Having a toast at your wedding is one of the most special and memorable moments of your reception. It’s a time when all of your guests can take a pause from eating dinner or from breaking it down on the dance floor, to cheers to you and the love of your life, wishing you a strong future of health and happiness. It’s one of the most engaging and special moments of the evening. That’s why it’s usually christened with some bubbly. But if champagne isn’t your thing or you’re looking to make your wedding as personalized as possible, it’s okay to skip the champagne toast. Looking for a champagne alternative? Here, four ideas you and your guests love.

1. Your Favorite Shot
If there’s a specific liquor that you adore, you can have that poured into mini shot glasses for your guests to toast with. Just know that not everyone may be up for taking a shot.

2. A Signature Cocktail
If you’ve invested time into thinking about a signature cocktail that you’d like to have at your wedding, you can tell guests that’s what they should fill their glasses with for the toast. This will be more personal for your reception and for the toast.

3. A Non-Alcoholic Beverage
If you’re not a big drinker or you have a lot of younger guests at your wedding and you want to get them involved, you can skip the alcohol and have your caterer make a beverage that’s fun for everyone to drink. Maybe it’s your favorite kind of soda or something old school like a Shirley Temple.

4. A Non Traditional Toast
Skip the toast all together and have all your guests meet you on the dance floor for a moment of everyone getting down to your favorite song. Sometimes this is an even more fun way to have your guests celebrate you with well wishes.

Jen Glantz is a “Professional Bridesmaid” and the founder of Bridesmaid for Hire. She’s the author of All My Friends Are Engaged and frequently wears old bridesmaid dresses to the grocery store and on first dates.

See More: 4 Alternatives to a Champagne Toast at Your Wedding

No one wants to seem like they’re begging for gifts when they get married, but that doesn’t mean having an opportunity to stock (or upgrade!) your home isn’t welcome. And etiquette does state that accepting an invitation to a wedding is a nearly-contractual agreement to send a gift in return. So what happens if your wedding date has come and gone, and there are guests you haven’t received gifts from? Here’s how our experts recommend handling it.

Tradition states that guests have up to a year to send a wedding gift, but etiquette experts agree that wedding gifts should really be sent within a few months of the wedding date, after which they cease to really be gifts for the wedding. So, first things first, wait a month or two before taking any action, because technically the guests in question have some time!

Before you start calling people and asking where your gift is (which would definitely make you look greedy instead of grateful), ask your parents or a mutual friend to subtly do a little digging. Whether it’s having your mom excitedly let them know about your new address or a friend bringing it up in the context of the next wedding you’re all attending together, this could either be good encouragement for the guest to arrange to have something sent to you, or for the guest to comment on the fact that they haven’t received a thank you note — which hopefully will inspire them to ask you if you got their gift so the two of you can figure out what happened to it.

If you never hear anything and more than a few months have passed, you’ll unfortunately have to write this off as a loss, as you don’t have much recourse here. After all, they did take the time and spend the money to come to your wedding, even if they did come empty-handed. Do your best to forgive and forget, send them a thank you note thanking them for their presence on your big day, and remember that their friendship is more valuable than a picture frame or some new dishes.

See more: Can We Open and Use the Gifts We Receive Before Our Wedding?

Whether you’re just starting your wedding planning adventure or checking off the very last things on your wedding checklist, here are our favorite digital tools (besides BRIDES.com, obvs) for planning the wedding you want while still having a life.

1. WeddingWire
Best for the bride who doesn’t know where to start
This venue and vendor database is a one-stop shop, with more than 200,000 local listings and 2.5 million reviews by real brides. So if you’re clueless about where to wed and who to hire, do a quick search and narrow results by type, location, price, or rating. When you’re done with the big-ticket items, you’ll find checklists, budget templates, and etiquette tips.

2. Carats & Cake
Best for inspo you can use
Ever see a wedding photo and think, “Who made that centerpiece?” Or “I have to have those shoes!” Carats & Cake eliminates the guess-work, providing a rundown of all the vendors used in its real weddings (caterers, florists, photographers, et cetera). Check out full portfolios and reviews, then book them on the site.

