Why not say your vows in front of a splash of flowers? Just tape vertical rows of long-stemmed varieties to a wall (use blooms less prone to wilting, like peonies, carnations, orchids, and lilies) and let the strips show -- or hide them under petals and leaves.

Shurtape masking tape (amazon.com). She is wearing Temperley London's "Long Mirage" dress (323-782-8000), Cathy Waterman's "Falling Leaf" earrings and "Geo Flower" bracelet (cathywaterman.com), and a Ritani ring (ritani.com).

You won the lottery when you found each other, so send this cheeky save-the-date card to let guests share in your luck. After scraping off the paint with a penny, they'll hit the jackpot: your wedding date!

These lively flags turn libations into signature drinks. To create them, cut a piece of tape that's twice as long as you want your banner to be, place the top of a skewer in the center, and fold the tape onto itself. Snip the ends into tails (or not), and repeat with a few different styles.

Cute tape washi tapes in assorted colors and patterns (cutetape.com).

Friends and family will have fun posting a message in an interactive scrapbook album. Just set out a pair of scissors, a few rolls of tape, and a stack of blank cards trimmed with pinking shears. Then affix a note on the first page to beckon guests to follow suit.

To take inexpensive boxes from basic to vibrant, wrap pieces of colorful adhesive around each, creating a graphic pattern. You can also use the tape to punch up plain pieces of bulk taffy -- or to cover a lackluster label.

It doesn't get any simpler than this! Make these "custom" candle holders (or vases) by winding tape around clear glass vessels.

Help your reception take flight with floating escort cards that double as centerpieces once guests find their tables. On your wedding day, have a few friends fill 5-inch white balloons with helium (you can rent a tank from a party store). Once they're inflated, add guests' names and table numbers with a paint pen, tie on matching embroidery thread, and secure them to favor boxes filled with candy. Write on both sides of the balloons so loved ones can locate their names from every angle.

Amol's latex balloons (amols.com). Sharpie oil-based paint marker in pink (dickblick.com). The Container Store ring boxes (containerstore.com). ThreadArt metallic embroidery thread in hot pink (threadart.com). West Elm Parsons table(westelm.com).

Though they look like high-quality porcelain at first glance, these vases are actually a collection of inexpensive glass containers, spray-painted white. Treat your search for vessels like a treasure hunt: Start in your cupboard (a sugar jar!), hit up the town flea market (an old beaker!), and make a pit stop at Ikea (cheap vases galore!). Once you've amassed a collection, cover each one with two or more coats of matte white spray paint, and add flowers.

Specialty Bottle hexagon jar (specialtybottle.com). Ikea "Salong" vase (ikea.com). Jamali Garden Supplies fishbowl vessel (jamaligarden.com). Ikea "PS Bjuda" carafe (ikea.com). The Container Store glass sugar dispenser (containerstore.com).

Mad Libs -- style scrolls are a blast for guests to fill out -- and provide you with a keepsake to read at each anniversary (just ask a friend to collect them all at the end of the night, and then compile them into a guest book). To make them, download our template, roll each sheet around a mini pencil, tie it with cord, and place one atop every plate.

Come summer, few things look (or smell) fresher than sprigs of aromatic herbs. Display a variety of them at a tea station after dinner so loved ones can select their favorites, then have a server infuse their picks in hot water.

Consider this small but sassy dessert the love child of two classic sweets: cupcakes and ice cream cones. Bake cupcake batter in store-bought cones, pipe on buttercream, and add edible glitter; they're kid tested and adult approved. Mini cones (homechefmarketplace.com).

You've heard of macarons for dessert, but as an appetizer? Your friends will be every bit as intrigued. This savory take on the traditionally sugary recipe combines sesame seed-spiked batter with a center of smoked salmon, shallots, and creme fraiche.

Thank guests with P&H soda Co. soda syrups, which make mouthwatering, naturally flavored drinks when added to seltzer (pnhsodaandsyrupinc.com).

Handmade blossom headbands won't wilt by the reception. Headband, Hair-Hardware; flowers and leaves, Tinsel Trading Company; 7-millimeter ribbons, Mokuba New York; "Chloe" and "Gertrude" dresses, Ses Petites Mains.

Our ring book is easier for little hands to clasp than a slippery pillow, and your tiny attendant will love that it contains a secret compartment filled with treasures only he is entrusted to deliver. To personalize your book, use a desktop-publishing program to create an iron-on monogram. Book, Michael Roger Press. Mega Oval craft punch, by Marvy Uchida, from Scrapbook.com. Diamond band and oval-shape band, Benchmark.

