Simple but Unique

We were inspired by the cleverness of this cake. Lori Ann Blethen of Wildflowers in Bridgeton, N.J., 856-459-3515, wildflowersbylori.com, used chocolate ganache frosting and let colorful fruits and herbs do the rest. The figs, apricots and blackberries add more interest than traditional fruit like strawberries. "The bride was Indian, her groom was Italian," says Blethen. "The cake expressed each culture in a rich, earthy way. Fresh rosemary and sage speak to the groom’s Mediterranean heritage; the hand-sculpted sugar gardenias allude to the bride’s Indian background." You can try this approach with a white cake as well, varying the flowers and herbs to match your own background and style. It's the surprising mix that makes it so fun. Price: $10 per slice.

Renting Digital Cameras

Many couples used to place disposable cameras on reception tables in hopes of getting great candid shots of their guests. Unfortunately, the quality of these photos can be lacking, plus printing the pictures is expensive. You'll get much better results with digital cameras, so equip a few trusted friends and family members with rented models from YouShoot, youshoot.com. This company rents easy-to-use digital cameras for events, and will upload all the photos from the wedding to a Web site for your guests to view. Best of all, you’ll get to choose which photos to print and which to delete. Cost: $20 per camera, plus a $29 shipping fee.

Wine-Tasting Cocktail Hour

"With all the new wine boutiques opening up, wine tasting is becoming more accessible," says Philadelphia wedding and event planner Sherri Williams of Williams-Sossen Events, 646-515-0164, williams-sossenevents.com. "My couples have been putting a lot more thought into wine selections, especially during the cocktail hour." Williams suggests setting up a wine-tasting station, offering menus that describe all the wine varieties, and hiring a sommelier to assist guests. You can also set up hors d’oeuvres stations with foods that complement the various wines being served. Try: The Wine School of Philadelphia, 215-622-8193, winedegree.com, which will host private wine tastings tailored to any event. For cocktail receptions, they'll set up a tasting station, helmed by a sommelier, with six to eight wine options that can also be served during dinner. Cost: Prices start at $500.

Viva Las Vegas

We might just agree to a Sin City wedding for the excuse to use this save-the-date card by Susan Sidoriak of Silverbox Creative Studio in Lederach, Pa., 215-256-6191, silverboxcreative.com. The talented designer created it for a couple announcing their Las Vegas nuptials. As Sidoriak explains, "The card was followed by a ‘Vegas survival kit’ invite with playing cards, dice, a city guide and, of course, Alka-Seltzer and Tylenol." $370 for 100 cards.

Perk Up Already—It's a Party!

Satisfy your coffee-loving guests, while bringing the dessert portion of your party to a whole new level, with a rented espresso bar. This service can balance out a reception with limited bar options and end the wedding on a high note. Try: Philadelphia Cappuccino Catering, 484-477-9269, phillychocolatefountains.com/caprent.htm, which will set up shop at your wedding and provide seven different flavors of espresso-based drinks, as well as cappuccinos, mochas and lattes. They bring everything (machines, espresso beans, sweeteners and staff) except linens and china. Cost: $125 per hour.

Bejeweled Flowers

"Brides are looking for ways to personalize every aspect of their wedding, and pins and brooches are a great way to do that," says Donna O'Brien, owner and creative director of Beautiful Blooms in Philadelphia, 215-736-9100, beautifulblooms.com. "We shop around at antique markets to find interesting brooches, and we've even incorporated a bride's family pearls into the bouquet." One of O'Brien's recent creations featured a bride's 1920s family heirloom brooch. "This was for an elegant December wedding, but since the bride is Jewish, she wanted it to look 'wintry' not 'holiday,'" says O'Brien. "We incorporated rich velvet and sumptuous jewel tones." A more traditional look, this bouquet is made of deep purple lisianthus, Black Schwartz calla lilies, blue Curiosa roses, plum tulips, burgundy ranunculuses, cedar greens and burgundy hanging amaranthus. Bouquet, $200.

Favors Worth Hoarding

We think the best favors are the tastiest ones, so of course we’re obsessed with Goddess of Cacao, 215-680-3324, scentbyalexis.com/goddessofcacao. Co-owners Sheilagh Karl and Sam Jacobson’s collection of decadent truffles made with rich ganache can be customized and (should you manage to not eat all of them) boxed in twos or fours for your guests. Since the duo has yet to create a storefront, they will come to you for a tasting session. You can also select from a long list of ready-made confections like their signature truffle, "Goddess of Cacao": milk chocolate, ancho chili and cinnamon ganache dipped in dark chocolate and dusted with ancho chili powder. Can you say "yum?" Prices are dependent on ingredients and packaging.