3. The Venue Report
Best for finding a Versailles-worthy chateau in the south of France
With “reporters” who research the latest event spaces, this directory has the hottest hotels and party pads, plus off-the-beaten-path locales like, say, a glamping venue in Montana that can accommodate 250 guests. The experience is seamless: Filter results by region, price, and capacity, review essentials like site fees and curfews, and contact the venue directly.

4. WeddingHappy
Best for planning without the planner
Think of this free app as your personal assistant. It’s preloaded with tasks to guide you through your to-dos, and it even alerts you as you approach deadlines for things like “mail invites” or “pay deposit for the band” — same as a planner would do in real life. Share your “event” with your fiancé, mother, or hands-on MOH so everyone has access to the same info.

5. myPantone
Best for color coordination
Did a certain teal nail polish strike your fancy? Fire up myPantone (from $7.99), snap a photo, and the app will identify the exact color and point you toward others that anyone struggling to pick a palette or who’s letting her bridesmaids choose their own dresses “as long as they’re seafoam green,” this is a must.

6. Minted
Best for fab invitations that won’t break the bank
Minted works with indie artists and graphic designers to offer chic ready-made invites, save-the-dates, ceremony programs, escort cards, and more. Templates can be customized, down to the card size and paper stock. On a tight budget? Print your suite at home or take the file to a local copy shop. Minted also offers bespoke invitation design (from $234 per 100 invitations) in case you don’t have an illustrator on speed dial but still want a hand-drawn map of Nantucket or a watercolor rendering of you and your fiancé.

7. Riley & Grey
Best for a wedding web site that looks totally different
Riley & Grey is where design-minded brides go to create their wedding hubs ($35 per month). Modern templates are added every few months, so you won’t accidentally use the same one as your BFF who’s getting married six weeks after you. Your site will be not only gorgeous but also user-friendly, with zero clicks required; simply scroll down to toggle between tabs like People, for bridal-party bios, and Place, for tips on where to stay, eat, and drink near your wedding venue. You can even embed links to Kayak for flight bookings and Google Maps for directions.

8. Mint
Best for tracking your spending in life — and on the wedding
While not made specifically with weddings in mind, Mint is a popular free money-management site for a reason: It’s easy to use, syncing with your bank account and credit cards so you can monitor your spending and move funds around as needed.
(And it probably will be needed.) Create a wedding budget and stay on track, thanks to weekly email summaries and text reminders when payments are due.

9. Skipper
Best for organizing hotel-room blocks
Your Maui destination wedding will be epic. Finding hotel rooms for 150 guests? Less so. Let Skipper (hiskipper.com) do the work: Plug in your wedding location, dates, and the number of rooms needed, and the site will populate nearby hotels at a variety of price points. Smaller parties can lock in discounted rates at one hotel directly through the site (in most cases, 15 percent off); brides who need more than nine rooms can pick up to four hotels, and a Skipper booking agent will negotiate deals at each on their behalf and email contracts to secure the group rates.

10. Google Drive
Best for keeping your crew informed and on point
Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, PDFs, photos — anything and everything
can be uploaded, stored, and shared in Drive for seamless viewing and editing by anyone with a Gmail account. (So, anyone.) Want to pull up your guest list, budget, vendor contacts, or décor inspo during a venue walk-through? The mobile app is there in a pinch. Need to share important dates with your fiancé, parents, and planner? The hub links directly to Gcal — so no one gets to complain about being out of the loop.

See More: 6 True Stories of Finding Lasting Love on a Dating App

11. Trello
Best for anyone who loves a to-do list more than life itself
Forget that massive notebook; organize your entire wedding on Trello’s virtual
pin board. Line up each “card” in a column (which you can name for a category like Venue or Photography), and drag and drop as the task is completed or pushed back. You can attach photos (place-setting mock-ups) or documents (final contracts for review) to cards, then give them color-coded labels — to indicate things like “vendor paid” or “follow up later” — and set deadlines, which the auto-generated email reminders will help you hit.

12. Zola
Best for registering for what you really want
We love a blender as much as any kale-juice-obsessed bride-to-be, and Zola has that standard department-store stuff, like Matouk bedding and Waterford-crystal stemware. But you can also request specialty goods, like a Sonos sound system or a BioLite camp stove, or set up a honeymoon or charity cash fund. Bonuses: Guests can easily go in on pricier items together with group gifting, and you also get 10 percent off all items on the site for up to one year after your wedding date.

