I was inspired by this week’s inspiration board when I saw a shoe with these same colors. Mint green and chocolate makes a refreshing combo that can be dressed up or down depending on how casual or formal you want to make your event. May this help inspire your own wedding theme!

Green and brown wedding cake and boutonniere from the Knot; Flora taffeta knot dress from Ann Taylor; 4 stone autumn ring by Fossil; Martha Stewart wedding favors; Brides.com captivating centerpieces; Wedding Paper Divas Edged Monogram Wedding Invitations; Franco organic assorted mint chocolate from Macy’s.

I love checking out other wedding blogs, so was intrigued when I read Simply Stated: Nearly Wed recently. The blogger’s entry was a debate about save the date cards and whether they were necessary or overdone in weddings today.

According to the Wedding Report, a 2008 industry trend calls for couples to personalize their complete wedding suite, which includes Save the Date Announcements. And, while most are used specifically for destination weddings or weekend weddings, I personally think that they are a beautiful and fun way to introduce your wedding to guests early.

I’ve received several types of save the date cards in the past, from magnets to photo cards, and have always enjoyed getting them. In addition, if you have a lot of out of town guests like I did, or your wedding date is near a major holiday, and you may want to ensure that the majority of your guests will come by sending out one of these cards as a nice courtesy. Here are a few fresh save the date designs from Wedding Paper Divas that I love.

Blooming Branches

Berry Buds Ecru Save the Date Cards: Chocolate

Fern Save the Date Cards

I didn’t plan what I was going to wear for the rehearsal dinner prior to my wedding day, and I was TOO tired to think about it when our day got close. In the end, I disliked what I was wearing. I was cold and uncomfortable not the way I was hoping it would be the night before my wedding day. So here’s another tip for all of you brides out there: Make sure to pack everything a month or so before your wedding day. And check out these designer styles for a bit of inspiration.

For the rehearsal dinner from left: J Crew Metallic Rose Laura Shift dress, Ann Taylor Cobblestone Print Dress, Banana Republic Silk Cap-Sleeve Lady dress, and Victoria’s Secret Sleeveless Silk Charmeuse dress. Monogram Flourish Rehearsal Dinner Invitations in Dark Gray.

Whenever I get an invitation to a wedding, the first thing that pops into my mind is, “What should I wear?”  When thinking about this, you have to take into consideration so many things: is the wedding during the day or at night? Is it formal or semi-formal? Are there any cultural traditions that might offend someone? The whole process can be pretty stressful for a wedding guest.

So, I was excited when I discovered The Knot’s Wedding Guest Attire Cheat Sheet.  This is a great guide for someone who is trying to determine the meaning of terms like white tie, beach formal and dressy casual.

Also, to avoid any major faux paus check out the article that was featured today on Yahoo’s homepage: “9 Things You Should Never Wear to a Wedding.” Below are just a few of the recommendations that caught our attention:

1. White is Not Right - It is still the case that only the bride should be dressed in white.  Period.

2. Limit the Sparkle - The article recommends that you avoid anything lame, sequined or glittery. Let the bride shine at her own event.

3. Jeans are Not Dressy Under any Circumstances - Forgo casual fare unless the invitation specifies that the event is casual.  This also goes for engagement parties–never wear jeans to event like this. It is just a big no-no.

It’s hard to believe that summer’s almost over, and with the upcoming fall season just around the corner, I thought I’d prepare you with gorgeous gowns and autumn-inspired save the dates. Enjoy my Fall Inspiration Board.

1. Guests will love you for giving them something unique that they can actually use. Modern Bride’s idea to give out burlap bags filled with apples and apple pie recipes is chic and sweet. 2. Who else but Martha Stewart could come up with those beautiful and creative boutinnieres? 3. The Knot’s Fall wedding cake is untraditionally modern. 4. This Jessica McClintock bridesmaid’s dress comes in a variety of colors, and is a steal at only $130. 50. The gorgeous orange calla lilies come from The Knot’s real weddings. 5. I love Vera Wang, and her Fall 2008 bridal runway on Brides.com is no exception! 6. I may be biased but I think Wedding Paper Divas’s Maple Leaves Ecru Save the Dates are perfect for a fall wedding.

Okay, I know I’ve committed a big faux pas by not sending out my wedding thank yous yet. The worst thing is that I’ve already had more than one person call to make sure I got their gifts. I thought I’d never be one of those laggers, but I didn’t expect our pictures to come back so late. And, now that our thank you cards will be getting out there about the same time as our belated honeymoon, I can only wonder if we should have sent our honeymoon pictures with our thank yous.

Then I came up with another idea–sending out a wedding picture with our thank you cards and a honeymoon picture with our marriage announcements.

I picked the Monogram Stripe photo thank you cards in Meadow to match our wedding color theme.

This Bold Bloom Marriage Announcement may be perfect for our honeymoon picture in Greece.

I was happily surprised when I ran into one of Diva Dialogue’s readers the other day. Planning her own wedding, she was having some trouble deciding a color theme. With a preference for black, she asked me how to incorporate this palette into her wedding. Here’s my take on this dramatic, chic and formal hue.

Photos top row: Black escort cards from The Knot, Color favor boxes from Beau-coup, Ethel silk halter dress from Ann Taylor, Black tie bouquet from Martha Stewart Weddings, Black and white cake from Pink Cake Box, Simple Elegance Wedding Invitations from Wedding Paper Divas, Black satin sandals from Brides, and White Gold Black and White Diamond Earrings from Macy’s.

Shades of violet, lilac and lavender make their royal comeback this season! In everything from designer dresses to fashionable decor, this hue adds a hint of drama to everything it touches. Take a look at my idea of a truly royal wedding inspired by the color purple.

Photos from top to bottom: Signature cocktails from Brides.com, Pronuptia ‘Flash’ purple bridal gown from Bridalwave, Chrysanthemum earrings from Etsy, Chinese Laundry Satin Bow Tie Clutch from ThisNext, Wild Bundle bouquet from Martha Stewart Weddings, Graphic flower cake from TheKnot, and Ornamental Scroll wedding invitation in deep purple from Wedding Paper Divas.

Would you ever wear a labeled tee or tank? You know, the ones that have “Bride” or “Groom,” or things like “Just Married” on them. Well, previously I thought I’d never want to tell the world who I was, but these adorable tees have made me reconsider. Personalized shirts are also a great gift for your wedding party–give them out before your night out so they can wear them at the bachelorette party. (photos: Just Married bling tank from Victoria’s Secret, Bachelorette Party in Progress T-shirt from Zazzle, Bride T-shirt from Etsy: Tattletaledesigns, Bride to be T-shirt from Just Jen.)

Then, match your bridal party gifts with this appropriately fun and wildly colorful invitation for a memorable night with the ladies!

Summer showers (the wedding kind) are a great way to incorporate the warm season into a fun bridal party. With sunny skies and long days, there are a variety of things you can do outdoors from picnic planning and a beach weekend to having an overnight camping soiree. Here are a few ideas that will inspire your memorable and momentous summer time with the girls! (Photos from left: MarthaStewart.com, TheKnot,  Full Bloom Bridal Shower Invitations from Wedding Paper Divas, MarthaStewart.com, daisy magnets from WeddingThings.com)