Wedding season is just a hop, skip, and a jump away. Gift expert Eden Clark, of eDivvy.com, offers the following themes for weddings in 2010:

In today’s economy, more couples are asking people to contribute to the wedding itself, or, at the very least, they are finding ways to slim down on the extravagant costs. Many are also having friends and family participate more directly in the wedding.

Etiquette sticklers may say the practice is not appropriate, but experts insist it is OK to ask people to contribute toward the wedding. Instead of buying a gift for after the big event, guests can contribute toward items for the wedding itself that everyone can enjoy.

That said, asking for cash outright may be a bit hard. Instead, think of asking a special guest to buy the flowers for the ceremony/tabletops, or a case of champagne that can be popped during toasts. Don’t forget during the wedding itself to thank the person who provided the needed item or service — they may love receiving the added recognition!

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