You might have noticed a trend in the past few years of people forgoing hiring the traditional wedding band or wedding dj in favor of putting together a playlist on their iPods or other mp3 player devices.  This is completely workable, as playlists can last as long as five or six hours, or even more!  Also, the device can easily be paused to complete reception activities such as cutting the cake.

There are a couple of reasons that couples might choose to go this route.  First, it might be a budgetary decision.  Hiring a disc jockey is a significant expense that can be bypassed in favor of a digital playlist.  Another reason couples might opt for a digital playlist is if they have a very specific taste in music, much of which is somewhat obscure. 

If you do choose to use a digital playlist instead of a DJ, there are few things you are going to want to make sure of.

First, you need to have a speaker system in place that is going to fully address your needs.  You want it to be powerful and clear.  You want to make sure that it will be able to get loud enough to fill your reception space without losing clarity.  The last thing you want is for the music to be full of static for the entire reception.  For this reason, it is best to research speaker systems in person even if you eventually end up ordering the system online.  Ask the salespeople to turn it up so you can hear the sound at higher levels.  You want to be absolutely sure of the clarity of the sound before you purchase a system.

Secondly, make sure that the system you are considering is compatible with the type of mp3 player you own.  Many of the most popular speaker systems are proprietary systems manufactured for iPods, so if your mp3 player is another brand, you want to make sure that the speaker system you purchase will function with it.  It’s not a bad idea to take your own mp3 player into the store and try it out on the speaker system right there to make sure it is compatible and hear the sound from that particular player through that particular speaker system.

Another thing to consider is the playlist.  This is your day and you will want to choose music that represents you as a couple – music that is meaningful to you as well as pleasing to your ears.  However, even though it definitely is your day, you should also take into consideration the fact that your guests will also be there listening to the music.  For that reason, any decision to play music that is extremely esoteric should be very carefully considered.  You can’t please everyone, of course, but you will want to consider whether your music choices will be alienating a large portion of your guests.  You invited them to share in your joy, and you do want them to have a good time.

In the interest of saving money and expressing your individuality, opting for a digital playlist rather than a live DJ can be a great choice.

Say goodbye to the days of wedding favors that consist of tiny organza bags filled with pastel-colored candy-coated almonds.  And thank goodness for that.  These days, wedding favors are fun, whimsical, useful, and personal.  While that makes them better, obviously, it also makes choosing what they should be a bit more of a challenge.

Well, no worries.  Here are some ideas for memorable wedding favors that your guests will adore.

MINI PHOTOS – With many engagement/wedding photo packages, wallet size photos of the engagement shoot are included, which make this a natural gift to include as a wedding favor.  If you want the favors to be a little more extensive than that, you can always include personalized frames of miniature photo albums which can be purchased at craft stores or online.

WEDDING MUSIC CD – If your ceremony included a lot of music, a great idea can be to give your guests a CD of music that was featured in your wedding.  If possible, you can even have the people who performed it in your ceremony record it.  With labels that can be purchased at an office supply store, a color printer, and a little creativity, you can create a great favor that is full of both visual and audio appeal.

CANDLES OR SOAP– There are a lot of pre-made candle and soap favors that can be purchased from wedding specialty shops or online, but a great idea is to have them custom-made by a local craftsperson to match your wedding theme.  You can look in the yellow pages for someone that fits the bill, or even place an ad in the local classifieds or on craigslist.

PERSONALIZED CANDY BARS – One positive thing about the pastel-colored candy-coated almonds was that they were edible.  People always love a snack, that’s something you can count on.  So, to take that old idea and modernize it, why not have custom printed labels made up that commemorate your wedding day and give each of your guests a personalized candy bar?  Their hearts will love it and so will their taste buds.

PERSONALIZED MUGS – Mugs are something that people use every day, whether to drink coffee or tea from, or to hold trinkets or pens.  You can have personalized mugs created at a printing shop or ordered online, which have your photos or a message and the details of your wedding printed on the mug.  The great thing about this, is that you can also choose to fill the mug with anything you want if you want to take the idea a little farther.

BOOKS OF POETRY AND QUOTES – Collect some of your favorite romantic poetry and quotes and have it bound into a lovely small volume.  Printing shops can do this for you, and even copy shops such as Kinko’s should be able to help you out.  Your guests will appreciate the personalization – you chose all of the quotations, so it’s coming straight from your heart.

Remember, don’t be limited by what you’ve seen other people do in the past.  Your wedding day is a special celebration of love between you, your spouse, and all the people that you love the most –and your favors should express that unique relationship.

