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New Trends in Wedding Reception Decor

January 29, 2012 By Harmony Leave a Comment

wedding centerpieces It’s true what they say, if you want a beautiful wedding, you must invest on the reception décor. How you dress up the reception venue plays a big role in the overall look of your wedding. It’s not only money that you have to spend for this but also your time and energy. Below, we’ll take a look at the hottest incoming trends for this year so you’d have some ideas on what to incorporate on your big day.

Wedding themes, welcome back!

There was a brief time when wedding themes became a “thing of the past.” It’s not anymore. It has made a comeback for this year, thanks to those brides who just have too much imagination not to have a wedding theme. So, what are your options? A beach theme with drift wood decors, conch shell and star fish centerpieces will complement a seafood dinner. It’s also nice to have an outdoor wedding on a wine estate and serve exquisite wine and yummy cheese all night long. Barn weddings, vintage Victorian and ethnic celebrations are just few of the many other options that you have.

Specialty stations to take you by surprise

Specialty stations are going to be a part of the reception decorations from now on. Let’s start with those decadent candy buffet stations that come complete with pretty scoops and spoons. Guests especially those with a sweet tooth will feel like they’re in heaven when hanging out near this particular station. And because it’s so colorful, it adds to the beauty of the reception venue.

Dessert trolley stations that go around with gorgeous cupcakes, pastries and treats are just as big hit. A photo booth also adds funk to your wedding reception décor. This is usually included for the enjoyment of the guests who will have a grand time doing wacky poses and dressing up in funny costumes in front of the camera.

Be impressed with 2012 colors

What are the colors for this coming year? Wedding experts say that delicate natural shades are huge this 2012. Some color options that you would want to consider for your reception décor are dove gray, pale blue, soft aqua, beige and gold. Let’s not forget tangerine tango, which has just been declared as the pantone color of the year. It’s a beautiful color that you can pair up with various shades like bronze, chocolate brown, pewter gray and even hot pink!

DIYs are still very much in

It’s probably going to take a long time before DIY wedding items become outdated. For table centerpieces for example, DIY still reigns supreme. While you don’t have to make everything from scratch, you may purchase clear vases and other containers from online stores and decorate them yourself. Adding personal touch results in finer details that go a long way in impressing the people attending your special day.

Cupcakes cute and tasty

Cupcakes were a big trend last year. They continue to be so for this year. These colorful and adorable sweet treats make wonderful decorative items. Not to mention, they’re also tasty and appetizing!

Love these trends? Then incorporate them into your wedding!

Filed Under: Reception & Ceremony Tagged With: decor, Decoration, Decorations, new trends, Reception

Throwing A Bridal Shower With Style And Class

November 28, 2011 By Wendy Leave a Comment

Holding a bridal shower is easy. Holding one that has style and class is a different story. If you browse the internet, you’ll find plenty of tips, ideas and suggestions on how to make your best friend’s bridal shower successful but if you’re looking for something beyond that, something that will make the bride realize she’s the luckiest to have you as her best friend and that she made the right choice picking you as the maid of honor, then focus on these tips that would allow you to throw a bridal shower party that exudes with elegance.

Focus on the bride

Before anything else, you have to keep this rule of the thumb in mind: focus on the bride. It’s her day before the big day! The shower isn’t just about a group of friends and relatives getting together. It’s about them getting together to celebrate the bride as well as give her a bit of a chance to relax and unwind. When planning the shower, always think of her—what she would like to do, what she would prefer to eat, who she would want to invite, who she doesn’t want to see, you get the idea.

Incorporate a theme

There are lots of elegant themes out there that you can use for your friend’s bridal shower. But two that stand out are the gourmet shower and spa and beauty shower. If your friend is the kind of person who’s known for her impeccable taste, particularly on food, she’d definitely love a gourmet-themed bridal shower. It gives you a good excuse to pamper her taste buds. Go for wine, cheese, chocolates and other delectable foods. Gifts should center on glassware, bakeware, wine and gourmet food.

Now, if she’s the type who’s a spa fanatic but her always-busy schedule doesn’t allow her to get anywhere near the spa, this would give her the beauty rest she has always wanted. It’s also ideal since her wedding day is fast approaching. It can be done at the spa near your friend’s house or at her home. You’ll find that there are lots of facials as well as other beauty treatments that can be done at home. It’s also a good idea to hire a manicurist or massage therapist during the party at home.

Hold it in the garden

Unless you’re going for the beauty/spa theme, another elegant idea would be to hold the shower in the garden. As you know, there’s always something classy about garden events. Make sure that you decorate the garden venue with all things that speak of sophistication. Paper streamers, tea light candles, lace table cloths and orchid flower arrangements can turn any bland yard into a chic bridal shower venue.

Make personalized invitations

Customized invitations give a charming touch to any event. Use a computer editing program to design an elegant invitation for the bridal shower. You can round up the bridesmaids to add some elegant embellishments to the invites like some rhinestone stickers, lace or silk ribbon or pearl trinkets. It’s also a smart move to send out e-vites so you can invite everyone without having to print on a single paper.

Plan the food

When planning the menu for the party, you always need to consider what time you’re having it. If it’s for lunch or dinner, a catered buffet would be apt. If you’re holding it in the afternoon, which is the most common practice of bridal showers, bite-sized desserts are suitable. Make the dessert buffet centerpiece a rich chocolate fountain decorated with raspberries in goblets. As for the drinks, have cocktail drinks to complement the food. Add a coffee and tea bar to add even more elegance to the event.

Do something exciting

An elegant party doesn’t have to be boring. You can still engage in fun games and activities apart from the gift-opening aspect of the bridal shower. First, make a great icebreaker. This is important especially if the guests don’t know each other well. Then go on with games that focus on the bride. For example, a trivia game that finds out which of the guests know the bride the most. The questionnaire can include how the bride and groom met, where their honeymoon is going to be held, what the bride’s favorite food is, and so on.

These are just few of the countless ideas that you can incorporate into your friend’s bridal shower event.

Filed Under: Tips & Ideas Tagged With: bridal showers, class and style, Planning, throwing

Centerpiece Ideas

November 12, 2011 By Jennifer Leave a Comment

7 Wedding Centerpiece Ideas That Transform Your Tables

After selecting your wedding theme, your next step is to think very carefully about the details. The wedding gown, the bridal accessories and makeup, the menu, the wedding favors, venue for the ceremony and of course, the reception must be well-organized and planned to keep you safe from any problems when the big day sets in. Since the reception is one of the most important parts of the wedding, you need to lay out your plans to make it extra special. Aside from selecting the set menu with the appetizer, main course, dessert and drinks, you must also use your creative juices to select the best centerpiece that would complement your wedding theme and make the dining table more beautiful and enticing.

Think about a certain level of formality and how the food will be served to your guests during the reception to identify the perfect wedding centerpiece. Also, consider your preferences and the time of your wedding. This will be easy for you because you can choose the centerpiece inspired by the following seasons. Make sure to opt for the one that falls within the same season as your wedding date.

