Cool Cakes

Malibu bride Andrea Robbins, 37, always knew she wanted to present her wedding cakes in an unconventional way. So when the time came, she hired the contractor working on her parents’ home renovation to build a tiered stand for five cakes. Lisianthus, anenomes, spray roses and hanging amaranthus completed the display. Cakes by Cake Collection, Los Angeles, 310-479-7783; flowers by Fiore Designs, Studio City, 818-980-6410, fioredesigns.com.

Friendly Assistance

If you have a friend who loves the spotlight, let her conduct the interviews with guests on your video. Chris Bowman and Carter Durham of Anticlockwise Pictures, who include this "Friend’s-Eye View" service in their video packages, say that guests who usually dread speaking on camera feel more comfortable when another guest is interviewing them, instead of an anonymous videographer. Plus, it makes your outgoing friend feel like an important part of the event. And if one of your fiancé’s frat brothers starts recanting stories you’d rather not have documented, your friend can cut him off delicately and lead the videographer to guests whom you actually want recorded. Anticlockwise Pictures, Pasadena 626-376-1477, ackwise.com. Wedding video package priced at $3,995.

Beyond Basic Brown

Chocolate-covered strawberries make decadent favors, but unless your colors are brown and red, they won't enliven your style. The Chocolate Covered Company offers delicious-looking—and tasting—berries in colors like green, pink, blue and orange. Other chocolate-covered options include raspberries, gooseberries, blackberries, apples, pears, figs and dates. Chocolate-covered strawberries, start at $40/dozen, by Chocolate Covered Company, Canoga Park, 877-347-7332, chocolatecoveredcompany.com.

DIY Rehearsal Dinner

You want them to bond. You want them to eat. What better way to get your families mixing and mingling than an interactive culinary event at L.A. Food Works? Professional chefs will work with small groups to prepare different parts of a seasonal meal in a state-of-the-art kitchen. When the cooking ends, the party turns into a multicourse, sit-down dinner or a buffet featuring the food that the guests and chefs cooked together. Their one-event-at-a-time policy ensures maximum personal attention and privacy. "Interactive Cooking Party," prices start at $150/person, 12-person minimum. L.A. Food Works, West Hollywood, 310-288-0100, lafoodworks.com.

Flower Power

Same-colored flowers amassed in separate, small arrangements can cost less than a single tall centerpiece. Fill three short vases with bunches of one type of flower in each to get the look. Flowers by Fiore Designs, Studio City, 818- 980-6410, fioredesigns.com.

Beachy Invites

Your invitations don’t need ocean wave artwork, sand-filled envelopes or glued-on seashells to convey that you’re having a beach wedding. Elegant beiges and blues signify sand and water, while wooden textures and rope embellishments can suggest boats and boardwalks. Do it yourself: Bride Natalie Mounier added dried, pressed blue-hydrangea blossoms and a bamboo mat backing to her letterpressed invitation. Total cost: about $8 per invite. Papel Letterpress & Design, La Jolla, papelletterpress.com; bamboo mats, pearlriver.com; pressed hydrangeas, pressedflowers.com.

Floral Chandelier

Hanging flowers from the ceiling quickly fills up a large, plain space, making it the perfect way to dress up the inside of a cavernous tent. We know it’s a pricey option, but just one floating arrangement in the center is enough to make a statement. Paper lanterns work nicely, too. Sterling Silver rose and green amaranthus floral chandelier, $475, by Michael Willms, West Hollywood; 323-874-5556, entertainmentdesignevents.com.

Back Story

Dress up a simple, low-back gown with a lariat worn backwards. A choker looped around the neck is timeless, and the long cascade down the back adds surprise to this sexy look. White mother-of-pearl with Swarovski crystals on textured sterling-silver chain, $128, My Little Pretty, Los Angeles, mylittlepretty.com.

Blaze of Glory

Encourage your guests to light sparklers for your ceremony or reception exit. It’s dramatic, interactive and brings out the kid in your guests. For the recent wedding of Melissa Richardson, 26, an L.A. club owner, and Dr. Edward Akkaway, 32, an anesthesiologist, celebrity event planner Mindy Weiss, 310-205-6000, mindyweiss.com, tied sparklers and matches to the backs of ceremony chairs. Weiss also included instructions prompting guests to light the sparklers during the couple’s recessional, held at Bacara Resort & Spa in Santa Barbara. Sparklers, $45 for 288, 800-306-8070, sparklersonline.com; personalized matchbooks, $24 for 50, Party America, Alameda, 877-290-8487, partyamerica.com.

