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(ARA) – Every wedding is as special as the bride who takes her vows that day, no matter if the setting is a centuries-old church, a hotel ballroom or the bride's own backyard. But if you dream of saying your "I do's" beside the gentle tide, or greeting your guests from the top of a staircase that looks like it's straight out of "Gone With the Wind," then a destination wedding might be right for you.

Destination weddings are becoming more and more popular, but dragging your wedding dress, favors and all the guests overseas can be pricey for brides and grooms on a budget. However, many domestic destinations right here within the continental U.S. can offer the same breath-taking scenery, diverse settings and luxurious amenities you would expect to find – and pay more for – if you go abroad.

What kind of domestic destination should you seek? Here are a few popular, cost-effective options that don't require a long trip for your guests or you to spend a lot of money:

Beauty at the beach

When it comes to versatility in a natural setting, it's hard to beat the beauty of the beach. A beach wedding can capture the romance of the sea, evoke the party atmosphere of an island escape, and tap the depth and power of Mother Nature in all her glory.

With miles of beautiful beaches on both coasts, the good old U.S. of A. offers plenty of locales for your beach wedding. On the East Coast, Myrtle Beach, S.C. is a popular spot that offers a wide range of versatile venues and accommodating lodging for you and your guests. The region is a reasonable drive from just about anywhere along the eastern seaboard. Plus, you can find affordable direct flights to the nearby Myrtle Beach International Airport.

For a pure beach wedding, check out Myrtle Beach State Park, which offers pristine white beaches and breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean. Or, to marry the beauty of the beach with elegant style, check out Atalaya Castle at Huntington Beach State Park in nearby Murrells Inlet, S.C.

Keep in mind if you're holding your wedding on a public beach or park, you'll likely need to obtain permits from the appropriate city or county agency.

The charm of the Old South

She might have had trouble staying happily married, but "Gone with the Wind" heroine Scarlett O'Hara sure knew how to throw a romantic wedding. You can recapture the grace, elegance and romance of Scarlett's bygone era with a plantation destination wedding. Throughout the south, you'll find representations of the gracious architecture that personified the classic southern plantation, with grand staircases, sweeping front porches and sprawling green gardens.

You can build an entire wedding theme around the locale, with attire that evokes the elegance of the Old South and southern colors like peach and lavender. A simple online search will yield numerous plantation-style venues, like Litchfield Plantation and Pawley's Plantation, both in Pawley's Island, S.C., or Brookgreen Gardens in Murrells Inlet, S.C.

To the sea, to the sea

If you relish in the beauty of the sea but not the idea of the sand that comes with it, holding your wedding at an oceanfront hotel may be the perfect way to enjoy the beauty and majesty of the beach. Many oceanfront hotels and resorts offer event venues with great views of the beach and ocean.

Plan to hold your wedding in one of Myrtle Beach's many oceanfront hotels, and you can savor the benefits of a beach destination with all the comforts, conveniences and luxuries of top hotels. These resorts cater to brides with comprehensive wedding packages, creative menus and breathtaking views.

By looking for a domestic destination, you can have a dream wedding without a nightmare price tag – or the inconveniences of traveling abroad with your wedding party and guests.

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(ARA) – If you haven't yet butted heads with your mate over money, chances are you will one day. No matter how compatible a couple is or how much they adore each other, money and how to manage it can still be a source of conflict – even in the best of marriages.

Before you walk down the aisle, having a conversation about finances and credit can help ensure a future of wedded bliss, with minimal disagreements over money. Transparency over finances builds trust in a relationship. It can also help you establish your mutual monetary goals, whether you want to buy your first house together, start a family or send one of you back to school.

Any pre-nuptial money talk should start out with credit and debt – specifically how much debt each of you has (student loans, car loan, credit card, etc.), how you plan to pay it off, what your credit scores and reports look like, and how you will use credit to achieve your goals in the future. Enrolling in a credit monitoring membership can be a good way to start the dialogue. Web sites like freecreditscore.com make it easy to review your credit scores and reports online. You'll be able to share with each other a comprehensive overview of your current credit status and credit history.

While you'll each have your own credit score and report throughout your marriage, your credit – just like your lives – will be linked for better or for worse. Your combined credit history will affect what kind of interest rate you can get on mortgages, car loans and virtually any other kind of credit you'll need in the future.

