United Way

Ask both sets of parents to light a unity candle during the ceremony to signify the merging of the familes. Or, they can pour wine into a single glass, or pour colored sand into a vase.

Blue Note

For "something blue", try a blue-beaded anklet, blue toenail polish, a cobalt hair pin or your bridesmaids' autographs in blue ink on the bottom of your shoe.

Streaming Beauty

Instead of a basket with petals, give your flower girl a ribbon stick (like the one you see in the Olympics) and turn her loose.

Power Plants

Plant your good luck: Bermuda couples plant trees to bring prosperity to their marriages, while Dutch pairs choose delicate lily of the valley to symbolize their everlasting love.

Pretty Patchwork

Mail squares of cloth with your wedding invitations and ask that your guests sign and decorate the cloths, then mail them back to you. Sew the squares together into a chuppah.

Red Luck

Wear red as brides in India, Vietnam, and China often do―the passionate hue is believed to symbolize joy and luck.

Savor the Moment

Pause at the beginning of the aisle to look around at your guests—it's the one time that all of your loved ones will be together in one place.

Slip Away

Do as Venezuelan couples do and sneak out of your reception for good luck. There, couples who leave without saying their goodbyes aren't rude—they're believed to be on the right path to a happy marriage.

Feast of Fortune

In Korea, couples eat up good luck. Kook soo—long noodles that symbolize a long and happy life together—is featured on their reception menu.

Original Thoughts

If you're Jewish, get creative with your ketubah, the marriage contract. Find a text that's important to you and put it in your own words. For inspiration, check out e-ketubah.com.

Prosperous Life

In Africa, newlyweds are showered in good luck: Corn kernels tossed by guests immediately after the ceremony ensure a lifetime of prosperity.

Romantic Renaissance

Savor the Day

Make your vineyard wedding a lasting experience. Invest in a case or two of the winery's finest wine, and on each anniversary, uncork a bottle and savor the memories.

Tartan Tunes

Give your wedding a touch of Scottish tradition by hiring a bagpiper to play during the recessional.

Festive Fall

Make the most of fall foliage by crumbling leaves to make confetti for guests to toss at you and your groom as you exit your ceremony.