There are two ways you can go about planning an eco-friendly wedding. You can go the extremist route and go as "green" as possible (the ultimate), or you can compromise and "go green" where it counts the most (the moderate). For starters, pick a team (ultimate or moderate) and decide how eco-friendly your wedding will be.

When planning an eco-friendly wedding, keep "minimal," "maximize," and "trade-off" in mind. The ultimate eco-bride will maximize the efficiency of her wedding. She will keep energy expenses to a minimum, and understands that "trade-offs" are great ways to compromise without sacrificing the eco-friendly goal of her wedding. With that in mind, here are a few tips for planning an eco-friendly wedding that everyone will rave about.

Get Hitched At An Eco-Friendly Wedding Venue

It all starts with where your nuptials are set to take place. The wedding venue is the foundation of a "green" wedding.

The Ultimate: Get outside! Saving money on utilities is as "green" as it gets. Live up the joys of an outdoor wedding ceremony. Choose from a friend's large backyard, local botanical gardens, a boat or yacht, a special pavilion in the park or other great outdoor wedding venues. After the vows are swapped, dance the night away under the stars (or a tent).

The Moderate: Compromise is key. You want a "green" wedding, but you're not going to sweat off your $100 hair and make-up job for it. No problem. Say the vows inside and switch to a tent reception later. Another Read the rest of Planning An Eco-friendly Wedding Without Sacrificing Luxury »

Want to add a personal touch to your wedding? Feel like making yours different and less traditional? If you're in the mood for a wedding that everyone will remember, try some of these ideas when you're planning your wedding.

Personal & Memorable — write your own wedding vows

Writing your own wedding vows allows you to say how you really feel. Personalizing your vows also makes each word matter. You may not be able to recite them with the same rote intonation, but you will remember every word for the rest of your life.

It's hard to forget the sweetest words you've ever heard and that's exactly what these will be. Standing there looking into your groom's eyes, you know that he means exactly what he's saying. Every word you speak to one another floats through the air and somehow manages to stay with you through the memory fog that the excitement of the day creates.

Create A Romantic Atmosphere — have a reading and get guests involved

Some of your friends may not be in the wedding party. Some of your favorite relatives may not have positions in the wedding party either. Having a reading at your wedding ceremony will help involve close friends and family.

So what do they read? Many couples choose romantic poems that read like vows. An extra personal touch for the creative couple is to write their own poem(s) and have honored guests read stanzas from that. Each guest reads one stanza until the poem has ended. Once it is over, the whole room feels unified.

Homage & Honor – Set up memorial tables for deceased loved ones

Many brides and grooms feel strongly bonded to people that have passed. The wedding becomes somewhat bittersweet when they realize that something so important will not be witnessed by their deceased loved one. To honor that person (usually a relative), a table with their picture and a few small mementos is a wonderful way to pay homage to these special people. The table can be set up near the sign-in table, where the couple's picture is displayed, or at the wedding reception where they would have sat.

Mementos for the memorial table can include a small poem with the theme of "gone but not forgotten, not here but here in our hearts", a small flower arrangement to accent the pictures, a unique picture frame to hold the pictures, and other items.

Trendy & Different — personalize your wedding decorations

Your wedding decorations reflect your personality. Many couples highlight their table centerpieces with engagement photos. Take that thought a step further by using decorations such as photo cubes on the reception tables.

Also consider the color of your wedding decorations. Many contemporary weddings feature colors that are a far stray from the traditional pinks and creams. Instead, modern brides are personalizing their wedding by including fancy colors such as silver, gold, ruby, and black or bright colors such as lime green, orange, yellow, and hot pink. An instant "wow" factor comes from using color in your wedding.

Fun & Humorous — choose a unique wedding cake & cake topper

There are some wedding cakes that guests cannot take their eyes off of once they hit the reception hall. Sometimes it's the height of multiple tiers that makes the wedding cake unique. Four or five tiers of buttercream delight is enough to turn heads of both young and old. Fountain wedding cakes with unique platforms also get the neck turning.

Sometimes it's the design of the wedding cake itself that gets attention. Uniquely shaped wedding cakes, specific icing patterns, colorful wedding cakes–these are all examples of personalized wedding cakes designed with the bride's tastes in mind.