New Ring Option

Palladium, a metal in the platinum family, is starting to appear in wedding bands. It's almost indistinguishable from platinum, and has the same durability and strength. Palladium also doesn't yellow over time as white gold can, and at about $350 per ounce, is more affordable than platinum, which costs about $1,100 per ounce. Another bonus: It's lightweight. Scott Kay rings available at Bailey Banks & Biddle, three area locations, 800-651-4222, baileybanksandbiddle.com.

The Kids Are Alright

If you're inviting children to your reception, keep them entertained, so they, and the adults around them, can enjoy the party.

Clowns: Judy Tudy The Clown puts on captivating storytelling shows with live animals and balloon sculptures. Judy Tudy, Glenside, Pa., 215-884-8499, judytudy.com.

Magic: For an amazing (and amazingly funny) magic and comedy show, call on Abby London. Her performances feature kid-friendly humor, classic tricks like mind reading and making objects disappear, and colorful, lifelike puppets. Abby London, Lansdale, Pa., 215-880-5975, abbylondon.com.

Event Program Cards

According to Philadelphia-based wedding planner Sherri Williams of Williams-Sossen Events, williams-sossenevents.com, couples have been replacing traditional booklet-style ceremony programs with "event program cards," which list the entire wedding day schedule. "More couples are mixing things up by having the cocktail hour before the ceremony, or adding additional elements such as a bus tour of the city between the ceremony and the reception," says Williams. These cards make it easier to see what’s planned for the entire event instead of just the ceremony order. "Plus, event cards can be less expensive than a fold-over ceremony program, but they still look beautiful," she says.

Lash Out

One of the golden rules of makeup application is to play up your strongest feature. For many brides, it's all about the eyes, which means having eyelashes with maximum impact. Ditch the old-school false lashes that come on a strip and choose something more lightweight and long-lasting. Head to Salon Secrets Spa in Kennett Square, Pa., 610-444-0605, salonsecretsspa.com, for individually applied eyelash extensions that look perfectly natural. You can specify how many you want and where you want them placed. The painless procedure takes about two hours, and, with some maintenance, the lashes can last up to two months, so you will look stunning in your honeymoon photos, too.

Gift Baskets Philadelphia Style

Give out-of-town guests a taste of the City of Brotherly Love as soon as they arrive with a Philadelphia-theme gift basket from the Pennsylvania General Store, 215-508-1881, pageneralstore.com, waiting in their hotel room.

Save: Tasty Philadelphia snacks such as hard pretzels, dipping mustard, Tastykakes and peanut chews are packed into a bright-red gift box tied with a patriotic ribbon (far left). Philadelphia Welcome Box, $19.95.

Splurge: This lavish offering is packed with an assortment of treats, including a chocolate Liberty Bell, Asher's Keystone Crunch, biscotti, butter cookies and toffee nuts, as well as fun souvenirs like a Philadelphia coffee mug, a vistor's guide, and a parchment "Constitution." William Penn Special, $99.95.

Ride the Rails

After their wedding at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Francesca and John Sears took their portraits in this Philadelphia trolley, which, lucky for them, just happened to be driving by. Plan your own: Rent an open-air, motorized, vintage-style trolley from Philadelphia Trolley Works, 215-389-TOUR, phillytour.com. Not only will it make a great portrait backdrop, you can entertain out-of-towners by arranging a sightseeing tour before the wedding, or in-between the ceremony and reception. The trolleys can seat 22 to 35 passengers, and a professional tour guide narrates a 90-minute city tour that includes 20 major sites like Penn’s Landing and the Liberty Bell. Cost: starts at $985 for up to three hours, $75 per additional half hour.

The Sweetest Thing

You're not one of those crazy brides they make TV shows about, but you'll probably ruffle a few feathers while planning your wedding. Make up for all the unnecessary drama by giving your bridesmaids "Chocolate Rx" boxes by b.sweets, a company founded by four Pennsylvania-based cousins. Created to "treat" wedding-related stress, these boxes are filled with graham crackers, pretzels, marshmallows and peanut butter crunch bars all smothered in rich milk chocolate. Chocolate raises a person's happy hormones, so when you give your bridesmaids something this delicious in a box this chic, you may be nominated for "Most Considerate Bride of the Year." Six-ounce assortment boxes, $12.95, available at six area locations, 877-GET-BSWT, bsweets.com.