Wedding Tips

1. In the men's and women's restrooms at your reception, have a care basket set up. The basket should include various toiletries that guests at your party may need but do not have handy. Some items for women may include: hairspray, a small bottle of perfume, deodorant, a sewing kit, dental floss, mini lipstick tubes and clear nail polish to stop runs in stockings (or even inexpensive replacement pantyhose). Some items for the men should include: hairspray, hair gel, cologne, deodorant and breath mints. Be sure to pick up at least one of our Wedding Day Emergency Kits.

2. Have two pair of bridal shoes with you on the big day: the ones youll wear in the ceremony, at the beginning of the reception and in all the pictures and then, a more comfortable pair. Many brides buy inexpensive cloth sneakers and decorate them with ribbon, lace and sequins. You can change into them during traveling times (in the limo and/or in-between the ceremony and the reception). Dont forget the Lucky Sixpence for your shoes!

3. To avoid children taking over the dance floor, provide a table in the corner of the reception area that has coloring books, puzzles and crayons for them to use. You can even hire a teenager attending the wedding to supervise their activities. The most creative brides will even request that the children make the new couple a mural filled with pictures drawn during the reception (which can be framed and saved!). See our Children's Gifts.

4. To spend less on food at the reception, replace expensive meals that younger children would not want to eat with more economical substitutes that kids will enjoy eating (like grilled cheese or pasta). How about a memorable Honorary Wedding Party T-Shirt for your precious Flower Girl and Ring Bearer.

5. Remember to have a bagful of necessities (such as make-up, hair spray, aspirin, allergy medication, an extra pair of stockings, etc.) available to you during your big day. Its almost guaranteed that either you or your bridesmaids will end up grateful you did. See our Wedding Day Emergency Kits.

6. Think ahead. Weddings are full of joy...tears of joy! Remember to have lots of tissues handy. If youre feeling creative, you can decorate tissue boxes and have them sitting in each aisle or pew. The most creative brides can make small pouches and place a few tissues in each to hand out. Be sure to get our Treasured Keepsake Hankies.

7. Schedule a massage the morning of your wedding, either by yourself or with your bridesmaids. The massage will give you a chance to relax and even bond with the girls on one of the most important days of your life. Even if all you have time for is a relaxing bubble bath that morning -- its worth it! Be sure to surround yourself with our fragrant by the tub Floating Candles while you delight in the pages of our Wedding Planning and Thank-You Guidebooks.

8. Before you plan your tropical honeymoon, be sure that you plan according to the areas weather. Just because its sunny and gorgeous where you live, doesn't mean that it isnt hurricane season where youll be vacationing. And, pack your bags for the honeymoon a week in advance. That will allow you plenty of time to remember what you may have forgotten to pack. Dont forget to bring along our soft glowing Honeymoon Candle for romance every evening!

9. Designate a close friend that is not an attendant to be a runner. This person can go to the store for last-minute items you forgot on the day of the ceremony/reception. Both the bride and the groom may want to choose a special person to fulfill this role and, the person you choose may end up being a life-saver. And be sure to recognize their unforgettable assistance by honoring them with one of these terrific Engraved Gifts.

10. Instead of throwing rice at the end of the ceremony, supply your guests with environmentally-friendly alternatives such as Birdseed and Bubbles.

11. If youre on a tight budget, why not use silk flowers instead of fresh blooms? They're guaranteed to last throughout the ceremony and are also very photogenic. Why not use our affordable fabric Rose Petals as table decorations, in your Flower Girl Basket or on your aisle runner? Spray them with rose scented water or rose oil (oil might stain) for a lovely, lasting fragrance you and guests will surely remember.

12. Make your wedding cake different! Instead of choosing a basic yellow or chocolate cake for under the frosting...why not choose cheesecake or carrot cake? You may just surprise (as well as delight) your guests. Be sure to top it off with one of our Beautiful Caketops.

13. To make your ceremony more elegant, hire violinists or flautists to play rather than a cantor. If you live in a collge town, inquire whether college students would like to do it, but be sure to get references from professors. And, don't forget your Flower Girl Basket and Ring Bearer's Pillow.

14. Remember to celebrate your heritage at your wedding! If youre Italian, have you and your bridesmaids go out and learn the tarentella dance. If youre Irish, why not have irish dancers from a local dance school perform during dinner?

15. To have happier bridesmaids, consider choosing a color and letting your maids choose the dress style. Or, pick a few styles that they can choose from. That way they can choose the dress most flattering to their body types. Delight your bridesmaids with ourTraditional Bridesmaids Charms!

16. Ask friends not directly involved in the wedding party to be responsible for taking candid wedding photographs. Some of the best photos are often captured by chance. Be sure to store your precious photos in our Personalized Keepsake Photo Album.

17. For reminiscent keepsakes of your once-in-a-lifetime Wedding Day keep track of all the days (and years) moments with our wonderful Wedding Time Capsule Kit. Youll enjoy making this fabulous keepsake even as much as looking back at it over the years.