Serendipity says: “Passports are a great way to excite your guests about the trip! Multiple pages provide enough information about traveling, accommodations, wedding day events and more. Personalize your Passport with a monogram, photo, history, stamps and map.”

Isn’t that almost disturbingly like the first page of a real passport? Well, putting aside the photo of a happy couple where a glowering “I just stood in a line at the post office and all I got was this awful picture” singleton ought to be. As you know, I’m a big fan of taking a theme all the way, and I think this wedding stationery does just that.

In keeping with the theme, the RSVP card is a boarding pass! Sweet!

Hand formed soft fabric roses are paired with glass pearls, Czech beads, semi-precious stones, and brass links to make all manner of bridal jewelry (that is also nice for the bridesmaid or even the non-bride). Apparently, LaVieja Tun Tun will happily custom make a necklace or other piece using your wedding colors, but I’m having a hard time confirming that. I’m envisioning the brighter counterparts of the accessories above on brides who want to add a little more color and flair in their bridal ensemble.

What do you think? LaVieja Tun Tun’s designs are quite chunky and can dominate. Too much? Just enough?

In the vast majority of cases, this is just jitters over a major life change. Many of us have experienced the same feelings over a significant move, applying to grad school, buying a house or car, or even a really drastic haircut. It’s human nature to panic a little over new experiences, and the bigger the change the more likely it is to induce a small freakout or two. The less comfortable you are with being the center of attention, the bigger the panic is likely to be.

Since getting married is a pretty huge change that puts you squarely in the spotlight, the psyche can go a little nuts in the short haul.

Every once in a while, though, it’s not just a momentary worry over doing something really unusual. Sometimes there’s something more serious going on. So how do you tell if you’re just on edge about standing up in front of everybody making a huge life-changing move in public, and how do you tell if it’s your inner compass telling you that you’re headed in completely the wrong direction? Read on and find out.

Pay attention to what sets your panic off. If your trigger is appetizers or fear of being unable to find a diplomatic way to thank Aunt Beulah for her garage sale regifts, chances are you’re just having a small moment because this is something huge you’re doing. Being in the middle of unfamiliar situations often causes us to focus on tiny, niggling details to take our minds off of the bigger picture. We look at the stupid little thing we know we can control. It may be time to rethink how big an affair you’re having or exert a bit more control over the planning, but it’s probably not about your core relationship.

On the other hand, if you start hyperventilating every time the honeymoon comes up, you might have a problem.

Consider what it is about the trigger that’s upsetting you. If you fear your vows because you always get stage fright when you have to speak in public, rehearsals may help. Another thing you can often do in that case is organize the ceremony so your only lines are things like ‘I will’ or ‘I do.’

If you’re a practiced and confident public speaker and those vows are still giving you pause, dig deeper. It may be that you really just need a rewrite to bring some aspect of the ceremony more in line with your core beliefs, or it may be that you’re not as certain as you thought that this is the person for you.

Are you putting off wedding tasks? Are you burying yourself in wedding tasks? Either of these could be a simple case of how you approach things in everyday life, or it could be a sign of something more. Ideally the wedding planning should be getting done efficiently while leaving room for all the other parts of your life, but the ideal is rarely the case. The time to worry is when you’re handling things in a way that’s unusual for you, or taking your usual tack to an unprecedented extreme. Then it’s time to sit down and figure out why you’re doing it and what you’re really avoiding.

Your intended can’t say or do anything right. Look, at this point there’s a good chance that something is really wrong. If everything your intended says or does makes you angry or fearful or sad, it’s time to sit down and take a good long look at the relationship. It’s still possible that this is a rough patch, but if this state has lasted more than a day or two chances are that your gut is trying to tell you something. We all have bad days in our relationships. We all have hyper-sensitive moments. What I’m talking about is a pattern. If you’ve reached this point and stayed there for a while, seriously consider whether it’s time for some couples counseling or whether it’s time to part ways.

Breaking off an engagement is not an easy thing to do. It’s certainly not a fun thing to do. There are times, though, when it’s the best thing for all parties involved. Consider your situation carefully, make your choice deliberately. If that person isn’t your future, let go.

