A bride-to-be friend was recently telling me about all her preparations for her big day. It was all pretty standard until she told me about ordering her table cards. I didn't have assigned seating at my wedding, so I didn't need table cards, but I did always assumed that you just made these yourself.

It turns out, I'm wrong, and a lot of people order table cards to mark place settings from an outside source. To me, it seems like this would be way more trouble than it's worth. What happens when you have last-minute RSVPs? In addition to the hassle, it just seems like an expense that's not necessary.

I'd recommend buying blank cards and writing the names yourself. To make it more stylish, you can get a book on calligraphy and a few calligraphy pens at a craft store. I've done calligraphy myself, and it's actually pretty easy to pick up. If you're not great at it, though, maybe your attendants can help you with the project.

The Calligrapher's Bible is available at Amazon.com for $16.47, and customers who have reviewed the book give it an average of 5 stars out of 5. The book includes 100 different calligraphy alphabets and instructions for drawing them. It will take a little bit of time, but it might save you an unnecessary expense and hassle, and calligraphy might just end up a fun new hobby for you.