Among the first things you should do, says Gartin, is "decide what kind of feeling you want to create." Once you figure that out, selecting everything from flowers to favors will be easier. "It can be as simple as saying you want to have a modern wedding or one that's garden-inspired, but it should complement your location," Gartin says. "A modern wedding in an old-fashioned teahouse is not going to work."

Shown: Leather poufs reinforce a Moroccan theme Gartin created.