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Many couples dote over which wedding invitations to choose to express the love they are feeling, but few couples know the history of the wedding invitations they are trying to choose. The wedding invitation was more a verbal communication rather than a physical one. When a couple was going to be married, a single person or several people were given the task to “invite” the most important guests. These wedding invitations were spoken and confirmed immediately. The bride’s parents, who most often paid for the wedding and after party, would take the list of acceptances into consideration when planning the event.

Weddings were much more formal in times when verbal communication was the only form of wedding invitation. Rarely did someone say no to an invitation when they were asked in person, so the guest list was chosen wisely and only the most influential people invited.

As history moved on, the wedding invitation took on a more physical form. Scrolls were created and handled with great care. These scrolls were given to families who were invited to the event. The RSVP would have to be hand written and delivered to the awaiting couple or parents of the bride. Again, the formality of the ceremony left few invitations unaccepted because anyone who was anyone in a given circle would surely be attending the wedding. The major change from verbal wedding invitation to written invitation came during the Age of Enlightenment. This is when the majority of people learned how to read before going off into the work force.

When written wedding invitations were introduced, the struggle to have the best, brightest and fanciest wedding invitations was also born. To this day, no matter how formal the wedding will be, the wedding invitations are selected with great care. The more original and spectacular the wedding invitation, the more likely the guest will be to confirm their attendance. (At least that is what the couple hopes!)

A lot of wedding advice column advocate giving up favors if you’re tight on your budget, but favor-less weddings have always been one of my pet peeves. Everyone loves getting a little gift—it is the same feeling of anticipation one has when the mail arrives and there is a pretty letter inside! Try and save at least $1 per person for favors—trust me, it will be worth it!

One of the biggest arguments against favors is that people leave them on the tables or throw them out when they get home. This is certainly true, I believe, with overdone items like plastic picture frames with the wedding couple’s name on them—for that matter, don’t personalize anything with your own names! Instead, here is one great tip for a favor that will never get left behind: Edible Favors.

Even if one of your guests doesn’t like the edible favor, another guest will certainly take two! Here are some great edible favor ideas:

1. Old fashioned swirl lollipops—Anything that reminds people of when they were young.

2. Anything homemade will be a sure hit and have people thanking you for putting your own time and personal touch into their favors. Simple oatmeal cookies are a great homemade favor idea. Give them in little organza or cellophane bags, which you can purchase cheaply on sites like ebay, etsy, or papermart.com.

3. Gourmet marshmallows in different flavors are unique, and people can trade flavors. Check out sites like plushpuffs.com or whimsyandspice.com.

4. Have a flavored popcorn bar, complete with little bags for guests to package their popcorn in.

5. I am a big fan of yummy sugary breakfast food favors, like scones or homemade brioche!

6. Who doesn’t love donuts? Go to your local Dunkin Donuts and Krispy Kreme and order a ton in different flavors—then package them in beautiful boxes. Or, have a donut bar, where people can choose their own.

7. If you spent your summers growing up at the shore, choose beach foods like saltwater taffy, fudge or macaroons. Include a note with what the food means to you.

8. Visit mehlenbacherstaffy.com for beautiful handspun, old-fashioned taffy.

9. Candy apples will always be a big hit!

Finding the most suitable wedding gown for yourself on your wedding day is one of the most exciting tasks of the preparation. For some, it is a mixture of joy and sheer anticipation while for others; it is the most stressful decision they have to make. There are many factors that can help you determine the best bridal gown for you. After all, every bride deserves to be the most beautiful woman on her wedding day.

First factor to consider is your body type and shape. This is the most crucial element in choosing a bridal gown in order to come up with a design that will flatter your body. Determine your body type and work out on the cuts and designs that will suit you best. For instance, if you have wide hips, stay away from serpentine cuts that can make you look like a cocoon. Remember to highlight your best assets without necessarily revealing a lot of skin.

Second factor is your personality. Choose something that will make you feel a lot more confident and comfortable. If you are on the conservative side, you naturally would not want a bustier-type or other revealing designs. However, if you want to flaunt as much of your assets as your church would allow, there are various designs that are both flattering and body-forming but decent as well. The idea is to have something that best suits the kind of woman you are.

Third consideration is your gown’s suitability to your wedding theme. Your wedding gown must be aligned to your entire wedding concept. If you are having a traditional wedding, your gown must be traditional, classic and formal as well. If you are having a garden or beach wedding, you should have something that is more suitable for an outdoor theme.

Having the perfect wedding gown can transform you into the most beautiful bride in the eyes of your future husband, family and guests. The memories of your wedding day can last forever.

White is the usual color of wedding gowns. However, if you want to consider another color for your own wedding dress, why not consider the color pink? It symbolizes femininity; moreover, it will serve as a reflection of your romantic side. Hence, it is a good wedding color alternative. It will stand out specially when associated with some other colors such as white, ivory, lavender and so on.