Once you've talked about credit, cover these conversation points next:

* Saving and spending habits – Is one of you frugal to the point of being cheap? Is the other a habitual spender? Balance is important in any marriage, and hopefully your saving and spending habits can balance each other. While you should always save as much as possible, you also don't want to overly restrict yourselves so that you feel deprived or pressured. Ideally, you should save enough to cover several months of expenses and spend enough to cover your essential needs with a little left over for some fun.

* Retirement plans – It's never too early to start thinking about how you'll fare financially during retirement. Discuss any retirement accounts each of you already has. If neither has any retirement plan set up, consider consulting a financial planner to find out what type of plan might be best for your needs and goals.

* Spending styles – How will you fund big purchases, like new furniture or your honeymoon trip? Will you save until you can pay cash for big-ticket items, or will you use credit? Consider and discuss how you'll pay for bigger purchases.

* Taxes – Talk about when you'll file your taxes and consult with your accountant to see what filing status – such as married filing jointly, married filing separately or head-of-household – will benefit you the most.

* Marrying your money – Will you establish a joint account and deposit both your incomes there? Will you maintain separate accounts? Or perhaps you'll establish a household budget account and both contribute a portion of your monthly income.

* Budgeting – Create a household budget right away and decide how you'll manage expenses. Who will write the monthly checks (or handle the monthly online bill pay chores) to cover household expenses? Will you each pay personal expenses like car payments and student loan payments from separate accounts?

By discussing potentially conflict-causing monetary issues like credit use, credit scores, credit reports, spending and saving before you exchange vows, you can help ensure you start your married life together with a clear vision of how you'll use money to make your lives better.

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(ARA) – Weddings are one of life's most celebrated occasions. For brides- and grooms-to-be and their families, an incredible amount of creativity and planning is poured into this all-important day: from the wedding gown to the ceremony, from the invitations and flowers to the wedding cake itself. One of the most-remembered details is what guests are served, so the wedding menu should reflect the couple-to-be's unique style and personality.

Aida Mollenkamp, host of the popular Food Network show “Ask Aida” says, “The food you serve should be like your dress – reflect you and fit you like a glove – so, if you prefer a cupcake tower to a cake, go for it!”

Tips for a memorable wedding menu

* Find your inspiration. Couples should think back on their relationship, and choose a meaningful place or a time that will inspire their food and wine choices.

* Indulge. This is a celebration so forget about calories and choose the food and wine that truly reflects the couple.

* But don't lose yourself. Remember, the wedding day is supposed to reflect who the bride and groom are. If they aren't fans of foie gras and caviar, now is not the time to serve it.

* Personalize. Consider displaying menus at each place setting that describe the couple's food and wine pairings – and include anecdotes for why they were chosen.

* Last all night. It's a marathon to make it from the ceremony to the reception for the bride and groom and their guests. Make sure the food is substantial enough to keep everyone filled, yet light enough that they don't slip into a groggy fog.

* Ah, dessert. It might be your guests' favorite course, and for a wedding, it can truly be a showpiece. Let the dessert reflect the couple's sweet tooth, and remember Riesling is a lovely accompaniment to most wedding desserts.

David Mirassou, sixth-generation of America's oldest winemaking family agrees. "Riesling is a delicious wine pairing option for wedding desserts. It may also help a couple's budget too, because it can be paired with both the first and main courses, as well as dessert."

For more wedding inspiration, as well as video tips, Aida's recipes and David's food and wine pairings, visit Mirassou.com.

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(ARA) – First-time brides and grooms are older than ever before, according to recent U.S. Census Bureau figures. The median age for men marrying for the first time is now 28 and it's 26 for women – that's 30 percent older than in 1960.

Because today's first marriages are occurring later in life – not to mention second or third marriages – more often the modern dilemma is whose couch stays and tallying how many flat-screen TVs the couple has between them.

When couples married 40 years ago they were barely into their 20s and often still living at home. The traditional wedding shower carried great value in that age as it supplied newlyweds with all the necessities that married life required, including dishes, cookware and bedding.

Bob Gomori got married last year at 27 – just one year shy of the median age for men. However, Gomori had already built a successful career as a franchisee of the moving company Two Men and a Truck in Youngstown, Ohio, and he'd already owned his own home for several years. He had a unique vantage point of the challenges associated with combining households for first marriages.

