A recent post on Bride.net got me to thinking about how wedding guests interact at receptions. I’m not talking about groups of friends or relatives who already know each other, but rather the table of singletons who only know the bride or the couples who have no one else in common and are all stashed at the same table. As many of you surely know, sitting at a wedding reception table with seven strangers can be a bit intimidating.

The icebreakers are meant to make the process of getting acquainted easier on the guests and give them something to do when they’re not watching the first dance or watching the cake cutting or listening to speeches, etc. Some suggestions included putting out Fortune Telling Fish or having wedding guests play guess the Jelly Belly flavor.

It is certainly an interesting notion. And I do like Fortune Telling Fish!

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There are thousands of variations available for every option when you’re getting married. The words of the ceremony, the clothes you choose, the food you serve, color combinations, flower arrangements, not-so-flower arrangements, the music you have played – even what method you use to get that music played, not to mention dozens of other things.

But let’s face it, some of these options matter more to you (and to your guests) than others.

Some people can’t stand anything that varies from strict tradition, while others wouldn’t want to be caught dead at a wedding that doesn’t challenge nearly every tradition in the book. Some people hate buffets with a purple panting passion, while others find pre-plated meals stuffy. For some it’s all about pomp and circumstance while others prefer something casual and light-hearted. For some, as long as the wedding ends with a married couple they don’t much care what else does or doesn’t happen. There are people whose priority is food and drink, and those who care more about party favors.

So I’m curious. What matters to you? What makes a really great wedding in your individual opinion? What makes the event a total bust? Did that change when you became the bride?

Talk to me, people. Tell me what you think.

If there’s one thing pretty much everyone can agree on it’s that there are wedding traditions (not to mention ‘traditions’) that are better left unobserved. The problem is that so few of us agree on precisely which ones should be ditched and which kept.

There are just so many potential annoyances to choose from.

On person would forever ban throwing anything into a crowd of unmarried people, while another would outlaw the use of bells or clinking glasses to force the bridal couple to kiss on command, yet another would be in favor of a prolonged prison term for any couple who forces guests to wait around bored for two or three hours sans appetizers or entertainment while they get their pictures taken ad nauseum.

Most of these are pet peeves of mine, though I’m actually pretty neutral on bouquet and garter tossing. Do it, don’t do it, I’m down with your decision, whatever your reasons may be. But smash each other in the face with cake or have a cash bar and I’m Not a Happy Camper.

But I’m curious about the rest of you. If you could end forever just one bridal custom, ‘custom’, or faux pas, what would it be?

When shopping for your wedding gown, there are several important things to keep in mind.

1) Consider the venue and number of attendants you will need before choosing a very long train:

2) When choosing the fabric for your gown, consider wool. No, really, consider it carefully and remember to card it before you head down the aisle.

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How cute are these itty-bitty bottles of soda with custom labels? Mike 78 recently posted an easy-peasy DIY pop bottle tutorial – with pics! – over at 100 Layer Cake. She suggests using them as reception seating cards, but brides and grooms could bottle just about anything (juice, cider, champagne, local water, etc.), slap labels on them per her instructions, and give them away as wedding favors. Maybe not for a chilly wintertime wedding, but imagine how grateful your guests would be to find themselves in possession of an ice cold drink custom made by you at your outdoor summer wedding or unseasonably warm springtime affair!

It’s time to play a game, my friends. It’s a game about dreams. After all, a little dreaming is a wonderful thing. So I’m going to ask you a few questions about your ultimate wedding desires. There are no right or wrong answers. This is about what you would love if budget, time, and pretty much every other practicality didn’t need to be considered. This is about what you would do if you didn’t have to think about your mother-in-law’s feelings, your MOH’s allergies, how much money you have in the bank, or your DIY disasters past.

Just fill in the blanks with whatever flight of fancy appeals to you.

If I could get married anywhere in the world, I would choose ____
If I could wear anything I want to get married in, I would choose____
If I could have any sort of music I like at my wedding, I would choose____
If I could have any kind of decoration I want at my wedding, I would choose ____
If I could serve any sort of meal I like at my reception, I would choose ____
If I could have/do one special thing on my wedding day, I would choose ____
If I could go anywhere in the world for my honeymoon, I would choose ____

So what would you choose?

Edible wedding invitations are something that has before now never crossed my desk, but I’ll admit to having entertained the idea. Now I’ve seen everything, as Wonderful Graffiti sells huge 6″ lollipops printed with a monogram on one side and your wedding invitation on the other. Well, sort of. The monogram is printed with edible ink while the invitation itself is printed on glossy cardstock and affixed to the wrapper. The hang tag is the RSVP card, while the envelope for the RSVP card is hidden beneath the lollipop in the box.

Quite nice looking, but none too cheap. Postage alone will cost you $6 per lolly, which I suppose doesn’t seem like much when you’re paying $1,750 for 50 edible wedding invitations.

On hand, I’m a huge fan of anything edible… edible wedding favors, edible cake toppers, you name it. We all know that 99% of wedding guests are just going to throw out those keepsakes after enough time goes by. Sending out edible wedding invitations in the form of sweets pretty much guarantees that your wedding invitation isn’t going to end up in the trash bin, particularly if you are sending enough of them to families with children.

On the other hand, what to do if members of your family surreptitiously eat the invitation and toss the wrapper with all the deets? And some brides and grooms send out their invitations well in advance of the wedding. Those who are short on notepads and like to keep the original wedding invitation just in case may not feel much like eating a three month old lolly if the cardstock won’t come loose.

I love the idea, but I’m a little put off by the price… it seems like brides and grooms with access to good printers and specialty paper might be able to DIY this invitation with monogrammed lollipops or cookies or some other sweet. What say you?