Edible pansies give shortbread cookies texture and color as only nature can. They look catered, but these sweet treats can be turned out by anyone capable of turning on an oven: Bake sugar cookies, decorate with royal icing, and top each with a fresh pansy (or two). Mixed pansies, Jansal Valley, sidwainer.com.

These three-dimensional escort cards are as easy to make as they are refreshing to look at. At first glance, they appear to have been blown onto the table by a warm summer breeze. Following the instructions below, make them using a heart-shape craft punch, bright-white ink, scissors, glue, and paper in a range of hues that complements your palette.

You already know that it's important to sit down for breakfast on the morning of your wedding -- but did you know that eating certain foods can actually help you relax? With that in mind, treat your bridesmaids to a simple preceremony brunch of proven nerve calmers: Blueberries and orange juice are rich in vitamin C, which has been shown to reduce stress; the live cultures in yogurt can help settle an upset stomach; whole-wheat toast is full of vitamin B, which helps ease anxiety; and chamomile tea promotes relaxation. The only thing missing? A few sips of bubbly.

These bite-size desserts satisfy sugar cravings without any of the heaviness normally associated with chocolate. To make the shells, paint melted chocolate inside paper candy cups. Once set, peel the paper away. Or simply buy premade cups; try Belgian Victoria chocolate dessert cups, sephra.com. Spoon or pipe a mixture of whipped cream and creme fraiche into each cup, top with a berry of your choice, and serve.

Pose for the camera spelling out love with your fingers. Edit our clip art with your information, then print it on heavyweight ink-jet paper. On the flip side, print your photo. Stamp on numbers and letters in bright-red ink. Matte double-sided premium presentation paper by Epson, from Staples. "Smarty Typeface" rubber-stamp kit by Magnetic Poetry, from Addicted to Rubber Stamps.

Let the guys grab a wee bit of the style spotlight with artfully arranged pocket squares. Like how we've folded them? Follow our step-by-step instructions here. Our favorite four hankies can be seen on the next few slides, starting with this polka-dot pocket square from Paul Smith Accessories, 646-613-3060.

Yellow silk pocket square from Paul Stuart.

Green "Pinpoint Spot" silk square from Thomas Pink.

Gingham linen pocket square from Ben Silver.

To create these bold yellow-and-white centerpieces, New York City floral designer Naomi deManana combined jonquils, ranunculus, tulips, and sweetpeas, placing flowers in single-variety mini bunches before combining; this highlights the lush textures of each type. Opaque vases mean no stressing about the look of the stems. A band of thick yellow ribbon around each vase, plus lengths of it across each place setting, extend the crisp color scheme. Vase, CB2. 38-millimeter ribbon, Mokuba New York. "Edge" wine glasses, Crate & Barrel.

Although kept in discrete groups, mimosa, jonquils, ranunculus, and tulips visually merge for a perfectly polished effect. Just arrange the blossoms into a round, even shape before cutting the stems, and -- presto! -- a bouquet that looks like the work of a pro. Cream ribbons (Nos. 02336 and 02315), both M&J Trimming. 7-millimeter embroidery ribbon (color No. 424), Mokuba New York.

Get dotty on cards, stirrers, ribbon, boxes, yo-yos, and ties. Corks, by Hearts & Crafts, from Create for Less. Yo-yos, Kipp Brothers. Slide boxes (No. 8227491), from Paper Mart. Stir sticks, ForYourParty.com. Custom tie, Tiecrafters.

Thought-provoking guest books that pose single, specific questions serve as dinner table icebreakers at your wedding -- and turn into keepsakes you'll want to display in your home and reread on every anniversary. Notebooks, Start Here; "Adventure" paper, by Nat Geo, from Eastern Mountain Sports; "LePen" pen, by Marvy, from Lytha Studios.

For a finger-friendly take on classic beet-and-goat-cheese salad, serve fried beet chips topped with a dollop of the tangy cheese and vinaigrette-laced micro greens. They make perfect hors d'oeuvres -- crispy instead of juicy beets means no one will be caught red-handed.

Nothing cheapens fancy passed hors d'oeuvres more than a pile of discarded toothpicks sitting dangerously close to the artful niblets. Instead of a toothpick graveyard, why not create a blooming bouquet? Glue paper flowers ($15 for 48, Tinsel Trading, 212-730-1030) to the top of each toothpick, then add a mini bucket ($17 for 12, jamaligarden.com) or a small cup for used skewers.

Although modern wedding cakes come in every shape, size, and flavor (vegan chocolate anyone?), the stands that support them have mostly stayed in the bland category. Why not break the mold and create your own? It'll be a piece of cake!

On the sweetest day of your life, it would be unsavory to deny your guests something sugary. Luckily there's a customized treat for every bride and groom, from decadent chocolates to fun suckers, letter-perfect for monogramming.

A little goes a long way with this table decoration. Fresh German chamomile is placed in a jar, then enclosed in a white paper bag for an exuberant centerpiece that is also economical. The top of the bag is trimmed with scalloping scissors, folded, punched with holes, and laced with yellow ribbon. Thread a tag with the table number onto ribbon before tying.

The soft light of paper luminaries sets a romantic mood. Two bags, one fitted over the other, form a box. The lanterns, strung on electric Christmas-tree lights and hung along branches, are tied with ribbon and sway gently in the evening breeze.

Send guests home with sweet memories and even sweeter treats in the form of miniature cherry pies. Enlist the help of friends who bake, or have a bakery make them. To personalize the packaging, print or photocopy a message or the bride's and groom's names onto self-adhesive labels.

As a prelude to the wedding cake, give each guest a miniature version molded from sorbet, a palate cleanser. For a sweet decoration, the bride's and groom's initials are piped in chocolate along the edge of each plate, and the sorbet cake is garnished with raspberries.

Wrap favors in brightly colored tissue paper and top them off with a paper flower -- a low-cost alternative to the real thing.

Wide moire taffeta ribbon becomes a beautiful jacket for a wedding program. A narrow brown ribbon tied in a simple bow holds the finished booklet closed.

For a chic twist on bacon and eggs, serve crispy prosciutto cups filled with baked quail eggs, plus toasted rye cocktail bread, cut in half, on the side. These stylish appetizers work well at a post-wedding brunch or bridal luncheon.

They may look like the real thing, but candy pebbles in small galvanized pails are a sweet and delightful favor for an outdoor wedding -- a note lets guests know they're for eating.

Early summer is the best time to choose a cake like this one -- brimming with a fresh and varied assortment of the season's best berries.

Ripe apricots become place cards at a summertime wedding or shower. Write names on strips of thin art paper, and use a pencil to curl ends in opposite directions. Hang paper from bamboo toothpicks (available from kitchen-supply stores) inserted through apricot tops.

Cast a warm glow from above. A midsummer night's meal at an outdoor reception is served on the lawn under tall maple trees strung with lanterns hanging on chains from strong branches. Small and large, these lamps hold ivory tapers, their bases disappearing in a thick layer of fresh, fragrant rose petals.

Seasonal fruits make wonderful (and delicious) favors. Each of these sacks holds a handful of juicy red cherries, perfect for an outdoor summer wedding. Buy glassine bags, and trim tops with scalloped scissors. Fill bags with enough cherries, or other small fruit, so they peek out over the top. To help the bags stand up, turn corners under at bottoms. Display favors in wooden crates.

For a cute twist on personalized thank-you notes, send gift-givers postcards of you and your groom wearing clothing emblazoned with messages.

Just don't call them Jell-O shots. These sangria-inspired gelees, infused with sweet wines and subtly undercut with citrus flavors, are for sophisticated palates. The glistening, gemlike squares make a refreshing dessert and add fetching sunset hues to a reception table.

Sure, the bride is supposed to be blushing, but no one wants her guests to start turning pink at an outdoor ceremony. The solution? Sunblock wipes. These cleverly packaged towelettes can be placed outside, and since they're not liquid, they won't cause a mess. Set them on the program table, or in a compote or candy dish tied with ribbon. To let people know they've got it made in the shade, write sunscreen on a scalloped card and prop it up amongst the packets. Calligraphy by Maybelle Imasa-Stukuls.

These tiny ice cream cups are ideal for a no-mess refreshing dessert -- or a snack during cocktails. The cups are made on a pizzelle iron, which is available at cookware stores and looks like a flat, decorative waffle iron.

Showering the bride and groom with confetti as they exit the ceremony is a twist on a time-honored tradition, but it can create a mess. With biodegradable paper, the problem literally disappears: The confetti disintegrates once it gets wet.

Savory madeleines can be flavored with many varieties of herbs, seasonings, and cheeses. Some options are Gruyere cheese, fresh rosemary, and cayenne pepper.

As the reception dinner winds down with coffee, give your guests one last delicious treat -- fresh cherries dipped in melted white chocolate. This fruit is at its best during the summertime, making it a perfect choice for a warm-weather wedding. A pair of cherries with the stems attached will perch daintily on a saucer.

