Whether you’re celebrating 1 year or 25, every anniversary should be special. While we were on our honeymoon, my husband and I ran into another couple celebrating their 1 year by traveling all through Italy. What a wonderful way to begin many anniversaries to come. Here are some things you might want to have when planning your wedding anniversary.

Give out mini bottles of sparkling cider so that everyone will have something sweet and sparkling to celebrate your anniversary with. And this Forever Yours Anniversary Party Invitation is perfect for couples with simply modern taste.

I’m not sure if this couple’s genealogy tree counts as “paper,” a traditional 1st wedding anniversary gift, but it’s beautiful, practical and sure to be a winner!

Get out your old cake topper. It’ll look brand new when atop a vintage inspired cake like this one from Martha Stewart.

The garter toss stems from an ancient tradition that said that taking a bride’s clothing would bring good luck. Today, brides often choose to wear a blue garter as a way to add “something blue” to their attire. The garter is often tossed by the groom to his single male friends. The lucky guy who catches it sometimes wins a gift card or money tucked in the garter and like the throwing of the bouquet, symbolizes that he will be next one to get married.

I opted not to do this or have the bouquet toss out of consideration for my single friends. There are definitely pros and cons to sticking with this long-time tradition. If you decide to do it, however, make sure to sit at an angle where you won’t be flashing your guests. And another tip? Either take the garter off yourself or ease it down a bit so its not so high on your leg. And if you have sensitive and conservative guests, I’d say avoid having your groom taking the garter off with his teeth.

Sources: Wikipedia

Blue bow garter from Victoria’s Secret.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and with all of the great stuff to help the cause, it’s easier than ever to make a difference. These pink and stylish products can be added to your wedding registry, used on your wedding day, honeymoon or to complete your new home as newlyweds.

1. Pink Ribbon embroidered silk passport holder from the breast cancer site safely holds your passports on your way to honeymoon heaven.

2. Make at statement on your wedding day with M&M’s Promise Blend, a delicious mix of dark pink and white milk chocolate m&m’s.

3. The Special Edition Oreck XL Power Team Vacuum cleaner makes cleaning beautiful.

4. The couple that cooks together stays together. KitchenAid’s Cook for the Cure program offers a variety of pink cooking products to help the cause. Blend up your margaritas with the KitchenAid Cook for the Cure 5 Speed Blender w/ Poly Jar.

Deciding whether or not to have a destination wedding? Well, after seeing a number of brides getting married on drop dead gorgeous clips in Europe, I can see why you might. There are a few things to consider, however. Here are a list of pros and cons to help you decide whether a destination wedding is a go or not.

Pros:

1) Your friends, family and you and your significant other will be able to share an experience of a lifetime!

2) You might save money by having a shorter guest list and less people who will actually come.

3) You will already be at your honeymoon site! No need for paying the extra costs of travel. You’re already there!

Cons:

1) Having a destination wedding may upset some of your friends and family because they might be unable to go, or if they can afford to, will still have to spend extra money on plane fare and hotel.

2) You won’t have as much control over planning and won’t be able to meet often with vendors prior to your wedding day.

3) You’ll have to pack and bring all of your wedding things like your gown and his tux so make sure you find out about your airline’s baggage requirements before you leave and about the marriage requirements before you get there.

Send out wedding invitations with a destination wedding theme like this Palm Trees Wedding Invitation.

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!

Light up your wedding day with seasonal luminaries! Getting married in fall? Then you’ll fall in love with the season’s best and most unique ways to light the way.

These autumnal luminaries from Martha Stewart are so festive. They would work perfectly as a centerpiece or to light the way from ceremony to reception. Use battery operated candles to prevent any unwanted accidents.

Check out this one from the ever reliable Etsy. Made with handmade paper, this Autumn Leaf luminary from PaperPlanet make beautiful take home favors for guests.

These white pumpkin candles from Pottery Barn (also comes in orange) add fall decor and lighting to your wedding. Use them to decorate the sign-in table or the cocktail area to bring a beautiful glow to an evening affair.

Invite guests to a fall wedding with this nature inspired wedding invitations from Wedding Paper Divas.

Bold colors pop and are making their debut in this year’s fall fashion finds. Here are a few that I love.

These jewel toned accessories are sure to captivate you, your bridesmaids and guests with modern style and charm. Hobo International Dawn clutch wallet in amethyst and Bettye Midler Muller Oxford in raisin and teal, both from Piperlime make a striking statement.

When I got married last year, I had a lot on my plate.  I was planning a wedding from 2500 miles away, not to mention trying to accommodate our huge guest list that consisted of about 50% out of town guests.  I wanted these people to know that they were appreciated for taking the time to travel, rent a car and book a hotel for our wedding.  However, with a hefty out of town list of well over 120 people, I had to find a way to do this without breaking the bank.

Since my wedding was held in a suburb of Detroit, Michigan, I wanted to show the out-of-towners that Michigan, and especially Detroit, Michigan, could actually be a pretty cool and beautiful place to visit, despite its poor reputation.  To do this, I put together some very personal, hometown gift bags for my guests, without spending a ton of money.

To start, I bought the bags themselves from Oriental Trading to match our wedding colors.  Buying in bulk saved a ton of money, and you can even have the bags personalized (although I printed my own labels).  Next, I headed to Costco and purchased bottled water and small bags of local Better-Made chips emblazoned with the Detroit Tiger’s Logo (a lucky find!).  I also ordered Mackinac Island Fudge in bulk to please our guest’s sweet tooth.  Finally, by contacting my state’s Travel and Tourism department, I was able to get 120 state and local maps for free.  I also put together my own list of “things to do” with specific foods, features and places that my fiancee and I loved in the area.

As a final touch, I purchased some locally-grown Michigan Cherries and Apples at Costco so the guests would have something healthy to munch on.  Because almost everything was purchased in bulk, I was able to spend a little and give a lot.  And, using hometown goodies made everything really personal.  Do you have any ideas of your own for hotel gift bags?

Celebrities don stunning jewelry, fancy hairstyles and drop dead gorgeous gowns on the red carpet as if they were getting married. Why not steal their hairdos to look fabulous on your big day?

Up-dos: Eva Mendes’ messy up-do adds effortless, carefree style and romance to your wedding day (About.com). Kelly Ripa’s do is flawlessly styled and perfect for a formal evening (InStyle). Anne Hathaway’s braided updo is a style trend that will transform your locks into hair heaven (InStyle).

Lovely Locks: Let your hair down with these beautiful hair trends! Selma Blair’s sleek style is great for gals with short hair (People). Blake Lively’s long, wavy hair with intertwining braids looks beautiful and is perfect for a beach wedding (InStyle). Romance is alive in Fergie’s loose and gorgeous curls (People).

Outfitting your wedding with gorgeous centerpieces can bite a huge chunk out of your budget, but it doesn’t have to.  DIY centerpieces are not nearly as hard as they might sound, and you can usually produce something beautiful on a small budget.

One of the easiest and cheapest ways to do centerpieces is to purchase curly willow or even long, tall branches.  If you live in a wooded area, you can gather your OWN branches, leaves, pine cones, etc.  Once you have enough, take some silver or white spray paint and cover all of the branches and leaves, then arrange them in vases.  Too add some extra glamour, glue or hang small crystals from the branches, and arrange tea light candles around the base of the arrangement.

As another option, you can forgo the spray painting and just use bare branches, but drop a few flowers in for some color, as shown in the photo below. Gorgeous!