"It's tough because you both have things that you want to keep, but to keep it all is certainly not the most efficient thing to do," Gomori says. "The successful couples I see as a mover are those who take first marriage as an opportunity to take inventory of what they have and sort it out before they combine homes. I know it's a lot to think about, particularly with wedding plans in the works, but ultimately you avoid moving things two or three times, and you save money in the long run."

Certified professional organizer Monica Ricci is a renowned organizing expert, speaker and author based in Atlanta. Ricci counsels her clients on effective organizing and simplifying strategies for home and work, and offers free advice at www.CatalystOrganizing.com.

"Try not to be too attached to something simply because it's yours," says Ricci. "You each deserve to keep some items you love. Remember, the more you streamline now, the easier your move will be. "

Ricci and Gomori agree proper planning is the key to starting off on the right foot in the early years of marriage. They suggest the following tips for combining households for first-time marriages:

* Go through each house together, and identify which items are duplicates. Talk about each item honestly. If you can legitimately use two of something in your new life, such as televisions or stereos, go ahead and keep both.

* Do the same evaluation for small items, such as silverware, as you do for the larger items. These smaller items can add up quickly, and often produce the most basement or attic clutter.

* Organize with boxes and colored markers. Contact your local Two Men and a Truck moving company to purchase a variety of box sizes before you begin so you can appropriately tag and box both items that stay and those that go along the way.

* Think about donating to those in need. If a garage sale isn't of interest, consider donating to local churches or synagogues, homeless shelters or the Salvation Army.

The experts agree that couples can successfully blend two households if they take time on the front end to address the move. The key, as with all organizing projects, is proper planning. For more moving advice, visit www.twomenandatruck.com.

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(ARA) – Weddings can be one of life's biggest expenses. In the current economic climate, it's no surprise that couples are looking for ways to cut down the costs.

"Most people are so busy that they don't have time to plan an event with everything else they have going on in their lives," says Deborah Wallace, instructor with the Event Management Diploma Program at The Art Institute of Vancouver, who thinks it's important to see time as a precious commodity, as opposed to just dollars.

Wallace reflects that it can be difficult to explain the time saving as a justification to couples; for example, it's easier to explain to a company how much they would save in staff wages through hiring a professional to plan an event. "It's hard to make this clear for a bride and groom," she says. "A company knows what their employee's time is worth, but what are your friends' and family's time worth?"

Wallace also questions the wisdom of asking loved ones to help out with those important wedding responsibilities, such as picking out linen or choosing the flowers. "It can turn a celebration into a stressful experience for the helpers, who feel like they're working while everyone else is enjoying the festivities," she says.

"People spend a huge amount on weddings, and often the Wedding Planner is actually a fraction of the overall costs," says Amy Alto, whose company, Clear the Floor, organizes first dances for wedding parties. Wedding Planners can actually help couples save some much-needed dollars, through discounts with suppliers and services they use regularly. In Alto's experience, the Wedding Planner will also tend to get the best service from vendors for their client. "The planners give them a lot of business, so you can feel confident that your cake will arrive on time and the flowers will be fresh," she says.

Mike Granek (CSEP), academic director for the Event Management Diploma Program at The Art Institute of Vancouver, suggests that training as an event planner can provide the skills needed to plan weddings and leave career options wider. Transferable skills, such as project management, financial management, customer service and risk management, are all used in planning a wedding. For example, managing a stressed or sensitive bride takes customer service skills, and financial planning helps to keep all the wedding costs within budget.

Richard Markel, director of the Association for Wedding Professionals International, doesn't predict a slowdown in the increasing numbers of wedding planners anytime soon. He estimates that there are currently 60,000 professionally registered wedding planners in the US.

So is there a need for wedding planners? “Absolutely,” says Granek. “There are always people wanting to get married. As long as there are people getting married, there will be a need for wedding planners.”

To learn more The Art Institutes schools, visit www.artinstitutes.edu/nz.

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(ARA) – Wedding season is here and millions of couples are finalizing plans for their big day. But what many couples don't know is that there easy ways are to avoid stress while planning a wedding.

By following these tips, you can focus on all that is special about your wedding and reception, and avoid the headaches that sometimes come along with them.

