While you making all of the plans for your wedding, please don’t forget to plan an event for your bridesmaids.  This was traditionally a luncheon held on the day of the wedding but with all the stress of the big day, most brides now hold it as soon as all of their attendants have gotten into town.  And, it doesn’t have to be a luncheon, you can have a breakfast, brunch, tea, or dinner instead.

Who to Invite

Your maid and/or matron of honor, bridesmaids, flower girls with their mothers, your mother (who may help you host) and your fiance’s mother.  You can also invite other female relatives; grandmothers, aunts, and sisters, and the women who hosted your showers.

Where to Have It

Your home, your mother’s home, restaurant, country club, spa, tearoom, or outdoors at a park or beach.  It’s up to you and your style.

Show Your Appreciation

Offer a toast to your attendants and thank them for helping you with your wedding.  This is also the time to give your attendants their gifts.

The Charm Cake

It’s tradition that a charm cake is served at the end of the meal.  Silver charms with symbolic meanings are attached to satin ribbons and placed between the layers of the cake or under the cake.  Each maid and matron of honor and bridesmaid gets to pull a ribbon and get a charm.  The she is told the symbolic meaning of the charms.  For instance, an airplane charm can mean adventure and an engagement ring can mean that she will be the next to marry.  You can find charms at wedding favor websites or specialized wedding cake charm sites.  Be sure you give your baker the charms when you order the cake so they can be added when they frost your cake.

Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan, costars of the movie Step Up, got married Saturday, July 11, at Church Estate Vineyards in Malibu, the same venue both Fergie and Josh Duhamel and Natasha Bedingfield and Matt Robinson used for their weddings this year.

Here are the ideas from people.com’s report that you’ll want to steal:

• A short, 15 minute outdoor ceremony

• A fairy theme carried out by two flower girls who wore wings

• Bridesmaids wore long, flowing,  pink, halter-neck dresses.  The halter neckline varied a little among the women.

• Jenna wore a Reem Acra strapless wedding gown with a sweetheart neckline

• Flowers at the ceremony were were white and pink roses

• The sit-down reception took place in a tent

• The cake was shaped like a castle with fairies.  Flavors included red velvet, chocolate and white.

• The favors were crystals, which kept to the fairy theme

Having a tough time selecting bridesmaids’ dresses when everyone’s height, shape, coloring, age and style are different?  Remember, you don’t have to put them all in the very same dress.  Some alternatives:

• Pick a color and have each of them pick a dress in that color in a style that suits them
• Select a shape that would work for all the bridesmaids and order it in different colors
• Vary the style of the dress, for instance, sleeved or sleeveless or strapless or one-shouldered

Of course, you want to find dresses that are affordable, and, if possible, that they can wear again.