Other Unique Ideas

- Personalized coasters made from CD’s (see www.whimsies-online.com/cdcoasters.htm)

- Personalized CD mix of your favorite music - print out a liner for CD case with your names, wedding date and a nice background or a photo of happy bride and groom-to-be!

- Fortune cookies with printed fortunes that you create on your computer - or add your names and wedding date (see www.whimsies-online.com/wedding.htm)

- small picture frames that can double as place cards

- Heart-shaped cookie cutters with your favorite sugar cookie recipe

- Homemade bell-shaped or heart-shaped cookies decorated with your names and wedding date in hard icing

Finishing Details

Wrap each filled favor in colored netting or tulle to match your wedding colors or line white or glitter netting with colored tissue paper before wrapping your favors.

Wrap favor bag with ribbon or lace and add your note card (hole-punched). Tie into bow and add a sprig of dried or silk flowers and it’s ready for your special day!

Never buy a diamond without a certificate - Without a certificate you could quite easily buy a piece of glass set into an engagement ring setting and be non wiser, but up to $5000 poorer. However a certificate alone does not guarantee a better deal, you need to be proficient in understanding exactly what it is telling you, and how each factor that is covered affects price and quality of ring.

Understand 4 C's of diamonds - Most people know something about 4 C's of diamond buying including, Cut, Clarity, Carat and Color. However very few people know how to each of 4 factors interact to determine price and quality of a diamond.

If you follow this advice you significantly reduce your chance of being fleeced by a dishonest salesman. Treat your purchase as a significant financial purchase. Set your budget up-front and do not go too much above or below price you've set yourself. Try not to get to emotionally involved in purchase and outcome should be favorable.

Peter Vine is the author of "Diamond Ring Secrets" the first easy to read guide to buying the perfect diamond engagement ring. Get a free chapter from the book at: