One thing is now certain in today’s modern day weddings, when it comes to table favors anything goes. Your choices can now range from soap favors, box favors, tulle favors, candle and glass favors. You could choose from personalized boxes containing mints, truffles, potpourri and different fruit. Let’s not forget the famed bridal coffee packs and tea bags, or the fortune cookies with special messages enclosed.

But the latest hot trend in wedding table favors is - printed chocolates. They have gained such popularity because of their versatility as decorative, tasteful and unforgettable personalized gifts.

The products can be imprinted with the couples’ names, initials, special messages or unique custom designs. A wide choice of colors and wrappings are available to match the custom colour scheme and image you desire. A delight to the palate and the eyes these high-quality chocolates become a delicious personalized reminder of a beautiful evening.

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Unlike photographs, a video camera records sounds, action and more of the overall atmosphere of the event. Rather than focusing on just a few people like photographs, video can easily record a little bit of all of your guests.

The typical wedding video package costs anywhere between $500 and $1500, depending on the quality of the equipment, the number of hours of coverage, the number of cameras, the amount of editing, and other factors. As always, remember what’s most important to you, determine what you can afford, and go from there.

Recording Your Wedding on a Tight Budget
If you don’t have money in the budget for a professional videographer, you have other options. You could ask a close friend or family member with a video camera to record your wedding. Of course don’t expect the same quality and coverage that you would get from a professional videographer. Remember, is an awful lot to ask friend or family member to tape the bulk of the wedding day. So, the best way to ensure that your most precious moments get recorded is to make a list. Pick out only a handful of moments that you definitely want on tape, such as the bride walking down the aisle, exchanging vows and rings during the ceremony, the best man’s toast, the bride and groom’s first dance, etc. Then anything extra that gets on film is a bonus, but you have the important stuff covered.

Special Touches for the Video
A nice touch for your wedding video is to have your videographer or a friend wielding a video camera pull your guests aside throughout the night to record a personal message to the bride and groom. This is something that a friend did for us at our wedding, and it was absolutely wonderful to watch. This is a lovely way to record all of your friends and family who attended your wedding and adds a personal touch to the video.

Another nice idea for the wedding video is to record a short message from the bride and groom to each other. Arrange for the videographer to meet with the bride and groom separately right before the wedding ceremony. Each can talk to the camera as if they were talking to their soon-to-be other half. These messages truly capture all of the love and emotion of the couple on their wedding day. And they are so much fun to watch after the wedding and many years down the road!

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1. Artificial Flowers. Before you start cringing at the idea of fake flowers, go to a store and check out the artificial flowers that are available. The quality has greatly improved in recent years. Using artificial flowers will significantly reduce the cost.

2. Floating Candles. These look elegant when lit up, providing a romantic atmosphere. Floating candles come in many different shapes and you should be able to find something that matches the theme of your wedding.

3. Small Fruit or Ice Sculptures. Check with local culinary schools. There may be a budding young chef who would be happy to create beautiful sculptures for a modest price.

4. Small Cakes. Instead of having one large wedding cake, buy several small ones in different flavors. You can even encourage guests to travel to other tables to sample the flavors. By doing this, you’ll save on both centerpiece and wedding cake costs.

5. Children’s crafts. If your family has a lot of children, and children will be welcome at your wedding, have them do some craft to use as your centerpiece. They will be delighted to help out.

6. Mailbox with Paper and Pens. Ask your guests to write a short piece of advice for the newly married couple. They can put their letters in the mailbox.

7. Games. If your family is not the type to dance wildly into the night, a few travel- sized games may be enough to keep people entertained.

8. Photos of the Couple. Have a lot of photos from your many adventures? Now’s the time to show them off. Put pictures of the two of you together on each of the tables.

9. Many Candles. Using candles of varying heights can create a dramatic effect. Scented candles may be overbearing and interfere with the taste of the meal, so be sure to use unscented ones.

10. Fruit. A bowl of fresh fruit can be inexpensive and give a ‘homey’ feel to your tables. Plus, guests can eat them later!

11. Lucky Bamboo Plants. These work best with an Asian themed wedding, but they can look elegant in other settings as well.

12. Baskets. Fill your baskets with whatever you like. Artificial flowers, ornaments or candy, all make great choices.

13. Glass Beads. A bowl filled with colorful glass beads is simple but stylish. These can be purchased in many craft stores and you can choose colors that match the theme of your wedding.

14. Cupcakes. These are another wedding cake alternative. There are many cupcake trees available that can spruce up your table.

15. Something Related to Your Hobbies. If the two of you are avid bookworms, use a stack of your favorite books as a centerpiece. Wine lovers? How about a bottle of wine with a custom label? Choose something that matches your personality.

16. Photos of Other Weddings. If you have a lot of older married couples that will be attending your wedding, why not celebrate their love and commitment as well by showing pictures of their weddings?

17. Seasonal Items. In spring and summer, you may be able to collect wildflowers. In autumn colorful leaves are plentiful. And in winter, you can dress the table with evergreen.

18. Polaroid Cameras and Scrap-Booking Supplies. If your guests are crafty, let them create a special message for you by taking their pictures and creating a scrapbook page.

19. Fortune Cookies. A bowl of fortune cookies is fun for everyone. You can even have fortunes custom made for you wedding.

20. Fishbowls with Fish. You can go a step further and put the kissing gourami in the fishbowls. These are fish whose lips are extra puckered for kissing. Just make sure the fish all have a home when the wedding is over.

Your wedding centerpieces should reflect who you are as a couple. It doesn’t have to be an expensive floral arrangement! These ideas should help you get started in finding the right centerpiece for your wedding. It’s your special day, so enjoy it!

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