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Venue-hunting? Before you sign the contract, here are some factors you should consider!

1. DON'T rule out venues automatically. 
It's tough to guesstimate how much a potential venue is going to set you back based on the photos alone. Give yourself free reign to visit any and all wedding locations that pique your interest — whether they're must-sees or just maybes — if you have the time and aren't getting hitched in 6 months or less. When we walked into The Palazzo Room at The Venetian, a venue in Garfield, NJ, my now-husband Jason nearly passed out when he saw the sky-high ceilings and glittering chandeliers. But when we started to comparison-shop and crunched some numbers, we realized it matched up with many other venues in price. In fact, it offered more food options and amenities than the others.

The Venetian: The venue we ended up booking!

We've seen a lot of weddings lately that incorporate photos into the table number cards — typically showing the bride and/or groom at the same age as the number of the table or incorporating photos from the engagement session.

Here's a creative idea that takes it up a notch: Have a photo shoot with your fiancé holding up a sign with each number! Alison and Brian, pictured below, did a different fun pose for each of their 17 tables while holding up the number on a chalkboard.

You can work this into your engagement session so that you don't have to book (and pay for) an extra shoot. Or just have a talented friend or family member take the photos. Alison's sister Jill snapped the great photos below one afternoon in her backyard and a nearby park. The couple had a few ideas in mind before heading out, but most of the poses were improvised while shooting.  "Brian wanted some to be funny, so we made sure to just have fun with it and act as natural as possible," said Alison.

Then, print out your photos and glue onto card stock. Don't be surprised if you catch your guests roaming around the room to check out all of the pictures!

—Kristen O'Gorman Klein

You'll probably take more pictures on your wedding day than you will on any other day of your life. And with any luck, you're going to have dozens that you love. Here's a great way to make your favorite photo an instant focal point of any room—turn it into a custom piece of art!

AllPopArt.com doesn't just print your photo on canvas—their artists add brushstrokes that transform your photograph into a one-of-a-kind painting.

Check out how this great moment was converted:

Another option: Turn your photo into a LichStyle comic-style print!

We took a quick poll of our dear Facebook and Twitter followers the other day asking: Are fake flowers a do or a don't? 60% of you said they are a do!

But we have a feeling the naysayers didn't have these in mind... One of our Facebook fans recommended Keepsake Blossoms (thanks Becca!), and now we're totally obsessed. These gorgeous flowers below are made entirely out of clay.

Isn't the attention to detail here just incredible? As you can imagine, it's a time-consuming process—making just one flower can take seven days. So if you're planning on ordering bouquets, centerpieces, or even all of your wedding flower needs, it's recommended that you place your order at least a month and preferably up to six months in advance.

The best part: The cost for a bridal bouquet isn't much more than you'd pay for a floral bouquet—prices start at $300 and depend on the kinds of flowers, colors, size of the arrangement, and complexity. But it's well worth the cost, since it also gives you a beautiful keepsake after the big day. Also available: Hair flowers for around $25 and hairpieces for $50.

What do you think: Would you consider using clay flowers?

—Kristen O'Gorman Klein

As founder of the fabulous trip-of-a-lifetime exclusive Ever After Honeymoons travel agency, Katie Frederick has planned more than 150 unique romantic getaways. She recently started working with Mindy Weiss, celebrity wedding planner to the stars. Katie gave us her tips on how to use a travel agency and spilled the secrets on her favorite destinations.

Bridal Guide:  Why should a couple use a travel agency, such as Ever After Honeymoons?
Katie Frederick: With so much information available online, it can be really overwhelming to decide where to go and where to stay. I make that process much more simple by providing custom options to fit a couple’s needs and desires. I streamline the decision-making and provide them with the best pricing options. I also create individualized itineraries. So, for example, if a couple says they want to be completely secluded and just relax, or if they want to be super active and adventurous, I will suggest the best destinations that fit what they want. Ever After Honeymoons is known for helping clients select the right destination, the right hotels, and is always available to help couples anytime before, during or after their honeymoon.   

Avant-garde bridal couture designer Rani Totman of St. Pucchi knows a thing or two about designing high-profile gowns—she designed Phoebe's gorgeous wedding gown on Friends, after all! So when she sent us her predictions for what Kim Kardashian, Jessica Simpson, and Kate Hudson will wear on their wedding days, we immediately took notice. Check out her amazing sketches!

Kim Kardashian

"One reason we all love Kim is that she is never afraid to show off her curves," said Totman. "It’s no question Kim will opt for a mermaid gown to accentuate her curvaceous figure." She also expects to see Kim to channel Old Hollywood by donning a long train and lots of embellishments on the bodice.

Kate Hudson

"Kate Hudson loves to show skin, but always leans toward a boho chic style," said Totman. She expects a plunging neckline or open back dress in a slimming design, plus plenty of intricate detailing.

Jessica Simpson

Jessica is a fun-loving girl, and we're sure her dress will reflect that. But her dress will also be elegant and somewhat traditional. Rani predicts she'll highlight her curves in a mermaid style strapless gown. "The boning and corset style structure of the dress would provide a slimming effect to her 5'3" frame," said Totman.

When you're spending hundreds (even thousands) of dollars on flowers, it can be hard to justify tossing them in the trash at the end of the night.

Here's a unique idea to give your flowers new life after the wedding—have them turned into a custom painting by sending them to Flowers Into Paintings!

How it works: Ship your flowers to the company as soon as possible after the wedding (within 10 days), following their tips on how to ship and keep your flowers fresh. They'll then dry and press the flowers, preserving them so that they can be incorporated into a beautiful painting.

Check out some of the gorgeous paintings that have been made:

However, a custom painting doesn't come cheap: The smallest size (12x16) costs $300. But for a personalized piece of art with such a significant meaning behind it, many couples think it's worth the cost.

Disagree? Here some other ideas to give your flowers second life that are easier on the wallet:

Donate Them: Use your flowers to brighten someone else's day by donating to a nursing home or hospital. While some hospitals may not accept them due to allergy concerns, others are even willing to  pick them up from your reception venue, so call around to see if any locations near your venue would be willing to take them.

The September/October 2011 issue of Bridal Guide is on the newsstands and you’re going to love it:

Not only will you find gorgeous gowns and lots of inspiring ideas for your wedding but when you flip the magazine over you’ll discover a special Your Home section:

We're obsessed with these two amazing Hogwarts-inspired weddings! Pulling off a theme wedding is difficult — especially when it comes to Harry Potter. There's a fine line between classy and looking like an 8-year-old's birthday party. But these two weddings fall firmly on the side of classy. Check them out!

Christine and Andy's Wedding

The first, courtesy of Geoff White Photographers, features a couple that actually met because of Harry Potter! Christine and Andy met online through a post about Harry Potter news, so it seemed only natural for their wedding to be influenced by the series.