Blaze of Glory

Encourage your guests to light sparklers for your ceremony or reception exit. It’s dramatic, interactive and brings out the kid in your guests. For the recent wedding of Melissa Richardson, 26, an L.A. club owner, and Dr. Edward Akkaway, 32, an anesthesiologist, celebrity event planner Mindy Weiss, 310-205-6000, mindyweiss.com, tied sparklers and matches to the backs of ceremony chairs. Weiss also included instructions prompting guests to light the sparklers during the couple’s recessional, held at Bacara Resort & Spa in Santa Barbara. Sparklers, $45 for 288, 800-306-8070, sparklersonline.com; personalized matchbooks, $24 for 50, Party America, Alameda, 877-290-8487, partyamerica.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.

Balloons: We've all seen balloon animals, but Shellyann Blanchard Silva's creations look like 3-D versions of television cartoon creatures. From lifelike baby ducks to elaborate hats, these balloons will delight the children at your party. Wild About Balloons, Lakewood; 562-809-6980, shellyann.balloonhq.com

Magic: For a classic magic act, complete with a rabbit popping out of a hat, contact magician Tim Mannix. He specializes in entertaining children, so his 45- and 60-minute shows are age-appropriate, and every trick will leave your little guests wondering, How did he do that? Packages include heavy audience participation and take-home treats like wands and coloring books. TJMagic Enterprises Los Angeles, 323-848-8922, funamazingmagic.com.

We Flipped for These

These adorable flip-flop candles would make a great favor or centerpiece for a beach wedding. Float a few pairs in wide glass bowls in addition to, or in place of, floral arrangements for the tables. Floating flip-flop candles, $1.79/pair, Sophie’s Favors, sophiesfavors.com.

Themed Gift Baskets

L.A. wedding consultant Kristin Banta, of Kristin Banta Weddings and Special Events, kristinbanta.com, likes to give her brides’ out-of-town guests a sneak peek at what’s to come with welcome baskets in tune with the wedding style or location.

Beach Wedding: Grab steel pails and fill with beach essentials like flip-flops, a bottle of Pellegrino, fish-shaped playing cards, and a straw beach mat. Steel pail, $9, Ace Hardware, acehardware.com. Natural suede surf thong sandals, $10, by Mossimo, Target, target.com.  San Pellegrino bottled carbonated mineral water, $25/24 case of 1⁄4 liter bottles, aquamaestro.com.

Garden Party: Think sweet scents and bright fabrics all in a pretty basket. Line baskets with pink-and-green fabric, and fill them up with packets of wildflower seeds native to California, gourmet iced tea and mini lemon cakes. Honey-willow basket, $10, from Michaels, michaels.com. Fabric, $17/yard, from House Fabric, housefabric.com. Wildflower seeds, $.50/packet for first 200 packets, from American Meadows, americanmeadows.com.

Hip Hotel

Out-of-towners will love the location of the Sheraton Delfina—it’s right next to the Santa Monica Pier and Montana Avenue shopping. The hotel recently reopened as a four-star property after an $11 million renovation with soothing blue tones in the guest rooms. All rooms come with flat-screen TVs and most have ocean views. (There’s also a penthouse ballroom with coastline views for a reception.) And, you don’t need to reserve a block of rooms in advance for your guests to get a discounted wedding rate. Rooms start at $249/night, Mon.–Thurs., $199/night on weekends with code SocialW. Sheraton Delfina Santa Monica, 530 W. Pico Blvd., Santa Monica, 310-399-9344, sheratonsantamonica.com.

Eclectic Choices

If filling your home with mass-produced items doesn't appeal to you, visit Colcha for your registry. This relatively new shop sells furniture, linens, antiques, artwork, pottery and other home accessories, most of which are not available anywhere else on the West Coast. Some favorite brands to add to your registry: Found Objects, a collection of unique items uncovered during world travels; BURN candles (left), with scents like Balinese Woods and Asian Pear Persimmon; and BOBO Intriguing Objects, which creates slate and mercury-glass furniture and accessories. Colcha, 1356 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice, CA, 310-743-3837, colchahome.com.