Pink shades have different variations. Some of them are bright while some are soft to the eyes. There are also shades of pink that are a bit faint. You only need to hire a skilled designer who will be able to come up with a splendid design, which will make you look great on your wedding day.

Although a tailor-made wedding dress is still the best option, you can actually visit stores that sell ready to wear wedding dresses. You can even ask them to add some more details to the gown of your choice. Thus, it can appear customized.

There are various sites that sell ready to wear wedding dresses. All you have to do is browse their online catalogs and fill out an order form. The item you ordered will be delivered at your doorsteps. This alternative will make it easier for you because you do not have to go to the shop and beat the traffic. You can have the gown altered after receiving it or wear it on your wedding day as is. This is a good alternative if your budget is short but you still want to look stunning on your wedding day.

Pink wedding dresses come in different styles. Some of them are adorned with beads, crystals, sequences, embroideries, laces, sashes and so on. If you have decided to use a ready to wear pink wedding dress, you can apply your creativity on it to make it look better.

The most important thing to do after you determine you ceremony location is to estimate your guest list. You don’t have to come up with a specific number, but first categorize your wedding as “large” or “small” and then try to round to the nearest fifty. Will you be aiming for an intimate gathering of 50? A semi-intimate gathering of 100? Or a large gathering of 150 or 200? Two major factors will go into this decision: 1) Budget and 2) Venue. It may be the case that you have already fallen in love with a venue (say, the house in the countryside you grew up in), and you will want to tailor your guest list to this.

However, if don’t know what kind of venue you would like, and you have number estimated guest list, here are a few great ideas:

1. A house: I once went to a very simple but enchanted wedding in Maine, where the ceremony took place in a tiny white chapel in the country, and the reception was on benches under a tent in the bride’s backyard…overlooking the ocean! It was small but beautiful. If you aren’t lucky enough to have this already (because, let’s face it, how many of us happened to grow up by the seaside?), look into renting an estate or borrowing a friend’s or relative’s house. Newport, Rhode Island offers majestic wedding estate venues with glorious views, for example.

2. A Park: This is perhaps the simplest and most cost affordable option, especially if there is already a pavilion in the park—this will help you avoid tenting costs. If it’s a nice day, set up a dance floor using a black and white checkered pattern (hire someone for this) over the concrete of the pavilion. Set up cocktail tables with simple white linen tablecloths outside, and long dinner tables in white with wooden benches under the pavilion. Adorn your tables with white, yellow or red flowers—so simple and intimate. An especially adorable but affordable option is to have a picnic-style wedding. Serve guests gourmet food in lunch boxes or bags. This will offer you a variety of great DIY projects too!

3. A Museum: A bit more costly, but so chic and minimalist. Think outside an art gallery, and see what other museums are near you—a sculpture museum? A pottery museum? A history museum?

4. Winery: A lot of wineries have marvelous underground spaces, or caves, that can offer an incredible romantic setting for a reception, or a ceremony, or both.

5. An orchard: A wedding surrounded by apple trees and shade? What better location than that?

Wedding favor is considered as a token of love and appreciation given to the guests who attend a wedding. These are indispensable for any wedding plan and the couple going to tie the nuptial knots can find many inexpensive ways to be used for wedding favors without losing its elegance. You can choose such affordable wedding favors from a wide available range of homemade and personalized wedding favors.

People generally go for homemade wedding favors as they bring down the cost quite drastically. Making a gift of almonds is one of the easiest and most popular wedding favors.

You can wrap it beautifully in an elegant fabric. Another way is to put flower seed packets with small cards attached to colorful ribbons in a transparent cover. If you don’t like those, you can always consider candles or homemade bookmarks as great inexpensive wedding favors. Candles like the flower seed packets can be tied with an attractive ribbon while the bookmarks can be attached with your personal messages to the guests.

Place cards, place card holders and frames can also be considered as cheap wedding favors and the best part is you can make it at home.

And how can you miss out the flowers? The fresh flowers are always one of the best gifts for all occasions; you can use flowers at the guests’ table and after the ceremony is over you can give those to your guests as a wedding favor. Some great inexpensive options you might like considering include mints, napkins, flower cards, playing cards and personalized candies.

Wrapped chocolates, petite handbags, medium sized seashells with candies, miniature frames and heart shaped soaps as well- these all make up as very good wedding favors without breaking your bank. After all you do need to take care of the budget.

1. Unexpected bouquet ideas: feathers, cotton or simple baby’s breath

2. For your something blue, paint your toenails blue—it will make for a great picture!

3. Find some especially pretty pins for your hair to add an unexpected tiny dose of glamour.

4. Handwritten, and then letterpressed, invitations; also, hand-drawn invitations (See V.P. Invitations!)

5. Plaid and checks are back—think white and yellow; blue and green; white and blue… for linens or bridesmaids dresses. Also, tie a plaid ribbon around your bouquet.

6. Giving your bride or groom a new puppy on your wedding day, with a red ribbon around its neck. Also, having a puppy deliver your rings up the aisle, led on a ribbon leash.

