This interactive tutorial I found from Brides.com assures you will find the perfect veil to suit your style and wedding gown in no time at all! When you first click on the link, you are taken to a fully interactive guide that gives specific details about each kind of veil (cathedral, fingertip, flyaway, etc.) By hovering over each type of veil, you can see exactly how it looks so you know which type you would prefer.

For additional ideas and tips on how to wear it, click on the veil of your choice for photographs, style tips and more to help you pick this important accessory for your big day.

Whether you’ll be donning an A-line or ballgown or any style in between, this interactive tutorial from Brides.com will help you find the perfect veil to complete your look beautifully.

When planning the menu for your wedding reception, you may want to incorporate a few kid-friendly dishes into your offerings so young guests will also be able to enjoy the meal. While you certainly don’t have to extend too much extra effort into creating an entirely different menu for the little ones, there are ways you can adapt the menu to suit even the pickiest children.

Having a buffet-style reception is by far the easiest way to please the most people, because you will have a wide variety of options that guests can choose from to their hearts content. Even young children would find a buffet to their liking! If you are intent on having a plated dinner, discuss with your caterer about adding a few simple dishes that won’t cost too much money or take too much time.

A simple pasta dish (cheese, cheese, and more cheese!) a yummy dessert, and a soup or salad should be more than enough to tide young guests over, and you won’t have to worry about ruining the entire menu.

How would you handle the eating needs of children who attend your wedding?

Even the traditional white wedding dress can look elegant and unique with an unexpected touch. The following gowns are all gorgeous, but with a unique touch that will make you stand out even more on your special day.

This wedding gown is easily one of my favorite dresses, and the unique black-on-white design isn’t something I’ve ever seen at a wedding; but look how beautiful it is! The two-tiered tulle and lace skirt beautifully complements the beaded floral design, and the black velvet sash with crystal brooch really ties the entire look together. Simply gorgeous!

(Dress, Justin Alexander, justinalexanderbridal.com)

This strapless silk wedding gown would be beautiful in its own right, but the addition handmade plum colored flowers peeking out from each “layer” of the dress really sets this gown apart from the rest! I love the unexpected pop of color, and the look is very unexpected but oh-so-beautiful.

(Dress, Casablanca Bridal, casablancabridal.com)

This light-as-air gown is made from beautiful silk and lace and features a lovely portrait neckline, lace embellishments and a flattering princess silhouette. The real beauty of this gown, though, lies in the gauzy cathedral veil that cascades down and around you; this is truly fit for a princess!

(Dress, Eugenia Couture, eugeniacouture.com)

On its own, this wedding gown would be classically elegant and simple. What adds such a unique touch is the addition of lace floral appliques, which really makes the gown pop! Additional features include a lace-up back, ruched bodice, chapel length train and a flattering sweetheart neckline.

(Dress, Mia Solano, miasolano.com)

As these wedding gowns prove, a touch of the unexpected is often all you need to make an even more striking appearance on your big day! Which one is your favorite?

When planning your wedding, it’s natural to think about how to incorporate food that will work for specific guests’ dietary needs. You shouldn’t stress yourself out over this, however, because it would be impossible to accommodate every single guest with the exact food they’d like. In fact, most wedding guests understand that they should not expect any special treatment when attending such a large function, and will normally make do with what they can eat.

To help put your mind at ease, choose a basic meat dish for your meal as well as a meat-free alternative that will please those who do not eat meat. For even more leeway, consider having serving your reception food buffet style with a variety of foods your guests can pick and choose from. This is the easiest way to ensure all of your guests, regardless of their dietary needs, will have something to enjoy on your big day.

If all else fails, remember that this is YOUR day, and you cannot be expected to please everyone. Do the best you can, and focus on the most important part – your new life with your groom!

How would you handle your wedding guests’ dietary needs?

These satin rose favor boxes are the perfect way to present a small trinket to your guests, and are an elegant option when clear plastic cellophane just won’t do the trick! These favor boxes are beautifully decorated and are available in 6 colors to match nearly any wedding theme.

Choose from lavender, ivory, red, white, pink, or hot pink for a distinctive way to present a small wedding favor to your family and friends who attend. These boxes are just the right size for small earrings, cookies, candy and anything else you can think of to make your guests feel appreciated on your big day!

Favor boxes start at $1.65, and are available at MomentsofElegance.com

Celebrities are known for extravagant weddings, $20,000 dresses and rings that cost more than a modest home, but you can have a celebrity style wedding for a lot less with these tips!

Get Inspired

Celebrity weddings are a great source of inspiration when planning your own affair, and you can have similar features in your wedding with a bit of creativity. Check out photographs of weddings you admire, and feel free to incorporate their ideas into your own wedding. Your local crafts store has supplies you can use to recreate different decor elements for a heck of a lot less than the stars paid!

If a designer wedding gown a celebrity wore has you drooling, feel free to shop discount dresses with a similar look. There are plenty of modestly priced designer gowns available for $500 or less, and you are sure to find one that looks very similar without the Hollywood price tag!

Food and Drinks

Celebrities spare no expense for their wedding, and the same can be said for the food served. For a celebrity chic wedding, consider serving food “buffet style” instead of a plated dinner. You can still have the elegant wedding you’ve dreamed of, but this way you save some serious cash in the process.

If you plan on severing alcohol, consider creating one signature cocktail to be the highlight of your reception. You’ll save money on booze, and guests will love the allure of a special drink that was created just for the day!

Flowers

Lush floral arrangements are a hallmark of celebrity weddings, but you can nab the look yourself for much less with a little know-how. Instead of tons of small floral arrangements, consider purchasing a few larger arrangements that really make an impact and save you money in the long run. Buying flowers that are in season is also a great trick to shave some cash off the final tab!

