Every couple, faced with the task of planning a wedding, has undoubtedly been dealt the challenge of creating an event which exudes their personality, creativity, and love. Although there are many elements which can contribute to a personalized event, none is more fun or simpler to create than a personalized wedding CD.

Personalized wedding CDs have become very popular favors at special events, for several reasons. First, nothing is more personal and touching than the sound of music. It is a universal communicator which speaks across all languages. Second, CD's offer a long lifetime of enjoyment. Unlike most other favors which will be consumed or discarded after the wedding, guests will be able to enjoy your wedding CD for many years to come. With this said, personalized wedding CDs might just be the ultimate wedding favor!

A great example of creativity is a Wedding CD created by Diann Cage, owner of Mercury Paperworks, for a recent wedding. The couple not only employed beautiful music, but also incorporated their favorite vibrant colors, which goes to show that you don't need to envelop everything in subdued hues while designing your wedding.

The CD jacket is made out of a beautiful textured green paper with raised circles of various sizes. The inside of the jacket is black and contains a pocket for the CD and an index of songs arranged in a perfect circle, mirroring the shape of the CD. The jacket closes with a black ribbon woven through it. Diann made sure to incorporate a continuing circular theme throughout the design which is not only the shape of the CD, but also reflects eternity.

If you are considering creating a wedding CD for your event, here are some tips which can make this project a bit easier.

Decide On A Budget. A budget will allow you to get a better perspective of how you will execute your idea. Will you hire a professional to create your CD, purchase a ready-made CD from a store or the Internet, or leave the entire task for yourself? Your budget is an integral guide to determining your options.

Who Will Create the CD? Once your budget is assessed, your next step should be to decide whether or not you will purchase a ready-made wedding CD or create your own. The Internet has many resources for purchasing a ready-made CD. They come beautifully packaged and have a listing of songs that are enjoyed by most music lovers, no matter which genre they prefer. If you decide to create your own and hire a graphic designer to create your jacket, contact the designer two to three months before the wedding. Time-lines may vary depending on the complexity of the design and printing requirements.

Decide On the Length of Your CD. Although the two of you may have many favorite songs, consider including only the most special to you as a couple. Ten to fifteen songs on a wedding CD is a good number to aim for.

Come Up With A Theme and Music Design. Most music professionals compiling music CDs spend years perfecting their technique, but all you have to know is to comfortably group your songs based on their tempo. If you are planning to create a CD mix with differently paced songs, consider arranging a few slow songs together followed by a few faster ones. Since some people group their CD collection by mood (dinner, cocktail, dance music, etc.) -- you may want to make a CD that only includes your most favorite slow songs so your listeners will always remember to listen to your CD when they have a dinner party, driving in their car after a long day at work, or just listening to music while they work. Of course, this same idea goes for wedding CDs devoted to your favorite fast paced or dance music.

Most importantly, enjoy this time together with your fiancé. Since this is a project which involves both of you, this wedding favor will have a special place in both your hearts.