1. Color
   Forget the pale pastels! 2008 is all about bright colors, especially yellow. Yellow is an ideal wedding color because it is fresh, energetic and cheery. Lemon yellow can be paired with Chocolate Brown or a brighter shade of yellow can be paired with silver or gray. Bright dual combinations are also hot this year. Chocolate with Pink, Aqua with Brown, Red with Light Blue, Yellow with Orange, and Pale Yellow with Dark Purple are among the favorites.
    
2. Letterpress Wedding Invitations
   This seemingly old-fashioned form of printing is a hip and trendy look for today's modern couple. Letterpress is a printing technique that stamps ink into paper using raised lettering. High quality inks and papers are used to create a lush look. This makes any invitation an instant keepsake.
    
3. Green Weddings
   Many couples are looking for ways to give back to the environment by having eco-friendly weddings. Consider invitations made from recycled paper, gowns made from 100% silk or cotton, wedding rings with conflict-free diamonds or made from recycled gold, serving organic or vegetarian foods at the reception and having your wedding in natural settings (parks, beaches, backyards, etc.). With the rising number of second weddings and later-in-life marriages, many couples are asking guests to donate to charitable organizations in lieu of gifts.
    
4. Non-Traditional Wedding Cakes
   Forget the round layered cake...think square, octagonal or mixed shapes. One of the biggest trends for 2008 is the use of a monogram or calligraphy text on your cake. Words such as Love, Always, Forever, Honor are popular words when choosing calligraphy text.
    
5. Guest Participation
   Let your guests feel as if they had a part in planning your wedding. Create a blog or wedding web site where guests can participate in polls to vote on your wedding cake flavor, the entrees, favorite song for the couple's first dance, the type of reception music, etc. Revealing their selections at the reception adds an extra level of fun and excitement.
    
6.  Lots of Personalization
   Create a unique monogram design or use your first names and wedding date to personalize your wedding invitations, napkins, coasters, cups, glassware, thank you notes, and wedding favors. Putting your 'stamp' on everything is not only very trendy, but very personal.
    
7. Entertainment
   If you can afford it, consider hiring a live ethnic or cover band for your reception. Latin and Mariachi bands are a real hit and inspire festive dancing.
    
8. Food Stations
   Forget the sit-down dinner or buffet. People like to graze, so consider setting up food stations around the reception room. Each station can have a theme -- sushi bar, fondue station, dessert station, etc.
    
9. Clever Wedding Favors
   Hand out favors that not only practical, but useful. Consider personalized playing cards, ink pens, bookmarks, or coasters. Since eco-friendly weddings are in style, consider eco-friendly favors, like soy candles and wildflower seeds. If you still want to hand out the traditional almonds and chocolates, consider putting them in gift boxes made from recycled materials.
    
10. Wardrobe Changes
    Gone are the days when the bride has only one look for her wedding day. Today's bride can have one look for the ceremony, and a fun, laid back look for the reception.

It seems these days that people go to weddings expecting to get some kind of wedding favor.  Wedding favors can range from the little bottles of bubbles to candy, matches, magnets, memo pads and candles.  The problem then becomes buying enough favors for all of the guests and still remaining within your budget.  Here are five tips to help you do just that.

1. Do not be afraid to shop the clearance racks.  You can find a lot of great items if you hit the sales and clearances.  You may have to do a little improvising.  Everything might not match perfectly, but if you are ok with that, then your guests will be too.
2. Buy in bulk.  There are several places that sell wedding favors in large quantities.  If your wedding is fairly large, this may be the way to go.  You can sometimes get a discount if your order is extremely large.
3. Make your own favors.  If you have the time and the talent, this might be the best option.  You can control the cost of the materials and the overall project better this way than if you were to just buy the favors in the store.  This also makes the favors a little more personal.  Your guests will really enjoy the fact that you put the time and effort into making the favors yourself.
4. Skip the favors all together.  If you budget is really tight, do not worry about the favors.  No guest is going to be that upset that they did not get a favor.  If it comes down to cutting the guests list or having favors, by all means cut the favors.  Sharing the big day with all of your friends and family is more important than what kind of wedding favor they get.
5. Buy a little at a time.  If you have a lot of time before your wedding, you may consider buying the favors not in bulk, but a few at a time.  If you want to do bubbles and candy, you might buy the bubbles all at once, then the bags for the candy, then the candy itself.  Space it out a little bit to prevent paying a lot all at once.

