For most brides, the wedding dress is hugely sentimental -- even though you will probably never wear it again. So instead of just keeping it in the back of your closet, why not do something with it?

Here are some suggestions we've collected from brides and wedding professionals:

• Use the skirt to make a bassinet lining for your future children.
• Use the material in a wedding quilt.
• Use the fabric in a christening gown for your children
• Make handkerchiefs from the gown fabric, and have your monogram and wedding date stitched in.
• Make decorative pillows for your home from your gown fabric.
• Use the fabric to make smaller accessories like headbands, garters, and purses that you can pass down to your future daughters to use in their weddings, or give to your friends for theirs.

Of course, all of these ideas require cutting up your gown. If you can't bear that idea, there's really nothing wrong with storing it in your closet in hopes that maybe one day your future daughters will want to wear it when they walk down the aisle. But before you get your hopes up too much, just remember how we feel about the fashions of decades past.

Then again, there's always Halloween...

If you'd like to create one-of-a-kind glasses for the two of you -- either wine glasses, champagne flutes, or even just simple water goblet -- it can be a simple project to take on. Some glass paint and conditioner, a brush or two, and the glass. If you're not the best artist in the world, a few hearts or just some swirls can create a very attractive effect. Remember, for an elegant effect, less is very often more, particularly on glass, where you can see the design from both sides, and it can easily get looking too busy.

If you have a little more talent as a painter, you might want to get more adventurous. Check out the gallery for inspiration!

We know we've talked about trashing the dress before, but we thought you'd just love this example of another couple industriously trashing her dress -- but gently. If you were a bit horrified by the though of smearing your dress with mud or even (we shudder) setting it afire, you'll be relieved to know that no wedding gowns were permanently injured in the making of this photo set!

What we loved most about this set is how much fun they seem to be having. The photographer has captured their sense of play exceedingly well. In the industrial wasteland under the bridge, in the park, splashing around in a fountain, these two are having a great time. The bride's grin alone is worth the time it will take you to click the link to see the slide show. And if that's not enough, if you've ever tried to smooch with your sweetie while on separate swings, you'll laugh out loud at that section.

Check out the gallery below, and since we're sure that won't be enough fun for one day, then go see the photographer (John Lew)'s slide show.

Want to avoid that dreadful moment when your bestman sheepishly admits he forgot/lost/dropped the rings? Then get yourself a ring pillow and tie those babies firmly on. That way you know you'll have the rings when you need them, plus you provide an extra 'Aah how sweet!' moment as your ringbearer walks down the aisle.

Of course, if you decide to do this you then need to find a suitable ring pillow. One that reflects your wedding theme or personal style. It should be easy - there are lots of ringbearer pillows available, in a huge variety of styles. From classic, elegant and traditional white to cute 'n kitsch to vaguely amusing to quite outlandish.

If you want your dog to carry your ring to you, then get your pup a set of 'doggy wings'. Or maybe you're having a beach themed wedding and would love to have your rings revealed in an oyster? Or in a Cinderella carriage, perhaps? Maybe on a horseshoe? Whatever you want, you'll probably find it somewhere. (And Etsy is, once again, a fabulous source.)

Or, if you're feeling very brave (or just wonderfully creative), then why not make it yourself and get exactly what you want?

For a clearer idea of what's available on the Internet, click through the gallery below.

For many women, their wedding dress is the most beautiful (and often, the most expensive) dress they will ever wear. It is a dress apart, the ultimate dress, the one-day-in-a-life, one-of-a-kind dress. You'll have the pictures, of course. You'll have your memories. You might even opt to have your dress preserved, though once it's been put in its box, that dress will likely only sit on a shelf in a closet.

If you're looking for a different, creative way to preserve and display that dress, you'll be interested in the gown art of Stephanie London. Stephanie has been painting dresses for nine years, wedding gowns in particular for four. Working mostly with acrylic paint and pencil, Stephanie will create a piece of art that will recreate your gown in a way that can live permanently in a place of honor in your home!

via: GetMarried

These romantic placecard holders will make welcome favors when your guests take them home and house a new picture inside them. Maybe they'll even slip in a picture of your wedding!

What better way to invite your guests to take their seats? The castle frames the placecard, and in the lower corner, a knight rides off into the sunset with his beautiful bride. This sweet little frame would be useful for either a fairy-tale or Cinderella-themed wedding, or for a wedding themed to a time in history -- the middle ages, the Renaissance.

For information on purchasing this castle placecard holder, check out Favor Warehouse.com.

The theme at AisleDash this week is hosting a wedding with a Renaissance flare -- the cultural movement that swept through Europe between the 14th and 17th centuries. Although that's quite the timespan to draw from, it's also an incredible period of history to be inspired by, from the dress to the food to the shoes to the decorations.

If you've decided upon a Renaissance wedding, you're sure to have a beautiful day and every detail can come back to your theme. One such detail are your toasting flutes -- those fun glasses you get to sip bubbly from as husband and wife for the first time. And, if you feel nostalgic in the years to come, you can pull them out on each anniversary and sip champagne from them.

This lovely set of toasting flutes at Daisy-Days.com has a Renaissance feel with ornate silver accents. They'd be the perfect addition to a Renaissance wedding.

