Wedding Trends

You've agonized over the invitations and gone through every shade of every color of the rainbow when coordinating your decorations. Chances are you've got the details of your wedding down pat, but have you thought about dressing up the aisle itself?

Wow your guests before you even make your entrance with a gorgeous floral pattern There are many ways to do this. If you're feeling ornate, ask your florist if they'll create a path of petals for your walk to the altar. A row of daisies in an outdoor ceremony is a cute way to spruce up the aisle, too. You can also go for something a bit simpler by attaching small arrangements to the end of every other row.

If flowers aren't your thing, you can festoon ribbons that match your wedding colors down the aisle. Feeling lucky? Leave the decorating up to your guests! Place small bags of flower petals at the entrance for everyone to take. Encourage people to create their own decorative pattern as they make their way to their seat. It's a unique gift that will let everyone feel like they were a part of the wedding.

The first thing your guests are going to want to know as they arrive at your reception is where they're sitting and who is at their table. You must conduct the delicate balancing act of having everyone feel comfortable while encouraging strangers to interact with each other. There are a lot of different ways to get people talking. Skip the boring signs on the table and get everyone in a pleasant mood right off the bat!

Even though your invitations requested an RSVP, it's likely some of your guests won't have done so. Avoid setting your seating chart in stone until a few days before the event so you can deal with any last-minute stragglers.

Try and incorporate your wedding's theme into the seating chart itself. For example, if you are having your wedding in the Napa Valley (an ever-popular destination for couples), designate each table with a different wine region, such as Bourdeaux or Riesling.

Assigned seats are a great delivery system for personalized gifts, as well. Leave small bottles of champagne in front of each spot, or add that extra touch with a personalized shot glass!

Nowadays, engaged couples are looking for ways to decrease their wedding's eco-footprint while making sure that it's still a special day. With an average wedding cost approaching $20,000, it's clear they have a large effect on the environment. Here are a few things you can do to make the impact of your pending nuptials a little bit smaller.

You can skip lavish invitations for ones made from environmentally-friendly paper. Encourage your guests to recycle them when they are no longer needed. Or, you can do away with invitations entirely and send out an email! But bear in mind this won't have quite the same impact as receiving an envelope in the mail.

Try and source your food locally. One of the best things you can do for the environment is minimize the distance your refreshments and cake have to travel.

Hand out a small bag of wedding favors before the ceremony, including containers of bubble solution for each guest. Rice is harmful to birds who eat it after the ceremony, so encourage your friends and family to shower you with bubbles instead!

Wedding shower gifts are a great way to pick up those essentials around the home that you need. After all, you're going to require plates, silverware and small appliances for two! But don't always limit yourself to the basics. Wedding registries are perfect for getting those upgrades you need for more special occasions down the line, and guests are often willing to go in on a gift together.

A set of high-quality knives is a great choice for those looking to splurge on you and your hubby-to-be. Slicing and dicing can get pretty expensive as you move up the chain, but the first time you use them you'll understand why.

Although you may think of nice china as reserved for special meals, you can work it into your regular rotation pretty easily. Anytime you feel like adding a bit of flare to your dinner, just throw it on a nice plate!

Let yourself indulge in an espresso machine if you're one who needs her caffeine fix in the morning. It'll start your days off right and save you a whole bunch of cash if a friend or family member is are kind enough to pick one up.

Of course, make sure your invitations let your guests know where you're registered! You'd be surprised at how easily this little detail can slip by.