Having a celebrity inspired wedding can be a lot of fun, and these tips will help you feel like a star on your special day, even without the big bank account!

What are your tips for having a celebrity style wedding on a budget?

If you’re looking for inspiration for your first dance as husband and wife, check out these 5 tunes that are sure to bring a smile to your face and tears of joy to everyone watching!

1. Come Away With Me – Norah Jones

“Come away with me and we’ll kiss on a mountain top; come away with me and I’ll never stop loving you.”

With lyrics like these and Norah Jones’ sultry voice, this is one first dance song that will be loved by any bride and groom!

2. Just The Way You Are – Billy Joel

“Don’t go changing, trying to please me. You never let me down before.”

There are several versions of this song, but I still return to Billy Joel’s interpretation time and again. The lyrics of this song are absolutely perfect for a first dance between the bride and groom!

3. It Had To Be You – Frank Sinatra

“It had to be you; I’ve wandered around, finally found somebody who could make me be true.”

Frank Sinatra is a popular choice for wedding ballads, and with lyrics like these, you can certainly see why!

4. A Groovy Kind Of Love – Phil Collins

“Wouldn’t you agree baby, you and me, we’ve got a groovy kind of love.

This is a bit of a quirky choice for the first dance song, but the lyrics are emotional and full of sentiments that are perfect for the bride and groom just embarking on their life together.

5. Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You – Frankie Valli

“You’re just too good to be true, can’t take my eyes off of you, you’d be like Heaven to touch, I wanna hold you so much.”

The first few opening lines of this classic ballad by Frankie Valli sums up the rest of the song beautifully, making it a wonderful choice for the first dance.

These are easily some of my favorite romantic wedding songs, but it’s important to choose one that has meaning for you and your partner. Which songs do you recommend for the first dance between husband and wife?

(Photo Credit)

Your guests will love these rainbow colored fortune cookie wedding favors made from wholesome, all-natural ingredients! Each cookie is individually wrapped and can be customized to suit your color scheme and preferences. Choose from several different colors like hot pink, lavender and peach, or choose an assortment of all 7 colors if you aren’t picky!

You also have the option of choosing which shape appears on your fortune cookie favors (hearts, bells, or flowers) or a combination of all three! The fortunes that will appear in each cookie can also be completely customized by you when you order.

These fortune cookie favors are sure to be a hit with both children and adults alike, and are the perfect token to show guests how much you appreciate their presence on your special day. Cookies start at $1.10/each and are available from MomentsofElegance.com.

Reception centerpieces can be very expensive, so why not try your hand at creating your own unique decorations for your special day? Even if you don’t consider yourself the crafty type, these ideas are super easy to do and will save you money, to boot!

1. Candles

Purchase several heat resistant bowls, fill with water, and add floating candles for a luminous centerpiece that won’t cost too much. You can also add flower petals, food coloring or other creative embellishments to create a truly unique centerpiece your guests will ooh and aah over!

2. Baskets

Wicker baskets are inexpensive and can be purchased for a few dollars at your local craft store. Fill your  baskets with fruit, flowers and other items that match your wedding color scheme. You can also thread brightly colored ribbon in and around baskets to make them truly shine!

3. Jars

Mason jars are economical and unique, and you can often find quite a few kicking around thrift stores, garage sales or even your own cupboards! Don’t worry about them being matchy-matchy, either; jars in various shapes and sizes will be even more unique! Fill jars with water and use as vases, or pour beach sand into each jar and nestle a votive candle inside. The choice is yours!

4. Bowls

I attended a wedding once where the bride used fish bowls as her centerpieces (yes, she used real goldfish!) While that is definitely a unique idea, you don’t have to go that route. Instead, nestle the bowl in a ring of flowers that match your decor, fill bowl with water, and add floating candles for a beautiful centerpiece your guests won’t be able to stop talking about.

DIY centerpieces are not as difficult as you might expect, even if you don’t consider yourself the artsy type. These ideas should help spark your imagination and allow you to create your own reception centerpieces without spending a ton of money. What are your favorite DIY centerpiece ideas?

Making your own wedding invitations can not only save you money, but allow you to showcase your creative side. If you want to make your own invitations, here are a few tips to help you get started.

1. Gather Materials

Before you even begin designing your invitations, make sure you have all the materials you will need before you begin. One of the biggest mistakes people make when designing their own invites is to neglect the envelopes. The last thing you want to do is find out your invitations won’t fit into the envelopes you have, so make sure EVERYTHING you need is readily available to you before you begin.

2. Create a “Rough Draft”

You may have tons of ideas about how to design your own wedding invitations, but you may want to practice a bit first before you start working on the real deal. Creating a rough draft of what you’d like the invites to look like is a great idea, and allows you to play around with various design elements before you actually need to commit.

3. Start Early

No matter how crafty you are, DIY wedding invites take time and effort to complete. Whether you have 50 guests or 200 people attending, it’s important to give yourself plenty of time to create all the invitations and mail them out for guests to RSVP. A good rule of thumb? Give yourself MORE time than you think you’ll need, and you should be able to mail your invites off with plenty of time for your guests to respond.

4. Ask for Help

If you feel overwhelmed at all during the process, it doesn’t hurt to ask another crafty friend or family member to step in and help you. Whether it’s assembling the invitations, addressing envelopes, or simply to provide comic relief, a close friend can help share the burden and make you feel much less stressed out over your invites.

Making your own wedding invitations is a time consuming process, but I firmly believe it is a worthwhile endeavor. Not only will your guests appreciate a handmade, unique invitation, but you will be able to save some money too!

Have you made your own wedding invites? How was the process for you? I’d love to hear your thoughts, so please leave a comment below.