1. Pick a picture of you and your groom, and use it on your save-the-date notice. Whether your send it by email or snail-mail, a personalized save-the-date won’t be forgotten.

2. That’s my menu! Instead of a place card at each place setting, have a printed menu that’s personalized with the guest’s name on top.

3. Fun with table names: Instead of plain old numbers, let each table express about yourself, for example your favorite cities, favorite authors, or favorite wines.

Geoff White Photography Blog

4. I’m a fan… For an outdoor summer wedding, hand out paper fans that are personalized with your names and wedding date.

5. I’ll drink to that! Celebrate your friends and family by offering a series of signature cocktails named after each of the bridesmaids and groomsmen.

6. Dance floor: When it comes time to hit the dance floor, have a gobo made with the bride and groom’s initials projected onto the dance floor.

7. Slide show: Set up a screen or computer monitor where you can show pictures of the wedding at the day-after brunch. (Even better, I’ve seen such a thing done at the wedding itself! At some point the photographer took a break and uploaded pictures for the guests to see at the wedding itself!)

8. Party favor: Have a CD made with images of your wedding available for your friends to take home as wedding favors at the end of the night.

9. Wedding music favor: Make a CD with the music played at your wedding, including the ceremony, reception, and party. Place a pile of CD’s on a table for guests to pick up as they depart. Or if you want to be sneaky about it, give the CD’s to your valet parkers to place in each car.

10. Personalized decorations: Instead of a traditional sign in book, have your guests write a message on ribbons that are then tied to the ceremony area. The ribbon can be collected and saved as a memento for years to come. (If you will be using a chuppah, a similar idea is to have each guest write a message and decorate a square of cloth. They will have to do this in advance– perhaps send it with their response card– and the squares can all be sewn together to create the chuppah.)

Read more: Brides.com

Homemade cookies: Do you like to bake? One bride and her mother made homemade cookies the week before the wedding. They include an old recipe (Christmas cookies they make together every year), a new recipe (chocolate cherry cookies), a borrowed recipe (chocolate chip), and a something blue (sugar cookie sprinkled in blue).

Drinks: One sophisticated couple (via The Knot) featured drinks such as Gin & Tonic, Blushing Bride, French Kiss Martini, and Blue Moon beer. Another ideas is to choose four well-known cocktails such as a dirty martini (old), a mango (new), a French martini (borrowed, say, from a friend’s wedding), and an electric lemonade (blue). (image from chakpak.com)

Wedding Cake: Embellish your cake according to the classic formula. For something old, use your parent’s cake topper or a family heirloom like a broach. Something new could be fresh flowers or decorative crystals. Then decorate your cake with blueberries, blue fondant flowers, or blue piping.

(images from flickr consumed by cake and the funky cake co)

Ceremony: Choose “something old” that is meaningful to you, such as a passage from the Bible. For something new, you can select a newly published poem, or something you’ve written yourself.  “Borrow” a passage, song, or prayer from the wedding ceremony of a couple that you admire. “Something blue” calls for a creative touch, like playing “Love is Blue” or “Blue without You.”

(image from millitaylor.com)

Favors: Give your guests “something old, something new” with these adorable favors from American Bridal. Your guests will be charmed by these cented soaps, tied with a blue satin ribbon, and tied with a charm that reads “Something…”

Have you heard any interesting twists on “something old, something new?” We’d love to hear about it!

feature image from the knot

Here are some ways to dress up your programs in order to make them as fun and fabulous as they are functional! All photos are from The Knot.

Multi-Functional

A multi-functional fan kept guests cool and included ceremony information along with a photo of everyone in the wedding party. The “programs” (left) included a simple printout folded over a Popsicle stick—an easy DIY project. The five-leaf program on the right, decorated with bright yellow lily burst also doubled as a fan for the warm summer day.

Groovy Graphics

The bride and groom made their programs themselves. They printed their large oak tree design (left) on pearlescent paper and tied the programs with Hanna Silk hand-dyed ribbons. The programs on the right, bearing the peacock motif, were especially important because they explained the significance of the Hindu ceremony.

Creative Genres

On the left, postcard-sized ceremony programs detailing the wedding party and ceremony information mimicked the Wild-West style of the custom-designed invitations. Comic book lovers designed a custom-made program with a cover featuring cartoon images of themselves, on right.

Embellishments

The bride made the programs on the left herself using heavy bronze and cream card stock. She added eucalyptus leaves and a brown silk ribbon to incorporate the wedding colors. On the right, the program features a glued-on starfish for a waterfront wedding.

Roll it up

On the right, a scroll program features the events of the day, the delicious menu, and a Rumi poem.  The programs on the left were rolled around twigs and tied with brown velvet and satin ribbon.

Ribbons and Bows

The beautiful programs on the left picked up the black-and-white pattern of the wedding invitations, made eye-catching with crimson and gold ribbons. The chocolate-brown programs on the right are tied with gorgeous yellow-and-white gingham ribbon.

Added Features

One inventive couple included a crossword puzzle in their program, with questions about the couple. (“We said that the puzzle was meant for early-comers and shouldn’t be done during the ceremony!”) Be creative and think of ways to make your program a personalized, fun, and interactive part of your wedding.

What to include in the Program

Basic Info: Names, wedding date, location, and time.

Order of events: What will happen during the ceremony, including processional music, greeting, readings, prayers, exchange of vows, ring ceremony, unity candle ceremony, etc.

Members of the bridal party: Officiant, parents and grandparents of the bride and groom, maid of honor, best man, bridesmaids, groomsmen, readers, and anyone else you’d like your guests to be acquainted with.