Guest books can be a nice addition to your wedding ceremony.  They’re pretty, they’re traditional, and are a lovely keepsake.  Not only that, but they give you an opportunity to involve a friend or family member in the ceremony by entrusting them with the responsibility of facilitating the guest book signing.

However, some people want to have something a little bit more unique to commemorate the people who came to share in their day.  If you are in that situation, there are several unique ideas you can use that will help to make the day your own.

One idea is to create a wedding wishes scrapbook.  When guests initially enter the venue, they have a Polaroid photo taken of them.  This will be placed on one page of the scrapbook.  The guests will also, at a point in the day that makes sense, be given a paper or card to write a meaningful note to the happy couple.  Depending on the size of the paper or card and the size of the scrapbook page, this will either be placed lower on the same page as the picture, or, if that won’t fit, on the facing page.

Another idea is to have a beautiful photograph of the two of you with matting that is four or five inches wide for guests to sign.  This is particularly nice because it gives the couple a keepsake that they can actually display by hanging on the wall of their home after the wedding.

If you are a young, modern couple, you can have a guest book with a technical twist!  You can have an audio or video guest book where people can leave you their messages.  This can be in addition to or instead of a traditional guest book or one of the other alternate ideas.  The great thing about this idea is that people often feel more comfortable expressing themselves verbally than in writing, so you are apt to get some very lovely and sincere messages that you would never have gotten had you limited the guests to writing.

A particularly cozy idea is to have your guests sign fabric panels with fabric paint pens, which will later be assembled into a quilt that you can use for display purposes – or to snuggle under with your honey!  If you do plan to use it and subsequently wash it, however, you will need to make sure that you use paint pens with washable, permanent ink, otherwise the quilt will lose the messages when you wash it, and that would be heartbreaking.

You can also have a pre-fired ceramic plate or bowl that guests sign with special ceramic paint pens.  These can both be ordered online.  After the ceremony, you can have the piece fired to make the comments permanent.  Again, this provides you with a display-ready keepsake that will last forever.

As with any part of your ceremony, it really comes down to what fits the personality of the bride and groom.  You need to keep looking for original ideas, discussing, and don’t settle on one until you find one that excites and feels right to both of you!

Throwing rice at weddings is one of the most iconic parts of the ceremony – the ideas of weddings and throwing rice are almost inextricably intertwined.  However, if you are looking for something different, there are lots of alternatives. Although, I will note, that the urban legend about rice exploding in bird’s stomachs is just that – an urban legend.  So hopefully, if throwing rice is what you wanted, you won’t abandon the idea based on that.  However, you might not want to be continually explaining the lack of danger to guests throughout the reception, so you still may want to choose an alternative.

THROWING FLOWER PETALS – Many people throw rose petals, which is gorgeous, but if roses don’t fit in with the theme or budget of your ceremony, the petals of any kind of flower would work well.  Speak with a florist to determine which flowers fit within your budget and would work well for this purpose.

RELEASING BUTTERFLIES – This is a gorgeous and colorful alternative to rice throwing.  Each guest is given a small box or envelope that contains a live butterfly.  As the couple walks through, the guests open their boxes and a colorful swarm of live butterflies take flight.   It’s certainly a great photo op!

BLOWING BUBBLES – Another visually appealing alternative to throwing rice is blowing bubbles.  Each guest is given a small bottle with bubble liquid inside and the circular plastic ring embedded in the cap.  Not only is it aesthetically pleasing while all the guests are blowing the bubbles, but it also leaves each guest with a keepsake to take home from your wedding.

SPARKLERS – If your wedding is at night and if zoning permits, you can have each guest holding a lit sparkler.  This is a very powerful visual statement.

CONFETTI – This is a colorful option.  The great thing about confetti is that if it is not available for purchase in the color that you want, you can always make it yourself from colored paper with fun shaped confetti punchers which are available at craft stores.

RINGING BELLS – Although it will clearly bring some “It’s a Wonderful Life” inspired comments of “Every time a bell rings, an angel gets its wings,” this is a great rice-throwing alternative, particularly if you have a bell-themed wedding.  It also works well for venues that don’t allow throwing of any objects on the grounds.

STREAMERS – This is similar to the confetti option, but it creates an entirely different visual look.  The long, curling streams of colored paper create a strong visual that would look fantastic in photos.

BALLOONS – Releasing balloons is yet another visually powerful statement.  A fun twist on this idea is to have your guests write good wishes for you on their balloons before releasing them.