Another example is something shocking. Cakes with a little personality of their own let guests know that the bride is one-of-a-kind with a great sense of humor. For example, brides wanting an esoteric wedding cake can ask for a cake decorated with girly skulls. Why not? The groom gets a cake that shows off his personality and interests. Why not bring the same feeling to the wedding cake?

Monogrammed cake toppers help personalize the wedding cake. The initial of your new surname is a wonderful addition to the cake. You could also choose the initial of your married surname surrounded by smaller initials of your name and your groom's.

Speaking of unique cake toppers, the style of cake topper where the bride and groom are arm-in-arm as if in motion down the aisle is going out the window quickly with modern brides. It's not unique or original. Instead, try a unique cake topper like a licensed character set. Or, go back to the "shocking" and try something very different that will garner a laugh faster than the best man's toast.

Altruistic & Generous — choose personalized wedding favors or charitable donations

Many couples are opting for personalized wedding favors. These are the same great favors but they feature the couple's name and wedding date. They also think about what they would want if they attended a wedding. This helps them choose a unique wedding favor for their guests. Anything that newlyweds can put their names or faces on is a great way to personalize the wedding.

Charitable donations are also being requested by newlyweds in lieu of wedding favors. Small envelopes with the announcement "a donation to (your favorite charity) has been made in your name" are becoming huge with environmentally friendly or activist couples.

Respectful & Classy — incorporate your parents wedding accents

This idea may seem a bit traditional but there's still a way to make your parent's stuff help your wedding feel personal. It also helps that it's YOUR parents stuff which means that no one else has had it or used it or will use it with maybe the exception of your siblings.

To personalize your wedding by using things your parents wedding accessories, make sure that you use these things where they enhance your personality. Your mother's bouquet may not be what you carry but it can be the inspiration for the bouquet centerpieces at the wedding reception. Perhaps your mother wore her mother's necklace during the ceremony. You may have something else in mind for your neck but many florists can secure the jewelry to your bouquet which means that you'll have it the entire time. Just find a twist for these items and it's the same good old feeling with a personal touch.

Furry & Faithful – include your pet(s) in the ceremony

Some couples are very attached to their pets. If you have a small dog or other trained pet, consider making them part of your wedding party. Attach the wedding ring to a pillow on the dog's collar. Of course, you have to keep in mind the personality of your pet. If they are nervous or excitable, consider a smaller role.

The more you plan your wedding the easier it will be to find unique ways to personalize it. Whatever you choose to do, make sure that it is a reflection of you and of your groom. It's your big day! Make it special and something that everyone will remember with great tips on wedding planning from Wedding And Party Network!!

Special thanks to:

Bake My Day, a wedding cake bakery in Louisville Kentucky, for the use of their polka dotted contemporary wedding cake photo.

Beautiful Weddings On A Budget, wedding coordinators in Fort Campbell Kentucky, for the use of their personalized photo cube table decorations photo.

Briar Rose Cottage Flowers, a wedding florist in Jesup Georgia, for the use of their wedding ceremony photo.

Escape Concepts, a wedding supplier in Charlotte North Carolina, for the use of their cake topper photo.

Re-Connecting With Neighbors

As the end of summer quickly approaches and kids get ready to start back to school, this is a great time to re-connect with your neighbors by throwing a fall block party or back-to-school block party.

Vacations, family reunions, sports camps, games and all the other activities of summer keep many people on the go with not a lot of time for interaction with neighbors. But once school starts, families seem to slow down a bit and stay home a little more. Families play together in their yards and take evening walks to catch up on the day’s events.

Fall is a great time to chat with neighbors, and even if you’re new to the neighborhood and don’t know many people, a block party is a great way to introduce yourself to your neighbors. So, why not get together with a few willing neighbors and plan a block party to bring everyone back together?

Block Party How To:

Survey The Neighbors

Approach a few neighbors to see if they would be willing to help you organize the block party. Print a simple flyer inviting all your neighbors to help plan the party and distributor around the neighborhood. This way no one can say, they “didn’t know” or were “left out.” You can deliver one to each home with the date, time and location of the planning meeting.

Encourage Help – Lure Them With Food

Host a planning meeting at your home with light refreshments. Make sure introductions are made so that those planning the party know each other.

Set a date and time for the block party according to school schedules and holidays.

Assign people various responsibilities related to the party such as advertisement, food, recreation, set-up and clean-up.

Determine how much money you are willing to invest and if the group will divide costs evenly or if certain people will pay for certain expenses. It is important to be very clear about the financial part of the party so that there is no opportunity for misunderstanding and awkward situations that can affect people for years to come.