Fall Season Table Centerpiece Ideas:

Arrange fruits such as berries and grapes on fruits bowls to add texture and color to the dining tables. Opt for the fruit bowls made of glass to create a more classy appeal. Make sure the fruits have been washed thoroughly so the guests can help themselves.
You may also use a clear glass bowl with some floating candles and pebbles at the bottom if you are having a fall beach wedding. Add bunches of roses, mums, sunflowers and daisies to make a very beautiful centerpiece that will delight guests at your reception.

Winter Season Table Centerpiece Idea:

The most predominant color for this season is white because it’s reminiscent of the pristine snow. For a magnificent winter-inspired centerpiece, opt for towering candelabras with long white candles to provide illumination and at the same time, design to the wedding tables. These will exude a very romantic atmosphere especially when white roses surround the candelabras.

Spring Season Table Centerpiece Ideas:

Since spring is all about everything in bloom, why not create a centerpiece from flowers in season? These are cheap and abundant so grab the opportunity to take all your favorite in-season flowers and arrange them in unique and beautiful manner. Mix several kinds with different complimenting colors or just have a single stalk of flower in a clear glass vase, you will definitely have a lovely and fresh centerpiece. You may also arrange flowers in a tall table and adorn them with rhinestones or Swarovski crystals for an elegant décor.
Fruits in season also make a great centerpiece when arranged in the same ways like arranging flowers. Have them on silver trays or clear vases and stare at them with amazement. Wash the fruits clean and place them on trays or bowls to add pizzazz to your dining table. The fruits can also be eaten by the guests if they want to.

Summer Season Table Centerpiece Ideas:

Since beach weddings are very famous during this season, you can use marine-inspired materials for your centerpiece. Have some sea shells arranged in an artistic manner and tie a ribbon around them for a simple yet classy do-it-yourself centerpiece. You may also half-fill a glass bottle with white sand and adorn it with tiny pebbles, sea shells and little sailboats to invoke the feel of the beach.
If you love flowers, then opt for tulips, roses and lilies for your centerpiece. You may use these flowers for arrangements or in combination with crystals for a modern look. Have them tall or short depending on your preference. You can also combine them with tea light candles for a romantic and cheerful ambience. Make sure the flowers are tall enough so that they will not interfere with your guests’ dining.

These season-themed wedding table centerpieces could really transform your tables from plain-looking to beautiful and breath-taking. Set your budget first and work within it. Make sure to opt for the centerpiece that you can afford to avoid wasting valuable resources. Use your imagination to come up with the most interesting and magnificent centerpiece for the wedding reception.

Filed Under: eCommerce Portfolio Tagged With: centerpiece ideas, Wedding Centerpieces, wedding table decorations

Ceremony Decorations

November 12, 2011 By Wendy Leave a Comment

Gorgeous Accessories, Supplies, and Décor for Your Wedding Ceremony

Having a beautiful wedding doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to spend a fortune on different wedding details such as the wedding venue, reception, invitations, wedding favors, menu and many more. In fact, you can still have an unforgettable wedding on a shoestring budget. All you need to do is to rely on your creativity and resourcefulness to get things right for your big day.

Beyond the usual wedding decorations such as flowers, doves and white candles, you can be as creative as you can to achieve an impressing wedding look. You may hire the services of a wedding planner if you have sufficient funds or do it yourself to save some precious money.

You can find very affordable materials and supplies in unlikely places and use these to make your centerpieces, invitations and wedding favors. If you’re a really frugal person, you need to watch out for clearance sales to avail of even cheaper items to be used on your wedding ornaments. Most of the items on sale are seasonal, so it’s the right time to purchase them if you are planning a season-themed wedding.

Here is a rundown of some gorgeous yet cheap decors which are ideal for your wedding day.

A plant that you can eat- Yes, there’s such a thing as edible plant desserts. To make this yummy and decadent dessert for your wedding, just fill a glass candle holder with chocolate pudding and top it with crushed chocolate cookies which will serve as the “dirt”. You may add some flowers to make it more realistic. Serve with wooden ice cream spoons.
Simple yet lovely wedding car ornament- Attach some pompom garlands on your wedding car. You can make these by combining twines and tissue paper and forming them into pompoms.
Opt for the tea cup centerpiece- Fresh flowers are fragrant, colorful and beautiful but they tend to wilt and fade so why not choose elegant tea cups and saucers as your dining table’s centerpiece? Aside from being inexpensive, you can have an instantly classy and pretty table décor everyone will love.
Dry cleaning kits- For your bridesmaids, try giving dry cleaning kits that they can use to deal with different kinds of stains on clothes. These will keep them worry-free from mascara or lipstick stains while enjoying the wedding.
Ditch the old flower basket- For a modern look, opt for the pinafore instead of the basket for the flower girls. Pinafores are free and distinctive; you can create them using old table linens. You can even hand these down to the next generation.
Button seat cards- With the names of the guests on the buttons-cum-seating cards, you can make the occasion more special by letting your guests introduce themselves to one another.
Wrap the bouquet with a handkerchief- Who says handkerchiefs are only used to wipe tears? In a special occasion such as a wedding, you can use your white handkerchiefs to tie a bouquet of flowers and to decorate even the floral centerpiece on the reception table.
Get your hands dirty with handmade fans- For outdoor weddings which are usually and uncomfortably hot, it is ideal to use handmade fans. To keep the guests from too much heat, distribute these to them and they’ll be really thankful for your thoughtfulness. Be creative on your designs.
Address book as wedding favor- Ensure that the friendship formed among guests will last longer by giving our address books as gifts.
Make your placecards beautiful with a butterfly detail- Create butterfly-shaped placecards using special paper of any color of your choice and place them on the rims of champagne or wine glasses.
Opt for an inexpensive table centerpiece- Use flowers or fruits in season and arrange them artistically on glass bowls or vases for a simple yet attractive wedding centerpiece. You may also use candles placed in decorated bags or floating on glass bowls filled halfway with water for a lovely effect.
Interesting wedding invitations- Create some DIY invitations with pressed flowers and leaves, an artwork made by you or your fiancé and other personalized details to make your guests feel extra special. Also, make sure to handwrite the names of the people you want to invite to make it more significant.

Filed Under: eCommerce Portfolio Tagged With: family wedding ceremony, flower girl baskets, flower petals, ring bearer pillows, unity candle ceremony, unity sand ceremony, wedding aisle runners, wedding memorial

Reception Decorations

November 12, 2011 By Stephanie Leave a Comment

Unique Decoration Ideas For The Perfect Wedding Reception

What makes a wedding reception unique? Aside from the food, it’s the décor that really sets the stage. In order to distinguish your wedding reception, be sure to pay a lot of attention to the details that go into it. Even the littlest things are very important. If choreographed correctly, all the tiny details that you worked hard to get exactly right will come together to form a beautiful reception. Here are some unique decoration ideas for the perfect wedding reception.