Turn your dream into reality

Your wedding day is one of the most important days of your life, and is most likely one you've spent hours, days or even years dreaming about. When the time finally comes to start planning the big day, you don't want to cut corners or settle for a run-of-the-mill, impersonal event. With the help of the American Rental Association (ARA) and your local rental store, you can be sure your wedding day will be one that will be remembered by all.

Rental opens the doors to options you may have never even considered due to time or budget constraints. A romantic outdoor wedding is possible any time of the year with large tents and elegant canopies, equipped with heating or cooling equipment. Make a statement by skipping the traditional tiered cake and going with something more unique, like an impressive chocolate fountain with brownie or cheesecake bites or an ice cream cart complete with all the fixings. You can even create dramatic scenery on the walls and ceiling of your venue with a variety of accent lighting options.

Don't break the bank

While your wedding day may be the most important day of your life, there is no reason why it has to be the most expensive. You can save money on seating, centerpieces and more by renting. Why buy all your wedding supplies when you are only going to use them once? Why bother paying for their storage and upkeep after the big day is over? Simplify your wedding and your budget by letting the rental store take care of the cleanup, maintenance and storage of all your decorations and supplies.

And forget about running all over town, wasting time, energy and money – make one stop at your local rental store and get everything you need. ARA members, which include more than 7,000 rental businesses and 1,000 manufacturers and suppliers, are located in every state, so you can get all the supplies you need in one stop. To make finding the rental store nearest you even easier, ARA offers RentalHQ.com, the world's largest and most comprehensive rental store locator. Here, people planning their wedding and reception can find the rental store nearest them, read how-to tips and get ideas and inspiration for their event.

Enlist the experts

To make planning your big day even easier, some ARA member rental businesses offer Certified Event Rental Professionals (CERPs). And most offer on-site support, relieving much of the stress associated with planning a wedding. These professionals are ready and willing to share their knowledge and experience with you, from pre-wedding set-up all the way through the day of the event.

Deadlines, budgets, decor – these are all aspects of a wedding that need to be managed and sometimes are better left to the professionals. CERPs know what needs to be organized right away, and what can wait until later. They will think of that one detail that never would have crossed your mind and keep your budget in check.

Enlisting the help of a CERP from your local rental store will not only ease the stress and tension of planning an entire wedding, but it will also ensure that the wedding you always envisioned is the one you will remember for years to come. From the latest trends and themes, to innovative budget saving strategies, CERPs know the ins and outs of planning a wedding.

Don't let the burden of planning your wedding overwhelm you as you approach one of the most memorable days of your life. Make it an enjoyable experience with the help of ARA and your local rental store.

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(ARA) – The excitement of getting married doesn't end after the rice has been thrown, the cake has been cut and the presents opened. For most couples, the next stop is the adventure of a honeymoon.

Whether you head for a beachy destination to get a little rest and relaxation or fly off to a far-flung adventure destination, the last thing you want is for your special trip to be interrupted by problems. While no one can guarantee that you won't quibble over which restaurant you want to go to, you can take steps to protect yourself from other common travel mishaps.

Identity theft is a threat that we all face, even at home. But when you travel somewhere new — particularly to foreign destinations — you need to be extra vigilant to safeguard against it. You can take steps to lessen the threat. First, before you leave, make copies of your passport and credit cards — take a set of copies with you, and leave a set with a trusted person at home. If your passport or cards should be stolen, this will help you in the sometimes long process of replacing them.

To give yourself the highest level of protection, consider a program like ID Patrol, from Equifax. The service monitors your credit file for suspicious changes, alerts you if your personal information has been found in suspected underground Internet trading sites and gives you 24/7 access to trained ID theft resolution specialists.

Remember to be vigilant when using your credit or debit cards. Always make sure that vendors swipe your card where you can see them, and avoid using suspicious-looking ATMs. One tip-off that an ATM has been tampered with is that the card swiping mechanism has been bolted or screwed on. It's also a good idea to purchase a money belt or pouch that can be discreetly worn under clothing and to carry your passport and cards with you.

It's important to remember that problems can arise even before you've left for your destination. Flights can be cancelled or circumstances might arise that make it impossible for you to travel. That's just one reason that it's a good idea to have travel insurance. It can protect you from losing the money you've put into your trip, but it can also be invaluable if you lose your luggage or are injured on your trip. When purchasing insurance, you should make sure that it covers stolen wallets and passports as well.

