Reception Advice from Beverly Clark

(MS) - When it comes to wedding receptions, couples are looking for ways to give a unique, personal flair to their celebration, says Beverly Clark, wedding book author, and designer of the Beverly Clark Collection. "More and more brides and grooms want to express their own style, and they don't want to have a cookie-cutter wedding," she says. "So they are branching out to more elaborate and unique receptions, locations and themes." For example, Clark says that, most recently, her No. 1 selling wedding collection has been her beach-themed Seashore Collection, with many couples opting to get married on the beach and then tie in sand and seashell décor with their reception.

How can you add some personal touches to your wedding?

· Slideshows. During the reception, present a slideshow set to music with photos of you and your spouse from birth to present.
· Themes. Incorporate you and your spouse's heritage into the décor and food. Some possible wedding themes may also stem from your favorite hobby, a season, a historical period (such as the Roaring '20s or Renaissance eras), or a fairytale theme complete with a castle-shaped wedding cake.
· Creative table numbers. Instead of using numbers to identify tables, name your tables after phrases or words that have special meaning to you as a couple, such as your favorite travel spots.
· Monograms. Make your name part of the day. For example, wedding planner Tracie Morris had a client whose new last name started with an "M," so the couple put the letter "M" on top of their wedding cake and on their cocktail napkins. They also used a video projector to project an "M" onto the dance floor during the couple's first dance as husband and wife.
· Poetry. Write letters or poems to one another and read it during the reception.