So much attention is given to wedding planning during your engagement, that another important event is often pushed to the wayside until the last minute–the Rehearsal Dinner.  This dinner is special because it gives the engaged couple and their families a way to say thank you to all of those that are involved in the wedding.  To help make your Rehearsal Dinner every bit as fun and unique as your wedding, check out some of these links:

-iVillage offers some great ideas for unique rehearsal dinner locations and themes, many with money-saving tips!

-You probably already have your wedding gown picked out, but what about your rehearsal dinner outfit?!  You’ll still be front and center and will want to look great.  The Wedding Channel offers some great tips on the bride’s rehearsal dinner outfit.

-DearSugar offers a quick overview of Rehearsal Dinner Etiquette to clear up any questions you may have before planning the event.

-Although I fear them selling out before I am able to get one, I still have to pass on this amazing dress designer’s website.  Holly Stalder’s dresses will ensure that you shine at your rehearsal dinner.

-Last but most certainly not least, be sure you have an invitation that well represents both your personal style and the style of your rehearsal.  Wedding Paper Divas offers a wide range of designs…here is one of my favorites!

Lately it seems everyone around me is getting engaged and, true to form, all of the weddings seem to be within the same 2-month period.  Normally, this would be a really exciting time for me–I’d get to see all of my closest friends and family while celebrating at a great event.  However, living in California, I am anywhere from 500 to 3000 miles away from most of the weddings I have to attend.  This can pose quite a problem with plane fares being what they are, not to mention time off from work!  Throw in some showers, bachelorette parties and even some engagement parties, and I have quite the schedule to work out!

That’s why it’s important for every bride-to-be (and their families and friends!) to make sure they get the word out about their various events with time to spare.  Of course, they want all of the people closest to them to be present at their event.  But, depending on the date and number of out of town guests, that can be quite a challenge.

The general rule that most people should follow is to get party invitations out at least three weeks in advance, with a month being even better.  As far as wedding invitations go, anywhere from 6 to 8 weeks is best.  If you follow these rules, you’ll give all of your out of town guests time to  schedule and save on flights, take vacation time and truly get excited about your event.  If your event falls on or near a holiday, it’s best to give them as much notice as you can.

And don’t forget–Wedding Paper Divas has some great Save-the-Date cards that will let your guests start planning well before the big day.  These can be sent out anywhere from 4 to 9 months in advance, so you can assure that everyone will be available to celebrate!

Planning a wedding isn’t easy, but trying to pick your way through the heaps of wedding etiquette, requirements and superstitions can make things even more difficult. On top of dealing with your own opinions plus those of both sets of parents, siblings and maybe even friends, you have to juggle a list of seemingly never-ending wedding rules!

To make things a little easier, we’ve compiled some great resources to help clarify what you really can and cannot do at your wedding. In my opinion, anything goes–it’s your special day! But to ease your mind even more, here are some great links:

-The Knot has compiled a detailed look at the myths associated with fall weddings. You can step outside of the red/orange/brown color scheme, and you may even be able to maintain your dream of an outdoor wedding! They’ve also put together some Summer Wedding Myths.

-A Practical Wedding helps to sort out the various myths associated with maintaining your wedding budget.  They provide some great information about both the guest list and the bridal party.

-eHow has put together some tips to erase any worries about wedding superstitions. Rain on your wedding day? Totally out of your control, and supposedly good luck!

-LovetoKnow Weddings has also outlined some of the most common superstitions and their roots, and also reminds brides to have fun and maintain a sense of humor about everything. Your wedding day is about having a great time, not focusing on what could go wrong.

-Wedding Paper Divas helps you navigate through the maize of invitation etiquette.  Not only do we make ordering and personalizing your invitations as easy as can be,  we also hold your hand through wording, designing, compiling and sending out your Save-the-Dates, invitations, place cards, thank you notes and more!

I told my husband that it is tradition for the bride and groom to exchange gifts on the day of their wedding. At that time, I had visions of those heart-melting photos. The ones where the bride gets a surprise gift from her soon-to-be husband and everyone is in tears. But then I forgot about all of that when he bought me the most awesome present–a laptop I’ve always wanted. And so I started off my early wife days feeling guilty.

So what’s the 411 on bride and grooms giving gifts to each other? Well traditionally, women get jewelry and the groom gets a watch to wear on their wedding day. But gifts can range anywhere from extremely pricey earrings to inexpensive but thoughtful gifts such as a photo album. And etiquette says it’s best to discuss this with your loved one to make sure you’re on the same page, or else you’ll end up empty handed like me.

I had a lot of place cards left that I didn’t use. One thing you could do is to leave your loved one little notes on the place cards to let them know you’re thinking about them. And, whether it’s an expensive bracelet or golf clubs, the gift doesn’t really matter so much as if you’re doing it from the heart. You’ll be getting enough gifts anyway from your guests, so the best thing to do is to do something personal that’s sure to make them feel special.

Photo from WeddingChannel.com.