But I still think simple paper fortune tellers make the best wedding programs, especially when done a bit cleverly, since they give wedding guests something not only to read, but also to do. (Even if it is just flipping paper.) Which really comes in handy during that inevitable pre-ceremony delay! Here are some from around the net:

Cute cut-outs on this one - simple paper can get pretty fancy!

Beautiful fortune teller wedding programs spotted on Delightfully Engaged

No time to DIY? Get custom cootie catchers from katskrafts on Etsy

For the DIY set, Ruffled has a fortune teller wedding program template that brides and grooms can download and customize with everything from details about the couple and ceremony to actual fortunes or other conversation starts, though I think it would be sweet to see hand-drawn wedding program cootie catchers. Er, for those who either are having smaller weddings or feel inclined to practice their pretty script on 150 of the things, that is.

This cheeky wedding reception table number idea favored by Debi Lilly of A Perfect Event in Chicago has earned my undying love, if only because it’s such a great option for DIY brides. All it takes is some printed table numbers and some craft kit snow globes, and you’re all set.

What say you? Cute or cheesy?

The end result is shown above, in a pretty milieu that shows how elegantly pink and white can be paired with a subdued bronzish brown. For instructions, keep reading.

All of the materials you need (sans paper) are available on the Martha Stewart Crafts web site, surprise surprise. The prices are surprisingly reasonable, though if you’d rather avoid paying for shipping, try the local crafts shop. First step: Stamp, glue, apply glitter.

A cutting mat and a sharp knife are essential when you’re making paper crafts, as I discovered when unintentionally carving into tabletops during projects. Step two: Stamp, cut, fold.

Step three is just stamp, cut, glue, of course. Stamps make people like me, who have no drawing skills whatsoever, into super wedding DIY masters.

Download the complete instructions here — Thanks, Martha!

As I’ve gotten older, there have typically been less and less single ladies on the floor when the bride has decided to toss the bouquet. You get the teenage girls, the older widows, the “cougars,” and the small group of single, of-marriageable age women. Sometimes you can see the horror and mortification in these ladies’ eyes as their friends and relatives elbow them onto the parquet when the DJ announces the impending toss.

Of course, some women are into the whole game. Really into it. Some even want to nab that bunch of blooms so badly that they’re willing to commit bodily assault to get it! This how-to from Howcast is meant to be humorous (I hope) but I’ve known a chick or two who would treat this as deadly serious advice.

I’d advise taking an entirely different approach to the bouquet. Step 1: Before the wedding, ascertain whether your group of friends has any interest in the outdated tradition. If not, proceed to Step 2: Approach the bride-to-be to determine whether she’s thinking of tossing the bouquet. If she is, proceed to Step 3: Threaten to take her future husband hostage if she won’t agree to scrap the idea. If she procures another fiancée, proceed to Step 4: Strap yourself to your seat when the MC announces it’s tossing time.

In case you’ve ever wondered whether I actually read and play with and make all of the books, stuff, and recipes I’ve reviewed here, let me just say I don’t mess around. Yesterday, in my never-ending quest to acquaint myself with all things bridal, I made soap.

Let me rephrase that…I didn’t start with lye and fat and whatever other nasty things are in soap, but I did melt down blocks of colorless unscented soap, mix up different colored batches, add a fragrance, and pour it into molds. So to address any lingering doubts, when companies are nice enough to send me free swag, I test run it, whatever IT is.

In this case, it was a soap-making kit from Bramble Berry, makers of a ton of DIY soap and candle supplies. The soap kit was presented to me as a potential bridal shower or wedding favor–the catch being that you have to have the patience to work with a medium that needs to sit around and dry for hours before you can unmold it.

The directions call for a microwave…something we don’t have. So I just stuck the whole works into a pan and popped it into the oven at about 275. This worked like a charm after I remembered to cut the soap base into chunks. When I did that, it actually melted!

That done, I ladled out the hot soap into various heat safe dishes, and added the sparkly mica bits and fragrance. Note to other soap makers: They provide you with A LOT of fragrance–don’t use it all unless you’re olfactorily challenged. Seriously.

The kit comes with pink dye so you can make clear soaps, pink soaps, and crossover soaps featuring a bit of both. I wanted more colors, so I decided to improvise with standard baker’s food colorings. I don’t recommend you do the same because I’m not yet sure the resultant soaps won’t turn you blue or green. Me? I’m adventurous.

Here’s some of the soap slurry:

This is where I encountered a problem. The kit only comes with two molds, and each mold makes five soaps. I’m pretty sure that one block of soap base will fill up the two molds, and the kit comes with four blocks. Soap bars need to sit in the molds for four whole hours before you can pop ‘em out.

If you’re impatient like me, you will want to order extra molds…maybe in the form of different botanicals, seashells, animals, or something else that gels with your theme.

Personally, I overcame the mold/soap ratio problem by using cups and sauce dishes. That’s why, in addition to soap in pretty shapes, I have soap in rounds and soap that looks all wrinkly because I set it in tin foil.

The project pros:

• It’s fun
• You’re creating a favor that many (if not most) of your guests will actually use
• The end result is pretty cute as soaps go, especially when all wrapped up with ribbon
• You get a lot of favors for very little cash

The project cons:

• The melted soap hardens really quickly, so you need to work fast or have a lot of help
• Re-melting the scent-infused soap made my kitchen rather too fragrant
• You’re going to need more molds
• Whoa, what a mess

Did I mention the mess? If you happen to have some heat safe disposable dishware, I’d suggest using that. Cleanup meant soaking all of the dishes and spoons and cups I’d used in the bathtub for a rather long time. Luckily, it was just soap, so everything was very clean afterward.

As for the end result, compare the Bramble Berry examples:

With my soaps:

THE VERDICT: I’ve never poured soap before, but it was definitely easy. All told, I probably spent about two hours on the whole project. At $31.55 (plus the cost of a little organza for wrapping) for forty favors, the price is right. You could, however, buy the bits individually to customize your soap. There’s hemp soap and goatsmilk soap and all manner of nice adds. In conclusion, I could see this being a fun weekend DIY fest for a bride and her ‘maids.

I give it a solid thumbs up.

I’ve seen cupcakes doled out during cake cuttings and cupcakes stacked as centerpieces all reception long, which meant that some guests were noshing on cake before dinner was even served! What role haven’t I seen cupcakes take on? Well, I’ve never seen cupcakes given away as a wedding favor. This is probably because cake is smushy-mushy and must be boxed well lest it be rendered inedible during travel.

So how do you render little cakes fit for transport? If you’re the lovely and talented Bakerella, you make them EVEN LITTLER! And, sometimes, but not always, you put them on sticks:

Bakerella’s tiny cupcake tutorial makes it look so easy, which usually means that the project at hand will be really difficult. Not this time, however. As long as you’re patient enough to wait for melted chocolate to dry (just eat some while you wait) and mold a bunch of cakeballs into cupcakes, you’ll do just fine. The best thing about these…besides the fact that they’re so dang simple to make…is that there is icing mixed right into the cake. Yum!

If you’re looking for a fun DIY favor, think about whether you fancy spending a bit of time in the kitchen baking, rolling, and icing one or more mini-mini cupcakes per guest. Should it happen that the answer is yes, go thank Bakerella for posting such a well written and easy-to-follow tutorial. I’ll be doing just that when I whip these up for my impending book release party!

EDIT — Here’s an alternate, even easier tutorial!