Cancer rules femininity, so choose a romantic, womanly dress. Though there are tomboys aplenty in your ranks, it's all just a tough outer shell hiding your inner sensitivity. Surrender to your inner goddess today! While lace looks over-the-top on some brides, it's often just right on you. Ribbons, pearl buttons and brocade are also great touches that enhance your feminine side. (Just keep it in proportion so you don't look like a granny!) The body part associated with Cancer is the chest, so show a little décolletage, or at least go strapless. The bodice of your dress is the most flattering feature, so look for something special, especially if you're curvy. At the other end of the spectrum, a simple sheath or a satin slip dress can complement less-busty Crab girls, especially when paired with a long moonstone charm or an authentic pearl necklace. You may want to cover up in shy moments, Cancer. A short capelet in sheer lace or a gown with cap sleeves can keep you from feeling overexposed. For Cancers, your mother (or an older female relative) is the most important figure in your life. Incorporate the family matriarchs into your style by wearing your grandmother's wedding dress. Edgier Cancers may want to get a vintage gown updated, even shortened, by a talented seamstress. Don't feel that you have to wear white! You look great in oyster, ivory, even beige—anything with an antique feel.

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The ocean and the moon are your rulers, and you glow in freshwater pearls, moonstones, shells, silver and anything with a little sea-inspired shimmer. You look great in a jeweled hair clip that mixes pearls with the teeniest flash of bling. Vintage lace gloves, brocade shoes and other antique touches bring out that old-world femininity that suits you so well, Cancer. Carry sentimental items from female family members down the aisle or incorporate your grandma's vintage cameo pin into your bouquet ribbon. Your décolletage may be your best feature, so focus on a great eye-catching necklace—especially a strand of pearls. Wear your hair in a loose, romantic style, and avoid anything that looks too "done" (hold the hairspray!). An embroidered lace veil can bring your whole look together.

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You're feminine and romantic, and you look best in a ring that's princesslike but not too showy. Cancer rules antiques, so consider a ring designed in a vintage style. Cancer is the "mother sign," so a family heirloom passed through the generations truly belongs on your finger. Since you're an emotional sign, inscribe the band with your favorite passage—you'll get sentimental every time you look at it! Jeweler Isaac Gottesman of Chicago's Dimend Scaasi (dimendscassi.com) recommends a cushion-cut stone, which features rounded corners and larger facets to increase brilliance. These stones are available as squares or rectangles. For a setting, Gottesman suggests a band with pretty vintage touches like knife-edge (thick at the base and tapering up to a point) or pavé (multiple small diamonds set close together and held in place by tiny prongs).

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Cancer women treasure their closest childhood friends, and chances are you'll want yours by your side on your big day. You're more likely to want a small bridal party of only a trusted few. Somebody's got to hand you tissues when you get misty-eyed or weepy! With your Cancerian maternal instinct, you might want to create roles for children in your ceremony. An adorable ring bearer, a cherubic flower girl, even kids wearing angel wings—nothing's too sweet for you when it comes to the little ones. You could even invite young relatives to light a unity candle. Caution: Cancer is a moody sign, so handle your stress during this emotional time. Don't take it out on your bridesmaids—instead, savor the prenuptial period together with pedicures, massages and yoga classes. You tend to have dramatic friends, so if any rivalries arise, tell them to settle it outside your drama-free zone. Restrain yourself from getting involved and just let yourself be the bride.

Romance, sentiment and tons of meaning are the hallmarks of a Cancer wedding. Write your own vows, read a favorite poem or passage or let your favorite songs express your true feelings. Cancer is symbolized by the crab, and a small, intimate wedding (family and a few close friends) creates the safety of "being in your shell." Pampering your guests in high style is easier when working with a smaller guest list too. You're a water sign, Cancer, so consider a wedding on the beach, in a seaside town or even on a yacht. Since Cancer rules home and family, your parents' house, a nostalgic childhood vacation spot or even a historic mansion stir up those homey, heart-warming vibes. Include your family as much as possible: Let your parents give you away, enjoy the father-daughter dance or create your own meaningful customs. Keep your decor romantic and feminine, using framed family photos as table centerpieces. The moon rules your sign, so take inspiration from opalescent bone china, decorative silver flatware and pretty pastel floral arrangements that look picked straight from the garden. You're a foodie, so serve a really special meal that your guests will savor. Since you like to cut costs, you might do a buffet and pass lots of mouthwatering appetizers. For tomboyish Cancer girls, who hide their sensitive sides, show how much you care by adding special touches, like great favors and thoughtful welcome baskets.