Pick a Theme

Are you getting married on the beach or in a hotel? During summer or fall? Your décor will be guided by your theme, so be sure to choose carefully. Once you’ve picked a them, such as Fall Country Wedding, then you can get started. First, think about your wedding and reception venue. For a fall country wedding, an orchard would be a good place to hold it, or in a re-purposed barn. If you live in a state where the leaves change color, make the most of it and use gorgeous golden and russet leaves in your décor. For a fall country wedding, you’ll want everything to be cozy and homey. Hire a popular fiddlers quartet to provide your wedding music. Serve traditional desserts like apple pie. Once you’ve picked a theme, it’s up to you to make it come alive.

Play with Flowers

Flowers are a traditional component of every wedding. But you can be unique in the way that you use your wedding flowers. Instead of putting your flower centerpieces on the table, why not hang these above the table? Dangling flowers will be a creative and unexpected touch that will be sure to impress your guests. If your budget can’t accommodate a lot of fresh flowers, you can use fresh flowers only in your bouquet and buy or rent matching silk flowers to decorate the church and use as centerpieces. You can also scour garage sales for old vases that fit your wedding theme. Centerpieces don’t have to be large and costly. A single flower with greenery in a simple vase is elegant and affordable.

One fun way to coordinate your wedding flowers with your centerpieces is to use flowers instead of table numbers. Use a different type of flower for each table. Make sure that the flower is easily recognizable to most people.

Coordinating your wedding flowers to your centerpieces will ensure a complementary wedding that will leave a sweet scent in the minds of your guests.

Living wedding favors

Guests can remember you even after the wedding if you give away handmade paper cards with flower seeds as wedding favors. When they get home they can plant the card and then wait for a beautiful flower to bloom. Each time they see the flower they will be reminded of your wedding. Check local shops to see if the cards are available. You can also make your own. Buy your favorite flower seeds in bulk. Next, look for paper cards that can be planted. Attach the flowers seeds to the card using biodegradable material. Voila, you’ve got yourself a live wedding favor.

Go back to your roots

Do your families have any cherished wedding traditions? Ask your elderly relatives for customs and traditions that they followed for their weddings reception. One nice touch is putting a picture of you and your grooms’ parents cutting their wedding cake next to your own wedding cake. It’s a nice gesture that honors both your families. You can also come up with your very own tradition.

Customize your cake

Instead of a single giant wedding cake, try small tiers of cupcakes or small cakes. You can mix and match flavors and colors for a fun twist on a traditional white wedding cake.

Ins lieu of a traditional bride and groom cake topper, top off your cake with an object that is significant to both of you such as a sailboat or car.

There are many ways to make your wedding reception unique using décor. Incorporate some of these suggestions into your wedding reception, or let them serve as inspiration. They say that the devil is in the details, so you’ll want to make sure that every detail of your décor is perfect.

Filed Under: eCommerce Portfolio Tagged With: Accessories, disposable wedding cameras, supplies, wedding pens, wedding place cards, wedding reception decorations, wedding wishing wells

Candles

November 11, 2011 By Wendy Leave a Comment

How to Use Wedding Candles for Both Reception and Ceremony Decorations

Candles are indispensable part of any wedding ceremony and reception. In fact, these have so many uses and have the capacity of exuding a certain atmosphere once lighted inside the venue of the special occasion. They provide a special kind of illumination that is why they have been used as an integral part of many important rituals and ceremonies such as marriage. Wedding candles can be used for decorating the venue of the wedding ceremony and accentuating the reception hall as well. Being cheap and affordable, candles can make any special events more special by lending their charming appeal and lovely glow.

Here are some great suggestions on how to use your wedding candles to beautify and impart unique glow to your ceremony and reception venues.

Place some candles at the altar or in any place where you will be having your wedding ceremonies. You may also line the walls and windows with candles placed on a candle holder that would cover the flame and the candle to avoid causing fire.
Choose stunning themes and accentuate them by using candles such as the Asian Fusion or the Celtic Charm candles which are red with black trimmings and muted green respectively. When choosing wedding candles, always keep in mind that these must be coordinated with the overall theme to create a smooth look.
Wedding candles could also become amazing centerpieces for the tables at the wedding’s reception. Achieve a romantic glow by placing candles on glass holders or the ones made with paper having different colors. You may also place candles in martini glasses for a classy and interesting centerpiece. Add a floral arrangement around the central candle and see your guests’ eyes marvel at the ethereal beauty right in front of them.
Scented candles don’t belong only in your bathroom or bedroom. They can also be used for your wedding ceremony or reception too! Smell the fragrance and feel the good ambience surrounding everybody during your wedding vows. If you are going to use scented candles for your reception, ensure that the subtle scents won’t mess with the food’s aroma and flavor because when dining, the smell is important for the sense of taste to work properly.
Use wedding candles in place of your regular venue lighting. This will create a romantic and subdued atmosphere you and your guests will surely enjoy. Of course, for the banquet table, have sufficient light.
Turn your ordinary candles into something special by making wedding floating candles that you could use for your wedding beside a pool or a pond. You may also have flower petals floating along with the candles for a more romantic ambience.
For a lovely yet affordable wedding favor, you can use wedding candles to give to your guests. Engrave their names or a special message on the candle holder to make them feel appreciated.
Place the wedding candles inside decorated bags or lanterns and line the pathway towards the reception area. Choose the ones that have heart, flower and other romantic details. It will create a magnificent feel and people will also feel extra special while walking along the path. Use tea light candles for the lanterns or luminaries to create the effect.
Scented candles can also be used as wedding favors. Your guests can use them to provide illumination on any part of their home or simply add a cozy atmosphere filled with sweet scent to their bedroom. You may also pair it with an exquisite candle holder to make it more special and personalized.
Pack a scented wedding candle with bath soap, aromatic oil and essences with the same scent to make your very own aromatherapy gifts for your guests. Since scented candles are very popular nowadays, all you need to do is to shop for the candles of your choice and select the items to go with it.

Wedding candles are very versatile; you can use them in so many ways to achieve your ideal wedding. Use them as decorations on your venue, as illuminators, as gifts or wedding favors, the choices are endless. Just use your imagination and creativity to turn those ordinary candles into special ornaments and gift items.

Filed Under: eCommerce Portfolio Tagged With: candle decorations, Candles, unity candle holders, unity ceremony candles, wedding candle holders, Wedding Candles

Unique Favor Boxes to Dress Your Reception Tables

June 6, 2010 By Nicole Leave a Comment

Wedding Favor Boxes Do you want something unique for the decoration of your reception? Look no further. What you are looking for may just come in the form of a little favor box that you might have otherwise overlooked.

Unique favor boxes make great adornment to dress up reception tables because they are stunning, affordable, practical, and very easy to use. They come in a wide variety of styles and motifs that will suit most types of wedding themes. They are also not that expensive, and in fact, you would be saving a lot because these items double as wedding favors.

You also won’t have any difficulty in decorating the reception tables with these decorative elements because all you have to do is to arrange them around the table centerpiece, and voila, you have put an extra wonderful touch to the table decoration. Alternatively, you can place them in a tiered stand and they can end up being the spectacular centerpiece.

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Do you want to know more about these fabulous favor boxes?

Here are few of the many options you may want to choose from:

1. Miniature Wooden Box with Lid – exclusive “Tree Design”

This wedding favor box, which comes with an exquisite tree design on its lid, is both eco-friendly and elegant. To add a special touch, you can keep a personal message for your guests inside the box, as well as some delectable treats or a memorable jewelry gift that would remind them of the wonderful event of your wedding day.

2. Miniature Beveled Mirror Box with Lid

Glamour and style can come in one small box such as this miniature beveled mirror box with lid. You can even have it personalized by sticking a personalized sticker on this magnificent favor box. You would really love this type of wedding favor class, as it can surely add class to your big day.

3. Miniature Travel Suitcase Container

Perfect for the travel aficionados, this type of favor box is a versatile miniature suitcase container that can carry anything from candies, small gifts, trinkets, beads, jewelry, bubble gums, shells, chocolates, and all sorts of little items. This is ideal for any type of wedding but is most suitable for destination weddings. Show your love for traveling with this type of wedding favor that would definitely be an eye-candy to most of your guests.

4. Mini Treasure Chest

Having a treasure island beach theme? If so, then there is no better favor box to give away and decorate your tables with than these beautiful mini treasure chests that come with rustic design, a miniature metal latch, a rugged map finish and is constructed with real wood. Inside you can put all sorts of treasures like coins, jewelry, and whatever little item you can think of.

5. Novelty Popcorn Cartons

Whether you are having a Hollywood glam type of wedding or you and your beau just cannot get enough of the flicks, you can use novelty popcorn cartons to add fun and whimsy to your special day. These old-fashioned popcorn boxes come with little rows or heart designs to add some romantic ambiance to your wedding day. You can even use funny and delightful stickers to add some personality to the carton box. You can use the “He popped the question” or “Topped with love” stickers.

Any guests would love these fantastic favor boxes. You and your future spouse would also delight in these wondrous favors boxes that are not only beautiful to use as decorative elements for the tables but are also very practical as they double as wedding favors.

Filed Under: Boxes Bags Holders, Tips & Ideas Tagged With: Unique Favor Boxes, Wedding favors

10 Best Ideas for Wedding Table Centerpieces

May 7, 2010 By Wendy Leave a Comment

centerpiece ideas Wedding table centerpieces are going beyond the basic floral arrangements. Interested in stepping out of that box? Take inspiration from these decorating trends:

1. Go natural

Create a tabletop botanical garden. Hit the local nursery or go online to purchase small potted plants, or if there is time to spare, seedlings. If want to showcase flowers, consider Gerber daisies, tulips, daffodils or orchids in terracotta pots. You can also take the green route with herbs and ferns. Cacti would be perfect for a Mexican or cowboy theme wedding. Another popular option is wheatgrass grown in flat, shallow boxes. The plus side to all this? The plants can double as wedding favors. Just leave a sign next to the centerpiece asking guests to “Please pick one”. Or incorporate a “For you” label on every pot.

2. Dazzle with lights

Make each table shine with a light fixture centerpiece. Use a structural shaded lamp surrounded with flowers at the base (to hide the cords) or centerpiece ideas 2 studded with blooms around the stem for added visual interest. Place metal-framed lanterns to create a rustic appeal. Or go ultrachic with square paper lanterns. Want something more high-tech? LED lights in water-filled vessels will do the trick.

3. Cast a glow

If your venue is dimly lit, a “candlescape” can imbue drama and enchantment to any dinner reception. Combine votives, pillars and tapers on a single table. Consider mounting them on top of a round mirror for a reflective light effect. You can also float candles on stemmed glasses of varying shapes and heights.

4. Submerge them flowers

Aiming for a serene but stunning look? Push in calla lilies or orchids in a tall-enough glass vessel so they appear submerged underwater. For a beach wedding, create an aquarium-like centerpiece by using a rectangular or bowl-shaped container with corals nestled onto a sand base. Budget-wise, this kind of display will cost you less because it requires fewer stems.

5. Break container conventions

Arrange flowers in martini glasses or soup bowls instead of traditional vases. Coffee pot creamers, sugar holders and teacups would be great for country weddings. Pails dressed up as planters suit outdoor receptions. Mix and Square Vase Centerpiece match the containers for aesthetic appeal. You can buy them at thrift stores, flea markets or garage sales.

6. Be Zen-inspired

If you’re a minimalist at heart, go with Zen-inspired centerpieces. One option is a willow or cherry blossom branch display. Leave the stems as is or spray-paint them in silver or gold. Embellish with beads, ribbons, or handmade paper birds and blooms. You may even ask guests to hang tags on which they have written down their well wishes. You can also incorporate bonsai trees, battery-powered water fountains, bamboo, origami creations and mini sandboxes.

7. Pick fruits

Try using fruits as the focal point of your table centerpiece. Their rich colors will surely make for vibrant displays. Lemons, limes or clementines packed in a glass vessel are wonderful for summer outdoor receptions. Clusters of apples, pears and gourds would work with autumn weddings, and pomegranates or cranberries at winter celebrations. To add height to arrangements, leave the fruits on their vines or branches.

8. Satisfy sweet cravings

Sweet treats add a fun and light touch to your table décor. To give guests something to munch on throughout the evening, fill in glassware with your candy of choice. Or create an edible topiary using round chocolate pieces. Another trend is to have cupcakes or smaller versions of the wedding cake arranged on a multi-tier serving tray.

9. Pile up gift boxes

To add a surprising element to your centerpiece, stack up gift boxes atop cake stands. Make sure to pick out boxes of different sizes and have them dressed up with ribbons or flowers. Fill in each with candy, soap, candle or any other goodies you want to give away at your wedding.

10. Create an activity area

If you want to see interaction within each table, consider items that guests can play with. Take your pick from board games, glass chess sets or colorful checkerboards. Surround these with glitter or confetti for a decorative touch. You can also have decks of cards and puzzles personalized with you and your husband-to-be’s photo.

Play with the decorations as much as you want to. Remember you can turn your table centerpiece spectacular and memorable with just a little creativity, resourcefulness and imagination.

Filed Under: Decorations, Tips & Ideas Tagged With: Best Ideas, Wedding Table Centerpieces

How to Coordinate Wedding Flowers with Spectacular Centerpieces

March 8, 2010 By Harmony Leave a Comment

Wedding centerpiece with flowers Coordination is key when it comes to planning weddings. With all the different elements such as gown, flowers, and reception, you’ll want to make sure that each element enhances the other. Flowers are the most common and popular type of centerpieces at wedding receptions. Matching your wedding flowers with your centerpiece not only makes sense, it will also add harmony to your wedding. If you would like to match your wedding flowers with spectacular centerpieces, read on for some cool tips.

