Pick an unexpected first song that makes you laugh, “One couple chose ‘Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours’ and hit the dance floor with grins you could see a mile away. ”Remember this will be a moment to remember and the perfect wedding song should be an important decision to make on your special day.

Here’s how to depart in style. No wedding is complete without that special shot of the tow of you leaving the reception. You can’t go wrong with the classic sparklers send-off, but if your venue doesn’t allow them. Have guests wave confetti sticks, spin colorful pinwheels or hold wands streamed with ribbons in your wedding colors as you pass by them. Hand our mini bells for friends and family, or operated tea lights to illuminate your path. Say goodbye to your guests while driving away in a vintage vehicle. Attach a Just Married sign to a pickup truck for a western theme wedding , a horse-drawn buggy for a Cinderella affair, or a bicycle built for two for a sweet garden soiree.

Cocktail receptions are one of my favorite things to do on a limited budget.

Hold your reception on a Sunday, cheaper than Saturday night. State on your invitation that the event is for cocktails, so guests won’t expect dinner.

You’ll save thousands on decorations simply because you won’t need big floral arrangements. Decorate small cocktail tables with candles and modest bunches of blooms.

For budge, I suggest offering fingers foods like Italian breads, olives, artichoke hearts and cheeses, finger fruits and salads. Nestle the food amid small bunches of flowers and grapevines. Arrange the wedding cake on its own table.

Use this handy list to ensure nothing important gets lost or left behind after the last dance is over:

The top layer of your cake
Cake knife and server set (unless you rented)
Cake topper
Your bouquet (unless you tossed it)
Toasting flutes (unless you rented)
The copy of your vows (if you handwrote and read them)
Your heels (if you changed into flats or flip-flops to dance)
Your handbag
Your camera (if you brought one)
Any heirlooms you carried (handkerchief, etc)
Any family memorabilia you displayed (framed photos, etc)
Your guest book and pen
A favor and program

Question
My maid of honor just got a new pair of funky glasses; they’re bright blue with thick frames, very hipster. How do I ask her not to wear them with her elegant bridesmaid’s dress? She has contact lenses, after all.

Answer
Give your friend a little credit. No doubt she’s perfectly aware that her hobo specs don’t match that formal frock and was already planning to wear her contacts. And if she doesn’t just let it go. The focus of the day will be on you, not on her blue crush.

Question
Will guests be insulted if I have my bridesmaids make follow-up RSVP calls instead of me?

Answer
Traditionally, it’s the bride or her mother who does the phoning but if you and Mom are too busy trying up loose ends, feel free to ask someone involved with the wedding and yes, that can be your attendants to help you out. Don’t worry about insulting anyone, those dearly beloved should have RSVP’d on time!

Our Maid of Honor an Groomsman just broke up. How can we make sure it’s not too awkward on the wedding day?

Don’t make changes to your wedding that’ll leave you unhappy just to accommodate them. If they are truly your friends, they will act like adults. I would not allow a plus one for either party. This day is about you and your groom, it is not a competition to see who has the more attractive rebound. Do what you can to keep them apart, position them far from one another in the lineup at the altar, in photos and at the bridal party’s table at the reception, you can even seat them at separate tables.

Smooching in front of everyone you know at the altar is considerably less comfortable than making our on the couch. Here’s how to avoid classic wedding PDA pitfalls.


Smile at each other, many forget because they are still nervous.

Tenderly hold one another closer than a junior-high slow dance when you were in junior high, but farther apart than a junior-high slow dance today.

Gaze into each other’s eyes; do not look at the guests, even from the corner of your eyes.

Close your eyes lean in and make contact. Strive for the proper tongue balance in the kiss. Let people know tongue is involved without people knowing you wanted them to know tongue is involved.

Find the right duration on the kiss. Your two enemies are the
impersonal peck and the long slobber (there may be kids in the crowd). Studies show that four seconds is optimal.

Slowly pull apart, smile and keep your eyes fixed on each other for a moment. Then turn towards the audience. Let the applause dissipate. Now look

Exchanging marriage vows you’ve personally composed is a nice way to make your ceremony even more meaningful. But unless you come up with the heartfelt messages in Hallmark cards for a living, you’ll benefit from following these two tips:

Don’t worry about a little plagiarism. Rely on poems, song lyrics, movie quotes and lines from literature.

Do have a close friend look over both sets of vows to ensure their length and tone is similar. (Nothing worse than hearing one person pours his or her heart out and the other recaps)

Question
We’re not Jewish, but we love the significance and look of a huppah. Can we still use one at the ceremony?

Answer
Just call it a canopy instead of a huppah, and of course you can have one. Wedding canopies are especially popular for outdoor ceremonies, where they can help define the altar area. According to Jewish wedding custom, four attendants hold or stand by the poles, and a prayer shawl is draped over the top. Obviously, you’d omit these specific elements, but feel free to get creative with other details and embellishments.