Well, this is it. My last post on iVillage. Before I write today’s wedding planning tip, I just want to say thank you to all the vendors and publicists who are always emailing me information on great bridal products and events. Please keep emailing me at fromiwilltoido@gmail.com. And thank you to all of you who read and comment on my posts. Remember, starting tomorrow I’ll be writing from a new site, the original home of From “I Will” to “I Do” - from-i-will-to-i-do.blogspot.com.

So, where am I going? I’m going to Brides.com and I’m so excited to be able to continue creating informational and inspirational content to help brides plan their weddings.

And now on to today’s wedding planning tip: Making an exit.

If your ceremony and reception are at two different locations a simple idea is to supply guests with flower petals, birdseed, bubbles, flags or sparklers as you and your groom leave your ceremony site and head for the car taking you to your reception.

If you’re planning on having your ceremony and reception at the same location, you can supply these items to toss or wave as you walk up the aisle, as you enter your reception or as you leave at the end of the night.

I know it’s hard to leave before your guests. Every bride wants to savor every moment till the very end, but I’m telling you from experience, you’ll have a better memory of saying good-bye and then running through a crowd of cheers. I found it a little sad to be the last ones to leave the ballroom, all dressed up and holding a box with the top tier of my cake in it. All the tables had already been stripped, the band gone and the dim lights switched to full power. I think the last shot on my wedding video is me sitting on the dance floor in my dress with my groom.

I was so into the party that I never wanted it to end. I didn’t think of how it would feel to be alone in that bare room without our guests and music playing.

So when you’re planning your wedding details, think about your wedding timeline and talk to your groom about making an exit – similar to the entrance you made at the beginning of your reception. It will be a great memory and fabulous photo-op.

The picture above was taken by one of my favorite photographers, Karen Mordechai. You can see more of Karen’s work at her web site: karenmordechai.com

Since this is my last week at iVillage, I thought it would be appropriate to have a getaway theme for my last two posts. (Don’t forget, starting Thursday, this blog is moving to http://from-i-will-to-i-do.blogspot.com/)

Whether you’re leaving for your honeymoon straight from your reception, the next day or months later put a lot of thought into it. Your honeymoon is supposed to be your most romantic vacation, so if there’s a place you always wanted to visit, go there! If you can afford the upgrade to first class, do it!

If you’re having a destination wedding, you may want to invite close friends and family down a few days early to have some fun, but just like a wedding held in your hometown, you and your fiancé may not have a lot of time at the pool. You’ll be running around making last minute decisions and meeting with vendors to make sure everything goes off without a hitch.

So, it may make more sense to have your closest friends stay a few days after the wedding so you can actual spend time with them. Even if it does go into honeymoon time.

When we went to a wedding in Barbados last year, the bride and groom went down the week before to take care of the wedding details, and we really didn’t see much of them except at the two pre-wedding events they planned. The day after the wedding, almost everyone flew home, but we stayed for the extra night and so did the bride and groom and their immediate families. We had the best time. The couple didn’t have to tend to any details so they had a lot of time to relax and enjoy.

My point my have gotten lost in the story, but here it is: If you really want to spend time with your friends and relatives at your destination, ask those close to you if they can stay later instead of coming earlier so you’re sure to have quality time with them.  You can then stay longer at the destination for your honeymoon, or fly off to it a few days after your wedding day.

Speaking of Barbados. The image above is a view of the beach at the Sandy Lane resort on the island. Sandy Lane is an unbelievable destination for both honeymoons and weddings. In fact, Tiger Woods got hitched there a few years ago. For something really special (and over the top) you can book The Villa at Sandy Lane and have your family and friends stay with you. The villa offers a private pool, personal staff, a fully-stocked bar and an entertainment system. 

Since I’ve been on sort of a wedding registry kick, I thought it would be appropriate to write about monogramming your registry items. You probably know that you can monogram your bed linens, table linens and towels, but you can also have your monogram put on your china, barware and silver.

Before you decide to monogram anything, you need to decide how you want it to look. What design it should have as well as the number of letters. To make sure I give you all the correct information on this topic, I asked Jane Scott Hodges, founder of couture fine linens company Leontine Linens to fill me in on what couples should know about monogramming.

Q. What’s the proper order of a couple’s intials?

Many modern couples wish to forego the tradition of monogramming registry items with only the wife or husband’s initials, and incorporate both the husband’s and wife’s first initials. In this case, the proper order is wife’s first, married surname, husband’s first. The below example above would be for Jane and Timothy Hsu.

Q. What if the wife doesn’t change her last name to her husband’s? Can you create a monogram with just first initials?

If you have decided not to change your last name, and still want to create a monogram, you can have a 2-letter cipher designed. A cipher is when 2 letters are combined one on top of the other. A couple can combine their two last names or even their first initials – sometimes it depends on what letters lend themselves to a monogram best. An example of a cipher appears to the left.