13. Newlywish
Best for registering for experiences
Kitchen already stocked up? Check out Newlywish, where you’ll find an incredibly diverse list of registry activities. Dance lessons, cooking classes, massages, concert tickets, sporting events — the list goes on and way on. You can even register for interior-
design consultations and OpenTable gift cards.

14. Tendr
Best for getting cash,the classy way
What to do if you’d rather get money toward a down payment than gifts? Register on Tendr, which lets guests electronically send funds (by wire transfer or credit card). You can specify where the cash will be allocated, and it’s delivered via beautiful artist-designed e-cards.

15. Amazon
Best for a registry that’s as easy for guests as it is for you
If you’ve been saving items to an Amazon Wish List, it will be easier than ever to get started on the mega e-tailer’s new registry site. All the staples are there (KitchenAid appliances, Le Creuset cookware), plus spruced-up sections like a list of the top 100 most popular items, curated lifestyle collections (minimalists will flock to the Scandinavian-inspired edit), and “boutiques” for products by Jonathan Adler, Michael C. Fina, and the MoMA Design Store (a.k.a. Narnia for cool kids). It’s also a gift for your guests, since most just have to log in to shop.

16. Vensette
Best for on-demand beauty
Have the experts come to you with this VIP beauty booking app. Reach out at least three months before your wedding to book a custom package (from $200) that includes two trials and day-of hair and makeup by editorial-worthy artists (currently available in cities like New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Miami, plus wedding hot spots like the Hamptons, Napa Valley, Palm Springs, and Palm Beach). Pick pros who fit your price and style, and they’ll show up at the time and location of your choosing, making it easier than ever to find a crack team for your engagement photos, shower, bachelorette, and big day.

17. Weddington Way
Best for crowd sourcing bridesmaids’ dresses
Need to rally your girls from coast to coast? Skip the stress (and the travel) of a group shopping trip with Weddington Way, which lets you browse styles using a variety of filters (color, length, body type, price) and share and comment on selections in a virtual showroom. Plus the site has more than just bridesmaids’ get-ups: You can find attire for the groomsmen, flower girls, and yourself. (Check out the LWDs.)

18. AllSeated
Best for nailing your venue layout
Having trouble visualizing how to organize tables at your reception? Send AllSeated a photo of your venue and it will deliver a 3-D rendering of the space so you can digitally arrange tables, chairs, bars, and other furniture and assign place settings as RSVPs roll in. Share the graphic with your vendors (caterer, rental company, DJ) to make sure the room is set up right — because there’s always that one cousin who shouldn’t be within arm’s length of the bar.

19. Postable
Best for painless thank-yous
You’re back from the honeymoon, convinced the stresses of planning are behind you. Not so fast. It’s time for thank-you notes. If you just can’t even, try Postable: Choose a design, type a heartfelt message, and add the recipient’s address (manually or imported from a spreadsheet), and the site prints a card, puts it in an envelope, and mails it ($3 each, plus postage). Will guests know you cheated? Likely not; Postable uses “smart fonts,” so repeat letters are slightly different from one another. Handwritten cards are ideal, but our etiquette experts sign off as long as each note is personalized.

Subscribe to BRIDES now for the best wedding dresses, advice, and big-day inspiration.

Reading your vows during your wedding ceremony will be one of the most intimate and possibly even scariest moments of your life. It’s a time when you’re standing in front of the person you love, committing your plan to spend forever with them — in front of all of your closest friends and family members. It’s a moment of laughs, tears, and an urgent request to find tissues so that your mascara doesn’t run and stain your veil. So when you’re sitting down to figure out what you want to say, here are six things to know before you write your wedding vows.

1. You don’t have to make them perfect.
Don’t bog yourself down with a desire to make your vows sound absolutely perfect. You may run out of words, ideas, and time. Instead, focus on getting a draft done and then revise that draft until your wedding day arrives.

2. You can add in humor.
Your vows don’t have to be all mushy, all the time. You can add bits of humor throughout to get your guests laughing.

3. Your vows don’t have to be very long.
Try to keep your vows under two minutes. That’s the perfect amount of time to keep your guests’ attention and also a long enough time to say what you want to say — without rambling or repeating yourself. Keep it as concise as possible.

