Ever thought about getting married and honeymooning in Italy? (Who hasn't?) Here's an idea for brides and grooms who want to do it big in a romantic, Europeon locale. The San Clemente Palace Hotel and Resort (pictured below) is a five-star attraction located on the "the Island of San Clemente, a pearl of the Venetian lagoon...situated in a peaceful but strategic spot, right in front of San Marco."

Don't just take my word for it: this hotel has been named one of the highest ranking Top 100 hotels in Europe in Travel + Leisure's 2008 World's Best Awards readers' poll.

There are way too many amenities for me to list here, but the San Clemente is fully equipped to prepare a wedding package that you'll always remember. They want to make sure that your wedding is flawlessly orchestrated, so the hotel & resort assigns an on-site Events Manager to handle all of the arrangements, including:

* Booking guest room blocks
* Setting up appointments in the hotel's Beauty & Wellness Center
* Arranging guest activities
* Planning the menu, décor, flowers, photographer and entertainment

To preview some additional images of this luxury resort, see the San Clemente Palace Hotel & Resort Flickr page and the San Clemente information page. After that, you'll probably be ready to book your wedding, so to discuss wedding and reception options or receive a complete plan with a cost estimate, please contact events-sanclemente@thi.it.

Happy wedding and honeymoon planning!

If you honeymoon in a warm, tropical locale or you get married during the summer, let the world know you're "just married" via this super-cute tank from The Knot's Wedding Shop. One of the features I found most useful there is the reader reviews. Apparently, this tank runs small, so your best bet is to order a size or two larger than what you typically wear (unless you just can't get enough of clingy tops!).

Better than soaping up the back window of your car or even trailing cans behind it, this is just one way to let the world know your good news without you having to say a word.

If "streamlined" is not in your vocabulary for your wedding day, then you probably want a dress as opulent and dramatic as possible. The Bride Chic blog showcases a gorgeous variety of ball gown-type wedding dresses that are simply breathtaking. This is for the bride-to-be who wants to pull out all the stops.

Photo courtesy of iStockphoto, Liudmila Zhad\'ko

This is a very traditional shape (think Cinderella) and one that most little girls think of when they think of wedding gowns. Because it's so traditional, this type of dress translates easily and readily to many different venues and times; even if you're getting married in a beach setting, you can find a gown like this that would be appropriate.

This is just one of many options to keep in mind when beginning the all-important task of shopping for the perfect dress.

If you notice more short wedding dresses than usual next year, that's because it's one of the hottest trends for Fall 2009 in bridal fashions. Even if you don't want to give up your dream wedding gown that's long and has a dramatic train, you might consider a short dress for after the wedding. It's easier to dance and mingle if you're not dragging a long gown behind you.

Here are a couple short dresses that will look smashing at your reception:

Amsale

Platinum for Priscilla of Boston

If you choose to buy not just one gown, but two, remember that both dresses should be in a similar style. If you opt for a satiny long gown, consider a satin short dress, too. If florals are a big part of one dress, it's a good idea to make florals a part of the second dress as well. Similar elements will pull your entire ensemble together for the wedding and reception.

Black is the new, well, black when it comes to bridal fashion. While black has traditionally been shunned from weddings (for the bride as well as for guests), this particular "rule" is starting to fade away for many. The wedding dress wasn't always white, either; this has been a relatively recent tradition in terms of wedding gowns.

The non-white wedding dress is more of a European idea, so for some of the best choices in black wedding dresses, you may want to look to designers from that continent. For example, a black Xena wedding dress is available from Just Brides Ltd, a U.K.-based retailer.

Pictured below is an option from Nordstrom.

If you don't want to go full-black, black accents have become popular, especially for evening and more formal weddings. You can incorporate this dramatic color on a sash, neckline or even in your bouquet instead of wearing a black gown if that's just a bit too much for you. Wearing a black wedding dress is for the confident bride-to-be who isn't concerned with mere tradition, so if that describes you, you might want to look to colors other than white.

This isn't the first time I've talked about saving money on wedding costs. And until our economy improves, it won't be the last.

Wedding cut backs are nothing new, especially to couples who are already frugal or don't have a lot of money to spend, but nowadays, more couples than ever are having to watch every dollar when it comes to wedding planning.

Photo courtesy of iStockphoto, David Pruter

This doesn't mean your big day has to be any less meaningful. I believe that if you feel very strongly about one aspect of your wedding, you should stick to your guns if possible-but this may mean letting something else go.

From the article, this important reminder:

"But Stu Freeman, publisher of Long Island Bride and Groom magazine says there is a danger in cutting back too much. He says you can't have a do over, the wedding is usually a one shot deal."

How has the current economy impacted your planning, if at all?