*

*

*

*

With this in mind, a perfect wedding day breakfast would include some of the following good-for-you foods:

• Blueberries and orange juice: rich in vitamin C, which has been shown to reduce stress
• Yogurt: the live cultures in it can help settle an upset stomach
• Whole-wheat toast: full of vitamin B, which helps ease anxiety
• Chamomile tea: promotes relaxation.
• Bananas: Contain Vitamin B6,  are easy to digest and have been shown to produce digestive-enhancing mucous, helping to protect your stomach against acid.
• Applesauce: Easy to digest, will provide for a quick boost of fructose sugar that can boost your mood.
• Vanilla Bean: Soothing, calming and relaxing. Vanilla has an intense smell that seeps into your bones and makes you feel good.
• Dark Chocolate: Chocolate contains a neurotransmitter known as anandamide that has the ability to alter dopamine levels in the brain, causing a sense of peace and relaxation.
• Oatmeal with milk: Eating complex carbohydrates such as oatmeal with a protein source such as milk helps to boost serotonin levels in the brain which can reduce anxiety.

Sources: Martha Stewart, LunchBox, Natural Medicine

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

Some topics of interest to the DIY bride may be:

Catering Display: How to Design the Perfect Buffet: Find out how you can create a buffet line that will be appetizing but will also dazzle the eye.

Decorating Your Own Wedding Reception Hall: Whether you are holding your wedding reception in your own house, an outdoor tent or a reception hall, learn how you can save money by decorating your own wedding reception.

Wedding Menu Ideas & Tips: Most couples want their wedding reception to be memorable. Learn how to develop a unique wedding menu that both the wedding party and the guests will love.

What You Need to Make & Decorate a Wedding Cake: Find out what tools you need to make and decorate a wedding cake, as well as steps detailing the entire process.

Off-Site Catering Menu: Choosing Foods that Hold & Travel Well: Some menu items will transport well while others will become stale, overcooked, soggy or dry. Here is a list of what works and what doesn’t, as well as some tips on how to transport tricky foods.

Designing a Wedding Table Centerpiece: Whether you are a caterer or a do-it-yourself newlywed, you can benefit financially from designing your own wedding centerpieces.

Chocolate Fountain Recipes: Find step-by-step instructions for how to make your own fondue chocolate that will flow smoothly in a chocolate fountain.

Do you have experience in catering a large event? Let us know what you think is crucial to success!

First, the Food!

Since the actual meal will probably be closer to lunch-time than a breakfast, you’ll need to serve something substantial to fill those hungry tummies. It’s called a “breakfast” but you don’t want to serve just eggs and toast!! Consider having a light breakfast-type-food buffet for guests as they arrive (juice, fruit, pastries, coffee & tea, etc). Then later on, for the sit-down meal, go ahead and serve something more substantial… click here for some ideas to get you started!

Sample Menu from Regal Catering:

Sunday Sausage Baked Eggs

Bacon Strips

Cheese Blintz (served with assorted fruit toppings)

Mini Ham Biscuits

Cheese Grits

Breakfast Potatoes with choice of grilled onions or tri-colored bell peppers

Assorted Mini Muffins (blueberry, banana nut & bran)

Mini Bagels (accompanied by cream cheese, capers, salmon & red onion slices)

Fruit Display (served with lemon yogurt)

Here’s a super-fun idea to keep your guests busy and entertained, as they wait for the bride to make her grand entrance. From SimpleSavings.com:

Ask your guests to decorate trees. When my friend married
in a park, she asked her friends to each bring two colored
ribbons to hang in a tree when they arrived. It looked lovely,
and gave the guests something enjoyable to do. We used
the same idea with streamers. We bought 10 packets of
streamers for $2.00 each and while our friends were waiting
around before the ceremony, our MC asked them all to
decorate the trees with the streamers. It looked terrific and
everyone had a ball!

Favorite Favors!

Here are some adorable favors that you can put next to each place setting.  Each of them could easily be personalized and designed to match your wedding colors.  Please visit  No Fuss Fabulous for all the photo credits (and more fabulous wedding ideas)!

Did you have a wedding breakfast? Tell us about it!!

feature image from The Daily Green

Looking for something nontraditional?  CakeGirls also has “luxury cakes” for that once-in-a-lifetime event, and unique and artful cakes for special occasions. How bout ordering one for your bachelor/bachelorette party? Or, you can really create a sensation at your wedding with a personalized, themed cake. Can you believe that these are cakes?!

And I’d like to bet that they taste almost as good as they look! Not only are these cakes a feast for the eyes, but with the following menu to choose from, guests are sure to be licking their plates clean…

Thanks to SMP for sharing this great wedding cake site!