Random Recommendations
In no particular order, these have come from years of experience and observation:

BE ON TIME:

Every wedding, left to its own devices, will start a minimum of a half hour late. Here’s how to prevent that from happening:
If your invitations say the wedding is at 6 pm, that means the CEREMONY starts at 6 pm; they should have the good manners to arrive before then. You can include a little summary of this timeframe if you like, but it’s optional of course:

• All guests MUST be seated no less than 15 minutes before the scheduled ceremony’s start
• Grandparents are seated 10 minutes before the ceremony, followed immediately by the parents the procession starts PROMPTLY 5 minutes before the ceremony. If some guests have not yet arrived, the ceremony will begin without them, as you don’t know if they’ve had car trouble or are just running late.
• Being on time for a wedding is the same as arriving on time for a business meeting, a movie… you wouldn’t expect them to hold the meeting or the movie for you, would you? Don’t hold up the ceremony for everyone else.
• The bride starts down the aisle AT the time listed on the invitation. The wedding begins on time.
  There is neither humor nor good taste in a bride being late for her own wedding.

BEWARE SALTY FOOD AND MSG:
Do not salt your food or eat Chinese food (MSG) within 48 hours of your ceremony; your fingers will swell and your rings won’t go on.

GETTING YOUNG RING BEARERS AND FLOWER GIRLS TO BEHAVE:
Really young children may look utterly adorable in their teeny tuxedos & lacy dresses, but the odds of them not freaking out in front of all those people is rather slim. That doesn't mean they're not the greatest children in the entire world but, let's face it, a 2 year old does not have the self-control or even the life experience of a 6 year old. I've found that having a middle-school-aged child pull a really young child in a wagon full of toys and balloons solves two problems: the child will be seen by everybody looking utterly adorable, & the child will be oblivious to all those grown-ups looking at him/her because the child is surrounded by things to do (this is best if one or two new toys are placed in the wagon). After they've made it to the front of the aisle & stayed there long enough for the flashbulbs to go off, the wagon can be wheeled to the side where the child or kids can keep playing. I even had a not-yet-walking "ring bearer" carried down the aisle in a Snugli by his dad, who was named "The Ring Bearer's Bearer"!

Guest book observations:
The typical sign-in guest book is lovely, but it will also, within weeks of the wedding, be relegated to some drawer. That’s fine—just know that that’s what will happen.

A photo of the bride and groom, with lots of border area on which people can sign their names & wishes, is also lovely. Many couples do, in fact, keep that photo on the wall for many years. Frequently, as soon as one of you gains 10 or 15 lbs, the photo comes down! That’s fine, too—just know that it’s coming.

A good-looking metal serving tray is another solution. (Target has a great selection at around $30, which look like $200) & a cordless engraver (Lowes or Home Depot, about $15). Your guests sign the tray itself, which is a lot of fun, & the tray with all its signatures often becomes an heirloom that gets brought out for all family events—the turkey gets served on it, or the fancy dessert…so it’s a guest book that actually gets used, over & over, through the years.

Hiring DJs & bands: When you interview your DJ or band, make sure they understand that their purpose is to provide background music. I’m continually amazed by how many DJ’s & bands think that your wedding is their concert!
Your guests expect to dance, but they also most definitely expect to be able to chat with the other guests without screaming at the top of their lungs to be heard over the amplifiers. Do yourselves & your guests a favor by making absolutely sure that your DJ or band understands & agrees that this is not a concert at which they are the headliners. Doing so will spare you literal & figurative headaches.

Footwear: Brides & bridesmaids—nobody is going to be looking at your feet! Wear comfortable shoes!
Some of my happiest brides have worn flip-flops or ballet-style slippers! By the same token, groomsmen may not complain about their stiff rented shoes if the bridesmaids are in high heels! If you want comfortable shoes, men, go out & buy some nice patent leathers & break them in real well before the wedding!

Wedding directors: Usually the first item that budget-conscious brides cut from their list--but a good wedding director is invaluable! You cannot even imagine how much aggravation she'll take off your shoulders! Cut back on something else, so that you can enjoy your wedding day & not be worried about whether such-&-such a detail was taken care of! You can hire a Wedding Director for just the day of the ceremony, or from the moment the ring goes on your finger & you start to explore places & vendors. For a list of those wedding directors that I personally think are terrific, call me!

Preserve your gown: After the wedding, you'll want to have your gown dry-cleaned & preserved. There are certain dry-cleaners who specialize in this & it does make a difference! If you can't turn one up in the Yellow Pages or through Google, give me a call.

On-site hair & makeup artists: If at all possible, choose a Hair & Makeup artist who'll travel to your wedding site--with as many assistants as needed for your wedding party. This is a huge timesaver, plus you also don't have to deal with the aggravation of having someone start late, having other customers in the salon, your getting caught in traffic en route there or back... plus, you have someone there for last-minute touch-ups! Again, for my personal recommendations, call me!

Memorable place-setting gifts: The days of candy-coated almonds in a mesh bag are gone. There are some fantastic ideas for mementos to leave at each place-setting; I keep a list of companies that do a really nice job. Whether it's something specific made out of killer chocolate, a CD of your favorite songs with great cover art, perennial flower bulbs in cute containers...there are some terrific ideas & great vendors out there. And you can choose your budget & pick the gift to fit.

Programs printed on cardboard fans: Here in the South, these are a great idea for virtually every outdoor wedding! Some vendors are better than others--I've seen some misprints, although it's up to the bride (or, better yet, the Wedding Director) to catch typos--but, boy, will your guests appreciate having a memento that's also a lifesaver!