(You can purchase these flutes at Daisy-Days.com for $44.95 each.)

We wrote about the personalized-with-photos Monopoly game earlier. Now we're back with a new, different, even more appropriate version -- wedding monopoly!

This version of Monopoly is completely custom made in the factory. You send in your specifications, wait 4 - 6 weeks, and receive your game! You could have it be a surprise, and order it for the couple, or you could simply purchase them a gift certificate/voucher, and let them design their own.

You can name the 22 property squares, you can choose and name the icons, you can name the game. This game is made in the real Monopoly factory, and will come in a lovely metal presentation box. Even the rules and the title deed cards are personalized. This is a 100% original gift, perfect for your favorite wannabe real estate tycoons!

For more information on Wedding Monopoly, check out Firebox.com.

What a terrific activity for a shower -- and a shower gift in one! Bring one or two of these "Happily Ever After" pillows to a shower, hand it around amongst the guests, and see what good wishes and great advice come back! Each pillow is 10" x 10" (about 22 cm each way), and comes with a fabric marker. The front is beautifully embroidered with "advice on Happily Ever After" stitched in flowing script. There should be plenty of room on the cotton twill for several people to jot down their words of wisdom.

Although the markers are permanent, of course, you'll want to preserve them, so be sure to spot-wash only as necessary. For more information on the Happily Ever After pillow, check out Wrapables.com.

There's a Monopoly game for every person, place and occasion these days. Here's a great gift for the Monopoly fan: a chance to have their very own board, personalized with pictures to suit themselves.

In fact, Photo-opoly is more of a DIY Monopoly kit than it is a pre-formed game. You'll need 22 of your own pictures, and then with the help of the instruction manual, you can either use their pre-printed title cards or make your own. The kit includes art pens or printer instructions to help you make your own property labels. A creative group of bridemaids could create a game for the couple that would be a great reminder of their dating and engagement history.

Because you create this at home, the pictures and labels can be as personal as you want. So if the two of you create your very own ... honeymoon version, nobody will see them but you!

All of us at AisleDash find creative inspiration from other Web sites and entertaining blogs on the Internet, as there are some true and talented gems out there to draw from. One blog I frequent for it's originality, intense and incredible color palettes and true creativity is Hostess with the Mostess (www.HostessBlog.com). The brains behind the brilliance, Jenn Sbranti, recently (and graciously!) took some time to answer a few questions that should help all brides-to-be and party planners for the upcoming wedding and entertaining seasons.

What are some up-and-coming themes in entertaining that you see emerging? For instance, we featured a pink-and-brown week on AisleDash.com, which has been a hot color-combination in weddings (and parties) for some time now, but what are some color combos or new themes that our readers might be pleasantly surprised to see in the coming seasons?

I'm starting to see a lot of color palettes featuring jet-black combined with a bright contrast color. Some of my favorite examples include yellow, aqua, lime green or coral-red paired with black. These color combos are especially great for summer because the bright element creates a playful, summery feel, and the black adds a chic, elegant factor that's perfect for special occasions like weddings and evening cocktail or dinner parties

If you can't decide between a unity candle and unity sand ... you don't have to! After you've poured your sand into the central glass container, simply add a tea light to the top. Most people will choose to only use the sand at the ceremony, and add the candles at home as a permanent keepsake.

However, there's nothing that says you can't pour the sand during the ceremony, then light the candles at the reception! Or perhaps you'll choose to light the candles when you return from your honeymoon, to celebrate the beginning of your regular life as married people. You could even make this an anniversary tradition!

For more information on Unity Sand, check out Wedding Solutions.com

We love finding small, handmade items that have an old-world feel. And if you love vintage as much as we do, then we think you'll enjoy these charms and pendants from Alphaneenee at Etsy.

Denise, the owner, hand makes each charm using lead-free solder. And while she has many items ready made for you to choose from, she can also do custom items.

You can get initial charms for all of your bridesmaids. And they are so, well, charming that your bridal party will adore them. With an affordable price, you won't break the bank either.

Stay tuned for an interview with Denise as we learn more about her work and how she makes these gorgeous charms and necklaces.



Images used with permission from alphaneenee on etsy.

If you'd like your own picture featured here, simply upload photos into our group Flickr Pool. We'll highlight one image every Monday. We're looking for brides and grooms and attendants and guests and cakes and shoes and anything else that was fabulous about your wedding day. Be sure to read the intro on the main Flickr page for more information, and please upload only photos for which you own the copyright.

Sometimes you just want something that no one else has. Something totally unique for your wedding. Well, we think we found an item just for you. At the Paper Cake, they will make you a special wedding cake-inspired card/ money holder for your reception.

As guests enter the reception, they usually drop their cards on the gift table. With this beautiful box, you can collect the cards all in one place, ensuring that you don't lose any of them. And with the "Custom Cake" option, you can have the box made especially to match your wedding decor and colors.

When the wedding's over, use it to store cards, pictures, and other wedding and honeymoon keepsakes. You may find that these handcrafted boxes are just what you were looking for to add a unique element to your reception -- one that you can keep as a reminder of your beautiful day!

You can order these items or get a custom quote at Paper Cake.