When ever you might have a bartender, or party were drinks are served. Ask that person making the drinks to concoct a signature cocktail especially for you and your man. Then have them rim the glasses with brightly colored salt or sugar crystals so your drink du jour is absolutely irresistible. Stick little unbrellas in the drinks for that instantly festifies and sexifies everything.

The Bridesmaid dresses!

Everyone has their own style, and body shape, along with budget for a new dress. So if you have faith in your bridesmaids to make you proud, let them shine! Tell them what your looking for, for example:
The color of the dress you want, you might even pick out the fabric.
Do you want it short above the knee, below the knee, or formal to the ground.
Let them know if there is a theme to the wedding or period of time you are going with. Then let them do their own thing. If they bought patterns and made the dresses the end result should be gorgeous, elegant and totally unique to each bridesmaid. Plus you end up with happy bridesmaids that do not have to wear a dress they hate!

Do it yourself craft parties!

Depending on how crafty you, your wedding party, family and friends are - there are countless things that you all can do together for fun and a great way to save you money on your wedding.

You can even have more then one, and each one different for everyone who would like to join you.

With computer and photo programs becoming more advanced every day, it is relatively easy and inexpensive to design some of the printed material you'll need for your wedding. Save-the-date cards, invitations and name cards can all be designed and printed entirely by you, or some copy or design shops offer the help of a professionsl to get you started. It is less expensive than paying for the full invitation service, but still gives it a professional touch.

Making personal favors for the wedding guests, crafting your own centerpieces, and gift bags. You could even make your own candles.

Jewely can always be fun to make and a great gift for the females standing up in your wedding. Matching earings, neckless, braclets and even ankle braclets will add beauty to the wedding outfits. You might even want to make your hair piece.

Then there are the flowers, from the centerpieces at all the events, to the flowers you and your flower girl will carry. You may not want to make them all, but it is one way to save money and time when working with silk flowers since they can be made in advance.

You might even want to try your hands on baking favors, or making your wedding cake.

The night before the wedding you could have a pamper party where all the girls work on their nails and hair, this will save money for all.

Not only can these little parties save you money on your wedding, but better yet it will make eveyone feel closer to you and feel more important being a part of your special wedding day.

Capture those special events on film.

Some of the best memories happen before the big day, so make the most of them and have fun. Here are some of them:

From the bride picking out her dress, or the bride and grooms mothers looking for dresses.

Time with the flower girl rehearsing for her special moment.

Before and after pictures at the salon.

All the get-together events for planning the wedding, lunches, dinners, shopping and even the times where your making the favors or other things for the wedding.

You might even want to delegate a friend or member of the bridal party as the official record keeper of the once-in-a-lifetime moments, and who will take these pictures for you. Remember you can never be sure how a photo will turn out, as someone may blink or make a funny expression. So don't be shy and take lots of pictures.

Another nice thing to do when your sending those thank you cards back, is that you send some of the creative photos with them.

Fun Information

Historic bridal trivia -

The shower began in the days when marriages were arranged. A poor Dutchman fell in love with a girl whose father refused her a dowry. Friends then showered her with gifts.

Wedding bouquets once were made of thyme and garlic to frighten away evil spirits.

Gold rings were used as currency in Egypt. A groom showed his trust for his bride by placing a ring on her finger.

Early farmers believed the tears shed by a bride on her wedding day were lucky, so a bride kept her handkerchief close.

Wearing blue comes from ancient Isreal when brides wore a blue ribbon to symbolize fidelity.

Eary people showered couples with nuts and grain to ensure a bountiful harvest and many children for farm work.

The toast was a French custom of placing bread in the bottom of a glass and then drinking down to the "toast."

The honeymoon may have evolved from when man captured his wife and hid her until the moon completed a 30-day cycle. During this time they drank a honey brew.

Carring the bride over the threshold may have originated from the ancient practice of a man stealing his bride, or from a desire to lift the bride above any evil spirits under the floor.