DOVES – The downside to releasing a pair of doves as the couple exits is that each guest does not get to participate, but it is a beautiful and symbolic gesture.

These are some great alternatives to rice-throwing, but keep in mind – anything that can be thrown, basically, can be used.  So the only limit is your imagination!

Thirty years ago, wedding ceremonies were largely the same.  The places that were available to the bride and groom to show their personalities were the color choices, the flower arrangements, and the decorations.  The ceremonies were basically the same, with little variation.

That is no longer the case at all!  Today, your ceremony can have innumerable personal touches.  In fact, if it appeals to you, you can basically create the ceremony from scratch to suit you.  The possibilities are endless.

PERSONALIZED VOWS - To many couples, the heart of the ceremony is the vows, so personalization would begin there.  Writing your own vows doesn’t have to be intimidating or scary – just speak from the heart.  It doesn’t have to be perfect, it just has to express your feelings.  If putting words down in writing on your own is particularly difficult for you. However, you can always choose a passage of prose or poetry that is particularly meaningful to the two of you or that you feel captures what’s in your soul in a way that is specific and special.

LOCATION - The location you choose is another thing that can make the day your own.  Weddings absolutely do not need to be in a church – they can be in a place that is personally meaningful to the two of you!  It can be in a place where you met, or had your first kiss.  A place where you spend a lot of time, or even in your own home or the home of a family member!

UNIQUE RITUALS – There are many special rituals you can include in the ceremony itself that will make the day unique.  Unity ceremonies (unity candle, sand ceremony, wine box ceremony), photo montages, first communion, readings, special songs – all of these things express your uniqueness as individuals and as a couple.

PERSONAL STORIES – One really great idea is to have a microphone set up at the reception, and invite guests to either share a reading or tell a personal story about one or both individuals in the couple.  Even if guests are reticent at the beginning, they will warm up as they see more and more people participating.  The stories will range anywhere from hilarious to poignant, and having that emotional spectrum represented can be a special part of your day.  Make sure that you have someone videotaping the stories so that it becomes a beautiful keepsake.

UNIQUE CHOICE OF OFFICIANT – The age of the internet has opened up a whole new world of possibilities when it comes to officiants because pretty much anyone can become ordained online now.  If you want to go that route, you, possibly in conjunction with your possible officiant, will need to research the legal requirements in your state for people performing weddings, and make sure all of the paperwork is filed on time.  Then you should be golden!

These are just a few ideas of things you can do to make your day your own.  Hopefully this will be a great jumping off point for you to brainstorm some ideas that come straight from your own head and heart so that your wedding is truly your day, your way.

Your wedding day is one of the most significant in your life, one that you want to share with all the people who are precious to you.  If some of those who are closest to your heart have passed away, that can be a difficult situation that makes the day bittersweet.  However, there are some very beautiful and meaningful ways that you can include and honor your loved ones in your ceremony.

One lovely ceremony you can incorporate is the memory candle.  This is a small candle which is lit and burns throughout the ceremony as a way to symbolize the light of that person’s soul being present throughout the ceremony.  The candle can be lit as part of the overall ceremony to draw the attention of the congregation to it, or it can be lit in a private moment prior to the ceremony so that only the couple are aware of the significance.

Another thing you can do to commemorate a loved one is to include a small dedication in the program that highlights the person you want to include.  This can be as poignant or as upbeat as you wish it to be – you can even include a short poem or passage that was meaningful to that person or in your relationship with that person.

If one of the deceased is a parent of the bride or groom, it can seem like a particularly glaring omission to leave them out of the program when putting the names of the other parents there, but you don’t need to.  Etiquette dictates that you can include the names of the deceased with the precursor, “the late…”

The presentation of roses to VIPs is a common ceremony that is included in many weddings.  At the end of this ceremony, a rose can be laid at the foot of photos of the deceased that have been placed in a prominent location.

Additionally, many couples incorporate a photo slide montage in their ceremony with pictures from when they were young and pictures of the two of them together.  A section of the montage can be included that honors those who have passed away.  The great thing about this idea is that captions can be included with your photos that detail the significance of this part of the presentation.

One thing that can be done which is more private but keeps your loved one close to your heart during the ceremony is to incorporate a piece of that person’s clothing or jewelry into what you wear that day – a necklace, earrings, cuff links  – this is limited only by your imagination and the significant objects in your relationship with that person.

Another tasteful solution is to include a flower arrangement dedicated to the person or people you are honoring.  The words “in remembrance of” can be incorporated into the design, along with small photos.