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Old-fashioned romance is the way to go for you, Cancer. You're a water sign, so evoke the beach with centerpieces in low glass cylinders filled with seashells, say the floral and event designers of Martin Jobes Design (martinjobesdesign.com). For your bouquet, they suggest "trailing sweet pea vine, with Queen Anne's Lace, clover and foxtails tied up with pale-pink gingham ribbon, adorned with tiny bows." Getting married on the beach? Include seashells in the bouqet. "Shells in soft pinks and whites can be glued to wire and placed among the blooms," they suggest, while "bridesmaids bouquets could feature ribbon streamers with shells." Don't forget flowers in your hair! The Martin-Jobes team recommends "a delicate floral crown of stephanotis, or some of the small blooms tucked into a flowing pre-Raphaelite hairstyle."

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You've got a well-developed palate, Cancer, especially when it comes to rich, creamy desserts. Most Cancers love the kitchen, and you'll want your guests to feel like they've just had the best home-baked dessert of their lives. If they go into sugar shock after eating a slice of your wedding cake, consider your mission complete. Cancers adore traditional flavors and rich, decadent gourmet treats. Let your cake conjure a French patisserie in the heart of Paris. Cancer rules the home and women, so a family recipe handed down through the generations could be incorporated into your wedding cake too. "Evoke memories of your grandmother's kitchen," advises Karen Rivera-Gorski of The Painted Cake (thepaintedcake.com), "but add a contemporary twist." Rivera-Gorski suggests brown sugar vanilla cake with homemade pineapple or fruit preserves, and caramel butter-cream frosting. Since you're sentimental, get your cake knife engraved, then save it as an heirloom for future generations.

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You're relatively traditional, so choose pretty, feminine invitations that are a little ornate but not too flowery. Choose a script font, traditional phrasing and beautiful paper that's a thick or handmade stock. A romantic, French-country feel goes far—look to shabby-chic or Parisian design for inspiration. High-end letterpress and engraving are elegant printing options; however, your thrifty side will probably want to pinch pennies here. More important is conveying the message that your guests will be pampered—so focus on the words, and also include thoughtful touches like a map, hotel block discounts and a list of your favorite local restaurants in the area. Since you love sentimental portraits, designer Karalee Serra of Simply Serra (simplyserra.com) suggests including photos in your invitation. Add a favorite poem or passage printed on translucent vellum for an extra touch of romance. As a water sign, you could incorporate beachy elements like sand, shells and sea grass, either glued to the invitation or used as ribbon.

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• Cancer rules the home, so why not keep your wedding memories present in your everyday life after the big day? Create a wedding quilt. Send significant women in your life a square of fabric, and ask them to inscribe or decorate it however they choose. Then sew them together. You can even decorate the squares as a group activity at your shower.
• Feeling shy? Wedding photographer Tracy Toler of Maia Studio Photography (maiastudio.com), also a Cancer, suggests photojournalistic or documentary-style pictures instead of posed shots. Not only will they appeal to your artistic nature, you won't feel self-conscious and "watched the whole time," says Toler.
• Since family is so important to Cancer, wedding planner Danielle Bobish of Curtain Up Events (curtainupevents.com) suggests involving everyone in the ceremony. After reciting your vows to each other, write a vow that the entire congregation can say to you as well. They're all attending because they love and support you, and it will bring everyone closer.
• During the cocktail hour, continues Bobish, display framed photos of past family weddings. It adds a nice homey touch and really involves both sides of the family.

For your culture and food-loving sign, there's no place like Paris, the city of romance (and patisseries!). You'll love the art, architecture, decadent desserts and culture in the City of Light. If you're on a tighter budget (or don't want to make the transatlantic flight), a surprising alternative is the French-Canadian city of Montreal. You'll find European-style architecture, romantic cobblestone streets, eclectic restaurants, and luxury hotels at affordable prices. You're a water sign, so a beach vacation is something to consider. Wedding planner Danielle Bobish of Curtain Up Events (curtainupevents.com) suggests the Maldives, where you can sail, scuba dive, swim and snorkel on your own private strip of beach. Set on the Indian Ocean, it's anything but a tourist trap. You can rent a villa on the beach or one set above a lagoon. You can even go "under the sea" in a chartered submarine! Other possibilities? Cancers also love history, so Bobish recommends touring the castles of Scotland or Prague or visiting the pastoral green hills of Ireland. The rainy streets of London might suit your melancholy soul too. You can cozy up with a cup of tea and a book or lounge at a friendly pub over beer, while enjoying intelligent, lively conversation with the locals.