Pick Your Location

Decide where in the neighborhood the block party will be. Are there certain homes children gravitate to? Is there a house with a large yard and a pool? Is there a clubhouse available? Would a cul-de-sac be the best for safety reasons?

Pick A Party Theme

Determine what kind of block party you’ll have – essentially a theme. Are all your neighbors elderly people? Singles? Families with small children? Consider the tone you want to set—family friendly? An adult only cocktail party? A get-to-know-you relaxing atmosphere? The answer to these question will determine your party's theme.

Plan The Menu – A Party Must Have Food

Cocktails and appetizers? Potluck? Burgers and hot dogs? Grilled steaks and chicken?

Will everyone be asked to bring a dish to share or will food be purchased in bulk and provided so that no one has to bring anything? Do you need a caterer to take care of the food?

Remember, the purpose of the party is to bring neighbors together and bringing something to share gives people a sense of belonging. Don’t assume it will be a burden to have a potluck meal—many conversations get started over a great dish.

Decorating, Mingling and Entertaining

Decide how you’ll decorate. Block parties were a big part of the 50’s era, so why not decorate retro-style with galvanized tubs filled with iced-down beverages, red and white checkered tablecloths, patio furniture, and 50’s music?

Consider the ages of your neighbors and use decorations and music that would bring smiles to their faces. Choose one or two ice-breaker games to play. While sometimes a little silly, ice-breakers really do help to get to know new people or ones you haven’t interacted with much. Use stick-on name tags to help people remember names.

Provide games and activities for children (if needed). Entertaining the children gives adults more time to interact and it helps the children get to know one another, too. For small children consider a moon bounce, inflatable slide or pony rides.

If you have older children and teens, a pool is a great place for them to hang out and play. If you do choose activities such as these, adult supervision is a must so that parents feel confident their children are safe.

Create A Neighborhood Directory

Give your neighbors a Neighborhood Directory. Have someone take digital photos of each family on the block. Have the family fill out a card with address, phone numbers, email addresses, names and birth dates of each family member and compile all information in a Neighborhood Directory complete with family photos. Once compiled, hand deliver copies to each neighbor and thank them for participating in the block party.

This is a great time to get feedback from the party, as well as make another contact with your neighbors. The photo directory helps to cement who people are so that when you see them on the street you can call them by name.

In this day and time of high technology, busy lives, and people living more independently from each other, making the effort to have a block party is a great way to show your neighbors you care. You might be surprised to find that everyone appreciates knowing their neighbors, especially those who may be going through a serious illness, a family problem or are just lonely. An invitation to a block party might be just the opportunity someone needs to slow down and strike up friendships with those who live close by—our neighbors.

A special thanks goes to:

To the Montgomery, AL caterer who let us use the photo of fruit & cheese.  Thanks A Social Event Caterers!

To the Tampa, Fl caterer who let us use the photo of brightly colored chairs.  Thanks G Elliot Catering!

Is An At-Home Wedding for You?

Whether you're saying 'I do' in your living room, or you're having a backyard wedding, at-home weddings are a challenge. A couple of weeks before our at-home wedding, our neighbor placed a big, honking boatlift on his beach. This wasn't any old boatlift. It was a rickety, rusty eyesore.

I wouldn't have cared. Honest. It's just that my husband-to-be and I spent months getting our lakefront home ready for our backyard wedding. This involved adding flowerbeds, planting a truckload of ever-thirsty impatiens (more on those later), power washing, and even painting.

I envisioned my guests mingling on the spotless deck, cocktails in hand, a soft breeze from Lake Erie cooling their sun-exposed skin. I pictured sailboats in the distance, a beach free of garbage and smelly dead things and an unobstructed view of Fermi II (that's the nuclear power plant across the lake). I did not forsee a rusty, contraption of a boatlift to be part of the picture.

So, I traipsed on over to my neighbor's house and told him we were getting married and we were having an at-home wedding. And by the way, can you move your boatlift, because it won't look nice in my wedding photos? (The nerve of me!)

Our wedding day came and went, and the boatlift didn't budge. And you know what? It didn't matter. Not a single bit. I did not harbor bad feelings towards my neighbor, and he did not hold my temporary lapse of reason against me. In fact, the day before our wedding, he offered us the use of a wooden platform that we ended up using it as a stage for the Irish band!

