Imagine how great it would be if you and about 400 other people you knew were getting married at around the same time. Ok, maybe it would be a nightmare… but imagine the discounts you’d get?! Well, actually there is a way for you to use the power of numbers to your advantage without having to share the spotlight with anyone!

Groupon.com is a site dedicated to finding the absolute best deal for a specific product or service. They do this by finding hundreds of people to buy together. Brilliant! And the best part is that the ‘deal of the day’ often is a service that brides can make great use of… like dance lessons, or spa treatments. All you have to do is visit the site, sign up for e-mail updates in your city and be on the lookout for something good!

These days, brides and grooms have the option of creating an MTV style music video of their wedding day… how great is that?! Here’s how it works:

First it would be a good idea to find a videographer who has some experience with this type of thing. It can be an amazingly fun memory of your big day, but you really need a professional touch to pull it off.

Next, pick a song. In my opinion, the more upbeat the better. It just makes it more entertaining to watch.

Then (and this is the best part), you can choose which friends and family members will take part. What a great way to involve everyone and make them feel like they’re an important part of your big day.

Finally, your videographer will get busy filming and then editing your wedding video. Not an easy task, I’m sure, but this is where you’ll be glad you found the right person to handle the job!

Check out the videos below for some inspiration.

Keeley & Henry’s Wedding Music Video. from LOCKDOWN projects on Vimeo.

Brian & Eileen’s Wedding Music Video. from LOCKDOWN projects on Vimeo.

Here’s how it works… If you’re the crafty type, you can buy a kit and do the decorating yourself. This is probably the best way to save money, but keep in mind it will only work if you’ve got some decorating talent. The first thing you’ll have to do is choose your shape. Sugarcraft offers styrofoam cake forms in many different shapes and sizes — including heart and cupcake! Believe it or not, there are a lot of sources for these styrofoam molds, but I chose to highlight Sugarcraft because they also offer supplies and instructions for decorating. I like when things are made to be as easy as possible!

The second option is perfect for anyone whose expectations exceed the limits of their design talent (and I would definitely fall into this category). Rent someone else’s talent! A very professionally designed three tier ‘fake cake’ will run you about $175 plus a refundable $200 deposit at cakerental.com. It may seem a bit pricey at first glance, but once you take a look at their work I think you’ll see the value. Real cakes of this caliber could easily cost four times the cost of rental.

With either option, you don’t have to forgo real cake altogether. Many brides will keep their fancy (fake) cakes for display, and serve an inexpensive, but delicious cake to their guests. After all, when it’s cut into slices who can really tell the difference?

If you’re looking for some wedding song inspiration (and also happen to be  ‘a little bit country’), take a listen to my picks of the day.

5 – She’s Everything

1 – Just Got Started Lovin’ You

2 – Bless The Broken Road

What better way to cure a case of the Monday blues than with an inspiration board of  some ‘cool’ blue wedding finds?

This free-flowing pool-blue and white dress has me wishing I was about to be a bridesmaid! Seriously loving it!

And this sash from Wee Gardens offers the perfect complement. Tie it around your waist of your gown,and you’ve instantly got your ’something blue’ covered.

Bridal Accessories: Flowers by Amore Bride. Blue Pearls by Dutch Pearl. Blue Topaz Engagement Ring by Bend the Fish.

If you haven’t had your fill of Tiffany blue just yet, try hanging these fun Party Poms around to add a touch of whimsy.

And last but not least, guests are sent home in style with these ‘Something Blue’ Wedding Favors.

The truth of the matter is that a lot of favors are better suited for the female guests. It seems a bit sexist – but it works pretty well for most weddings since people often attend as couples. But let’s think for a moment about the poor single guy who gets the porcelain dish with pink hearts and flowers? I’m sure he appreciates the token all the same, but it’s obvious the bride and groom did not have him in mind when they were choosing favors.

So today, we stand up for the single guy . Here are some tips to make sure your favors are well-suited for everyone.

1. Go with something everyone likes! Like chocolate bars, or candy. Trust us, the single guy won’t enjoy the chocolate less because it was wrapped in pink. A few other great ones are wine stoppers, bottle openers or luggage tags.

2. Look for favors that have an ‘other-half’, like the ever-popular bride and groom pairs. Here’s an example:

3. Pick out two different but complimenting favors, one for the men and one for the women. This one can be tricky as you’ll have to know exactly how many of each gender are attending. Also, if you want them placed at the tables, you’ll really have to plan this well in advance so you’ll know the ratio of women to men at each table. The benefit to going this route is that your guests will feel that much more special, almost like you shopped just for them! Here’s an example of complimenting his/her favors.