Bars are all the rage at weddings…and not just the wine/liquor bar. There are espresso bars, martini and vodka bars, gelato bars, crepe bars, candy bars and dessert bars. And here’s another unique idea: How about a tea bar where guests can enjoy a selection of specialty teas, like these from Davidson’s Organics?

There is a wide range of flavors (i.e. fruity, mint, buttery) to choose from, and the colors are wedding-perfect. You can label each tea for guests and also consider providing containers so they can take a blend home as a wedding favor. The teas are all organic, kosher and fair-trade certified. Plus, 10% of all Davidson’s Tulsi (a basil plant found in India) tea sales is donated to the company’s “Aasha (Hope) Fund” to improve abandoned farm lands in India through sustainable, organic agricultural practices. Nice!

And don’t forget some sweet treats for the table, like these yummy Madeleine’s from Donsuemor Desserts:

Beautiful inspirational sheer illusion backs are all the rage. They make a stylish and romantic statement. There’s something about the combination of covered and sheer that makes them simultaneously demure and sexy — perfect for a wedding. This look pairs best with an updo (you want to show off the extraordinary detail in these gorgeous backs).

—Naima DiFranco

One of the best parts about my job at BG is flipping through thousands of photos from real-life parties. There are several things that I look for, but above all else, I love when a bride looks like she had a ball. Recently, I found myself in uncharted territory — the other side of the lens — when my Mom threw me a surprise bridal shower.

And as the photos below show, I was genuinely shocked that my shower took place that day and I had so much fun. After I gulped down a mimosa, changed into my dress, and had my makeup professionally applied by Stacey Catapano (the first of many surprises!), I stopped to look at all of the details and was able to better appreciate all of the hard work and thought that went into everything. Mama Dukes, you did me proud: Now I know where my creativity and party-planning passion comes from.

Readers, I'd love to share some ideas from my shower along with photos by Josh Lynn. 

Setting the Scene with Pretty Decorations

I thought the mix-match look was perfect for an intimate gathering. The flowers were a gift from my aunt, the lovely vases were scooped up at a Lenox sale, and the bust holder was created using my Mom's wedding dress (we couldn't believe her waist was that tiny).

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Historically used for canning, mason jars are as synonymous with rustic weddings as barn venues and burlap. Even as burlap and barns continue to be popular, Mason jars are being labeled as “over-used” — a sad term for one of our favorite décor accents.

There are two ways to bring Mason jars back to glory. First, ask yourself why you want to use them. Is it because these jars bring back your own memories of canning with your mother and grandmother? If that’s the case, then use them and don’t look back! In contrast, if you’re opting in for Mason jars because they’re popular and you love them (we’re with you!), think of ways to creatively use them at your wedding.

Beyond simply using them as drinking vessels, here are some of our favorite ways from Lover.ly to modernize the Mason jar.

Perfect for a summer wedding, we adore these firefly invites from Minted:

Photo Credit: You're That Girl Designs/Etsy

Q. What should we say in our thank-you notes, and how long do we have to send them out?

A. Be gracious and sincere. Include several elements, such as mentioning the gift by name, referring to how you’ll use it and expressing your appreciation. For gifts of money, don’t state the amount, but do mention the fact that it’s a monetary gift as well as how you plan to use it. And ask your groom to help out. While you should pen all bridal shower thank-yous yourself (unless you have a coed shower), your groom can do some of the engagement and wedding notes. You write the notes to your family and friends, and he does the ones to his.

Promptness counts when it comes to thanking friends and family for their gifts. You may have heard that you have up to a year after your big day to send out your notes, but that’s not true (sorry!). Here’s a timeline for all your special occasions: engagement party and shower, within two to three weeks of the festivities; gifts sent before the wedding date, as soon as possible, but definitely before the wedding; gifts given on the day itself, within three months; gifts received after your wedding, within two to three weeks.

—Diane Forden

This article originally appeared on The Huffington Post

If you thought it was tough to organize a couple hundred guests at your wedding, imagine if 25,000 well-wishers decided to drop by.

A wedding between two members of one of the largest Ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities in the world attracted 25,000 guests on Tuesday, The Independent reported.

The groom is 18-year-old Shalom Rokeach, the grandson of the Chief Rabbi of the Hasidic Belz Rebbe community. Because Rokeach is the only male grandchild, it is assumed that he will succeed his grandfather as leader of Belz Rebbe.

The bride is 19-year-old Hannah Batya Penet, who is also a member of Belz Rebbe.

Hasidic Jews from around the world descended on Jerusalem to witness the event, which lasted until dawn. Per tradition, the bride's face was covered by a veil throughout the ceremony. The ceremony also included ritual dancing and vows recited under a chuppah.