At my friend Jenn's wedding, I caught her mother surreptitiously removing the ceramic bride and groom on top of the wedding cake and replacing them with two Troll dolls. You know the ones -- short little dolls with scrunched-up faces and wildly-colored hair.

Caught in the act, her mom smiled and said, "That bride and groom just weren't right. Aren't these much more appropriate?"

She'd bought them at a yard sale over the summer, she told me, because they'd reminded her of Jenn and her fianc . And I had to admit that they were much more appropriate than the generic, smiling bride and groom that had been replaced. The girl Troll had hot pink hair and the boy Troll had his hair swept up into a sort of Mohawk, hairstyles that I'd seen Jenn and Kevin, Goth as they were, wear over the years.

The new cake topper was a huge hit at the wedding. I'd bet that there wasn't a guest there that didn't remark over the Trolls with a laugh and a nod at just how perfect they were. Over the course of the evening they became more than a cake topper. They became a source of fun and conversation and somehow symbolized these two special people and their union.

So often when it comes to wedding, people equate a beautiful wedding with a traditional wedding. But there's something to be said for a bride and groom who take the time to personalize their wedding. After all, what better occasion than a wedding to express who two people are, both as individuals and as a couple?

Weddings are the perfect canvas for personal expression. From table linens to food, favors to flowers, there are ample opportunities to make the day unique and personal, and as Jenn's mother so wonderfully demonstrated, wedding cake toppers are a perfect way to begin.

Don't be afraid to shun the traditional bride and groom at the top of your wedding cake. Miniature representations of you and your chosen aren't the only way to represent your love. Even if you're a tried-and-true traditionalist, there are still choices. Many of the larger party supply stores have large collections of ready-to-use wedding cake toppers ranging from the humorous to the touching. Besides miniature brides and grooms, you can find spun-glass hearts, ceramic lovebirds, and wedding bells.

The internet is also a wonderful shopping tool. A search for cake toppers or wedding supplies can turn up countless sites, some bound to have creative choices that you wouldn't necessarily find at the local shopping mall. Leave yourself plenty of time for surfing if this is the route you decide to go.

Still, no matter how expansive the section of cake toppers is in the store or online, don't let that limit you. If you haven't found what you're looking for, then a more creative route may be in order.

Consider making your own wedding cake topper. Jenn's mother simply plunked her yard sale finds onto the top of the cake, but with some easily-purchased items, a hot glue gun and a little creativity, you can have a more formal cake topper that's completely unique. It's easier than it sounds.

Most craft stores have at least one aisle dedicated to wedding supplies: tulle, lace, white flowers, etcetera. Generally, in this aisle you can also find the base for a cake topper, which is really nothing more than a simple, white, plastic or ceramic raised platform. You'll need one of these. It's also a good idea to pick out flowers or lace to camouflage the platform itself. It softens the look, particularly if you choose the less expensive plastic platform.

Once you've picked up the basic supplies, you can move onto the more important part: deciding what you want your topper to look like, what you and your intended wish to express.

What are your likes? Cat lovers might choose ceramic cat figurines, perhaps white and black to represent bride and groom. Do your careers figure prominently into your life and love? Many stores sell career-oriented figurines for a selection of professions. Or perhaps you met at a concert, in which case miniature musical instruments might be a great choice. Maybe you'll choose silk butterflies or glass frogs or maybe even a brass plate etched with your favorite quotation about love. The only thing limiting you is your imagination.

If you aren't sure what you want, then collectibles shops or card retailers that carry collectibles and figurines are a great place to start. Browsing might just spark inspiration, and the truth is that inspiration can be found anywhere, even at the craft shop itself. Jenn's mother, for example, found inspiration at -- of all places -- a yard sale.

Once you've chosen the focus of your topper, all that's left is arranging it to your satisfaction, which requires a little patience and some time to play around. Then glue it onto the platform and let it dry. If you've purchased flowers or lace (or beads or anything else you like) this will be the time to add them into the design.

So whether you've chosen pink-haired Trolls or delicate silk butterflies, when you're done, you'll have a wedding cake topper that'll be unique to your wedding and unique to your relationship, and potentially a wonderful keepsake that you'll cherish for years to come.

After all, your relationship is one of a kind. Shouldn't everything about your wedding be one of a kind as well, right down to what's on the cake?