by CD Gozzi

Created on: November 27, 2008

Your perfect day has come and gone. You were a beautiful bride, the ceremony was inspirational, and the reception was amazing. Now you have many leftover items. What in the world, are you going to do with them? Heaven forbid they all go into the garbage can! The creative bride has several options available to her here are a few suggestions to put in her repertoire.

Food and beverage leftovers

Depending on what was on the menu, there are several options for dealing with food. If there is just a little left, the caterer can box it up for the family members and bridal party (if local) to take home. It is nice to revisit the occasion by dining on the leftovers as newlyweds. Better yet, have family and friends over the next day to eat all the remaining food.

Not a local event? What about having the caterer take the leftovers to a local food shelter? Make sure you have already determined what the local environmental health regulations are so as not to cause a problem. If that were not an option, then find out from the caterer ahead of time if his/her staff would like to take home the leftovers. Another option is to contact Feeding America. http://feedingamerica.org/default.aspx?show_shov=1
Th ey can put the bride in contact with a local food bank or shelter for which to donate the wedding day dining leftovers.

As far as beverages, those that are contained in their own bottles can return with whoever purchased them father of the bride, the bridal couple or whomever. In the case of my wedding, we had plenty of all the beverages leftover. My family took the wine and champagne; our host took the remainder of the beer and my husband and I took the harder alcohol. It allowed us to start our home bar. If the bride's family is not willing to take the remainder, ask your guests if they would like to take some home. The caterer may even want to take the wines, as they are great ingredients for cooking.

Clothing

Every bride and bridesmaid wonders if the gown she buys will be something she can wear again. There are several options for what you want to do with your gown. If you are a traditionalist and have family members that have worn ancestor's gowns, you can keep yours for your children or other family members. If however, your gown is not something you cherish, there are a number of places that love to accept gently used gowns.

Many bridal shops and consignment shops will host your gown for a future brides or bridesmaid to buy. Computer savvy brides may want to post their gowns on

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