I just love how they etch modern shapes or folksy flowers on a thin piece of wood for an earthy, natural quality that never feels the least bit hippie or granola-y.

Do-It-Yourself brides will love their blank wood line, which gives them the freedom to stamp or draw their own designs. And eco-conscious couples will appreciate that the wood used is from sustainably harvested birch, and the paper envelopes are 100% post-consumer recycled. Just gorgeous! 

I admit it was fun bringing out the little girl in me again when choosing the flower girl dress and accessories for my wedding. Here’s my favorite flower girl ensemble of the moment (and don’t forget to include a coloring book to keep her occupied during the reception!):

Lemonade Flower Girl Dress by Shelley George, $200

Molly Jr. Children’s Shoes by Touch-Ups, $28.99

Sarah Parchment Rose Wreath by Orange Blossom Tiaras, $95

I recently attended a wedding where two drop-dead gorgeous bridesmaids sheepishly walked down the aisle in too-tight dresses. Between the time the dresses were purchased (over a year ago!) and the wedding day, two out of five bridesmaids got pregnant, and there was no time to find a new dress for all the bridesmaids.

At the last minute, the ladies swapped dresses with each other to ensure that they were all…er…covered, but sadly, their plan wasn’t entirely successful. One busty bridesmaid was on constant Nipple Watch, pulling up her strapless gown to make sure “the girls” were kept under wraps. Even so, it took only one Michael Jackson song before she was resembling another Jackson, if you know what I mean.

The moral of the story is, don’t commit to bridesmaid dresses (or at least the final tailoring session) until shortly before the actual event. Your friends will thank you. 

When you are ready to shop for bridesmaid dresses, here’s a hint: Nicole Miller has some stunning flowy gowns that would look gorgeous on your ladies, whether they have a bun in the oven or not.

After spending $150 on Egyptian cotton linens for his close friend, the groom, and finding out that said groom couldn’t remember what he’d given them, Aric Martinez decided that there had to be a better way for couples to personalize their registry and get what they actually want—even the expensive stuff.

He created iDoGifts.com so guests can purchase “shares” in high-end gifts the bride and groom want but can’t justify buying for themselves. So if, for example, Aunt Gertrude and 3 friends each buy a share at $75 apiece, they can get you that Bose SoundDock you’ve been coveting for your home. And if you don’t have a home, people can actually contribute money towards your down payment. Now that’s a gift you’ll absolutely remember! This clever website offers a wide selection of gifts to choose from, but if they don’t have something you want they’ll work out a way to get it on your registry.

Check out the possibilities at iDoGifts.com.

For more details and information, go ahead and call them at 714/870-7101.

Check out this episode of Road To The Altar for one hilarious example of a wedding budget gone awry.

And for the record? Simon’s right: regifting hotel soaps really doesn’t equal a green wedding. Click here to find out more about (legitimate) green weddings.

This Peacock inspiration board from The Perfect Palette pretty much says it all, but if you’re hungry for more ideas, Perfect Details has some peacock flair for your guest book and beyond, like these green amethyst earrings. 

If you’re looking to make a bolder peacocky statement, pin this peacock feather brooch to your purse, or go all out glam with this birdcage hairclip from Urban Outfitters and strut your stuff! 

I know this problem well. We were all missing my husband during his son’s wedding, but when the Best Man stood to honor him with a sincere tribute (which might have been a longer speech than his toast to the bride and groom!), tears—and not the happy kind!—started to flow.

No one should have to leave the reception to dry their eyes. And while this may sound harsh, your wedding is not your loved one’s memorial service. Weddings are joyous occasions, and my gut tells me that your loved ones would not want you to choose your special day to mourn.

So how do you respectfully acknowledge a loved one without losing the joy of a moment?

• Place pictures of everyone who’s important to you, living or not, on a table at the reception. If you can add lots of goofy and fun pictures to the mix, it’ll become a celebration of life instead of a memorial.

• If you’re having a video montage at your reception, don’t forget you’re the star of the show. Always keep the photos light and fun, and make sure the music has an upbeat tempo.

• Is there a piece of Grandma’s jewelry you can wear at the ceremony? Is there material from her wedding dress that you can have made into a handkerchief? Can the groom wear his grandpa’s cuff links? Just the act of wearing something of theirs can make you feel closer.

• Incorporate a favorite bible verse, poem, or song in the ceremony. You can mention the significance in your wedding program, but don’t call attention to the reason during the event.

• No poems coming to mind? Simply include their name in a special note in your wedding program: “Here in our hearts we honor…” You can add a dove, butterfly, or a cross after their name, or maybe even a little note that says: “we love that we know you are here in spirit, Grandpa”

Whatever you choose to do, remember: It’s your day. You set the boundaries. Discuss your feelings with your family and anyone giving toasts and speeches (including your officiant).

The day after my son’s wedding, I took flowers from the wedding and went to the park to set them on the memorial bench donated in honor of my husband’s life. I sat there for a while, cried a little, and left the bench thinking about how Russell and Alix were on their way to their honeymoon and new life together. That made me smile.

Before their wedding, the bride and groom both write a good old-fashioned love letter to each other, expressing in detail how they feel about their relationship. They’re not allowed to see the other’s letters or show them to anyone else. The letters are then sealed and given to the officiant at the ceremony, who locks them in a box with a bottle of good wine, creating a time capsule and emergency wedding kit in one. If the bride and groom ever feel that the marriage is in jeopardy, they’ll open the box, drink the wine, and read the letters together. This particular couple has agreed to open the box on their 25th wedding anniversary if they never feel a need to open it sooner.

I loved the idea. Marriage is by no means easy, and sometimes we’re so focused on romance we occasionally forget that very important fact. But wow: I didn’t realize how controversial the love note ceremony was until we got to the reception! Some agreed it was a sweet idea, but others felt it was too depressing to be included at a wedding. I think one guest said it best: “Why make everyone wonder if this marriage is going to last before the celebration’s even over?”

Wedding guests on both sides of the issue raised some valid points, and I’d like to keep the discussion going. What do you think about the love note ceremony?