Couples are taking advantage of the diverse venues that cities offer to host their wedding weekends.

Live music can impart a decidedly meaningful and lasting flourish to a wedding celebration. Here are some tips on what to ask when hiring musical entertainment for your big day.

Seven cake designs to satisfy your sweet tooth.

People fall in love with Providence for a myriad of reasons: it's small enough to get around in and get to know, but big enough to still have all of the possibilities big cities can offer; it is beautiful in its historical splendor and it looks great in any season; and when you fall in love with something (or someone), you want to share it with your friends and family for them to appreciate as much as you do.

No other place in New England combines historic attractions with a charming waterfront and spectacular natural beauty quite like Newport, Rhode Island – a city that has long been a premier wedding destination for native Rhode Islanders and people from all over the world.

October 22, 2011. The romance is straight out of a Jane Austen novel but the plot is all their own. Whitney Brown and Adam Cooke, avid Anglophiles, met during a British Studies course at the University of Texas at Austin in the spring of 2005. Last October, the couple exchanged vows in Bates Hall at the Boston Public Library with dinner afterward in the Abbey Room.

Quiet side streets and wide-open green spaces make Boston the ideal location for an urban wedding.

Cape Cod towns teem with charcter and big-time allure.

10.23.10 Leila and Vinny met at a barbecue. The pair started talking while grease spattered over them from the nearby grill –and the conversation never stopped. On October 23, 2010 they took their vows at the Four Seasons Hotel in Boston.

9.4.11. Elegance was the watchword as Stacy and Andrew chose Rosecliff mansion in Newport, RI as the stage for their romantic, blacktie affair.

This season we saw chalkboards being used at wedding receptions in a variety of creative ways.

From the shores of Newport to the hallowed halls of Boston: Eight inspiring tabletop designs

What we are loving right now: Artful Asian presentations.

As the kick-off to the nuptial weekend, the rehearsal dinner sets the tone for the subsequent events, so choosing the right setting, service and ambiance is essential. Options throughout Southern New England range from intimate to grand, depending on the size of your crowd and tone of your party.

We checked in with area wedding planners and asked them what they're doing throughout the planning process. Beginning with two months prior to the 'Big Event, ' we asked each planner to comment on their own activities during a certain time.

It's the first thing your guests see as they enter the reception, so it's your first impression. It's the guest book table.

The Rhode Island Wedding Group is joining forces with the Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Foundation for a bridal event to take place on Sunday, March 27, 2011.

As you begin to plan your wedding, consider this: the very first thing your guests see will not be you wearing white and it won't be all those picture-perfect flowers you've so carefully selected.

Want to put your budget for favors toward something meaningful? Charities, such as the Boston Children's Hospital, welcome wedding donations and provide cards to document your gift for display at your reception.

Beginning with a color palette, Meaghan knew she wanted to use navy blue in a contemporary way to represent her preppy style while adding a trendy twist. As a long-time subscriber to wedding magazines and avid reader of Southern New England Weddingsand Chatty Brides, Meaghan took a cue from a wedding in the 2010 edition and decided to use navy and white stripes with the bright contrast of hot pink.

Dessert tables are becoming a popular addition to the wedding reception menu, and in some instances, are replacing the traditional wedding cake altogether. Also perfect for pre-wedding parties, these treats are a cute way to have some fun with your food.

In today's modern times, traditional wedding etiquette doesn't always apply. But when it comes to ironing out the details of your wedding, there are some edicts that will always be a part of the rulebook.