A Shining Moment for Naturally Sweet Couples

FORT WASHINGTON, Pa.--(EON: Enhanced Online News)--Sweet on your true love? Then, naturally, you’ll want to tie the knot in a one-of-a-kind wedding!

“Promoting wholesome ways for consumers to reduce their sugar intake and actively contributing to environmental sustainability efforts can help to ensure a healthy planet for generations to come”

To celebrate the launch of SUN CRYSTALS^® All-Natural Sweetener -- the perfect union of naturally sweet stevia and pure cane sugar -- and the brand’s commitment to environmental sustainability, 20 naturally-sweet couples will have the opportunity to marry or renew their vows in a SUN CRYSTALS^® Sweet & Solar Wedding. The eco-friendly events, beautifully designed with the expertise of eco-wedding planner and dvGreen founder Danielle Venokur, take place Thursday, October 22, 2009, in New York City.

From the band and the lighting to the paper goods and the naturally-sweet, chilled refreshments, every element of the SUN CRYSTALS^® Sweet & Solar Weddings will be sun-ergized and eco-friendly, fueled by trailer-based solar panels. Couples will trade “I Do’s” throughout the day in town-hall style outdoor ceremonies complete with sunflower bouquets, naturally sweet wedding cakes made with SUN CRYSTALS^® All-Natural Sweetener, and a photo for each couple. Guests and the public are also invited to celebrate and enjoy refreshments and other naturally-sweet treats made with SUN CRYSTALS^® Sweetener.

“More and more, people are realizing that a wedding can have a low impact on the environment and still be an elegant and delicious affair,” said Venokur, who is also host of “The Green Party” on Mother Nature Network. “There are dozens of ways to throw a green wedding on any budget, and I’m excited to help new SUN CRYSTALS^® All-Natural Sweetener make a solar-powered, eco-friendly wedding possible for so many naturally-sweet couples on one day.”

Through an alliance with 1% For The Planet^®, 1% of SUN CRYSTALS^® Brand sales this year will be donated to the American Solar Energy Society, a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing the use of solar energy, energy efficiency and other sustainable technologies in the U.S. The SUN CRYSTALS^® Brand also uses 100% recycled paper fiber, with a minimum of 35% post-consumer content, in the manufacture of its carton packaging, which is also 100% recyclable.

“Promoting wholesome ways for consumers to reduce their sugar intake and actively contributing to environmental sustainability efforts can help to ensure a healthy planet for generations to come,” said Debra Sandler, Worldwide President, McNeil Nutritionals, LLC. “Facilitating naturally sweet unions in the SUN CRYSTALS^® Sweet & Solar Weddings is an exciting way to involve consumers in the brand’s eco-minded endeavors.”

Twenty naturally-sweet couples will be selected to participate in the SUN CRYSTALS^® Sweet & Solar Weddings by no later than Friday, October 16, 2009. Up to 20 additional couples will be placed on a waiting list. Couples who wish to renew their vows may also apply. Visit wedding.suncrystals.com for details on how to apply and terms and conditions, which govern.

About SUN CRYSTALS^® All-Natural Sweetener

SUN CRYSTALS^® All-Natural Sweetener is a combination of two 100 percent natural ingredients: naturally sweet stevia and pure cane sugar. It is this unique blend that delivers the exceptional taste of SUN CRYSTALS^®All-Natural Sweetener with only five calories per packet. Stevia, which has been used around the world for centuries as nature’s solution to adding sweetness to food and beverages, is blended with pure cane sugar, giving SUN CRYSTALS^® All-Natural Sweetener a natural sweet taste that people love, with the texture of sugar, but without all the added calories. SUN CRYSTALS^® All-Natural Sweetener is also suitable for people with diabetes. The SUN CRYSTALS^® Brand promises to use only 100 percent natural ingredients. To learn more about SUN CRYSTALS^® All-Natural Sweetener, visit www.suncrystals.com or call 1-888-962- 5357.

About McNeil Nutritionals

McNeil Nutritionals, LLC, is a global marketer of innovative nutritional products. The company's mission is to give people the ability to actively manage their own health. McNeil Nutritionals, LLC, markets SPLENDA^® Sweetener Products, VIACTIV^® Dietary Supplements, LACTAID^® Dairy Products and Dietary Supplements, BENECOL^® Products, and new SUN CRYSTALS^® All-Natural Sweetener. McNeil Nutritionals, LLC, is headquartered in Fort Washington, Pa.

About 1% for the Planet^®

1% for the Planet^® is an alliance of businesses committed to donating 1% of their sales directly to non-profit organizations focused on sustainability. Today 1% membership includes over 1100 member companies in 37 countries. An estimated $42 million in critically needed funds has been channeled to more than 1,600 non-profits around the world.