Bride World Expo at the Los Angeles Convention Center

I came, I saw, I conquered. Well, not quite. This was my first bridal show, but of course, not attending as a bride-to-be made it a little less pressure on me. The big crowds of eager women and aggressive vendor booth people were a little intimidating, but I think I came out OK!

Thanks to the economy and the rise in environmental consciousness, it looks like there are a lot of trends like Do-It-Yourself and Green Weddings that are coming into play. Check out these DIY options from one company offering invitations. I'm pretty sure this company is Paper Wonders out of Temple City.

I particularly liked this idea from Celebration Photography & Video. These appeared to be actual canvas, but these were digital photos on them! So they looked like paintings! That's something I'd love to do with a lot of photos, particularly the nature and landscape shots I love to take.

Of course, accessories like these Popit Sandals from A Room To View are getting increasingly popular. They're easy to personalize and useful at any time, not just the wedding day. Those little jewels? You can attach them to just about any accessory they offer here -- those comes, brooches, hair accessories, you name it.

I saw this cake topper from Tutto Dolce, which happens to be based right near me in Thousand Oaks. They have some very cool cake and giveaway alternatives, and they're all deliciously edible. The bride dragging the husband away cake topper was what really caught my eye though. You can send owner Vanessa Calderone an email at tuttodolce@roadrunner.com.

You probably think that's all I got, huh? Oh contraire! I've got plenty more where all that came from (since I'm a voracious photo taker) and am planning some future posts highlighting other concepts and alternatives for you to personalize (and save) on your weddings and decorations. So be sure to check back OR subscribe to my RSS feed so you'll know immediately when I post.