I wholeheartedly recommend inviting Ebay to your wedding! Well, actually Ebay wont be on your guest list, but if you do your research, the auction giant can be with you in spirit every step along the way.

Turn to Ebay for all your wedding planning needs, and you will soon find that you have a better selection than what is available in most local stores. And if you are on a budget, even better, because Ebay is the place to go for all your discount wedding supplies, favors, decorations, gifts, and more. There is a whole segment of Ebay sellers that are ready and waiting to accommodate your wedding planning needs large or small, budget or extravagance. And because the sellers know there is usually a time frame associated with wedding related purchases, most items are also available as Buy it Now, so waiting for an auction to end is not even an issue.

Here is just a sampling of some wedding related items that can be had on Ebay:

Champagne Flutes There are as many varieties as there are themes and color schemes for a wedding. Crystal, engraved, adorned stems that match handles on cake servers and knives, even glow in the dark for the eclectic amongst us.

Wedding Favors These are really fun, especially if you are having a small wedding because, unlike many retail stores the minimum orders are very small and many sellers will accommodate just about any quantity you ask for. There are gorgeous candy wrappers that include foil in multiple colors. Casino chips that contain custom imprints of your name and special day, a face value for the chip and even a graphic! Foil stamped napkins are also a popular favorite and come in about 2 dozen color and graphic choices. There are heart shaped measuring spoons, measuring tape and about 10 other related items with the theme Love Beyond Measure. Sachets, candles, and a myriad of other items that can be sold as is, or engraved for that special touch.

Unity Candles Another popular category, due in large part to the emergence of weddings that include blended families. I would wager you could scour every store in your area for Unity Candles and you will not find any that come with more than two tapers. After all, the original concept of the Unity Candle was the joining of two. However, Unity Candle ceremonies are starting to involve more than just two and children are often a part of this touching ceremony. But that leaves a need for more than just two taper candles. Up steps the Ebay sellers to the plate. Since many of them are making custom candles, with you own personalized poem or saying on them and decorations to match the wedding colors, they also have the ability to put together any number of taper candles as well. This is something you wont find in most places.

Ring Pillows and Flower Baskets Much the same as the Unity Candle makers, these crafty Ebay sellers are making all type of custom baskets and ring pillows for the little ones special part in your ceremony. There are embroidered varieties as well as a host of options for color and trim selection.

Banners and Decorations If youve tried to purchase any type of vinyl banner lately, you know the prices are sky high, mainly due to the fact that people in the market for a vinyl banner are usually businesses and the banners are priced accordingly. So a consumer looking for a durable Just Married banner, can end up finding nothing but commercial pricing. Ebay to the rescue once again, youll find a banner to your liking in no time at all.

Flowers No wedding is complete without the flowers and Ebay offers a huge variety for any and all purposes. A favorite choice amongst brides who want to have a hand in their own flowers are wholesales of artificial flowers. The selection is endless and the photos are absolutely wonderful, so it is very easy to determine what you are getting both in color and flower type. Buying multiple quantities of sprays, bouquets, garland, etc. all give you the opportunity to break apart the bundles and create any type of custom bouquet or headpiece you desire.

This is just the tip of the iceberg as to what is offered on Ebay and with diligent research, you will find inspiration for many other ideas as well. On average, many of the sellers who specialize in wedding supplies are artists and craftsmen and they take great pride in what they produce. You will see this reflected in very positive feedback on most sites. If not, simply steer clear and go on to the next seller.

All in all, a little research and common sense will be your guide and when your special day is over, you will almost feel like sending Ebay a thank you note for the special part they played in your wedding!