Planning an All-American wedding? You could go all out, and wear this or this to show your patriotic spirit.

Or, you could be a little more subtle. Your colors, naturally, would be red, white and blue. If true red, white and blue are too bright, try darker versions of those colors. Besides flags, you could also decorate with stars, stripes, fireworks and torches. In lieu of rice, how about giving your guests sparklers for them to hold high as you exit your reception?

Food for an All-American wedding could be fun: Maybe a barbecue? A picnic? Something a little more country? And don’t worry if you’re planning an All-American wedding for a day other than July 4 — you can express your love for your country and your beloved any day of the year!

Enjoy your Fourth of July, and be safe!

If you’re a pet owner like me, it can seem strange to plan your wedding without including an important member of your family. We had a cat when we got married, and we would have loved to include her in our day, except the drive from home to the wedding was about an hour. Where would she have gone during the reception? Instead, she hung out with my husband and his groomsmen at our townhouse the night before the wedding. (I like to think she was my eyes and ears ….)

Are you including your pet (or pets) in your wedding? You can have your dog carry the rings (fake ones, please!) or walk the bride down the aisle. Maybe your best friend could be the dog of honor or a groomsdog … maybe dress up their collar with some flowers?

Just make sure your pet is welcome at your ceremony site, that there’s someone to take care of it during the reception, and that you’ve got plenty of cold water available. A few treats wouldn’t hurt, either! Find more tips here!

I read a story yesterday about a Texas couple who is delaying their wedding because of the price of gas. They can’t afford to commute to work, pay more at the grocery store, and have the wedding of their dreams. So, they’re holding off until things are better.

Are high gas prices affecting your wedding plans? Your budget? Transportation and catering are the obvious vendors that are directly impacted by increased fuel costs. Has the price of gas become a factor in other vendors’ fees? How are you coping with the increased price of, well, everything?

I’ve also been wondering about guests — when I got married, most of our guests came from out of town because neither my husband nor I are from Southern Maryland. Have you heard from out-of-town guests who can’t afford to make the trip to your celebration?

It’s the scourge of many a bridesmaid: a dress that you paid hundreds for but can never wear again. (I had two, both lavender.) This week, we heard about a new line of dresses from David’s Bridal — Modern Expressions — that you or your bridesmaids won‘t be able to wait to wear again!

The six styles in the online-only collection are available in many colors, and they’re perfect for bridesmaids, but that‘s not our favorite part. Since they don‘t scream “I‘m a bridesmaid dress,” the bride can wear these dresses, too, for pre-wedding events like the rehearsal dinner or engagement party and honeymoon dinners out. In fact, at $110 to $120, they’re a good choice any time you need to dress up! Even better, the six styles come in sizes 2 to 26, and they’re flattering to nearly body type.

You’re planning the biggest party of your life — how do you keep it all straight?

When we planned our wedding, I relied heavily on my datebook and a wedding planning timeline. I mean, I had only ever been to weddings — even though I’d been a bridesmaid in the past, I wasn’t involved in the details of the wedding. I had no idea when to do what! The timeline we used allowed plenty of time for reserving vendors in advance (we got our first choice every time), and I wasn’t rushed in choosing my dress and getting it altered.

What works for you? Share your secrets below! We can all benefit from ideas for keeping organized while planning a wedding.

Need some guidance? Use the timeline at SoMdWeddings.com to help you stay organized and on track!

So here’s a use I never thought of for toilet paper: as fabric for a wedding dress. (For the record: I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about creative uses for TP.)

Anyway. Charmin and Cheap-Chic-Weddings.com sponsored a contest challenging entrants to make beautiful gowns out of toilet paper. The three winners’ creations are as gorgeous! (And probably cushiony soft.) They have all the details you’d want in a wedding dress: beading, flowers, lace and ruffles. Not sure how well they’d hold up on a rainy day; you might want a backup plan. The first place winner took home a $1,000 gift card — I’d love to know how much she spent on TP for her dress!

We want to hear about your wedding and what you think of SoMdWeddings! Every year, we survey our readers to make sure we’re doing a good job and meeting your needs. Tell us about your wedding — how much you’re spending, what your colors are, how big your wedding party is, etc. — and then let us know if anything is missing from SoMdWeddings. Are there topics you’d like us to cover? What features of our site and magazine can you not live without? What could we be doing better?

Fill out our survey, and you’ll have the chance to win a vacation getaway for two! See website for details. Thanks in advance for your input, and good luck!

Who among your wedding service providers are you tipping? How much are you giving?

I don’t remember everyone my husband and I tipped, but I know we rewarded our DJ and the waitstaff for good service. Most of the time, gratuity is included in your catering budget, but we wanted to give a little extra for good service.

Who else is it common to tip? Any delivery persons, restroom and coatroom staff and your limo driver, just to name a few. It’s also a nice gesture to give a tip or thank-you gift to your ceremony officiant; many ministers will ask that you donate your tip to their church. Civil officiants can’t accept a gratuity.

At my wedding, we found the easiest way to dole out the tips was to ask my dad to do so — it was one less thing for us to think about!

Throwing rice at your wedding won’t cause birds to explode, but it can be a hassle to clean up. In fact, many ceremony locations won’t allow you to throw rice at all. Originally, rice was thrown because it is a symbol of fertility. Today, the gesture is one of celebration, so rice is not required. After you check the rules at your ceremony location, consider one of these alternatives:

• Birdseed
• Bubbles — give a little bottle to each guest
• Rose petals
• Bells — give each guest a bell to chime as you exit
• Sparklers

It’s amazing the things you find online when you’re not looking for them. While I was researching this week’s trends article on cakes, I came across this: a bride who had a wedding cake made as a life-size image of herself for her vow renewal ceremony.

I’m not kidding.

Chidi Ogbuta of Allen, TX, told CNN she had always dreamed of having a doll modeled after her, and the five-foot-four cake came pretty close to fulfilling that dream. Even after the 500 guests to the Ogbutas vow renewal ceremony on Sept. 22, 2007, in Dallas, had cake, there was still plenty left, the couple said. It took them about a week to eat the whole thing — with the help of several guests. Read more.