Buy in bulk
Choose your favorite flower and decide which colors to use in your wedding. Remember to match your flowers to your wedding theme, if you have one. Once you’ve made your decision, buy in bulk. This way, you’ll get a better deal from the florist. You should also ask about the blooming period of your chosen flowers. Some flowers may need to be bought and delivered a few days before the ceremony in order to be in perfect full bloom for your wedding. If your chosen flowers have a strong scent, think twice before adding these to centerpieces. The strong odors may clash with the food.

Be consistent
To match your wedding flowers and your centerpiece, use the same flowers in decorating the church, the bridal bouquet, and the centerpieces. Be sure to choose a versatile flower that will look good in many different arrangements.

Be creative
You can move beyond exact flower matches and choose different colors of the same type of flower for church decorations, the bridal bouquet, and the centerpieces. You can also opt for different flowers in the same color palette. Still another alternative is to choose flowers by theme, such as spring, English garden, or tropical. If you want to use the same flowers for your wedding decorations and centerpieces, experiment with creative containers. Outdoor adventurers might use miniature lanterns instead of vases.

Add other elements
Avoid overwhelming guests with flowers by adding other elements to your centerpieces, such as fruit or candles. Make sure that your chosen items will complement and enhance the flowers, not overpower them. You can also opt for a personal touch and use copies of cherished pictures or other mementos along with your chosen flowers in your centerpieces.

Hang it up
Instead of putting your flower centerpieces on the table, why not hang these above the table? Dangling flowers will be a creative and unexpected touch that will be sure to wow your guests.

Use flowers for numbers
One fun way to coordinate your wedding flowers with your centerpieces is to use flowers instead of table numbers. Use a different type of flower for each table. Make sure that the flower is easily recognizable to most people.

Incorporate your wedding favors
Your flowers can do double duty as centerpieces and wedding favors. Once you have matched your wedding flowers to your centerpiece, arrange bunches of a single type of flower as your centerpiece. Engrave the vases with the newlyweds’ initials or a special message. Request guests to take a vase of flowers home as a wedding favor.

Go silk.
If your budget can’t accommodate a lot of fresh flowers, you can use fresh flowers only in your bouquet and buy or rent matching silk flowers to decorate the church and use as centerpieces. You can also scour garage sales for old vases that fit your wedding theme. Centerpieces don’t have to be large and costly. A single flower with greenery in a simple vase is elegant and affordable.

Coordinating your wedding flowers to your centerpieces will ensure a complementary wedding that will leave a sweet scent in the minds of your guests.

Filed Under: Tips & Ideas Tagged With: Wedding Centerpieces, wedding flowers

50 Ideas to Consider when Shopping for Wedding Favors

February 10, 2010 By Stephanie Leave a Comment

Cheers To A Great Combination

Shopping is always a fun activity. However, if you are going to shop for your wedding, there is some additional pressure because you want to see to it that every item you buy would contribute to the success of the wedding. Even the wedding favors, you want to get the perfect ones. These 50 fabulous ideas will help you with this matter.

1. Choose favors that serve multiple purpose

Mini flower pots that double as table centerpiece are always a hit!

2. Why not do it yourself?

DIY favor projects give you the opportunity to express your talent and creativity. You get to save a lot of money too!

3. Yummy sweet treats for the sweet tooth

Who does not love chocolates and candy bars? For once, forget about your diet and celebrate with these delectable wedding favors!

4. Go wild with the favor boxes

Even the simplest kinds of wedding favors can be spiced up with the use of decorative favor boxes that are truly wonderful and adorable.

5. Save the earth!

Go for eco-friendly items such as the eco-friendly bamboo ballpoint pen with inscription, “Be green, just write,” eco folding multi-use tote made of natural cotton, and eco mini drawstring bag made of 100% organic cotton.

6. Soaps and bath salts, anyone?

Soaps and bath salts are great wedding favors because everyone takes a bath, right? Not to mention, these favors smell great too.

7. Intricate designs for visual appeal

The laser carved glass snowflake tea light holders creates a beautiful glow with its laser carved details

8. Practical and functional favors

Bottle openers, wine openers, tool kits—these are just few of the many items that can be used in people’s everyday lives.

9. Classic and timeless items

Photo frames and candles—these wedding favors never get old!

10. Theme, theme, and theme!

Nautical favors for a beach wedding, a fancy Cinderella wedding carriage candle for a fairy tale wedding. The important thing here is to match the theme of the event.

11. Personalize it

Give more meaning to the gift by scribbling some personal message.

12. Shop the cyber way

Shop online and get your hands on some of the most beautiful wedding favors ever created!

13. Miniature versions of everyday items

Miniature travel suitcase containers and miniature tote bags are great and cute wedding giveaways.

14. The bargain hunt

Shop at bargain or discount wedding stores to save money.

15. Who does not love love birds?

Give away mini love bird house as a way of saying thank you to guests.

16. Fancy playful items

Receiving mini slot machines would make you feel like you hit the jackpot!

17. Adorn the favor with special ribbons and bows

Use these items to make even the simplest wedding favors beautiful and elegant.

18. Musical CD collection

Buy blank CDs and then ask your techie brother to burn some music CDs for the favors

19. Go regional

Asian themed wedding favors would complement an Asian themed wedding event.

20. Some word of advice

Get ideas, tips and advice from family and friends

21. Something for luck

Horseshoes and miniature “good luck” wooden elephants would be appreciated by anyone who can use some extra luck.

22. Feed your fantasy

Fantasy favors perfect for a fairy tale themed wedding are great ideas too.

23. Beachy, beachy

Tropical flip flop candles and nautical sailboats are wonderful options even if you are not going to have a beach wedding.

24. Artsy and craftsy

Poster colors or mini craft punches—whatever your choice is, any artsy farsty would surely love these items.

25. Go creative with the favor cards

Match with the theme or make your own!

26. Personalized ribbons with an attitude

Use personalized ribbons to make the wedding favors more stunning.

27. Silver items for elegance

Silver-plated bottle or wine openers truly spell class and elegance.

28. Wines and spirits

Give away mini wine bottles.

29. Color code it!

Instead of giving away the same item for everyone, why not give away different kinds of wedding favors that carry the same color?

30. Customized candy bar wrappers

If you are going to give away chocolate bars, cover them up with fantastic custom covers.

31. Suitability

Choose appropriate wedding favors that are suitable for the theme of the wedding and the majority of the guests attending your event.

32. Soft and fluffy

Cotton items and mini pillows are soft, fluffy, and wonderful wedding favors

33. Child’s play

Give away mini children toys that any kid at heart would love and enjoy.

34. Garden items

Flower seed packets and garden tools are also excellent choices.

35. Romance is in the air

Give wedding favors that echo your love and devotion for each other.