4. Start writing as early as possible.
The sooner you start, the more time you’ll have to brainstorm what you’d like to say. If you wait for the night before your wedding, you may be suffocated by nerves that you can’t seem to string together a sentence.

5. Try writing them as a letter.
If you’re having trouble starting, try opening up a card or take a piece of paper and write your vows down as if you were writing them as a letter to the person you’re marrying.

6. Pick your words wisely.
It’s always best to skip the clichés and instead use specific details that define your relationship with the person you’re marrying. That way, it will feel very personalized and geared towards showcasing your true passion, commitment, and connection.

See More: 64 Perfect First Dance Songs

Jen Glantz is a “Professional Bridesmaid” and the founder of Bridesmaid for Hire. She’s the author of All My Friends Are Engaged and frequently wears old bridesmaid dresses to the grocery store and on first dates.

If you’re a dancing pro like Dancing with the Stars‘ Kym Johnson, donning a second wedding dress that allows you to really bust a move during your reception is obviously a must. With all the dancing Johnson and her now-husband, Shark Tank‘s Robert Herjavec, did at their California wedding last weekend — they had two “first” dances! — the bride knew she’d have to trade in her big ball gown for something a little more pirouette-friendly. And the unique, sultry frock (see photo below) Johnson chose scored perfect 10 from us!

After a short, five-month engagement, Johnson and Herjavec — who first took to the ballroom together last year as DWTS partners! — hit the dance floor yet again, after tying the knot last Sunday at the Fours Seasons in Beverly Hills, California. For her walk down the aisle, the dancing pro stunned in a strapless Monique Lhuillier ballgown, free of any sparkly embellishment for a look that was clean and classic, but made modern with voluminous tiered skirt. Beyond beautiful yes, but that big ballgown skirt was not exactly conducive for dancing the night away at their star-studded reception. So like the pro she is, Johnson did a quick costume change into a second wedding dress for her post-“I do’s” party that was every bit as gorgeous as her first — but a whole lot more daring!

For her reception, the Australian dancer slipped into a custom ensemble featuring a cropped lace bodice with a down-to-there V-neckline, and a sheer tulle skirt. “The costume department made it for me,” Johnson explained to People magazine. “I put it on for the dancing!” And it’s a good thing she did, considering all the grooving this bride and groom did!

The newlyweds actually performed not one, but two first dances for their guests. According to Us Weekly, their first first dance was to Etta James’ “At Last,” with the couple doing a classic waltz to the ultra-romantic number. Then, the pair’s bridal party also hit the dance floor to join the couple in a group dance to LunchMoney Lewis’ “Bills” — a song that’s particularly special to the newlyweds. The 2015 hit was actually the first song Herjavec and Johnson ever danced together back during their DWTS days.

Two first dances and two wedding dresses?! We’re seriously jealous of this ultra-lucky bride!

A photo posted by People Magazine (@people) on Aug 5, 2016 at 9:18am PDT

See More: Memorable Vows from the Best TV and Movie Weddings

While all eyes are certain to be on you as you make your way down the aisle on your big dal, the special little girl in your life has big shoes to fill, too. She will also never forget having a part in your big day, and it’s important to make her feel as special and beautiful as you hope she does. Finding the right dress for your little love can be one of the most fun tasks of wedding planning, so grab her little hand and shop until you both drop at our favorite NJ children’s boutiques for flower girl dresses.

Dress 2 Impress (Linwood)
Whether you’re looking for a mini-ball gown or a sleek and refined silhouette for your flower girl, Dress to Impress boasts a slew of styles — perfect for the cutest little member of your bridal party. Designer Jessica Lynn has over 150 styles of dresses to choose from to ensure your flower girl and/or junior bridesmaids look and feel like the little princesses they are. Read real brides’ reviews here!

Ragamuffins (Cherry Hill)
Ragamuffin’s children’s boutique has been helping families dress their kids for all of life’s special occasions for over 25 years. With an impressive collection of Joan Calabrese flower girl dresses available, whether you’re looking for lace, embellishments, a hint of color or a traditional gown you’ll be able to dress your mini-me in the perfect dress for her while creating meaningful memories together that will last a lifetime.