Another option would be to do single initials, one on each pillow of the bed, as a clever “his and hers.” Single initials add interest and variety when mixed with more traditionally monogrammed items as well.

 Q. How does one select a monogram style?

One thing to consider is what type of monogram you like. There are typically two types to consider:

Appliqué is a needlework technique wherein the design is “applied” using fabric stitched to another piece of fabric. The applied fabric creates the design or monogram. Appliqué is a rare technique that is difficult to find.

Embroidery is a needlework technique wherein the design is stitched in thread. There are several stitch styles and techniques to allow for elaborate and complex designs. The thread itself creates the design or monogram. While embroidery is still commonly found, most embroidery companies offer computerized embroidery and only one or two different stitch styles. Hand and Hand-guided embroidery is much more difficult to find, but allows for much more freedom in the design, stitch technique, and complexity.

Q. Do you recommend one style over the other?

From a purely aesthetic point of view, appliqué tends to be more bold and graphic, wherein embroidery appears more delicate. Appliqué is more difficult to find and may be more attractive to you if you are looking for something more unique that will stand out amongst your peers. For both appliqué and embroidery, there’s a wide range of designs that will compliment your personal style.

To purchase linens for your home or as a gift for someone else, visit the Leontine Linens Web site.

I know I did a general post earlier this week on registering for non-traditional gifts, but I thought I’d do a Part II on the topic.

I don’t know about you, but I love Gifts.com. Whenever I’m looking for a unique gift for someone, I always find the most interesting ideas on their site. I spoke to Megan, Editor of Gfts.com, for her ideas for creative wedding gifts. Forward the one(s) you like to your close family and friends.

Romantic activities to enjoy together:

• Hot Air Balloon Ride over Sonoma (other cities are available)
• Couples Massage
• Bed ‘n Breakfast Certificate

• Top of the Line Grill or Fire Pit
• Hard-Drive Camcorder

• Champagne flutes
• Customized DVD of your wedding photos

Monograms are a very popular choice when it comes to choosing your wedding “logo.” If you and your fiancé have decided that you want to add your monogram on all of your wedding details there are some “rules” you should follow.

Etiquette dictates that you don't use your married initial until after you are actually married. That means you should not use your married initial on any wedding stationery guests will see before the ceremony, including your save-the-date card and invitation. Some people will use their married monogram during the ceremony because it symbolizes two people becoming one, so while some etiquette experts will say don’t use your married monogram at all until after you’ve actually said “I do,” I don’t think the etiquette police will come after you.

Once you've tied the knot, you can use your married initial on any and every detail at your reception including your wedding favors, cake, menu cards, place and seating cards and any other items you are planning on having.

The invitation above is the Larson design from Abby Jean Press and is available in a rainbow of colors.  The coral and white combination is shown here.  You may be familiar with Abby, she's the author of the popular (and beautiful) wedding blog, Style Me Pretty.

• List items in every price point
• Pick items that are traditional AND non-traditional, remember grandma and her friends will go for the dishes and linens over the panini maker
• Don’t forget to re-register before any pre-wedding events (engagement parties, showers)

Blue Hawaiian! Red Fizz! Purple Monster! Isn’t there a more subtle—and elegant—way to incorporate your color scheme into your cocktail menu?

There is now.

I recently attended a press event for Cointreau at Daniel, one of the top restaurants in New York City, where head bartender Xavier walked me and Maggie through the complicated process of creating Cointreau Caviar, also known as Cointreau Pearls. Between the magnetic stirrers and the beakers, the method—known as Spherification—looked like seventh-grade science class, but the project was much more sophisticated and fun. Not only was the final product—Cointreau Pearls infused with strawberry, dancing around a glass of Champagne—delicious; it was also absolutely beautiful.

Their more “traditional” version of Cointreau Pearls involve flecks of 24K gold (yes, really). But bartenders could also potentially use practically any fruit, or even food coloring, for an unforgettable thematic effect. Drinks with Cointreau Caviar are currently only being served at the highest-end restaurant bars and lounges in London, Paris and NYC. But expect to see them at weddings—most likely starting at those where money is no object! —in the years to come.

I know I’ve written about how your guests will email you photos they took at your wedding, but what are you going to do with all of them?  Just store them in a file on your computer? 

How about making a digital scrapbook?  With digital photographs, creating an album online is easier than ever!

I recently learned about a fabulous digital scrapbooking company, Scrapblog, which will allow you to create beautiful pages for your wedding scrapbook, for free!   They have hundreds of templates to fit a variety of occasions, including dozens in the wedding category.  You can add text, graphics, audio and even video to it! 

Once you’ve designed your pages, print them out or have them bound into a book, or email them to your friends and family. 

I know the process sounds a little daunting, but I swear on Aggie, it’s really simple.  Click here to take a tour of the whole process!