7. White buttercream cakes with minimal décor are chic and homemade-looking, and more appetizing than fondant.

8. Childhood toys like wooden yoyos, slinkies, marbles and jacks (and colorful lollipops) make great favors, even for adults!

9. Have your groom lace his shoes with shoelaces the color of your wedding.

10. A fun and interactive activity: give all of your guests a key with their favors; one of the keys should open a padlock on a wonderful surprise—like champagne, a gift certificate, a miniature cake, an Ipod, etc.

11. Wax seals are wonderful not only for invitations, but for escort cards as well—guests open their envelope to find out which table they are sitting at.

12. Try using the same color in two different shades (like light and dark blue) for your wedding colors—their similarity makes the event cohesive, and the contrast makes it interesting. It’s surprising how few people think of this!

You’ve done it, honey. You’ve gotten the Prince in the Golden Castle, the Knight in Shining Armour. Now that you’ve got the man, you need the dress. Besides the wedding ring itself, the dress is probably the most important aspect of the wedding… most assuredly the most taxing to acquire. There are a few things you absolutely must consider when in the market for the perfect wedding dress.

Budget: Your most expensive endeavour since college, having a tight budget will help you a) keep down costs and b) know what kind of dress to expect. Considering this is the day that you’ve been waiting for since kindergarten, don’t hinder yourself. However, reining it in may be beneficial –what with cakes, decorations, and shoes. Also, keep your range of motion –that is, the amount you’re willing to negotiate– to a healthy 5% in case you find the perfect dress but it’s just out of your reach.

Design: You want to know as close as possible what you want in a dress. Though seemingly obvious, going into a bridal shop you’ll be surrounded by salespeople all wanting a bit of your cash. Make sure whatever your choice it’s tasteful, elegant, and fits you perfectly.

Wearability: Because you’ll only be wearing this dress once (hopefully), you want to make sure you can get the most out of it on your wedding day as possible. Go for a dress that’s as much function as it is fabulous. If you can wear it to and from the church and during the reception, you’ve just found yourself the perfect dress that will pay for itself a lifetime over.

With all these considerations in mind, you’re ready to get your gown. Make it cost-worthy, gorgeous, and work it!

After years of thinking and dreaming about weddings, I have come across, or come up with, a wonderful hodgepodge of ideas to make a celebration unique and beautiful, and I thought I would share the best with you! Here are a few of my favorites

1. Hire a silhouette artist—not only is it great entertainment to watch, but guests can bring home a favor that’s unbelievably unique and personal.

2. Have guests write their wishes for you on small pieces of paper. Have a wedding planner or other trusted friend place the papers inside balloons. At the end of the night, have guests release the balloons as you make your grand exit.

3. Late night snacks donuts, popcorn, ice cream, cupcakes, hot pretzels—always a hit.

4. Have guests throw feathers as you make your exit from the ceremony.

5. Flavored sodas; lollipops as cocktail stirrers; coasters with drink recipes on them for guests to take home

6. If you can pull it off—arriving from your ceremony to your reception in a hot air balloon (there are places that will help you do this!)

7. White calligraphy lettering on black background for the invitation

8. Colored petticoat underneath the wedding dress

9. Never underestimate the power of roses, especially single long-stem roses. Place them everywhere.

10. White chapels in the countryside

11. Hand-sketched invitations

12. Sangria signature cocktails

13. Patterned bridesmaids’ dresses

14. Anything homemade is always more special! A poem, a photograph, baked goods, fragrant soap, olive oils…

The bridesmaids are the support the bride has on her wedding day. While the bridesmaids dresses should be beautiful, they should never overshadow the bride. For this reason, the jewelry, design and style should complement the wedding theme but remain simple.

The first rule of thumb is to choose bridesmaid dresses that work to compliment the theme of the wedding. This does not mean the colors have to be the same for every bridesmaids dress. Choosing more than one color can bring together the theme. These bridesmaids dresses should, however, match the ties of the groomsmen. If there will be three colors in the bridesmaid dress palette, the same three colors should be chosen for the groomsmen.

Choosing Different Styles

Another style tweak can be the length or style of the dress. If one bridesmaid looks fantastic in a short dress with a strapless top, feel free to put her in that style of dress. The other bridesmaids can also have different styles. If there will be more than one style for the bridesmaids, each should have a separate style or the same two styles should be repeated for the entire bridal party.

Choosing the Right Jewelry

The right jewelry is often difficult to find. The pieces need to be simple, yet beautiful. It is important to choose the bridal jewelry at the same time as the bridal party jewelry because this ensures all pieces will match perfectly. None of the pieces chosen for the bridal party need to be expensive. They will, more than likely, be used later as a compliment to the bridal party photo or packed away as a memory of the day.

The best bridesmaid dresses are those that combine beauty, simple style and comfortability. Money is always a concern, so make sure never to go over budget and cover the extra if a bridesmaid cannot afford the dress.