Do nature one better: Turn the dainty blossoms of cymbidium orchids into big, dramatic blooms. The flowers come in festive colors -- and even stripes and dots. Use the arrangements as bridesmaid bouquets or give them to mothers instead of traditional corsages.

These containers were made to look like humble brown-paper bags, but that's where the resemblance ends. Sweet and crunchy, they can hold fruit or candy and can be served as an individual dessert as part of a buffet, or offered as a take-home favor.

Make graceful holders with swirls that enhance a card's design. These are actually pieces of inexpensive radio wire -- cloth-covered wire, used in vintage radios, that is available in a variety of colors online (look for solid, not stranded, wire). Give it a new twist for a wedding, and it can hold aloft menus, table numbers, or place cards.

Combine the luxury of caviar with the simplicity of a soft-boiled egg in a delightful dish for a wedding brunch or shower. We used salmon caviar, orange roe that is pretty, flavorful, and relatively inexpensive. Acknowledge Cupid with toast cut into hearts and arrows.

For the reception, re-create the beauty of etching with ease. All you need is a rubber stamp, white ink, and glass candleholders -- frosted glass holds ink best. One stamp can form a single motif or an allover pattern. (For a custom design, such as your monogram, have a stamp made at an office-supply store.) To use a large stamp on a cylindrical container, carefully roll it from side to side. Allow a day or two for ink to fully dry.

Tossed aloft by your guests, perfumed confetti will leave a delicate floral scent in your wake. Punch kraft or construction paper using a decorative hole punch. Spread the confetti pieces out on waxed paper. Mist very lightly with a favorite scent. Collect into small glassine bags. Seal the bags, while attaching a label, by sewing the top edge.

Flutter fans were common giveaways in bygone years. Bring them back with this favor.

Transform inexpensive silk flowers into delicate garlands. Just dismantle the blooms to separate the layers of petals, removing any greenery. Overlap edges of petals slightly, and join them using dabs of hot glue. Then glue beads in centers to cover stem holes. String garlands along aisles, at the altar, or across chair backs.

Add a distinctive detail to your bridal bouquet with a woven ribbon handle. The ribbons should blend with the colors of the blooms they hold -- here, white and cream sweet peas, white lilac, yellow ranunculus, viburnum, and blue forget-me-nots.

Ice cream molded into the shape of a strawberry makes a lovely accompaniment to slices of wedding cake or a sweet passed dessert on its own. We found these little gems at a specialty ice cream supplier -- easy to order, they are shipped in dry ice. Here's a tip for the caterer: A sprinkling of finely crushed nuts or cake crumbs on each plate will prevent the strawberry from sliding.

Guests will recall your wedding during quiet moments spent reading if you provide them with these bookmark favors.

A pouch folded from colorful paper is a pretty alternative to a traditional basket -- add a ribbon handle and bow, and it's ready for the flower girl's important role. We used vellum, so any moisture on flower petals won't damage the basket. It's so easy, your young attendant might like to help you make it.

The Romans showered newlyweds with almonds, a symbol of fertility. Include them in your celebration by giving guests jars filled with almonds and honey as favors. Decorate the caps with squares of fabric in playful colors and patterns (we used stripes, pink linen, and florals), and secure with twine. Line up the jars on a tablecloth made from matching fabric, and label them with your first initials and the wedding date.

Lemons and grapefruits tied in yellow taffeta ribbons and piled into a glass compote make a bright, casual arrangement. The bows are secured by pins, and sheer yellow organdy drapes from the bowl. A coordinating menu card is trimmed with taffeta ribbon.

These cheerfully colored umbrellas sporting seating assignments dot miniature sand dunes at the entrance to a summer reception.

Your appetizer will feel right at home served in a seashell, at least if you're serving ceviche -- a dish made with marinated raw fish (we added pink grapefruit in this version). You'll feel secure knowing that these particular shells are oven- and food-safe. White Irish scallop shells, Conch King.

A dainty rose petal makes the perfect dish for a sugar cube awaiting a cup of coffee, tea, or espresso. These pale-pink rose petals are subtle and feminine, but any favorite blossom can be used, provided it's organic and nontoxic. Pluck petals from the flower, and set one sugar cube onto each.

Keep bridesmaids' dresses from blowing in the breeze at an outdoor wedding with these handy weights (available at sewing-supply stores). Simply slip the metal buttons inside the hem, and stitch into place.