36. Aromatherapy

Any guest would love a gift of aromatherapy candles, essential oils or incense.

37. A hole in one!

Golf related wedding favors are perfect for golf weddings and for golf fanatic couples.

38. Big and grand

Wedding favors are usually small items but if you want to make a statement, you can try going for medium or large sized wedding favors if you have enough budget for it.

39. Love quotes

Include some love quotes on the wedding favor.

40. Sticker happy

Instead of using favor tags, you can use stickers for the wedding favors.

41. Monogram glam

It has become a trend to include the couple’s initials in invites and wedding favors instead of their complete names.

42. Handmade paper

Go rustic by using handmade paper to wrap the favor, add pressed flowers and dried leaves for an added spectacular touch.

43. Rainbow colors

Choose wedding flavors that come in a myriad of bright colors so that they can also be used as decoration for the venue.

44. Clear glasses filled with trinkets

Fill up clear glasses or small vases with trinkets like candies, shells, crystals, or any other small items. Then wrap the clear glass with ribbon.

45. Ready, set, go!

Items for people who are always on the go are ideal in this modern fast paced society of today.

46. Go out of the box

Lollipops, mints, and salt and pepper jars are not typical wedding favors but guests would delight at the fun and novelty of these items.

47. Sew it

Buy wedding favors online and make it extra special by sewing a cloth packet as its container.

48. The font

Use stylized or handwritten fonts for the wedding favor cards.

49. Discount alert

Watch out for discount sales and get excellent deals from wedding favor suppliers.

50. Know who to trust

If buying online, make sure you go for a reliable and trustworthy store that can provide a secure system for online transactions, good quality products and excellent service.

Keep these tips and ideas in mind for a wonderful wedding favor shopping activity!

Filed Under: Tips & Ideas, Wedding Favours Tagged With: Bargain, Beach Wedding, Candles, candy bar wrappers, Destination Weddings, eco-friendly favors, favor boxes, Favor Cards, Golf, Ideas, Musical CD collection, Personalized Ribbons, Practical, Shopping, theme

50 Wedding Ideas For 2012

January 25, 2010 By Wendy Leave a Comment

Funny Couple At The Beach Are you going to have a wedding this 2012? If you are like most brides, you would probably be looking for new wedding trends as well as unique concepts and ideas to turn your big day into something that is out of the box. This list of 50 marvelous wedding ideas for 2012 would help you achieve that.

Wear a red wedding gown. Colored wedding gowns have become the latest trend in wedding fashion. It is bold, daring, and the perfect way to make a statement.
Have an intimate wedding affair. Invite only close family and friends. Nowadays, big extravagant weddings are not anymore expected or seen as practical.
Fly off to an exotic location to say your “I do.” Barbados, Bora-Bora, Phuket, Bali, or the Bahamas—take your pick!
Skip the veil and wear another kind of headpiece. Opt for a wide brimmed hat, a floral headwear, or a princess tiara.
Hold a fun lottery game during the reception.
Have a honeymoon registry. This can be used in lieu of the regular wedding registry.
Opt for a breakfast reception. This is something new, and something that would give your pockets a relief.
Give disposable cameras to family and friends so they can capture priceless candid moments during the event.
Sing while walking down the aisle. Who said that only the wedding singer could sing during this event?
Do something new with the wedding traditions. Instead of tossing the bouquet, why not have a “pass the bouquet” game for more fun and excitement?
Serve vegetarian dishes during the reception. Vegetarian dishes need not be exotic vegetable dishes that guests would not enjoy. You can serve delectable carrot cakes, stir-fried vegetables, green salad, artichokes, pasta with marinara sauce, and so many more.
Go green! Reduce consumption of energy by opting for a day time outdoor wedding and give away eco-favors like flower packet seeds and mini potted plants.
Wow the guests by having a unique entrance by riding a helicopter or a jet ski.
Hold the wedding at night. The night provides a romantic ambiance for your wedding ceremony.
Have a 1940’s or 1950’s wedding theme that would transport you back in time.
Choose an exotic venue. Not often do you see couples get married in a safari or on a mountain cliff.
Give souvenir invites. These are invitations and souvenirs rolled into one. Even if the guest would not be able to attend, he/she would still have something to remember your big day with.
Have a scrapbook guest book that you made yourself instead of the regular one.
Pass around a journal book in lieu of the guest book where guests can jot down their fondest memory of the bride and groom.
Decorate the whole wedding venue yourself with the help of your family and friends. DIY weddings are still very big this year.
Send e-vites instead of paper invitations to save paper, ink, and energy.
Make a musical video presentation to be played during the reception.
Decorate tables with centerpieces that can double as wedding favors. A tiered stand with mini potted plants is a good example.
Make a documentary film on your love story and play this during the reception program.
Hire a caricaturist to draw your guests. Sign the artwork and give this as a wedding favor.
Scribble personal notes on each of the wedding favors. The personal touch would make the favor more meaningful.
Have an assortment of cupcakes to stand in for the wedding cake.
Serve cocktails or finger foods during the reception. This is a delicious way to give your pockets a break.
Hire a face painter to paint your guests’ faces according to the theme.
Have a dessert or tea reception in the middle of the afternoon.
Invite your guests to a surprise wedding reception. This works great if you had a secret destination wedding.
Create a website for your wedding to keep family and friends updated regarding the wedding details.
Don’t keep the kids out. Weddings usually try to ban the kids. Make your event more youthful and fun by including the children.
Write an online blog where guests can keep track of planning and preparations for your wedding.
Use a cake topper with a funny twist.
Give away homemade cookies or cupcakes as favors.
Let the bridesmaids choose the style for their dress. As long as they keep up with the theme and color motif, it’s all good!
Say no to vanilla and chocolate. Choose a unique flavor for your wedding cake such as carrot, cranberry, or pumpkin.
Shop for wedding items online. This would save you time, energy, and money!
Wear a mini wedding dress. Super short dresses are making their way to wedding fashion this year.
Pick bright and vivid colors for your motif.
Hold the wedding ceremony in your own backyard or garden.
Enter the ceremony venue through a non-linear wedding aisle. It can be a circular aisle or a multiple-aisle.
Give out practical wedding favors and thank you gifts that the guests could actually use in their everyday lives.
Go for a rock and roll theme and hire rock bands to play during your wedding. This is perfect for a young couple with high spirits. Warn the elderly guests prior to the event.
Opt for balloon decorations in lieu of flower decors
Decorate the table with an edible centerpiece that guests can devour during or after the meal.
Sing your wedding vows.
Recite your wedding vows as poems.
Wear your hair down. Not only literally. Don’t stress yourself too much, let loose, enjoy, relax, and have a blast!

Having a wedding 2012 is all about elegance, simplicity, drama, fun, and unique ideas that would help make this event something that people would never forget. You do not have to do all the ideas mentioned in this article, but you would surely want to include a bit of these and then use the others as inspiration to come up with your own unique wedding ideas.