And yet one side claims that allowing children in the door is tantamount to turning your wedding into Romper Room, leading to social disgrace and a miserable married life while the other side claims that anyone who wants a kid-free celebration hates all children and therefore has no business getting married.

Both sides have blown the thing entirely out of proportion. That’s right, I said it and I stand by it. I’ve been to a metric buttload of weddings in my day, and you know what didn’t determine whether or not it was a nice wedding? Whether or not children were invited. On this question, I am Switzerland… and a Switzerland that feels way too many other countries are being entirely too overwrought to make much sense.

The fact is, there are plenty of reasons to make either choice that do not include failing to take your wedding seriously or hating children. Even if you do have a preference for the less adult things in life or really do think children should be put into stasis from birth to age 21, it’s really your decision. You get to make it, and it’s okay.

But what if you’re not sure which way to go on this one? How do you decide? Take a look after the cut and see.

What is your budget like? Inviting more bodies is going to cost more money. Yes, even little bodies do add up to extra expenses. If you happen to be on a very tight budget, this is something to consider.

Do you plan to have children in your wedding party? Imagine, if you will, what will happen if you have a flower girl and then invite nobody else under the age of 25. Do you really want to do that to a small child? Do you really want the disruption of one lone child who has no playmate at a party not set up for a child’s needs?

Do either of you have a child or children already? What about close relatives on either side? It wouldn’t be terribly nice for them to be left out, but if they’re invited the parents of children who weren’t invited may become resentful.

If you’ve already picked your venue(s), are there kid-friendly facilities? Does the church have a crying room? Does the reception hall provide pint-sized chairs or booster seats? Do the bathrooms have changing tables? Are there things in place that will entertain children if they become bored with the wedding? Are there restrictions that would make having children on site more challenging than it’s worth?

Do you honestly enjoy the company of children? Kids tend to know pretty quickly who really likes them and who’s faking it. Do you really want to spend the day play-acting at an audience who won’t be fooled? On the other hand, if you really like being around kids and genuinely enjoy them, why not have the pleasure of their company at your party?

What’s the timeline of your wedding? If you’re having a late-night wedding with a reception ’til dawn, please don’t invite children. You’ll wind up with some very cranky guests who can easily disrupt the entire event. On the other hand, if you’re having a more typical daytime or early evening event, chances are children can do just fine. Young ones also tend to have more fun and do better at keeping still if the ceremony isn’t too long.

How well-behaved are the children in your circle? Look, I’m not going to sit here in judgment of people’s parenting skills or assume that you don’t have any. I’m just saying there are kids who do well at big events, and some who just plain don’t. If you think about the children you know and fear that left to their own devices for a nanosecond they will set fire (accidentally, I would hope!) to the building, you might prefer they be left at home. If you are surrounded by little ones who are able to keep quietly to their seats at the ballet, you will certainly suffer no major disruptions by inviting them.

How many people on your guest list will consign you to the bowels of Etiquette(ish) Hell for your decision? Whose feelings do you care about most? Whose wrath do you most fear? As I said, people on both sides of this insanely overheated debate assume etiquette is on their side. It isn’t. It never has been. Etiquette is resolutely neutral on this topic. Etiquette has opinions on the niceties of following the decision you make, but stands firm that the primary question is one of individual choice. That said, it is nearly impossible to convince a surprising number of people that this is true. Chances are there’s someone on your guest list who feels very, very, very strongly on this subject and may well decide whether or not to attend based on your decision. You need to decide whether or not it is worth it to you to incur their eternal wrath. Hint: if it’s one of the moms, it’s probably better to just go with it unless you never intend to speak to her again, anyway.

I had a lot of children on my guest list. I wouldn’t have dreamed of doing otherwise, because they were people I genuinely liked, because I enjoy spending time with children, because the site was kid-friendly, and because several people who were – and are – extremely important to me might not have come had they needed to hire a sitter.

I have also attended plenty of weddings where children were not invited. I had a great time at all of them, too.

When I was a child, I adored going to weddings (I still do!). But when my parents got an invitation to a wedding that didn’t include me, I stayed home with my brothers and the babysitter and wasn’t psychically damaged at all.

You should make the decision that works for you as a couple in your specific circumstances. It really is okay.

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!