Whatever you decide in terms of honoring those you love who have passed, it will be a special addition to your wedding ceremony, because it will be something that feels one hundred percent right to you.

Are rising wedding costs bringing you down? Choosing an off-season wedding may be just the thing you need to have the wedding of your dreams and still stay within your budget.

The most popular wedding dates are in the late spring and summer. Unfortunately, these dates also come with a hefty price tag. Wedding vendors are well aware that this is the busiest season and they can charge much higher rates during these times and brides and grooms (or their parents) will happily pay for them. Often, wedding venues will have a minimum charge for weddings held during the peak season months.

Wedding vendors are also busy during the peak season and you may have a hard time securing your favorites. Many well-known photographers are booked months ahead of time for the popular wedding dates. If you are not organized about this, you may miss out and not be able to get the wedding vendor that you truly want.

But frugal brides know that having an off-season wedding could save you fifty percent or more off the cost of your wedding!

Because wedding venues are so desperate for your business during the fall and winter months, there are likely to be no minimum charges. They are also more likely to throw in a few extras such as a room for the couple (if at a hotel), or an extra bottle of champagne. You also have more bargaining power. A venue’s space is likely to go unused during the fall and winter months (with Christmas and New Years being an exception), so they may be more willing to negotiate a lower price for you.

Furthermore, other wedding vendors are less busy during the off-season and they too will fight for your business. Photographers, caterers and musicians in particular will try to underbid each other. You are likely to get the exact vendor that you want for a fraction of what you’d pay during the peak season.

You also will not have to fight for your guests’ attention. Spring and summer are busy times for almost everyone—it’s when most people plan their vacations and have a lot of weddings to go to. If you hold your wedding during a fall or winter month, your guests are more likely to be able to come.

Spring and summer are indeed great times to have a wedding, but when you compare the cost of having your wedding during the peak-season vs. off-season, the fall and winter start to not look so bad.

Have you noticed at the weddings you’ve been to that there seems to be a secret mix tape floating around called, “First Dance Songs You Are Required to Choose From” and it only has about ten songs on it?  That’s an exaggeration, obviously, but there is an abundant reliance on a small repertoire of love songs that rotate through the first dance rotation.  If you want to branch out and have a song that is not only a perfect expression of your love but also a beautiful song for you and your guests to enjoy afresh, hopefully these song ideas can help you out.

(1) “Do What You Want” by David Ryan Harris – This song is gorgeous.  It’s a man’s expression of love to a woman, telling her that he is hers to do with what she wishes.  “I have no offering to bring, but the song you hear me singing.  So do what you want with me, do what you want.”

(2) “Spend My Life With You” by Eric Benet and Tamia – This beautiful duet is a couple expressing to each other their desire to spend every day together for the rest of their lives.  “Can I just see you every morning when I open my eyes?  Can I just feel your beating beside me every night?  Can we just feel this way together till the end of all time?  Can I just spend my life with you?”

(3) “Nothing Fancy” by Dave Barnes – This song is from the perspective of a man who is expressing to a woman that, while he knows there’s nothing he can give her that is special or amazing in his love, what he can do is love her with all his heart. “There’s nothing fancy ‘bout the way I love you. It’s as simple as the stars in the sky, and the blue in the sea.  There’s nothing fancy ‘bout the way I love you.  But it sure is fancy how you love me.”

(4) “Shelter” by Ray LaMontagne – This lovely song is an affirmation of standing together and protecting each other from the troubles of the world. “All of this around us’ll fall over.  I tell you what we’re gonna do.  You will shelter me my love, and I will shelter you.”

(5) “Simple As It Should Be” by Tristan Prettyman – This song celebrates the simple pleasures of being in love and feeling connected to the person you love.  “Cause time will go, and we may be far apart I know, but as far as I can see this is so good, there’s no need for change.  It’s alright with me, it’s as simple as it should be.”

These songs can be easily located and purchased by simply typing the title and artist into Google or another search engine.  The CDs can be purchased online at a store such as Amazon.com or in your local record store.

Also, you can procure digital downloads of the songs from stores like eMusic or iTunes.  However, carefully read what the Digital Rights Management installations on the files are, because they might prevent you from doing things like burning the file to a CD, which you may need for the DJ.  You might be better off getting the physical CDs in this situation.

Keep searching until you find a song that is utterly perfect for the two of you – the hours of searching will be worth it when you are dancing to it on your special day!

Herman Melville, in his epic novel Moby Dick, stated that there is a longing in all people for the sea, that human beings are drawn to it.  It very well might be this very longing that has spurred the rise in recent years of beach-theme weddings, both by couples that live near the ocean and those that do not.

