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No matter where you plan to say, “I do,” an aisle runner makes the ceremony site look complete. Traditionally, ceremony ushers roll out the runner (which is secured near the altar) from altar to aisle entrance to signal the start of the processional. And if you’re a traditional bride getting married in a traditional church ceremony, this may be the path you choose.

The Original Runner Co.

But don’t think you need to stick to conventional customs when it comes to runners. With so many brides tying the knot in unconventional settings—in hotel lobbies, on lawns, in museums, on rooftops, etc.—practicality often trumps tradition in the area of runner setup.

The Original Runner Co.

For outdoor ceremonies, especially those on grass or sand, you might choose to create a “runner” out of rose petals, or paper or fabric confetti—any scattered material, really, that allows you to walk safely and comfortably without snagging a heel and risking a ripped runner, or worse, a stumble or fall.

If you prefer a more traditional look, you can secure your fabric runner to wood flooring, creating a kind of runner boardwalk that allows bride, groom and wedding party to proceed (and recede) without incident. You won’t be able to do the traditional pre-processional rollout, but you will get the benefits of special-occasion grandeur and everyday safety in equal measure.

The Original Runner Co.

If you are investing in a custom runner—we especially love ones by The Original Runner Co., which makes non-slip fabric runners in a variety of extraordinary designs from romantic and classic to ultra-hip—you probably want to get the most for your money. It’s perfectly acceptable to have the runner fully rolled out prior to guest arrival, so that guests may enjoy its elegance from the moment they arrive. Just make sure the center aisle is roped off or otherwise blocked (with a floral arrangement or other removable pretty thing) so that arriving guests don’t use the aisle for locating their seats, and risk marring its pristine loveliness with footprints before the processional.

And remember, your aisle runner need not follow the straight and narrow—plenty of local florists and decorators can create winding, zig-zagging, swirling or otherwise non-linear aisle adornment. As for color, you’re not bound to tradition there, either. Yes, once upon a time, when evil spirits were thought to lurk beneath the earth’s surface, a white aisle was laid out to keep these baddies at bay and protect the bride’s purity. But this is 2010, and these days any color goes: tangerine, tourmaline, evergreen…pick your palette, and off you go, on your way to happily ever after.

The happiest day of your life can also be one of the most stressful. For most Houston brides, wedding-day anxiety is not of the big-picture variety—Is he really the one? Am I ready for this?—but a result of minor glitches: a fussy bustle, chipped nail polish, a lost contact lens. One of the best ways to avoid these sorts of mishaps is by making sure you have a well-stocked wedding day survival kit at your side on your big day.
  

A week or two before your wedding, print out your kit list and get everything on it; almost all of the items will be available at your local drugstore. Organize items by category, pack smaller items in labeled Ziploc bags for easier access and assemble your kit in a roomy tote bag with plenty of compartments (a diaper bag makes a great survival kit holder!).
 
Every wedding day survival kit should contain the following:
 
BEAUTY
All your wedding makeup (if your makeup is being done professionally, make sure you have all of the products the makeup artist is using, in order to do touchups prior to photos; refresh makeup before you cut the cake, as this is one of your biggest photo ops)

• Hair spray
• Nail polish
• Nail glue
• Bobby pins
• Oil blotting papers
• Q-tips
• Tissues
• Mirror

 
CLOTHING

• Safety pins
• Sewing kit
• Clear nail polish
• Stain remover (brides and wedding pros swear by white chalk or Clorox wipes to erase stains on white wedding gowns)
• Masking tape (perfect for quickly mending dropped hems)
• Extra stockings

 
PHARMACY

• Non-aspirin pain reliever
• Tums or other antacid tablets
• Any medication you might need
• Extra contact lenses and lens solution
• Feminine protection
• Deodorant
• Hand sanitizer
• Breath mints
• Band-Aid Blister Block

 
EVERYTHING ELSE

• Pen and paper
• Batteries for cameras
• Vendor contact list (ask your coordinator to provide one—include taxi companies)
• Cell phone (to phone taxis, track down a missing vendor or a temporarily misplaced coordinator)
• Copy of your vows
• Wedding license
• Rings

 
Make sure your survival kit comes with you to your ceremony site AND your reception site (you may want to entrust your planner or maid of honor with this responsibility). And, speaking of your maid(s), you may want to pack a few extra…well, just about everything, to make sure your wedding party is as prepped, primped and in perfect wedding day form as you are.

Photo courtesy DW Photography

Here’s what’s fun about planning your wedding: trying on gorgeous gowns, indulging in caterer and cake tastings, picking out fantastic florals and luxurious linens, getting your hair and makeup done by a professional, fantasizing about your fabulous life as the future Mrs. So-and-So. Here’s what’s not: figuring out whom and how much to tip.

While tipping wedding vendors (or restaurant waiters for that matter) is not mandatory, it is, generally, expected, particularly when a superior level of service is provided, as it is by the vast majority of Houston wedding professionals. So, working on the assumption that your wedding will be wonderful, you should calculate appropriate gratuities well ahead of time, and make sure that they are distributed properly.

Follow these tipping guidelines, and you’ll do right by your vendors, while keeping your budget in check—a big plus in these tough economic times:

Officiant: $50-$100, before wedding day, or at end of ceremony.

Caterer: Check first to find out if a staff gratuity has already been added to your total. If it hasn’t, figure $100-$200 for banquet manager and $20-$40 each for wait staff and bartenders. Alternately, you can tip 18-20% of the catering bill total, and leave it up to staff to divide accordingly, though this usually ends up being more expensive. Either way, hand out envelope(s) with cash at end of reception.

D.J./Musicians: $20-$25 per musician; $25-$35 for D.J., if you book through an agency. For an independent band or D.J., tipping is optional.

Parking attendants: $1 per car. Give envelope of cash to valet manager or maitre d’ at end of reception to divide among attendants.

Hair/Makeup Stylist: 18-20% of bill, in cash if possible.

Wedding Coordinator: Tips are generally not expected, but it is always nice to acknowledge a coordinator who has done a spectacular job. You can give cash at your discretion, or a thoughtful gift, such as flowers, an accessory such as a silk wrap or cashmere scarf, a unique or elegant home décor item, or a gift certificate for dining or spa.

For all reception-related tips, put your coordinator in charge of handing out envelopes. As a bride, you’ll be focused on other things, like enjoying the happiest day of your life—assigning tipping to a designated person will ensure that everyone gets what’s coming to them.