Filed Under: Interviews & Inspirations Tagged With: Ideas

Setting a Wedding Budget Is Great Practice for Your future Married Life

December 20, 2009 By Stephanie Leave a Comment

dreamstime_4269271 Setting a wedding budget is a great way to start your lives together. You should both be part of setting up finances and the choices involved. By having a plan, you won’t exceed your financial means while including all the elements you really want for your special day.

Decide who will pay for the wedding. In days gone by, the parents of the bride and the bride paid. Today, brides sometimes pay themselves but often the bride-to-be and her fiancée share the expenses. The groom’s family traditionally pays for the rehearsal dinner and part of the honeymoon but may choose to offer additional financial support. Be upfront with your parents and find out how much they are willing to contribute. Gently let them know you will be making the final decisions about your wedding and be prepared to pay for your day yourselves if strings are attached to money offered by your families.

dreamstime_2377669 Once you know who will pay for the wedding, determine the funds available to cover the costs. Write down this figure and develop your wedding day around your budget. Discuss your dreams, themes and ideas then work within your designated budget to make them happen. The longer you have, the more bargains you will be able to find. Planning a last minute wedding often incurs larger expenses because you simply don’t have time to shop around.

Maintain a wedding binder to write down expenses and keep receipts. Use receipts as proof deposits were paid and to keep track of ongoing expenses. You can also keep on online ledger and comparison sheets on a computer program such as Excel. Compare vendors and maintain a record of what you’ve paid out for your wedding on the computer if it’s easier for you. Have a folder for physical receipts and store it in a safe place.

Get price quotes from vendors. There are several vendors that are likely to be part of your wedding day including a florist, caterer, photographer, music, entertainment and limousine driver. Find out if the vendor has a minimum charge and the estimated cost for your event. Keep the quotes organized in a folder or binder so you can easily refer to them when making your final decision. Shop around for wedding rings, a bridal gown, bridesmaid gowns and tuxedos.

dreamstime_4153496 Decide your guest list so you know how many people to budget for. If you want a large wedding, you may have to choose a buffet over a four-course meal. On the other hand, you may decide to have fewer guests and have the lavish dinner. Remember the number of guests also impacts the number of invitations, thank you cards and wedding favors.

It’s your wedding day and you should both be able to have it your way. Discuss your priorities so you can make sure they are covered as you are setting a wedding budget. Review your purchases and decide what is most important. Consider the lasting moments of your wedding that will be with you long after the party ends, such as your wedding rings and photographs. You made decide to spend a bit more on these items and make your own wedding invitations and centerpieces. Avoid trying to keep up with friends or family and make decisions based on your own finances and preferences.

dreamstime_5419071 Don’t be embarrassed to ask for referrals from friends or family. Often people are willing to recommend someone they had a great experience with and you may enjoy a discount. Sometimes people have friends or family who are willing to offer their services for less. Even when you deal with vendors you don’t know, barter to get the best deal.

Setting a wedding budget also ensures you are not interfering with your long-term financial goals as a couple. If you max out your credit cards before you even get married, you are already starting with money stresses. Plan a realistic wedding in accordance with your financial circumstances. This type of organization and discipline will help you plan for a house and family in the future.

Remember, setting up a financial plan gives you the experience to handle the larger financial situations awaiting you as a married couple.

Filed Under: Planning Tagged With: plan, wedding budget

Sexy Red Wedding Decoration Ideas

October 2, 2009 By Harmony Leave a Comment

Red Wedding Theme

Red is the color of love. It also represents passion and devotion. Because of the meanings it stands for, red is a terrific color to use for weddings. If you are thinking of having red as a color theme for your wedding, you have made the right choice. This color can turn your wedding into a fantastic, sizzling, and sexy special day that your guests would surely remember for a lifetime. To help you with the decorating aspect of the wedding planning, here are some fabulous red wedding decoration ideas.

Red roses and flowers

Roses are red, violets are blue, what’s a red wedding without red roses for you! Red roses are surely a staple for most red themed weddings and for a good reason. These are the ultimate symbols of love and passion and can surely complete the wedding occasion.

Arrange red roses in bouquets, tie with a satin red ribbon, and use them to decorate the place. You can also use these blooms in combination with other kinds of flowers such as calla lilies, alstroemeria, hypericum berries, Gerbera daisies, tulips, or carnation for a more beautiful and elaborate floral arrangements that can be used to adorn pews, buffet tables, or pillars in the wedding venue.

Heart-shaped balloons

Heart-shaped balloons in colors red and white can be used to decorate the entire wedding venue. They can fill up the ceiling, adorn the couple’s gazebo, or clustered as a pillar arrangement. Heart shaped balloons can also be used as a less expensive alternative to flower decorations for the buffet table and the couple’s table.

Red organza for the chairs

Cover chairs with white or gold cloth and then tie them with red organza for a spectacular visual effect. Alternatively, you can cover the chair with a red cloth, tie it with a wide white organza ribbon, make it into a bow and then insert red roses within the bow for the final touch.

Red napkins on white linens

A striking combination for the table decoration would be to cover up the table with a crisp white tablecloth and top them with nice red napkins. Scatter rose petals all over the white tablecloth for an eye-catching contrast.

Red table centerpiece

Aside from the table napkins and linens, you also have to think about the table centerpiece, which will serve as the focal point of the table decoration. Red crystal or glass vases are excellent to use for your red bouquet centerpiece. You also have the option to make use of a set of red pillar or votive candles placed on a mirror base, adorned with white and red rose petals or crystals. White floating candles on a wide clear vase with red-colored water is another great choice for a marvelous red centerpiece.

Wedding favors

Red boxes of chocolate candies, fudge cake wrapped in red cellophane and tied with red satin ribbons, and the whimsical gumball machine in traditional red are just some of the many options on wedding favors that can double as decoration for the reception.

Red weddings can surely captivate people’s hearts. It is a bold, alluring, and passionate color that resonates the couple’s fiery love for each other. Have fun on your red wedding!

Filed Under: Decor, Decorations, Reception & Ceremony, Red Wedding Themes, Themes, Weddings Canada Tagged With: Heart-shaped balloons, Red napkins on white linens, Red organza for the chairs, Red roses and flowers, Red table centerpiece, Wedding favors

How to Plan the Perfect Garden Wedding

October 1, 2009 By Wendy Leave a Comment

Garden Wedding

Tying the knot with your beloved in a garden setting is what you have always dreamed of and now that the time has come, you cannot contain your joy because your spouse-to-be shares the same sentiment.

Having a garden wedding has various perks. For one, there are so many venue options such as city, state, or town parks, summer camps, horticultural facilities, arboretums, your own yard, or the yard of family, relatives or friends.

Aside from that, the beauty of nature and the natural wonderful breeze make a very fresh and cool ambiance for the wedding. Of course, there are also some disadvantages like having to rent additional equipment (tent, chairs, tables, etc) and some difficulties such as bugs, bees, rain, windy conditions, logistics, electricity, and so on.