Nene’s Lullaby Boutique (Turnersville)
Looking to knock off two to-do list tasks — finding the oufits for both your flower girl AND ring bearer? You can do so at the adorable Nene’s Lullaby Boutique in Turnersville, New Jersey. With a broad selection of boys formalwear and suits and flower girl dresses by designers including Christie Helene, Sweetie Collection, and Macis Designs, Nene’s specializes in upscale children’s apparel. Dressing little ones for their special occasions for 20 years, Nene’s offers heirloom quality items to be cherished long after the big day.

See More: Get a Sweet Treat Your Flower Girl (and the Rest of Your Guests!) Will Love at These New Jersey Wedding Bakeries

Jefre Bridals (Greenbrook)
Aside from being a one-stop shop for brides-to-be and their own ensembles for the big day, Jefre Bridals also offers an extensive selection of flower girl ensembles. Whether you’re looking for traditional, modern, or trendy styles the consultants at Jefre can help you find the dress you dream of in the fabric, texture, and color you’re looking for. With designers including Rosebud and US Angels, this boutique can also get any dress you desire, from any manufacturer — just ask! Read real brides’ reviews here!

Angel’s Gowns (Red Bank)
Flower girl dresses, handbags, baskets and headwear are all available at Angel’s Gowns in Red Bank. Specialty children’s clothing items is Angel’s specialty, and this boutique can outfit the tiniest of toddlers through older children’s sizing as well. With designers including Joan Calabrese and Sweetie Pie, you can be sure to find a flower girl dress to please any vision you may have had for the littlest bridal party member on your big day.

Dress the rest of your bridal party in fabulous frocks from these other New Jersey bridal boutiques!

This is it… The final countdown to your big day. And along with settling those last few details — figuring out where to seat your eccentric Uncle Carl, firming up the flowers, deciding on your first dance song — you’re likely also making one last push to make sure the body that will be wearing that gorgeous white gown looks as good as it possibly can. You and nearly every other woman with an engagement ring on her finger. In fact, research shows that an overwhelming 91 percent of brides-to-be are anxious about their weight. But from here on out, you won’t have to be!

Whether you want to drop those last few pounds or look more toned — or both — we’ve got a month’s worth of daily tips (none of which require starving yourself or working out nonstop!) that will help you feel stunning and confident when you walk down that aisle. You know where to send the thank-you card. Let’s get started!

Day 7: Shift to Single Muscle Strength Moves

During the last 2 to 3 weeks before your wedding, Pete McCall — an exercise physiologist and personal trainer in San Diego — recommends doing toning moves that isolate a specific muscle, like your biceps, or hamstrings.

“I love multi-muscle exercises, because they work more of your body at once and burn more calories, but the load is spread over all those different areas. By focusing on things like weighted hamstring curls, triceps kickbacks, shoulder presses and squats you’ll be putting all the work into that one muscle group. And if you’re working on appearance, stressing a single muscle will get definition much more quickly.”

See More: This Is What Happens To Your Body When You Take A Break From Working Out

It might take a little longer to get through your toning routine, but the results will be worth it.

It’s the final countdown until Kevin Hart’s wedding to his fiancé Eniko Parrish. The pair is set to wed on Monday, which means by now the wedding plans are in place, the guests are on their way, and it’s time for the bachelor and bachelorette parties to paint the town. So how’s the big day shaping up for the hilarious comedian and his bride-to-be? Well, Hart just spilled about his wedding details — and why The Rock is banned from planning his bachelor party!

“That’s right, ladies. I got to put this chocolate in the freezer!” Hart joked about his off-the-market status to Entertainment Tonight. “That’s right, it’s over. So if you wanted a piece, you better take that and put it in your pocket because you can’t get it, because it’s happening August eighth. That’s right.” Think this groom will be doing a stand-up set at the reception?

The nupitals are set to take place in Santa Barbara, California in front of two hundred wedding guests. Hart’s eight-year-old son snagged the role as best man, while the bride is pulling double duty as wedding planner. “To be honest with you, I don’t know what the hell is going on,” Hart said. “I told her to do what you want to do and just come back to me with the finished product.” Spoken like a true groom! But his bride-to-be sounds perfectly content playing planner. “He just wants me to be happy, and it will be both of our day,” Parrish explained.

But before the “I do’s” comes the bachelor party! But while the groom’s BFFs typically plan the bash, Hart has banned his Central Intelligence co-star, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, from handling the details. “I can’t throw him a bachelor party!” Johnson divulged. “A bachelor party full of protein shakes and dumb bells?” joked the groom.

