Bridesmaid dresses

Photo by Martha Stewart Weddings

Bridesmaid dresses don't have to be the same! The girls look great matched but if you're best buds have good taste then they can probably dress themselves in something fabulous. Obviously, you want the dresses to go together so give them some guidelines on length, fabric, color and pattern options.

Photo via Classic Bride

Different dresses can add color to the wedding party. 

Photo by Erin Hearts Court

Bonus- the girls have the option of picking out something they can afford and that they really will wear again (unless your guidelines are very precise). Also, it ensures that the girls can wear a dress that they feel comfortable wearing. An uncomfortable bridesmaid (I've been one before) isn't looking or feeling her best. 

Photo by Jose Villa

Finally, I love the idea of letting the girls choose their own dress because each girl can express her own taste and personality. Sex and the City 2 gave me the idea with these fantastic dresses that had some similar characteristics but were very different.

Also, patterns in the right palette look great too!

Photo by Martha Stewart Weddings

Cartes Postales

Photo via Style Unveiled.com, by Soul Mates Photo

Opting for a non-traditional guest book. A guest book isn't an expensive detail but it's one thing I can cut by using post cards that I already own instead. I've collected nearly 300 postcards over the last 8 years. Over 100 are from my domestic and international travels and some are just photo postcards that I found appealing. Like these: 

Original photo by William Eggleston

I've also collected post card versions of many of my favorite paintings. For example:

Chop Suey by Edward Hopper

By Johannes Vermeer

Girl with umbrella by Claude Monet

Guests will get to choose a card from a wide selection of antique, modern, kitschy, pretty, etc. cards. Then they'll be invited to write a note to the happy couple. After the wedding we'll stick them all in plastic sleeves so we can read the notes for years to come and have a nice display of postcards. It'll double as a coffee table book down the road. Perhaps we'll display them in a book like this:

Post Card book from Chronicle Books

If you're a collector of postcards and don't mind a fun and more informal guest book table then this might be preferable to the white satin guestbook. 

Photo from the Knot.com