10 Unique wedding guestbook ideas

In addition to your wedding bands and photos, your wedding guestbook is something you'll have and cherish forever. For most traditional wedding guestbooks, guests simply sign their names — with some opting to leave a note or words of encouragement for the newly-married couple. If this seems a little too traditional or mundane for you, there are other things you can do instead of a basic guestbook.

Mad Libs Guest Book — ‘Guest Libs'

Offer wedding advice to the new couple by playing Wedding Mad Libs! It's fun for the guests — place one game at each person's seat in the reception hall so they can fill it out during dinner or dancing. The bride and groom can make a book out of everyone's cards or simply get a great laugh a few weeks following the wedding!

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Vintage marriage advice postcards

Newly-married couple Kendra and Dave's favorite pastime is traveling. For their wedding, they purchased vintage travel postcards and had each guest write down their best marriage advice on one card. The maid of honor mailed one card each day following the wedding to the couple. Kendra and Dave loved reading the advice and placed all the postcards in a photo album as a keepsake.

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A memory book

Instead of having guests just sign the wedding guestbook, have them write down their favorite memory of them and the bride or groom. This provides the bride and groom a chance to reminisce about old times as often as they pull out the guestbook!

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Quilted memories

At a recent family reunion, everyone signed one pre-cut piece of fabric each that was later sewn together to create a beautiful quilt. This idea works wonderfully for wedding guestbooks, as well. Choose colors to match your home and leave the quilt on display!

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Polaroid photo book

Enlist your bridal party to capture Polaroid photos of all the guests. Have the guests place the photos in an album with a message to the bride and groom and their signatures. This is a fun and inexpensive way to create a guestbook that allows the bride and groom to relive their special day!

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Fingerprint canvas

Have each guest place their fingerprint on a large canvas. Guests can make a ‘family tree' out of their fingerprints (each print is a leaf) or randomly place their print anywhere on the canvas as a form of abstract art. Later, display this canvas in your home, which will serve as a memory of your wedding day each time you pass it.

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Sign a frame or meaningful object

Purchase a large photo frame that each guest can sign and place your favorite wedding photo in the center. If you don't like the idea of having guests sign a frame, have them sign any object that is significant to you and your spouse. Ideas include a guitar, a nightstand or piece of old furniture, a wooden initial, a puzzle or even a few wine bottles.

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Date night jar

Have guests jot down romantic ideas of things to do on date night, sign the card and place in a large Mason jar. The new couple can refer to this jar and pull out an idea any time they're feeling bored or looking to do something fun!

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Recipe for a perfect marriage

This one's simple yet too cute not to consider. Provide each guest with a blank recipe card and have them create a 'recipe' for a perfect marriage. Ours would be equal parts laughter and love, sprinkled with compromise and rolled in with forgiveness! Store all 'recipes' in a recipe box to pull out whenever your marriage needs a little extra TLC!

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Letters to the bride and groom

Purchase a blank guestbook and glue miniature colored envelopes onto the pages. Have guests write sentimental thoughts about marriage on note cards and seal in the envelope. The couple then opens one per day (or week) until there are no more. Guests can write quotes, lessons learned on marriage, their favorite thing about being married, well wishes to the couple or anything else the couple may find useful.

Honeymooning with the kids

Honeymooning with the kids might sound like an oxymoron, but it can be done. These days you might marry a man who has children from a previous marriage or you both might have children and decide to combine your families. Or, maybe you chose to get married after your baby arrived. Whatever the reason, a honeymoon with the kids might be your only option for celebrating your new marriage. Here are some ways to make it work.

 Choose your destination wisely

While a safari in Africa or scuba diving in the Maldives might be your dream honeymoon, this is not the time to select an exotic location. Instead, look for destinations that are within a three to five hour flight from your hometown (if you are on the West Coast, the Hawaiian Islands are an obvious choice, and if you are on the East Coast, the Caribbean is a great option). The more familiar destinations also eliminate the need for travel vaccinations and shorter air-time can reduce the chance of jet lag. If budget is an issue, sign up for deal alerts.

Find a family-friendly resort

Once you choose your destination, make sure children are welcome at the resort. Many high-end properties cater mainly to adults and the worst thing would be to feel like you have to keep your children quiet the whole time! There are tons of resorts that not only welcome families, but have kids clubs and babysitting options available. Kids clubs are a win-win situation for everyone. The kids are entertained and kept busy while you lounge by the pool (and there is nothing like a little romance after spending an afternoon in the sun or a romantic walk on the beach).

