Like any other flower girl, all Annabelle Earl wanted was to wear a pint-sized princess dress and drop petals down the aisle. The only problem? There was no one in this four-year-old's immediate family or parents' circle of friends getting married.

NBC News reports that Annabelle's mom, Kim, didn't realize how much the wedding milestone meant to her daughter until they visited Yoko Ono's "Wishing Tree" at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. The precocious little girl walked up to the tree and wished for a pet unicorn (wouldn't we all?). When mom broke the news to her that this wasn't an option, she settled for a suitable back-up plan: to be a flower girl.

Undeterred by the lack of festivities in their foreseeable future, the Brooklyn mom took her daughter to the City Clerk's office in Manhattan to fulfill her dream. Despite a few rejections, they finally found a couple who was willing to "hire" Annabelle as their flower girl. "She was too adorable to say no to, and we thought it would be fun to make her day as well as ours," the bride tells NBC (she declined to be identified).

Photo courtesy of Kim Earl via NBC News

In a twist of fate, Annabelle ended up getting scared and mom had to hold her. So sweet! Naturally, she had more important things on her mind (at the conclusion of the ceremony, she asked if there would be cake). The pair went to a bakery and texted the couple a snapshot, wishing them a sweet future together. 

Weddings are about love and the joining of two lives but they’re also about you as a couple. With all of the resources available for wedding planning today, there is absolutely no reason to have a run-of-the-mill wedding that doesn’t suit you. Dreaming of a unique and personalized wedding but you're not sure where to start? Get inspired by these five tips. 

Photo Credit: Ty Boyce of Disney Fine Art Photography and Video

1. Incorporate Your Hobbies
If you both love touring local wineries, consider throwing a wine-themed wedding. This can be done by simply choosing a winery as your wedding venue, or you can incorporate wine in other ways. Personalize your reception with wine bottles serving as table numbers, giving out bottles of wine for the favors or even by adding grapes to your floral arrangements and bouquets. Wine is just one example; the more unique the hobby, the more memorable the wedding becomes.

Excited about the idea of incorporating your hobby, but want to do something more subtle? You could showcase your shared love of horseback riding with a saddle-shaped groom’s cake and a photo booth filled with props such as helmets, riding crops, red coats, etc. Check out 25 of the most unique wedding themes we've ever seen ►

Get ready to enjoy our special "Color Issue" filled with amazing ideas on how to choose and use pretty palettes throughout your wedding.

Have an iPad? Be sure to check out our digital edition! Get one issue for $5.99 or a one-year subscription (six issues) for just $9.99. Click here to download the Bridal Guide Magazine app from the App Store. 

Plus, you’ll find three magazines in one! On the flip side is our "Your Home" section featuring the hottest tabletop trends and gift ideas for your registry.

And you’ll get a separate "Honeymoon & Destination Wedding Guide" packed with the perfect getaways.

But first, here’s a sneak peek at some of the fabulous color-themed stories in the issue from bridal gowns in soft, romantic hues

Photo Credit: MangoRed on Bride and Breakfast via Lover.ly

Q. How can we keep the guest list under control?

A. The size of your guest list is an important issue because it will largely affect the total cost of your wedding. In most cases, you, your fiancé and both of your families will each have his or her own idea about who should be invited.

To get off on the right foot, have everyone involved submit a list of the people they’d like to attend. They should rank the names in order of importance, starting at the top. Then you and your fiancé can compare the lists and cross off any duplications. Add up the numbers that are left to determine how close you are to your estimated guest count and figure out how many more people you may need to eliminate (or, if you’re lucky, who you can add!). Then, have each of the parties involved cut an assigned number of names, starting from the bottom of his or her personal list. This way, both families are treated fairly, while you manage to keep control over the size of the guest list.