One of the easiest things you can do before you leave is to simply research your destination — but make sure that you go beyond which sights you want to see or which hotel you want to stay in. The Internet makes it easier than ever to delve deep into your destination — travelers post trip reviews on a number of sites like www.tripadvisor.com and www.lonelyplanet.com. There you can find everything from activity recommendations to place-specific travel scams to watch out for.

Knowledge is the first commandment of safe travel, but it helps to have back-up like ID theft prevention and travel insurance for situations beyond your control. And when you've taken steps to ensure that your trip will be safe, your honeymoon will be sweeter than ever.

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(ARA) – When it comes to planning a perfect wedding day, there are hundreds of details to consider and scenarios to plan for. However, none of them will mean anything if you don't have a wedding photographer in place capturing each and every memorable moment.

Choosing the right wedding photographer takes patience, research and great specificity. There are certain qualifications any good photographer must have, but it is your individual needs that determine who will work best for your big day. Although it is the photographer's job to take great pictures, it is largely your job to make sure they are in place to get the shots you really want.

It's all about the planning

Whether you've taken photography classes and understand the way your pictures should turn out, or you simply have specific expectations for your wedding day shots, you are going to be disappointed if your big day isn't captured the way you'd imagined.

So, what can you do to ensure that you get the wedding pictures you want? Follow the steps outlined below to guarantee that your wedding photography meets your expectations – and perhaps even exceeds them:

Provide a detailed timeline of the big day. If your wedding photographer knows exactly what will be happening throughout the day, he or she will know where to be to capture the most candid moments. Unanticipated changes may occur, but the better your photographer understands the timeline, the better he or she will be able to react to new developments.

Be firm about what you want. Communicate clearly with your photographer about what shots you absolutely must have. Don't waver on what is most important to you. When photographers have clear guidelines and expectations in place, it is much easier for them to do their job, and you're more likely to get what you want.

Provide as many examples as possible. Your wedding photographer is going to have a portfolio, but feel free to show them other shots you've found that you really like. If they have examples of pictures you'd like recreated, they have a better chance of capturing those moments on your big day. This step requires plenty of research on your part. Browse wedding magazines, visit studios and look through friends' pictures until you find the style, techniques and overall look that you most enjoy.

Get yourself ready. No matter how fantastically a picture is taken, you are not going to like it if you don't like your appearance. Do a trial run of your makeup and hair, and take pictures in a variety of lighting so that you understand how you'll look in every scenario. Try on your dress and move around in it so you can see how it flows as you move and if there are any last-minute alterations needed.

When it comes down to it, wedding photography is all about capturing the blissful, romantic and highly-charged emotional moments that take place on your wedding day. Be upfront with your photographer about exactly what you want from your wedding pictures, and start looking forward to creating beautiful memories that will remind you for a lifetime of how happy you were on your big day.

Information in this article was provided by Brooks Institute. Contact Brooks Institute today if you're interested in developing marketable knowledge and career-relevant skills with an industry-current degree program. (Brooks Institute does not guarantee employment or salary.)

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(ARA) – Every bride-to-be dreams of putting her unique stamp on her wedding day. Blending her chosen wedding colors into many of the occasion's elements is just the first step toward a creative and beautiful event. Brides in gorgeous gowns, bridesmaids and groomsmen decked out in the wedding party's colors and striking flowers are the perfect accompaniment to the colorful landscape of the summer and fall wedding seasons.

Selecting the perfect ways to feature wedding colors is a very personal representation of the bride and groom. If you're a bride-to-be, picture homemade jewelry embellishing your wedding dress, table decorations that match your wedding theme and colors perfectly, or all your guests looking over unique programs that you made at your kitchen table.

"Making wedding decorations or even gifts for the wedding party allows you to put a lot of creativity and personality into the project. And, because you made it yourself, you'll have a customized, one-of-a-kind item that perfectly matches your wedding and its decor," says Courtney Talkington, manager of education and inspiration for Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores. "Another idea for your DIY wedding is to involve your family, friends and wedding party in making the projects, allowing everyone to be included in the fun and creativity.”