Looking back, I can't believe that I was so petty. But that's what planning a wedding can do to you. Even a small wedding. It can make you crazy. Unrecognizable. The evil twin sister you didn't know you had can suddenly rear her ugly head. Heck, there are even TV shows about this kind of thing.

And having an at-home wedding can intensify the symptoms -especially if you are a perfectionist. There are so many extra details involved with planning an at-home wedding that it can be overwhelming for anyone – but especially those who have a penchant for perfection.

Not only will you be running around like a hen with her head missing trying to cross off the zillion things on your to-do list, you'll also want to make sure your home is extra-tidy, extra-lovely, extra-special for your extra-important big day. And that will take Effort. (Note the capital 'E' for emphasis.)

One of the first things Darin and I did when we decided to have a backyard wedding was head out to a local nursery to load up on flowers, and other bedding plants. In fact, we spent the entire spring and summer landscaping our property, which included planting dozens of flats of impatiens, as well as an assortment of perennials.

Through it all, I discovered a new passion – gardening, and I lost weight without even trying! (Hauling wheelbarrows full of earth day after day will get you in shape pretty fast!)I also discovered that impatiens and a scorching hot summer climate make for a very LARGE water bill.

Even though we were having our at-home wedding outdoors, Darin and I decided not only to landscape the yard – but also fix up our house before the wedding. This included stripping wallpaper, painting, stripping more wallpaper, and did I mention stripping wallpaper? We had plenty of help from family, but Darin and I truly busted our behinds trying to get things in order.

Of course, not all couples planning an at-home wedding spend months fixing up their place. Some people don't lift a finger on home improvements. If that's the case, planning can be a whole lot easier.

However, there are still things to keep in mind if you are planning an at-home wedding.

1. Toilets. It's probably the least romantic thing about your wedding, but it's probably one of the most important. No matter where you decide to have your wedding, you're going to need at least one. If you are having your wedding at home, you might decide that guests can use the washrooms in your home. But after giving it some serious thought, you might change your mind. If you are having an outdoor wedding, do you really want your guests traipsing in and out of your home? Can your plumbing system take the wear and tear? Is it possible that your septic system will be overstressed, causing a plumbing nightmare on the biggest day of your life? (Ever see Meet the Parents?) After doing some research, we discovered that port-a-johns definitely aren't what they used to be. There are new user-friendly models in a variety of colors. Not only are they more pleasing to the eye, they have sinks and flush toilets. Even though they are more expensive, they were definitely worth the splurge.

2. Neighbors. Warn them in advance and give them a heads up closer to the big day. They might even offer up their driveways for parking – or a portable stage! Be extra kind to them as you get close to your wedding day, so that they will put up with potentially high noise levels from your happy wedding guests.

3. Invite your caterer over before the big day so s/he can scope out your kitchen. S/he'll need to know how much space there is to work in – as well as fridge and stove details.

4. If you are doing the outdoor thing, rent a tent. That is, unless you have a huge tolerance for risk. (Which I do not.)

5. Hire a cleaning person to clean your home thoroughly prior to your wedding – not to mention after your big day. Unless of course, you have a lovely friend or relative who has kindly offered to take on this task.

6. Have bug spray handy. Citronella candles might provide ambiance, but they are useless when it comes to fending off hungry 'mossies'.

7. If your guests like to over-imbibe, be prepared: some might want to crash at your house. We had a pretty tame crowd at our wedding, but like any good party, there's a chance this will happen at your wedding. If you're not equipped for sleepovers, be smart and call a cab.

8. Enjoy the journey. Easy for me to say – I got married eight years ago. But, really, try not to sweat the small stuff – like boatlifts.

9. Give yourself a pat on the back for pulling it off. Planning a wedding at home is no small feat, but it's one of the most rewarding things you will accomplish. Raise a glass to yourself – (and to your neighbor) for a job well done!

Christina Friedrichsen is the author of Intimate Weddings: Planning a Small Wedding that Fits Your Budget and Style and owner of IntimateWeddings.com, a website dedicated to small weddings.

A special thanks to:

Photography by memoriesINtime, a Milan MO photographer, for the beautiful photo of a wedding ceremony in front of a lake.

Hollyhock Flowers, a Weare NH florist, who create the fabulous flowers decorating the wooden bridge in the second photo.

Petals-a-Florist, an Atlanta GA florist, who designed the sensational pew markers in the third photo.