former U.S. senator John Edwards (D), one question lingers: Why on earth did this man, who had so much going for him, risk everything — including a shot at the presidency of the United States — to have an affair with a woman best described as unpredictable? It’s hard not to wonder, as details are being recounted in a North Carolina courtroom of the frantic efforts to stash Edwards’s pregnant mistress from his dying wife (and the rest of the world) and how Edwards hit up a 101-year-old heiress for more money even as he was being investigated for campaign finance violations (for which he is now on trial). Read full article > >

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John Edwards and Harry Thomas Jr.: They didn’t think anyone would notice?

THE OBAMA administration has reached an ignominious impasse on Syria. Administration spokesmen now publicly recognize that the United Nations diplomatic initiative it has backed for the past seven weeks has been a failure . They acknowledge — as they should have long ago — that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has no intention of ending violence against his opposition, or meeting any other condition of the “Annan plan.” Read full article > >

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Editorial Board: A shameful impasse on Syria

President Obama’s long, tortuous metamorphosis on same-sex marriage finally reached its evolved state right in between stinky cheese and “General Hospital.” Smoked out by his own vice president , Obama decided to come out of the closet on the issue to ABC News’s Robin Roberts, who rushed her scoop onto the air Wednesday afternoon during the closing minutes of “The Revolution,” ABC’s new talk show featuring a “stellar dream team of experts that will help complete transformations in all areas of life.” Read full article > >

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Obama comes out in favor of same-sex marriage

Finally voices his opinion.

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President Obama Endorses Gay Marriage

Can a Republican primary in Indiana have even the remotest connection to a presidential election in France? Richard Mourdock , the tea party giant-killer who defeated Sen. Richard Lugar on Tuesday, clearly thinks so. Read full article > >

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Mourdock Republicans, embracing dangerous austerity

I’m just back from the Berkshire Hathaway shareholders meeting in Omaha, where billionaire Warren Buffett and 25,000 of his closest personal friends gather each year to talk money. The 81-year-old Oracle of Omaha and his 88-year-old sidekick, Charlie Munger, are still going strong and still preaching the gospel of value investing. “We’ve been students of other people’s folly, and it’s served us well,” Buffett observed, seemingly for the billionth time. (Multiple conflicts — Buffett is a former director of The Washington Post Co., and Berkshire owns a large share of The Post Co. — make me less than perfectly objective, it should be noted.) Read full article > >

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The ‘folly’ of the U.S. housing bubble

Only Ric Grenell can explain the “personal reasons” that compelled him to leave Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign. If his departure was influenced even the slightest by the anti-gay attacks that followed his appointment, I sympathize. Read full article > >

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The Republican Party’s anti-gay bias