Using a centuries-old technique of quilling is one way to create a homemade necklace with a unique look in beautiful colors. Not only does the rolled paper look beautiful in decorative flower shapes, it's also a great way to incorporate keepsakes such as ticket stubs or love letters from the dating and engagement years into meaningful, wearable art. Are you new to quilling? Quilling classes will be offered at Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores starting in September.

Quilled memory necklace

Supplies and tools:

Thin paper strips for quilling: scrapbook papers, ticket stubs, old love letters and other paper mementos

Quilling tool

X-Acto knife and cutting mat

Tacky glue

1 spool tiger tail

1 package each of 3 mm and 4 mm Blue Moon glass pearl beads

1 clasp set

Crimp beads

Crimp tool

Bent-nose pliers

Wire cutter

2 6 mm jump rings

1/4 yard Tulle

1/4 yard of 1/4 inch wide Organdy ribbon

Hand sewing needle

Thread

Optional book: “The Art of Paper Quilling, Designing Handcrafted Gifts and Cards”

Directions:

1. Using paper strips for quilling, make several flower shapes in various sizes and colors. Set aside.

2. Cut two pieces of tiger tail about 12 inches long.

3. Attach one end of one tiger tail strand to clasp using crimp bead and crimp tool. Trim excess wire.

4. String glass pearl beads for about 8 to 9 inches.

5. Attach one jump ring to opposite end using a crimp bead and crimp tool. Trim excess wire. Set aside.

6. Repeat steps three to five for second tiger tail strand.

7. Cut two pieces of tiger tail – one 8 inches long and another 10 inches long.

8. Attach tiger tail strands to jump ring. Adjust the 8 inch strand to measure approximately 6 inches and the 10 inch strand to measure approximately 8 inches.

9. Lay paper flowers out on work surface so they fit nicely between the two pearl strands and on top of the two tiger tail strands.

10. Cut two pieces of tulle slightly larger than your flower layout, following the outline of the flower shapes. Cut two large strips of tulle – about 3/4 inches wide and 3 inches long – to tie onto necklace at the sides.

11. Sandwich the two tiger tail wires between the tulle. Hand stitch the tulle together close to the tiger tail wire.

12. Tie the tulle onto the necklace at jump rings. Trim tulle to desired length.

13. Cut two pieces of organdy ribbon each 2 1/2 inches long. Tie onto necklace at jump rings. Trim.

14. Glue paper flower in place on top of the tulle following desired layout. Let dry.

15. Add glass pearl beads to flower centers. Let dry.

If you're looking for something for your guests to take home with them, consider designing your wedding programs with a keepsake envelope. The directions below use fall burgundy colors, but feel free to mix and match the colors to personalize the program to your wedding.

Personalized wedding program

Supplies and tools:

8 1/2 inches by 11 inches of Burgundy suede cardstock

12 inches by 12 inches of Black Magic cardstock, black/red two-sided

12 inches by 12 inches of Burgundy suede paper

Lime green cardstock

12 inches by 12 inches Vellum sheets, translucent clouds

2 shades of purple, narrow ribbon

5 round beads, grape

5 seed beads, grape

Silver leaf charm

Silver “Follow your heart” charm

5 headpins

2 jump rings

Silver heart brad

20-gauge Silver wire

Grape leaf template

Paper trimmer and scissors

Corner rounder

Hole punches, regular and large

Vellum tape

Adhesive dot runner or glue stick

Jewelry tools: wire cutter, round-nose and chain-nose pliers

Computer (to generate text)

Ruler and stylus (or bone folder)

Directions

1. Cut burgundy suede cardstock 5 1/2 inches by 12 inches. Score 4 inches up from bottom edge and fold, using ruler and stylus, to create a pocket. If left and right edges are not quite even, trim them now, up to 1/2 inch total. Punch top four corners of folded pocket with corner rounder.

2. Using included pattern, trace a grape leaf on the back of the pocket flap and cut out with scissors. Print the bride's and groom's names and wedding date on vellum, so that it will fit the leaf shape. Attach the vellum to the inside of the pocket with adhesive dot runner. Attach a panel of lime green cardstock behind the vellum for a subtle green hue. Cut a thin strip of burgundy suede cardstock to fit behind top of pocket. Round corners and attach so the back side of the paper is visible behind the suede pocket. Using large hole punch, punch a notch on the left and right sides, using photo as guide for securing ribbon.

