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?

Want to be a DIY bride but don’t know how to get started? WeddingDNA.com gives you access to chic graphic templates which can be used for wedding invitations, save-the-dates, programs, thank-you notes, place cards…even PowerPoint presentations for reception slideshows!  Membership’s just $39.95/year, and you can download and print as much as you need to create a cohesive wedding style. I’m partial to the Moonlit Owl design—a new twist on the usual lovebirds! 

What I love most: A WeddingDNA membership means invitations can be ready in the time it takes you to download and edit a Word doc with your info and press “print.” Then just put out some snacks, turn the music on, and call your family and friends over for an invitation party that’ll create both lasting memories and that unmistakable feeling of a job well done. 

Okay, so it’s not exactly your traditional wedding dessert figurine. Some might even say it’s tacky to have a bride figurine “fondling” her groom. To that I say, “lighten up!” I mean, she’s grabbing his tushie. That’s an assertive woman right there! And in my humble opinion, it’s also celebrating what every good relationship needs to go the distance: a healthy sense of humor.

Click here to purchase the best wedding cake topper ever.

This year, the popular event will take place on October 18th, 2009, at Miramar Marine Corps Base in San Diego from 11am to 4pm. The first 100 brides who show up at the Miramar Room will receive a free hand-selected wedding gown. There will also be bras, corsets, slips, veils, bridal shoes, bridesmaid dresses and other bridal accessories available.

Brides don’t need to live in the area to qualify, but need to either be in the military themselves or have a fiancé who is. She should bring her or fiancé‘s military ID or deployment papers. And get ready to try on those wedding dresses!

CLICK HERE for more information, or email jamie.savarse.ctr@usmc.mil for event logistics.