A bottle of icy vodka makes a dramatic bar decoration when it's encased in a frozen layer of colorful flowers and fruit.

Filled with flowers or favors, these origami boxes are multifunctional little dreams. Use a large one in lieu of a ho-hum vase (set a deep four-inch plastic plant liner inside) and voila: You've got a glitzy centerpiece on the cheap. (Small, $2 and large, $4 -- from Dandelion, 888-548-1968.)

Chances are you have a shade (or two) in your makeup compact that remains unhappily untouched. Bobbi Brown's personalized palettes let you decide exactly which hues you want in your beauty arsenal. With this thin-as-a-CD-case palette, you can create just the right combination to tote to the wedding. Choose from 37 matte shades and 24 shimmer finishes of eye shadow and 24 blush hues.

Refresh your guests with layer after colorful layer of icy treats. Creating this stacked confection is simpler than making a sundae -- just spoon the slightly softened ice cream into a loaf pan (line the pan with plastic wrap first, and freeze one layer before adding the next). Our stripes, from top, are cantaloupe sorbet, peach frozen yogurt, strawberry ice cream, and raspberry sorbet.

Give the childhood treat a grown-up twist by pairing raspberry sorbet with lemon soda, and lemon sorbet with orange soda. To deck out a standard cart for your reception, tape colorful scalloped paper to the front. Paper, Midori.

Proust waxed poetic about madeleines for a reason: They're buttery and delicious! To make the shell-shaped cookies even more mouthwatering, spread a layer of fruity frozen yogurt or lemon curd between two store-bought madeleines, and serve.

Grouped serenely on a bed of sugar-soft sand, sea urchins prop up skinny candles that light the way for guests at an evening beach wedding. To secure the tapers inside the urchins, use a small drop of wax. Then nestle them into a mound of sand. Real sea urchins, Sea Shell City. 1/2" x 12" "Elegant" tapers, Creative Candles.

For the discerning flower girl who walks to a fresh beat, a basket simply will not do, thank you very much. In contrast, this pretty pinafore possesses the virtue of being both distinctive and basically free -- it can be constructed from table linens you already own, like an old-but-lovely fabric place mat or, in our example, a charming table runner. To add a touch of sentiment, use antique family linens (ask Grandma to let you have a peek at her treasure trove) and pass the pinafore down to generations to come. Elegant Dutch-tulip table runner, Wimpole Street Creations. Dress, Crewcuts by J.Crew.

Update guests about happenings (the couple's arrival at the reception, cake-cutting, first dance) by asking young guests to raise descriptive paper flags at the right time. Download the clip art from our site; print onto medium-weight 11-by-17-inch paper, and cut out. Roll the end of the flag around a 1/2-inch dowel and affix with double-sided tape. Tie a ribbon below the flag. Vest, shirt, bow tie, and shorts; Crewcuts by J.Crew.

Outdoor weddings are especially beautiful, but they can also be uncomfortably steamy. To keep your guests from overheating, pass out handmade fans -- trust us, they'll be grateful. Ours features a floral motif on one side and a quote from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet on the other: "My bounty is as boundless as the sea, my love as deep." Download the template (have a calligrapher add a monogram), then print onto medium-weight paper and cut out. Sandwich a wooden ice cream spoon between the two sides, and secure with glue.

Salt and seashells are a match made in the ocean. To make this pretty dish, press the shell edges into a gold stamp pad, and then fill the shell with sea salt. Here, we used black-lip oyster shells; you should clean them, of course, before using. Polished black-lip oyster, Conch King.

These mini terrariums make chic table decor when grouped en masse -- and they double as favors, too! Just place sand and rocks in the bottom of a fishbowl votive holder. Carefully set small succulents among the rocks -- securing them, if necessary, with toothpicks -- and quench their thirst with a dropper. "Bubbleball" 4 3/4" vase, Save-On-Crafts.com.

The dilemma: How to personalize bridesmaids' gifts without doing the expected. The answer: Keep it individual -- and original -- by giving birthday gemstones. The twist: Skip the jewelry box and just tie a stone around each attendant's bouquet. The gold-green peridot echoes the colors in this bloom. Peridot checkerboard briolette, A.F. Greenwood Company, 800-882-9908 for stores. Bouquet by Stephanie Gueldner of Studio Artiflora, 212-645-1177.

Walk down the aisle with this cluster of bivalve blooms and your wedding will go swimmingly. The breathtaking posy is easier to construct than you'd think -- it's simpler than making a flower out of silk. Noble pectin singles, Caribbean Imports.