3. Print vellum panels with wedding information, no wider than 4 1/4 inches. Mount on burgundy suede paper and Black Magic cardstock; round top right corner of vellum.

4. To create bead grape cluster, string a green seed bead on a headpin, followed by a round green bead. Make six to eight. Create a wrapped loop at the end of each. Curl one end of 20-gauge wire and string on grapes and leaf charm. Create a wrapped loop.

5. Wrap narrow purple ribbons around the wedding program pocket and tie in a knot to the right of the leaf cut-out. Slip the bead cluster onto a jump ring and attach over the knot. Tie the ribbon, catching the jump ring, to prevent it from sliding. Attach the “Follow your heart” charm to a second jump ring and attach it to the first jump ring.

6. Punch a hole through all three layers of the program and insert a silver heart brad.

“There are so many ways to take your wedding from mainstream to magnificent” advises Talkington. “A little inspiration is all you need to incorporate your ideas into the wedding of your dreams.”

For additional ideas for unique ways to personalize your wedding through crafts, visit www.joann.com/wedding.

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(ARA) – Whether you're planning a wedding close to home, or in the destination of your dreams, wedding preparations require creativity and precision. Destination weddings, however, add a range of challenges that domestic nuptials do not – simply because they often involve long-distance travel, obstacles of adapting to a location's cultural differences and the management of all additional pre-event details from a remote location.

In any situation, organization and preparation can help take the stress out of planning; specifically in the process of planning a destination wedding. From working with a wedding planner to investing in a travel and medical assistance membership, the tips below will help to de-stress your destination wedding, and to help ensure all of your needs – and those of your guests – are met before you ever set foot on the plane.

Balance your “musts” with realistic plans

From childhood images of a beautiful gown and flowers to blue skies as you walk arm in arm down the aisle with your father, every bride has a list of "must haves" in order to make her dream wedding a reality. While saying your "I do's" in an exotic location may meet the terms of your lifetime fantasies, it is important to consider realistic goals and ensure that your "must haves" are attainable in the location of your choosing.

Elderly guests such as grandparents of the bride or groom may have trouble traveling long distances. You'll need to balance the travel limitations of those people you must have at your wedding with the realities of holding your event far from home. If you must have sand, beautiful water and palm trees, it may be more practical for family and friends to go somewhere in Florida or California as opposed to the Caribbean or Bahamas. Compromise will be key in ensuring you get all you desire – and have those you most love – at your destination wedding.

Remember – you're all traveling

Travel is one of the great complications of destination weddings. Even if your bookings result in great airfares and discount hotel rates, travel can still throw a wrench in your plans if you lose a passport or important travel document, or someone falls ill far from home.

One way savvy brides deal with travel complications is to invest in a medical and travel assistance membership to ensure you and your loved ones are covered in case something goes wrong. In the event of a lost or stolen passport, other travel documents or credit cards, travel and medical assistance companies, such as On Call International, will provide the help you need if you're away from home. On Call International offers 24/7 assistance with legal issues, lost luggage, and flight delays or cancellations – and can also help with pre-travel information, such as suggested immunizations and important information about your destination prior to departure.

And if you or your fiance – or other covered member of the wedding party – falls ill far from home, medical assistance ranges from a 24-hour nurse help line to unlimited coverage to evacuate the ill person back to the hospital of their choice in the states. Visit www.oncallinternational.com to learn more.

Capitalize on your budget benefits

One common misconception about destination weddings is that they are lavish, costly affairs with large guest lists. However, many wedding planning experts agree you can achieve a destination wedding for less than $10,000 – because the travel and potential expenses encourage most brides to pare down their wedding to what they truly want most.

Instead of having 250 guests who might not even put you on their Christmas card list next year, your destination wedding can be an intimate affair, with a conservatively sized guest list of only those who love you best. Plus if you shop smart and plan well in advance, you can score some great deals at top resorts in your destination of choice – especially if you plan for shoulder season when destinations experience less business.

Finally, don't underestimate the benefits – including cost and time savings – of working with a wedding planner who specializes in your destination of choice. Having someone who's tapped into the local scene help you plan your long-distance wedding, can save you money, time and aggravation.

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