Favors are a way to say thank you to your guests, and to give them a gift that will remind them of the special day they shared with you. We understand that you don’t want to give the same old thing that just gets thrown into the junk drawer. We also know that you don’t want to go broke either. So, we’ve searched for new and different wedding favors, even updated a few for you. Here you are.

Edible Favors:

Candied or chocolate covered apples:
Who can turn these sweet treats down? There are a million different ways to have these decorated. Totally decadent ones are covered in caramel rolled in nuts or candy pieces and then drizzled with chocolate! Or try just candied apples for a fall wedding like the ones you’d purchase at your local orchard. We’ve also seen these decorated and designed to look like they are wearing little wedding gowns and tuxedos.

Custom Fortune Cookies:
These can be designed to be so cute especially when covered in a sweet chocolate glaze possibly with a few heart sprinkles on top. Wrap them up in cellophane and tie a ribbon on the end. Insert messages that say something like: Thank You from the bride and groom, or: Here’s to a life of good fortune!

Personalized bottles of soda:
Send your guest’s home completely refreshed by personalizing bottles of your favorite drink. You can custom make labels to cover bottles or you can order personalized ones from different companies like Jones soda. Jones, offers a lot of different concoctions that taste really great and come in very vivid colors!

Jars of apple butter and honey:
These are a really affordable idea. They are also pretty easy to do yourself if you would like. Our advice would be to invite all of your friends over and have them help you whip up several batches. Then dish them out into glass mason jars. Attach a small tag and some super cute labels finally line the lids with a square of fabric.

Jelly beans or M &M’s:
Place a good size scoop of them in each of your wedding colors in a clear bag and tie off with some raffia or ribbon. Place a sticker on the bags with your names and date. These are an especially great idea if you have a significant amount of children attending. This way you won’t need to have more than one favor, it’s a great one size fits all!

Favors are a way to say thank you to your guests, and to give them a gift that will remind them of the special day they shared with you. We understand that you don’t want to give the same old thing that just gets thrown into the junk drawer. We also know that you don’t want to go broke either. So, we’ve searched for new and different wedding favors, even updated a few for you. Here you are.

Natural Favors:

Potted Herbs:
Fill tiny terra-cotta pots with lavender or another favorite herb. You could even use tiny cactuses. Add nametags to them and they can now double as both favors and escort cards.

Seed Packets:
Create your own seed packets, fill them full of your favorite blossoms seeds. On the outside attach a small note of thanks. Or have the package read like a thank you note.

Mini Bamboo plants:
Chinese culture states that the bamboo plant is a symbol of good luck, strength and a vessel of positive energy. A big perk, is that when your guests take these home they won’t have to work at keeping the plants alive. They are totally low maintenance, as they need very little sunlight to thrive.

Indulgent Favors:

Soap favors:
Small soaps bundled up in a sachet would make beautiful favors. Place them inside a simple basket near the exit so that guests may pick these up as they leave. You may not want to place them at the dinner table, especially if the scent is strong. You don’t really want to be overwhelmed by perfumes while eating.

Lotion:
Fill small squeezable containers with a homemade lotion or some of your favorite store bought brand. Decorate with cute personalized labels.

Bath Salts:
Buy miniature glass or clear plastic containers and fill with bath salts. Add a small scoop to use for sprinkling the salts into the bath. (We’re thinking those heart shaped measuring spoons!) Cover them with homemade labels and tie off with raffia.

Favors are a way to say thank you to your guests, and to give them a gift that will remind them of the special day they shared with you. We understand that you don’t want to give the same old thing that just gets thrown into the junk drawer. We also know that you don’t want to go broke either. So, we’ve searched for new and different wedding favors, even updated a few for you. Here you are.

Child Favors:

Paper & Crayons:
Buy small memo pads and packages of crayons. Place them in small plastic buckets or bundle them together and tie off with ribbon. Make sure they can get a hold of these early in the night to help keep your young guests occupied.

Miniature Lego kit:
Buy small lego kits and place them in individual bags. Place the bags in baskets for the children to choose from. Have some creations already done up at that same table to help boosts the children’s creativity.

Updated Classic Favors:

Cookie Cutters:
What a sweet favor to give your guests. Take two small metal cookie cutters (like two different sized heart ones!) and tie them together along with your favorite cookie recipe.

Picture Frame:
Purchase small photo frames and add a small candid photo of yourselves. Or you could use these as escort cards and swap out the picture of yourselves with the guest’s names.