Elegant Accessories at the Couture Wedding Show

Unique, designer accessories are one of the best ways to add a touch of elegance and personality to your wedding, so it's no surprise that one of the most exciting categories we saw at the Wedding Channel Couture Bridal Show this past weekend was bridal accessories.

One designer in particular -- Paris by Debra Moreland -- caught our eye with two particularly fabulous, innovative and elegant accessories options:

* "Jewelry Sashes" -- long strings of pearls or gold or silver chains fashioned into wedding gown sashes. They make a chic, dramatic, personal and elegant alternative to a fabric sash. Some had antique-like brooch attachments and fasteners, others more simple.

* Cake Jewelry -- gorgeous and creative alternatives to traditional cake toppers, these pieces will become heirlooms you'll pass on to your children and grandchildren, and happily re-use for anniversaries and other special occasion. Too many interesting designs to describe here -- see the Paris website for a list of retailers and pictures of several of their unique cake jewelry designs.

www.paristiaras.com/store/store.php

Seen at the Couture Wedding Show in NYC -- Vow 2006

A special memento for your wedding: Vow 2006, a perfume created especially for 2006 brides. (In fact, you must be a 2006 bride to purchase it!)

We had the chance to sample the fragrance while at the Wedding Channel Couture Bridal Show this past weekend. It's lovely, light and fresh, and comes attractively packaged.

As a 2006 bride, you can also register your Vow 2006 purchase, so that you can obtain more in the future.

No word yet on whether a 2007 fragance will be released. There is an email list you can sign up for to received information as it is available -- visit the company's web site at:

www.vowfragrance.com

You can also purchase Vow 2006 at the company's site.

Personal, Unique, Fun: Table Cards

A fun and sophisticated alternative to traditional, numbered table cards is to personalize them with names of places or things of special significance to you and your fiancé.

For example, if you and your fiancé took a romantic trip to Europe, you could name the tables for the cities you visited, e.g., London, Barcelona, Paris, etc. If you´re wine lovers, you could name the tables after your favorite varietals (Cabernet, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, etc.) or wineries. Book or movie lovers could choose their favorite titles -- perhaps focusing on their most romantic favorites, e.g., Pride and Prejudice, An Affair to Remember, An Officer and a Gentleman, When Harry Met Sally ..., Wuthering Heights, etc.

Part of the fun is to give your guests something to chat about, especially since it is inevitable that some tables will include people who are meeting for the first time. Denoting the tables with this personal touch gives your guests an easy way to break the ice. It´s also helpful to provide a little diversion in case guests have to wait a bit for you and your groom to arrive at the reception site after the ceremony.

You could even get a bit cheeky with it, if you´re game. One couple we know was inspired by the groom´s profession: he´s a pharmacist. The guests had a ball joking about why they were seated at "Viagra," "Propecia," or "Xanax!"

Elegant Wedding Idea: Rehearsal Dinner Alternative

The wedding rehearsal dinner can be one of the most significant, emotional and memorable parts of your entire wedding. If your wedding is very large, it may be the last opportunity you have to spend "quality time" with your closest friends and family, as you'll be spending most of your actual wedding day making a path from table to table and doing other planned activities like cutting your cake and taking your first dance.

If you, your parents, or a close friend have an appropriate space, one option to make your rehearsal dinner more personal is to host it at a private home. Have the event catered, with a white gloved staff, and you'll be more pampered than you would be at the fanciest restaurant -- and much more relaxed. You'll have fewer worries about rehearsal dinner guests driving in unfamiliar areas, or after drinking a bit too much wine (they could always stay put for the night, or until it's safe to drive). You won't have to worry about vacating by a certain time. And, if you're wine, dessert, or coffee lovers, you'll be able to showcase delights from many different vendors without worrying about corkage or restaurant rules.

A Sophisticated Wedding Cake Alternative

One of our favorite chic and original wedding tips is also a great tip saving some money on your wedding.

Instead of the traditional, multi-tiered, "wedding" cake, consider serving a variety of small specialty cakes. Black Forest, cheesecake, Baba au Rhum, petits fours, cupcakes - let your imagination and tastebuds run wild, and include any exotic confections that you like. Your interesting selection of hand-picked delectables will give your guests something to ooh and ahh about (and create a conversation starter for those who've just met). And, you'll create a dessert experience that your guests will talk about after the wedding just as much as the most spectatular, tiered, traditional cake (maybe even more!).

If you like, you could also try this approach combined with a very small, decorative "real" wedding cake for the bride and groom to cut for photos, and save for their first anniversary.