A good friend of mine is meeting with his pastor this evening so that he and his bride can submit letters detailing ten reasons why they are marrying each other. In a year, the pastor will send the letters to them in the mail as a sweet reminder of all of the passion and excitement they feel right now.

I love the idea of using your wedding planning process to build in romantic traditions that you can use to celebrate your love year after year. In addition to sending yourself letters, try some of these ideas to make sure your first (and fiftieth!) anniversary is bursting with romance and passion:

• Let Them Eat Cake! Many couples defrost a slice of their wedding cake to eat during their one-year anniversary, but why not carry the tradition over indefinitely? Choose a timeless cake flavor you can make yourself, so that you can celebrate each year of wedded bliss with the same sweet treat.
• Relive the Memories. Watch your wedding video, flip through your scrapbook and scan through photos to remember all of the good times. Some couples even arrange for the videographer to film wedding guests giving advice specifically for after the first year, and then they wait to watch the video until their first anniversary.
• Mini-Ceremonies. While you rehearse your wedding ceremony, think about little parts of the tradition that you could relive at each anniversary celebration. Even if it’s just you, your spouse, a bottle of wine and a box of Chinese takeout, you could both stand up and renew your vows, slipping your rings on each other’s fingers again and repeating your favorite part of your big day.
• Watch Your Love Grow. Immediately after your ceremony, plant a tree in the backyard. Take a photo with it each year on your anniversary so you can document how your love has grown since the day you said, “I do.” If you rent, use a houseplant or plant your wedding flowers at every place you live to keep the tradition going.

The first post in our What’s Your Style? series looks at the timeless romantic.  This timeless bride loves all things flowing, ethereal and dreamy.  Unaffected by changing trends, she remains true to her vision of classic romance in every detail of her wedding planning.  Below are some looks and ideas that might inspire this bride:

Banded Damask Wedding Invitation

From L to R:  Culinary Stencils for Damask Wedding Cake; ROOT Lightstyle; Peony Bouquet

To download a complete version of our 2009 style guide, click here.

During the months it takes to plan your dream wedding, you and your future spouse worry about everything from crazy in-laws to insane flower costs. All that stress can leave you feeling rundown instead of radiant! So renew your excitement over your big day by trying some of these great pre-wedding stress relievers with your soon-to-be spouse, including some great health tips from ONDD!

• Get a couples massage
• Play a sport like tennis, where you can work together as a team
• Invite all your friends over to play a classic board game
• Stay active–take a walk together, play in the waves at the beach or participate in some other kind of physical activity you both enjoy
• Get away for a while! Take a hike or rent a canoe at the local lake–just find a beautiful spot where you can be alone and relax together
• Schedule the time to get more sleep, eat right and maintain a healthy physical relationship
• Talk it out. Whether you talk to each other, a counselor or your own personal confidantes, make sure you both talk through any stress you are feeling