When planning a beach-theme wedding, one thing to remember is not to go over the top!  There are thousands of resources available online, but don’t get carried away.  Remember, the idea is to give your guests the hint of the sea, not make them feel like they are drowning in the ocean.

INVITATIONS – Start off the theme before the wedding even begins by mailing out invitations with a beach or nautical theme.  This can be as simple as having a seashell embossed on each invitation.  There are many resources online where you can order these, and many shops have an extensive selection of styles.

LOCATIONS – Of course, it is not necessary for a beach-theme wedding to actually be held on the beach, but it is possible.  Many couples every year have simple and beautiful ceremonies on the beach.  If you would like a ceremony near the ocean but not actually on the sand, alternatives are to search for venues that have an ocean view.  Lastly, if you are located far inland and you are not interested in having a destination wedding, remember that, through the use of details, you can still evoke a beach theme without actually being at the beach.

FAVORS & PLACEHOLDERS – Making your favors a beach theme is a must.  There are lots of options, including shell-shaped candles, seashell-etched glass coasters, seashell-shaped soap gift packs (hint – these are easy to make yourself!), small frames shaped like Adirondack chairs, or sailboat-shaped candle holders.  If you live near the beach, particularly if you have a small congregation, one free option is just to collect beautiful seashells and place them at the tables as favors.  If you have time, you could even include a small note with each shell, explaining why you chose it for that person.

WINE CHARMS -  If you are not familiar with wine charms, they are small trinkets attached to a hoop that people put around the bottom of their wine glass to distinguish it as theirs among the others at the table.  They can be quite intricate and beautiful.  The most common beach-theme wine charms are ones made from blown glass or pewter, and they are widely available online.

OUT OF TOWN BAGS – For a fun beach twist on your out of town bags, make sure to include coupons to a local seafood restaurant for your guests to enjoy!

Remember, proximity to the ocean does not have to determine whether or not you will have the beach-theme wedding of your dreams.  You can easily create the feeling of the beach through beach or nautical details, even if you live in the Midwest.  It’s all in the imagination and the planning.

It used to be that wedding invitations, though lovely, came in very few varieties.  The main choices that the bride and groom were presented with were the weight of the stock, whether they wanted white or cream colored paper, what style of the four or five options of script they wanted, and whether they wanted gold or silver embossing.  Those days are long gone! 

There are a myriad of choices available now in commercial invitations and programs, from theme styles to creative folds to gorgeous graphic design.  Still, if none of these appeal to you and you are aiming for a truly one of a kind experience, or if you simply are opting for the do-it-yourself route due to budget constraints, making your own invitations and programs can be a fun, personal, and affordable option.

One way that you can personalize your invitations and programs is with original art or photography.  If you or your significant other is artistically inclined, that is fantastic – it makes the programs and invitations TRULY your own.  However, if that is not the case, all is not lost!  Ask friends and family members if they know of anyone who is an amateur artist or photographer, or you can even purchase graphic files from a stock photo site.  If you go that route, it won’t be entirely unique, as the art will not have been created by you and yours - but it will have been chosen by you, and incorporated into the design of the invitation by you.

Additionally, even if you have not previously taken artistic photos, you might want to give it a try.  When objects are photographed at interesting angles, close up, and in black and white, it’s amazing how special even ordinary, everyday items like candles, flowers, and seashells can seem.

If you have a small enough guest list that manually assembling invitations and programs is feasible, then craft stores like Michael’s can be a wonderland for sparking creativity.  They generally have an entire section with ribbons and papers and stickers devoted entirely to weddings, but here’s the secret – DON’T STICK TO THAT SECTION!  Venture outside into the rest of the store and create a mindset of seeing things outside of their usual box. Stationery stores and some party stores, have books of wedding invitation samples you can look through for design inspiration, and for some ideas on wording that may appeal to you.

Fabric also makes a pretty addition, and adds lots of texture and color to your creations.  The great thing about fabric is that even very expensive fabrics like silk are affordable because you will only be using a small amount on each invitation or program.  You can use fabric that matches the colors of your wedding theme, and you might even use swatches from the material that your bridesmaids’ gowns are made of.  Joann’s Fabric and Craft Store offers a wide variety of fabric and usually has great sales.

So, if you’ve found yourself scrolling through page after page of invitations online with no reaction aside from the occasional frustrated sigh, all is not lost! With creativity and an open mind, your invitations and programs can be custom-made creations that perfectly complement your custom-made wedding!