Prices for kids clubs can vary from $50-$100 per child per day, so they are not inexpensive, but if you can factor this into your budget for a couple of days, it can be well worth the price! An example of an award-winning family resort is the Hawaiian Hilton Village in Waikiki (on the island of Oahu in Hawaii). Their kids club, Camp Penguin, keeps your little ones entertained all day while you "honeymoon."

Pack a separate suitcase

Now that your kids are entertained at the resort camp, it is your chance to show your new husband some sexy bikinis and lingerie! This is where a separate suitcase packed with all of your romance gear will be vital to your passion plans. It will help you avoid an embarrassing moment if your kids go through your suitcase!

Plan family time

Prior to your honeymoon, research some excursions or activities that the whole family can enjoy during the trip, such as hikes, zip lining or water activities. Your children will feel included and you can create exciting memories for the family as a unit.

Outdoor wedding do’s

There are a few key things to keep in mind when you are looking to plan an outdoor wedding, and none is more important than the simplest fact -- the best outdoor weddings use the space they have and are kept simple!

Use what Mother Nature gave you

Nature doesn't need any fancy embellishments. You are given the natural elements to work with, and they don’t need anything added to them. Rather, look to complement them! It is very easy to do and leaves a lot of space for creativity. Take for example, a garden-type setting. It is the perfect opportunity to blend your creativity with the natural setting. You already have greenery and varying floral elements, so look to complement them. Centerpieces or accents can be flowers that match those of the natural setting.

Similarly, you can look at something like a beach setting. You wouldn't necessarily have your go-to colors or floral arrangements set up with rich, lush greenery. Instead, you would complement it with light, airy hues and simple décor.

Think about your set up

In addition to decor, think about how you are going to set up your outdoor setting. Do you plan on having something like a tent? If so, that is an opportunity to create something that makes a statement. Can you decorate the interior of the tent, such as the poles and the canopy? This can include accent colors, lighting or even flowers. Think about what you have, what would be a nice complement to your space, and then consider where to go next.

Comfort is key

Perhaps the biggest tip I can offer for an outdoor wedding is to understand the space, the conditions and your guests. Guests must be comfortable. So, while it is obvious that the dead of winter will not be an ideal candidate for your wedding day, it is entirely possible that a summer scorcher occurs as you prepare to celebrate your nuptials. In that case, you can add decor items such as gazebos or umbrellas to offer your guests some refuge. But, make sure they fit! While gazebos and umbrellas are fairly universal in where they can go, they will have to serve as complements to the setting as well.

The outdoor wedding has many advantages, none greater than the pure, raw space you get to work with from the start. Beware of overdoing your decor, because your space loses its charm -- the reason you chose it to begin with! Outdoor weddings are all about flow in a pure, organic space. Highlight what makes that space what it is, and forget about making it something it is not.

Top 5 wedding food trends

Not sure what to serve when you tie the knot this year? We have you covered. We're sharing 5 of the most drool-worthy trends in wedding day food that are sure to have guests going back for seconds.

Lettuce wraps

Easy to hold and not too heavy, lettuce wraps make a perfect spring wedding appetizer. These feature various types of lettuces, such as radicchio, Bibb, butter and iceberg, with hoisin chicken, rice noodles and crunchy water chestnuts or shrimp with mango, avocado, lime juice and cilantro.

Fruit with cheese

Light and healthy, fruit and cheese combinations are big for the summer. Couples want to treat their guests to savory dishes that are colorful and fresh. One dish you can put together are mini watermelon feta stacks with aged balsamic syrup.

Vegan options

With the vegan trend growing in the U.S., more and more couples are requesting vegan menus or options for guests, and one of the popular requests is vegan sushi. This trend is really on the rise.

Fancier favorites

Lately, couples are into including their favorite foods in their menu, but some of the foods they enjoy aren’t exactly ideal for a formal affair, like chicken fingers, French fries or pizza. What you can do is add a healthy twist and make it fancy. For example, pizza bars with gluten-free or whole-grain crusts.

DIY ice cream sandwich bars

Who doesn’t love ice cream DIY ice cream sandwich bars instead of ice cream sundae bars are huge now. Couples love their sweets and want to invest in giving their guests a fun treat at the end of the night, and they're loving ice cream sandwich bars.

5 Ways to show your bridesmaids some love

You know, the gals who have kept you going through thick and thin, held your hand in the bridal salon when the dress was (way) too tight and listened as you sobbed about your mother-in-law. Show these amazing ladies how much they mean to you.

Here are five ways to show your bridesmaids the love!

