Scripted

Your invitation is the first glimpse your guests will have as to what type of wedding you are having - formal or casual, beach or ballroom. The envelope you mail your wedding invitation in can be just as personal as the invitation itself.

Colored envelopes, fancy or fun calligraphy and even colored inks can let your guests in on what they can expect on your big day.

Nancy Howell, a New York based calligrapher, designed the envelopes and place cards pictured above. Remember that all of your wedding stationery elements should match and/or compliment each other, so talk to your stationer and calligrapher about making everything picture perfect.

Kabobs.com

Planning a wedding, as we all know, takes a lot of time. But other life events will take place during the course of your engagement. If you're planning on hosting any type of dinner party - holiday, birthday, just because - then you'll have to make time to prepare and cook food for your guests.

Cut that time in half by placing an order with Kabobs.com. This Atlanta based catering company has a full menu of delicious hors d'oeuvres that you can order online, or over the phone, and have them shipped to your door. All you have to do is pop them in the oven, and serve them as your own.

Something Fun

I had waited so long (over 5 years) for my husband to propose, so when I finally got engaged I couldn't wait for the wedding day. To help me keep track of how many days I had to go, a friend gave me The Wedding Countdown Book and Clock.

It sat above my desk for the 22 months - yes 22 months - of planning. And I have to say that it was, especially towards the last few weeks, very exciting to see that my wedding wasn't that far away.

It's All About the Presentation

Selecting a caterer can be a lot of fun. If you are getting married in a catering facility such as a hotel or temple, the decision of who will be cooking the food for your wedding is pretty much decided for you. But, if your wedding is at a loft, private home or club you may have a choice as to which caterer you want creating the menu for your reception.

If you live in the Chicago area Limelight Catering can help you create the ideal wedding menu. From creative hors d'hoeurves to a luscious main course and a delicious cake, the seasoned professionals at Limelight will even find the right wine to pair with each item on the menu.

But at Limelight Catering it's not all about how the food will taste. Careful attention is paid to how each item is presented, so guests will not only say how great something tastes, but how good it looks too.

Say Cheese!!!

Now some people may go overboard with the details and vendors they hire for their wedding. I'm not talking about an expensive florist or baker. I'm talking about the unexpected vendors you may see, like the Elvis impersonator, fireworks display or a vintage Good Humor truck with ice cream. (The last one was an indulgence at my wedding.)

Well, here's a great one that can be a fun favor for guests, great additions to your wedding album or scrapbook, and a creative guestbook format.

You can rent an authentic photobooth from Photo Works Interactive. This nationwide rental service offers vintage '50s models as well as modern booths that can snap the well-known strip of 4 pictures and develop them in seconds.

Wedding Idea - Have a table set up near the booth and ask guests to cut off one of the images and paste them into your guestbook. Have colored pencils on hand so guests can write you well wishes too.

Will you...be my bridesmaid?

Why not ask your closest girlfriends to be your bridesmaids with a handwritten note? You can surprise them by mailing each one a card or you can hand deliver the cards when you're out together.

This card, by Jenny Sweeney Designs is available online. You can also find cards for maid-of-honors and flower girls. And once the wedding is over, don't forget to send a special note thanking your bridal party for being such an important part of the wedding.

Seasonal Weddings

When you're planning the details for your wedding - menu, flowers, cake, favors - think about the season you are getting married in. Whether your wedding is in the winter, spring, summer, fall or holiday season, there are hundreds of colors, tastes, smells and ideas you can get inspired by.

For example, if you are getting married in the fall you can have rich harvest colors such as deep reds, golds, browns and oranges in your palette. Your centerpieces can be made up of flowers in these rich colors, or you can create a cornucopia centerpiece with a mix of fruits and floral elements.

Your menu can be very hearty, starting with a deliciously warm soup, Cornish hens, as well as other fall foods. And of course the cake, in addition to complimenting the dinner menu, can be decorated to match your fall theme.

This cake, by Jim Smeal is the perfect example of a fall cake: decorated in cream and brown, accented with buttercream branches and sitting on top of a tree stump.

Wedding Planning Tip - Talk to your vendors about elements of the season you can incorporate into the details of your wedding. For example, using seasonal flowers may save you money because these flowers will be much easier to get during the season that they are in full bloom.

For more ideas for an autumnal themed wedding, visit Martha Stewart Weddings' website.

Event Designer 101

There is a difference between a florist and an event designer. A florist will create your bouquet and centerpiece based on your color palette and style preferences. An event designer will work with you to create a palette and motif for your wedding, and execute ideas from everything from stationery design to floral arrangements to the personal details that make your wedding so special.

Nancy Liu Chin Designs creates weddings with an amazing attention to detail. Working with clients to determine what colors will create their palette and thinking outside the box, Nancy will create that thread you hear about in magazines so everything from your stationery to your linens to the cake and favors all compliment each other.

Getting Married Abroad

For those of you thinking of hosting a destination wedding there are a lot of variables you need to consider. From where the wedding should be to how you will communicate with your vendors to completing all the necessary legal requirements.

If you're thinking of getting hitched in France or Italy then you must call Chateau Weddings.

With exclusive relationships with chateaus and villas across both countries, Chateau Weddings can help you plan everything from contract negotiations to onsite coordination to guest transportation and accommodations as well as menu translation & planning.

Planning a destination wedding has never been so easy, or so beautiful.

Moving Announcement

For those of you who live in the New York tri-state area, or plan on visiting to shop for your wedding dress, then pay attention: Mark Ingram Bridal Atelier has moved.

Mark Ingram is one of, if not the most, fabulous person in the bridal industry. His taste in gowns is impeccable. The Mark Ingram Bridal Atelier carries exquisite gowns by Monique Lhuillier, Angel Sanchez, Le Spose Di Gio, Anne Barge, Peter Langner and Jenny Lee. (Mark carries over a dozen lines.)

The salon has moved into new digs: 110 East 55th Street, 8th Floor in the heart of Manhattan. They only work by appointment, so call them at 212-319-6778 to schedule one soon.

Here are some gown shopping tips from Mark:
1. It is important to have an actual wedding date and venue. Your sales consultant will help you select a gown that is perfect for your setting.

2. Bring tear sheets, photos and downloaded web images of styles of gowns you wish to try on. Our consultants will make additional style recommendations based on your initial conversation.

3. Before scheduling an appointment, make sure the salons you have selected feature gowns in your price range.

4. In general, limit your shopping companions to the one or two persons whose opinions mean the most.

Cocktail Napkins

We spoke about custom coasters a few posts back, so this time I thought I'd focus on napkins.

While hors d'oeuvres are passed during cocktail hour, cocktail napkins are passed as well. Whether or not you're sipping a martini at the time, you'll need to hold your appetizer in something and your hand will just not do.

For Your Party offers a wide range of napkin colors and layout options so you can have anything you want printed. Here are a few suggestions:

"Just Married"
"Eat, Drink & Be Married"
"Happily Ever After"

In addition to custom napkins, you can order matchbooks, ribbon, note cards and bags and boxes for favors and guestroom gifts.

Flip Book Photo Album

Once the wedding is over all you have left are your memories - and your photo album and your wedding video. But what if you could capture those images in a new way?

FlipClips is an online service where you can create a flip book from your wedding video. Just upload your 30-second video clip, select your book's size and customize the cover. Prices start at $8.99 per book.

Anniversary Reminder - The traditional first anniversary gift is paper. Why not create a flip book of your first dance or cake cutting for your husband?