Dawson creates custom cake hats using the finest quality Mokuba ribbon, and each wedding cake topper is made with the couple’s wedding colors or theme in mind. Or, if you already have a cake design in mind, I’m thinking you could have a ribbon model of your wedding cake created in miniature. (Put a hook in it and you have a keepsake decoration — I’m thinking a wedding cake on your Christmas tree.)

I definitely don’t hate cake hats, since they’re rather pretty and you’re not going to see them on every other wedding cake. I do think they’re a bit silly, but these are wedding cakes we’re talking about here. How dignified can a cake possibly be? Conversely, how much will a wedding cake’s innate dignity suffer if you put a little fancy hat on it? My guess: Not much.

What say you?

Please spread the word among your readers about this effort to help out a Chicago police officer who was paralyzed in the line of duty and the lovely lady who has been the rock by his side every step of the way. Come on! Help them get the wedding of their dreams!

Here’s the skinny: Densey and Mary want to win the Ultimate Wedding Contest. Yes, they’re already married, but they never had their dream wedding and now medical bills have pretty much made it an impossibility.

On May 27, 2009, my fiancé Densey, a Chicago Police Officer, was paralyzed in a head-on collision while responding to a burglary call. He was in a coma for four weeks, but we were married in the hospital when he awoke. Almost a year later, Densey grows stronger daily, but our lives are forever changed. With mounting medical bills, we can’t think about our dream wedding on a beach in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico. Densey has a machine that helps him stand for 30 minutes. To see him waiting for me, words cannot describe the feeling that would give me.

Here’s a pic of Densey and Mary:

You can vote for Densey and Mary here. Yes, you have to create an account, but it doesn’t cost anything and I think if anyone is deserving of a dream wedding, they are. Or just do it because Omnibus Driver is a cool chick.

Pretty sweet, yeah? I love the delicacy of the flowers in the bouquet, and especially how they contrast with the thickness of the base of the bouquet. I was inspired to look for more grape hyacinths being used in weddings and, while there’s not much out there in terms of photographs from real weddings (since it’s not the most popular choice), I did find some imagines that you may find inspirational.

What do we have here? Have a look (in a clockwise direction):

1. Grape hyacinths in a recycled clementine container from Real Simple – this would be such an easy DIY centerpiece at a semi-rustic wedding!
2. Grape hyacinth invites from The Botanical Concept
3. A bouquet of naught but grape hyacinth In Style Weddings
4. A bright and colorful grape hyacinth centerpiece in tin from BHG
5. Grape hyacinth boutonnieres by Belle Fleur of New York
6. And grape hyacinth wedding favors laid out on table settings

• flowers made of wood
• wood wedding cake toppers
• ring “pillows” cut from wood
• wood-covered guestbooks
• and wooden wedding bands

I never did think I’d see a wedding cake of wood. It’s not real wood, of course, but according to Melody Brandon of The Sweet and Saucy Shop, the bride and groom wanted it to look as much like real wood as a cake possibly could.

I’d say that she certainly captured the essence of real wood in this most unusual wedding cake. There were other cakes and sweets at the wedding, so the wood wedding cake isn’t all that big, but there’s a part of me that wants to think of it as being, oh, about as big as a pile of railroad ties.

With this level of detail, wouldn’t a giant wood wedding cake be ridiculously impressive? If not a bit odd to dig into…

The venue was in L.A., and the bride and groom really worked the whole Hollywood angle to good effect. Think movie posters as reception table names and centerpieces.

Here’s where I simply must ask how many brides would be brave enough to hang their wedding gowns on a street sign for a photo op? Maybe the same kind of bride who rocked the karaoke mic at her reception?

I know, I know, more deets. How about this: A vintage ticket booth served up the seating assignments! I’m not sure who the kid is, but what a cool way to include him in the wedding!

L.A., you crack me up. Apparently there was no shortage of photo opportunities involving freaky-deakies. Props to the bride and her maids for taking advantage of the scenery — these are the kind of wedding photos that memories are made of, not boring posed shots in vestibules.

Oh, and I have to mention that the bride did a choreographed dance to “All The Single Ladies” in lieu of a bouquet toss. I know there’s some debate over whether wedding guests should have to sit through dance numbers, but everyone in this video seems to be enjoying it!