5@5 is a daily, food-related list from chefs, writers, political pundits, musicians, actors, and all manner of opinionated people from around the globe. There's no time for a siesta; Saturday is the big fiesta! Kick off your Cinco de Mayo in style with Chef Josh Gentry of the Little Donkey restaurant in Homewood, Alabama. Five Dishes and Cocktails You Need to Have at Your Fiesta: Josh Gentry 1. Stock up “First, having a six-pack of Tecate and key limes to go with it is vital to getting geared up for the party! This doesn’t need to be viewed as your beverage for the day, it’s really just hydration. The key limes are essential because they are so much more tart and refreshing than Persian limes. Make sure the beer stays on ice because when the craving for a hot tamale hits, an ice-cold beer with a shot of lime is the perfect refresher. Or, it may just end up being a chaser for some good tequila later. While you’re getting your bar in order for the party, make sure the margaritas are also ready for high consumption. The main thing about the margarita is keeping your eye on three simple ingredients : great tequila, fresh lime juice and orange. I like to get the orange flavor from Agavero, an agave liqueur that has the fragrance of bottled orange blossoms. Bottom line, margaritas are best in their classic preparation, so don’t mess with it because everyone at the party will slam at least two. If you do want a tequila-based drink that is outside the norm of a classic margarita, try a paloma. Good tequila, fresh lime juice and some grapefruit soda is all you need – and the result is completely refrescante !” 2. Cool down “Sometimes it’s easy to forget when you’re having an epic party, but there are other ways to chill out than ice-cold beer and tequila. Popsicles are totally on the sweet side of Mexican street food and are also super refreshing. They are also a super cool way to enjoy a mix and match of fun flavors. Jalapeño and watermelon or habanero and raspberry are a couple of ways to bring sweet and spicy flavors together in a fun way. It’s also really easy to make popsicles at home for a party.” 3. Lend me your ears “When planning your menu, think street food. One of the quintessential foods you’ll find on the street in Mexico is elote: Corn on the cob that has been rubbed with mayonnaise , seasoned with a chili powder and covered in grated cotija cheese. It is one of the great treats of Mexico and a perfect snack during the cerveza- and tequila-charged festivities.” 4. Be the top dog “Hot Dogs! Going into the Mexican markets and getting a Cuban-style torta with sliced hot dogs on it is kind of a cool way to enjoy hot dogs. And here in America, hot dogs are obviously staples of our grilling feasts and holiday celebrations. Sear a hot dog in a cast iron pan over the fire and reinvent an American classic with some smoked habanero sauce, a touch of mayo, ancho chili powder and chopped tomatoes piled up in a soft bun. It is a great coming together of two fine food cultures.” 5. Good golly, hot tamale! “Tamales, probably more than any other Mexican staple, signify a party or a special occasion. There are so many ways to enjoy tamales . Mexicans enjoy them with sweet and savory fillings alike. Here in the South, we really relate to them because the combination of cornbread (or masa) and slow-cooked meats speaks to folks from all walks of life. Even when it’s not Cinco de Mayo, a platter full of tamales and a cooler full of beer becomes an immediate gathering place. It’s almost a mental trigger to slow down, relax and enjoy letting time pass. If that’s not what a party like Cinco de Mayo is all about, then I don’t know what is. Or, there's always queso fundido. Please be careful as it may fulfill your caloric needs for a week, but it’s simple and completely worth the effort.” Queso Fundido Ingredients 8 oz poblano chiles, roasted 8 oz white onion, roasted 2 cloves garlic, roasted 1 tsp Mexican oregano 1 tsp Kosher salt 1 lb smoked chorizo, chopped 1 lb semi-hard cheese, like cotija, fontina or asiago 1 lb soft cheese, like mozzarella or Oaxaca Cooking Directions Roast the poblanos by placing directly on the grill until charred. Let the peppers steam in a bowl covered with plastic to help the skin release itself from the goodness. Peel them and remove the stems and seeds. Roast the onions by nestling them down in the coals on the same grill. This should take 20-30 minutes and the outside will be black or charred, but the inside will be very moist. Dry roast the garlic on the grill until it is scorched and a deep rich brown color on the side against the fire. The center should still be its natural color, though. When both vegetables are roasted and cool enough to touch, peel them into pieces about the size of a silver dollar. Place the pieces of onion and poblano in a bowl and toss with the oregano, garlic and salt. In a ceramic, glass or ceramic baking dish, place the chorizo evenly across the bottom of the dish. Then, cover the sausage with the poblano/onion mixture and spread the cheese on top. Place the dish in an oven on broil for approximately 6 minutes or until the top has spots of dark brown. This a simple dish and details can be altered to suit you and your guests needs. You can chop the vegetables finer if you like or do in strips. You can mix the cheeses or layer them. Either way you MUST serve these with fresh homemade tortillas ! Nothing else highlights a fresh warm tortilla like fundido melting all down your arm! Is there someone you'd like to see in the hot seat? Let us know in the comments below and if we agree, we'll do our best to chase 'em down.

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5@5 – Cinco de Mayo menu essentials

If you were to stroll by the House chamber today — or tomorrow, or the next day, or the day after that — you would arrive at the ideal time to see what the lawmakers do best: absolutely nothing. It’s another recess week for our lazy leaders. Oh, sorry: “Constituent Work Week” is what they’re calling it these days, as if lawmakers were filling potholes and making calls to Social Security rather than raising campaign cash. Read full article > >

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Our do-almost-nothing Congress

So far, the biggest scandal in the history of the Secret Service involves agents hiring prostitutes in Colombia . But the media have largely ignored a much bigger scandal at the agency: a lax management culture that condones cutting corners, directly endangering the life of the president. Read full article > >

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Secret Service problems much bigger than prostitutes

The preezy of the United Steezy is making me queasy. I’m not troubled by President Obama’s slow jam with Jimmy Fallon, who dubbed the commander in chief “preezy” during Obama’s appearance on late-night TV. No, preezy is making me queasy because his nonstop campaigning is looking, well, sleazy — and his ad suggesting that Mitt Romney wouldn’t have killed Osama bin Laden is just the beginning of it. Read full article > >

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President Obama, campaigner in chief

BETTER LATE than never, a prominent Republican has begun fashioning a stance on immigration policy that breaks from GOP orthodoxy. Sen. Marco Rubio (Fla.), who is Cuban American and a possible running mate for Mitt Romney, has broached the outlines of what would be a Republican version of the Dream Act. It would extend legal status — but no clear path to citizenship, as Democrats have sought — to young illegal immigrants brought to America by their parents. Read full article > >

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Editorial Board: A Dream Act that Republicans should take up

The Washington of conventional wisdom and the real Washington are two entirely different places. The Washington of conventional wisdom is overrun by well-paid insiders — lobbyists, lawyers, publicists — who systematically manipulate government policies to benefit corporations and the rich, defying the “will of the people.” The real Washington has government paid for by the rich and well-to-do. Benefits go mainly to the poor and middle class, while politicians of both parties live in fear that they might offend the “will of the people” — voters. Read full article > >

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Here’s what Washington really does

IN JULY, THE interest rate on certain federal student loans will double, to 6.8 percent. Who could want that? Not President Obama or Mitt Romney, both of whom railed against the scheduled increase last week. And not Senate Democrats or House Republicans , who have competing plans for preventing the hike. The only question in Washington seems to be whether the two sides will agree on how to pay for extending the lower rate for a year. Read full article > >

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Editorial Board: What college students need most