Well, maybe protein shakes come spiked? Sound like a party to us!

See More: Memorable Vows from the Best TV and Movie Weddings

According to the traditions of anniversary gifting, your first wedding gift to your other half is supposed to be something made of paper. So if you’re having trouble looking for an interesting, thoughtful gift to ring in your first beautiful year together, look no further, because we’ve got just the paper present — from the heartfelt and home made to the creative and splurge worthy. Happy Anniversary!

1. Your vows
As a couple, your vows are the most meaningful words you have ever said to one another, which makes them the perfect present for your one year anniversary. We suggest getting in touch with the calligrapher you used for your wedding to have them professionally write them out for you on a high quality piece of paper in fancy handwriting. Or keep it simple and write it in your own hand. Either way, you’re bound to see a tear or two from your significant other, which is basically the goal of this present anyway, right?

2. Silver framed pictured
Ok, so a silver frame isn’t paper, but the picture inside is and that definitely counts. Locate an old photo of when you first met or a picture from one of your couple milestones to throw it back to old times. Pick the perfect frame for it to go in and you’re good to go. Having a photo that isn’t on Instagram or Facebook of the two of you is something you’ll treasure in your home for all the anniversaries to come.

3. Early edition book
You know your significant other like no one else does in the world. That means, you also know who their favorite author is and the books that thrill them and open their minds or the stories they’ve cherished since childhood and become a part of them. Show your partner you know their heart by tracking down a first or second edition copy of their favorite book on Ebay or via a private bookseller and you’ll win at first year anniversary presents.

4. Stationery
We tell our loves we love them via texts, Facebook messages, and phone calls, but we don’t really write a good old-fashioned love letter anymore. Change that by gifting a beautiful stationery set personalized to your other half for your one-year anniversary. Throw in a fancy pen and a letter to them of your own and you’ve got all the makings of the best pen pal.

5. Concert tickets
As a couple, you have songs that mean something to you and remind you of different times and moments in your relationship. Go paper by buying a set of concert tickets to the band that plays your song, or a band that you both enjoy together, and turn the “paper” present into another invaluable memory.

6. Plane tickets
Alright, so maybe this is kind of cheating, but if you print out the tickets, that totally counts as paper! Whether you want to plan a quick weekend getaway to one of your favorite locations or go for a full on second honeymoon, it’s never too early to celebrate being together for one year by being away.

See More: 10 Genius Ideas for Your First (Paper) Anniversary Present

Flowers and weddings go hand-in-hand, from bouquets and boutonnieres to centerpieces and cake decorations. But all those blooms can really add up, and the thought of throwing them away when the party is over can be pretty heartbreaking. Instead of putting those flowers in the trash, can your wedding guests take them home as a sweetly-scented souvenir? Our experts weigh in.

Finding something to do with your flowers at the end of the night is a great idea, whether it’s donating them to a local senior center or sending them home with your guests. There are, however, a few things you need to keep in mind.

The first is your vases. Chances are you’ve rented these from your florist, which means unless you want to pay retail price for each and every vessel, you should make sure your guests take the flowers and nothing else. A lot of larger vessels are actually holding flowers tucked into floral foam and sitting in plastic dishes, so that makes removing the flowers easier while allowing guests to leave the vases behind. For smaller centerpieces that are simply arranged in water, consider stocking up on cheap glass or plastic vases, then transferring the flowers out of your florist’s vases and into the ones you’ve purchased so guests can take them home. A dozen $3-$5 glass vases will be much less expensive than the artistic or special-ordered versions your florist is renting to you (which could run $20 a pop or more).

The second is how guests will transport the flowers home. Sure, they could simply tuck the flowers between their feet in the car, but having cardboard boxes and paper towels or newspaper will make it a little easier. Place the vase in the box, surround it with crumpled up paper for cushion, and the flowers will be much more secure in transport.

And of course, you have to get the word out! As the lights come on at the end of the night, ask your planner or catering manager to let guests know that the flowers are available to take home. Make sure they’re equipped with extra vases, and ask them to keep an eye on the ones you’ve rented from your florist to make sure none of his or her vessels walk out the door!

See more: 9 Wedding Items to Bring to Your Post-Wedding Brunch