Say thank you
Sounds obvious, right? In the flurry of wedding planning, it can be easy to forget to show your maids how grateful you are. Next time they’re helping out, be sure to add a simple, “Thanks so much. I just want you to know I really appreciate all you’re doing!” Trust us, a little gratitude goes a long way (and has the added benefit of just being polite!).

Give them a gift
When it comes to the wedding day, your maids will probably feel like they've run a marathon (a sparkly, lace-edged marathon, but a long haul nonetheless!). Make them the stars of the show with a gift at the rehearsal dinner (some cute robes to wear on the day are a super option that they’ll be able to use again). Present their gifts to them as you make a toast to their fabulousness!

Take them out on a date
Treating your maids to a girls-only date (without any wedding talk) is a great way to make them feel appreciated. A fun night out or a coffee at your favorite haunt will give you all a chance to reconnect (there’s a reason they say that laughter is the best medicine!).

Say it with flowers
If one of your maids has gone above and beyond for you, why not let her know how appreciative you are with a little posy of flowers? Attach a note thanking her for her help. We guarantee she’ll be misty-eyed!

Ask them how they’re doing
Make sure to check in with your maids to see what’s going on in their lives (you may have been so preoccupied that you've forgotten to ask). A simple email with “Hi! Just wanted to check in and see how you’re doing!” will mean the world.
Keep showing your maids the love and we guarantee that they’ll be smiling (as in actual, real smiles) come the big day.

10 Ways to keep the romance alive

All that's missing is the sand
Turn your bedroom into a romantic island getaway. You don't need to go out of the house to get in the mood. Bring Back Desire offers these home romance experience tips.

Nakedness
Cook your partner his favorite meal in nothing but an apron, heels and a smile.

Lights, camera, action
Create a "naughty video" of yourself an present to him.

Play a game of Hot/Cold
Write down five sexy things you'd like to do to your man or that you know he would love for you to do on five separate pieces of paper. Hide the pieces around the house. Your man will have a ton of fun playing this adult version of Hot/Cold.]
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Strike a pose
Take a pole dancing class and show your man everything you've learned.
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Play Truth or Dare
Remember this game when you were younger? I'd always get butterflies in my stomach before choosing dare and hoped that I'd be dared to do something ridiculously cheesy with my crush. Bring back that nostalgic feeling with your partner. As for truth questions, keep them sexual like, "Would you ever [insert sexual act here]?" You can use said sexual act in your next dare if they answer yes!
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Couples yoga
Get in the mood by becoming closer through a more soulful relationship. Forget the game of Twister! Use these yoga moves for couples for some great laughs and revitalization. 
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Kind notes
They're kind of like the Advent calendar, but without the weight gain! Kind Notes are jars of themes or personalized messages enclosed in mini envelopes for your partner to open every day for a month. Let's bring back the old fashioned love letters with these little guys!
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Get married!
Yea, you heard me. If you've always known you're going to have a small (or non-existent) wedding, why not plan a quick getaway to Vegas and elope?
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Surprise!
When your man (or woman) comes home from work, greet him or her completely naked and get ready for some action.

2013 Wedding Dress Trends

Blush wedding dresses

Shades of blush—whether peach-hued or outright pink—were big on the Fall 2013 bridal runway. Traditional white wedding dresses don't flatter everyone's skin tone, so it's a lovely option to have, as well as soft and feminine. "It's an alternative to white, but still looks like a wedding dress," says Brides Fashion Director Rachel Leonard.

Elegant, Victorian-inspired wedding dresses

Inspired by the Victorian look—covered up, yet still somewhat structured and sexy—this elegant trend is bringing back the high-neck wedding dresses of years past, incorporating lady-like details such as peplums. "We've been moving away from strapless gowns for a while," says Leonard. "There are a lot of other options out there."

Trend: Sleek, minimalist wedding dresses

The sleek, minimalist look is a major fashion trend outside the bridal runways: This season, it's enhanced by subtle details such as high-low skirts and waist sashes. "There's always a girl out there who wants a clean and classic look—well-tailored," says Leonard.

Trend: Floral wedding dresses

Fun and feminine, the floral trend is a mainstay on bridal runways—though this season it's more about textured flowers than flower prints. "Floral is just one of those perfect motifs for a wedding—it's especially perfect for an outdoor garden wedding," says Leonard.

Trend: Old Hollywood-inspired wedding dresses

With plenty of beaded details and high drama, glamorous brides are choosing Old-Hollywood inspired gowns for their formal affairs. "We did see a lot of sparkly gowns this season, and it's perfect for an evening affair," says Leonard.