Other things you may wish to include in your wedding program (from About.com)

• An explanation of traditions or customs used in your ceremony
• A request for audience participation in certain parts of the ceremony (e.g. affirmation of the marriage, communion, singing, offering of the peace, standing or kneeling)
• Thank yous
• Memorials (for example: The memorial candle is lit in honor of the bride’s mother, Shirley Fielding.) More advice on honoring a deceased parent or relative
• A short sentence about each of your bridesmaids and groomsmen, describing why they are important to you.
• An explanation of the significance of the location, theme, first dance song, etc.
• Quotes or poems about love or marriage
• Directions to the reception

For more Wedding Program inspiration, visit The Knot to view hundreds of real wedding programs!

How to choose a venue:

1.  Do you plan to marry in a church or synagogue, and then move somewhere else for the reception?  Or do you prefer the convenience of having the wedding ceremony and reception all under one roof?  Factors such as ease of transport from service to reception will be important when planning your church wedding.

2. Make a list of all possibilities, and then call them to check the availability on the day you and your beloved have decided to wed. This will narrow down your search, as venues tend to book up quickly and some may not even be available on your desired date.  It’s a good idea to reserve your venue from six months to a year before your actual wedding. If you have your heart set on a particular venue, you may have to be flexible about the date.

3. Put together a tentative guest list of family and friends you think will be at the wedding.  Then, look only for venues that can accommodate that number of guest. If you plan on inviting the whole town, you’ll need a large hall that fits all those hundreds of people. If you plan on having a smaller affair, you can choose something more cozy.  Find out when the venue of choice needs to have a head count.

4. Discuss your wedding budget with your spouse-to-be, and decide how much money you can devote to the wedding venue. Some venues charges a flat fee, while others charge per hour. Some provide special packages that you may be able to work into your budget. You should als0 find out whether they offer discounts on certain days, like a Thursday or Sunday. Once you decide on a venue, make sure to find out when deposits and payments are due.

5. Ask the wedding venue director what items are included in the price. Some venues offer tables, linens, chairs, and even decorations, while other venues offer only the space that you will need to fill. Be sure to find out if a set-up or clean-up fee is included in the price, and how much time before and after the wedding will be needed to do so.

6. Find out whether the venue offers only in-house catering or if they allow outside caterers.  If you and your fiance have dietary needs, or have your hearts set on a particular menu, this will play a part in your decision.  If the catering is in-house, inquire whether it is also included in the price.

7. Do you want to be married outdoors? Look for a place that will host an outdoors wedding ceremony and/or reception, but make sure they have a provisional space in case of bad weather, too. Also, find out if the venue offers changing rooms for the bridal party and groomsmen.

8. If you and your spouse-to-be plan on serving alcohol, discuss any rules or restrictions they may have. Some venues allow you to bring in your own liquor, while others make you use their own in-house bar and bartender.

9. Bands and other forms entertainment can take up a large amount of space, as can a dance floor, so decide when and where you want the entertainment to take place, and check that there will be enough space available.

10. Parking may be a consideration for your guests. Some venues offer valet parking (which you can choose to cover) while others offer adequate-sized parking lots for all of your guests.

Types of Venues:

Your perfect wedding can take place just about anywhere you want it to, but here are some of the most popular choices, brought to you by WeddingPath.

Historic wedding reception venue. Castles, country houses and stately homes are among the locations many dream of for their big day. If your budget can stretch to it, this offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to enjoy the use of a stunning building.

Hotel wedding reception. There are so many different types of hotel that there’s likely to be something for everyone, from traditional to ultra-modern. Having accommodation on the spot is, of course, a big plus.

Marquee wedding reception. If you have access to spacious gardens or other outdoor space, a marquee, or tent, could be worth considering. Many people are surprised at how pricey it can be to hire a marquee for their wedding, but the plus side is that you can take control of wedding catering and could save a considerable amount by providing your own alcohol.

Sports or social club wedding reception. Different types of club premises can be perfect for a wedding reception. Do plenty of research and you could find one that’s in a stunning location, too. For example, some sailing or rowing clubs have picturesque waterside views, and can often be hired at a reasonable price, certainly compared to other popular wedding venues.
Restaurant or pub wedding reception. Food and drink are among the main ingredients for a successful wedding reception, so where better to head than to a lovely restaurant or pub? Bear in mind that you’re more likely to find a good match if your wedding party is smaller, and if you’re lucky you might even be able to escape the heavy costs that are often quoted as soon as you mention the ‘w’ word!

Things to watch out for!

Wedding prices. Don’t fall for over-inflated prices. Whether it’s sky-high drinks or hidden costs in the small print, you don’t want to feel exploited, so vote with your feet if you feel it’s not worth it.

Wedding venue staff. Do they seem experienced and professional? Are they flexible and willing to adapt to your needs? This will be a major factor in how smoothly your day runs.

Wedding venue facilities. Is the venue accessible for guests with a disability? Is there appropriate seating for the elderly and/or young children?

Wedding guest accommodation. Is there a reasonable range of accommodation (hotels, guest houses, etc) within easy access of the venue?

Wedding transport. Is there enough parking for guests who drive, and decent transport links for those who don’t?

Wedding venue restrictions. Does the venue impose limitations that could put a damper on your celebration? Some stipulate no loud music after a certain time, others don’t like confetti or candles, and certain (usually historical) venues forbid high-heeled shoes for fear of their flooring being damaged.

Wedding photography. Plenty of natural light in your venue will mean better pictures. You might also want to check that there are plenty of appealing outdoor spots close at hand.

Wedding decoration. Are table linen, flowers, place cards and other decorations included in the quoted price, or will you have to provide your own?

Wedding extras. Check the availability of extras such as a cake stand and cake knife. Many wedding venues will lend you these, but having to hire them separately adds to your hassle and your wedding expenses.

Photo from countymarquees.com