Even though there are some disadvantages, you do not mind. After all, you and your partner both agree that the pros certainly outweigh the cons. To help you plan a perfect garden wedding, here is a practical guide on different aspects of this kind of wedding that you need to take care of:

Venue

When picking a venue, it would be a good idea to hold your wedding in a place where a wedding has been held before. This would make it easier for you in terms of logistics planning. See if there are electrical sockets or extensions available, and places where you can set up the decoration.

If you are going to hold the wedding in your yard or that of someone you know, make sure the space is large enough to accommodate all your guests. It is also a good idea to rent a tent for the venue even though you do not think it is going to rain since you can never really predict the weather and that even if it does not rain, the tent can be a good cover from the heat of the sun.

Couple In Garden

For your garden wedding, the basic equipment you will need include tent, tables, chairs, altar, sound system, and bathroom facilities. Arbors, arches, gazebos, and plant hangers are also necessary for decoration purposes. Most of these things can be rented, even the portable toilet. The portable toilet can be optional if the reception would be held somewhere else or if there is a bathroom available nearby.

Flowers

Holding your garden wedding means you do not have to worry about flowers anymore, right? Not necessarily. Even though the garden will naturally be filled with beautiful and fragrant flowers, you still have to think about the flowers that you will use for the table centerpiece or the altar decoration. It is very important to ask a florist what kinds of flowers will stay fresh the whole day even when exposed to sunlight.

Invitations

Be sure to inform guests that your wedding is going to be held outdoors so that your guests would know what to expect. Having a garden wedding means you can have a less formal invitation so be a little playful with the invitation and do not make it look too uptight. An invitation printed on a handmade paper with pressed flowers and raffia ribbon is ideal.

Wedding favors

As for the wedding favors, give guests something that would commemorate your outdoor wedding. For example, votive candles, bags of dried flowers, hand painted terracotta pots and packets of flower seeds are just few of the many great ideas for wedding favors.

Wedding Cake

Choose a wedding cake that will not easily melt under warm conditions. A cake with fondant icing may be your better option than a cake with butter cream icing. Another choice for you to consider is the wedding cupcake tower, which is just as nice and stunning but not as expensive.

Food and Drinks

For a garden wedding, buffet-style is more appropriate than a formal sit-down dinner. Grilled dishes are especially a hit for outdoor weddings. Not only are they sumptuous and tasty, they are also easy to cook and affordable. Drinks such as lemonade, sweet tea or punch can be placed in clear glass jugs.

Decoration

Decorate the trees with lights, tulle, ribbon, and some flowers. Do the same thing for the trellis, arbor, arch or the gazebo. Add some balloons with the same color as the wedding motif for a fun whimsical effect. Line up the aisle with candles placed inside paper bags. You will be surprised at how nice the effect of this would be especially for an outdoor wedding held at night.

Garden weddings are truly exquisite and beautiful. Make sure you follow all these tips but at the same time enjoy planning the event. Have fun!

Filed Under: Garden Theme, Reception & Ceremony, Wedding Theme Collections by Weddingstar, Weddings Canada Tagged With: Decoration, Equipment, Flowers, Food and Drinks, garden weddings, Invitations, Venue, Wedding Cake, Wedding favors

Fun Ideas for Your Country Wedding

September 28, 2009 By Wendy Leave a Comment

Country Wedding

Do you want a wedding that exudes a rustic charm and fresh ambiance? Do you want to hold your big day in a venue reminiscent of your days in the rural area? Do you envision walking down the aisle in the middle of a hayfield and when you look up you see the enormous blue sky?

If you answer yes to any of the questions above, the perfect wedding theme for you would have to be a country wedding. Country weddings, which are some of the most popular themes among couples, are truly beautiful and nostalgic. And with so many fun and ideas for a country wedding that you can find below, planning can be a cinch.

Color Palette: Earthy Tones

When you think of a country wedding, think of earthy tones for the wedding motif color palette. Yellow, gold, tan, umber, brown, green, sage, russet, celadon, cinnamon, orange, and red are just some of the many options you can utilize for your country wedding. Do not limit yourself to one color, you can incorporate as many earthy tones in the decoration of your wedding as you like but choose one or two to be the dominant hues and to serve as the primary motif color.

If you really want to go out there for that ultimate rustic wedding, you can choose to tie the knot with your sweetheart in a cornfield, barn, cabin, farm, ranch, wheat field, plantation, or in any part of the rural region that has breathtaking scenery. Make sure you use a tent for this kind of location and that you book your guests accommodations on the nearby lodges and inns.

If you do not want to go far, having an outdoor location like a garden themed country wedding can also be a wonderful idea. If you want to hold it indoors, a country church can also be an option. With so many options for venues, you surely would not run out of ideas where to hold your precious country wedding.

Country Style Decoration and Centerpieces

The right decoration can give your wedding the right country ambiance. You can decorate your reception area with tea light candles floating on water-filled mason jars or votive candles placed in terra cotta pots.

As for the centerpiece, you can collect a bunch of cheery sunflowers and place them in galvanized pails. You can also make use of Shasta daisies or Gerber daisies and tuck them in tall clear vases filled with dried coffee beans. Potted plants also make terrific centerpieces that can double as wedding favors after the ceremony is over.

Accent decorative pieces for a country wedding include grapevine wreathes, lanterns, gourds, pumpkins, ears of dried corn, wheat stalks, burlap bags, honey jars, raffia ties, cinnamon sticks, dried peas, and coffee beans.

A Touch of Country

Tie the chairs with russet ribbons and insert some wheat sheaves or roses.
Instead of having the usual table and chair reception, you can do it in a picnic-style, much like how they eat in the countryside.
Fill galvanized washtubs with ice and drinks.
Serve homemade dishes like pot roast, corn bread, fruit pies, and pumpkin cake.

You love the casual and laidback nature of country weddings. You adore the fact that they are beautiful and exquisite at the same time. You and your partner would surely have a time of your life with this kind of wedding theme to celebrate your special day. Enjoy!

Filed Under: My Theme, Reception & Ceremony Tagged With: country wedding, outdoor, theme

Board #433: A Purple Picnic

September 26, 2009 By Jennifer Leave a Comment

RSS wedding buzz, source: snippetandink.blogspot.com

Gosh it’s late – the day is almost over! But I promised you an inspiration board, so here it is. I’m not sure it turned out quite the way I was hoping, but I do think it gives you a good idea of the color scheme and the relaxed backyard feel, which is really what an inspiration board is all about – the ideas. I had Jordan Ferney’s darling purplic picnic box lunch in mind when I pulled these images together, and though there is something Spring-like to this look, I think it could work for a late summer or early fall picnic wedding reception too.

Mood: relaxed, sweet
Palette: grape sorbet, deep red cherry

{click image to enlarge}

Top row from left: photo by Jessica Kettle, concord grape sorbet from Martha Stewart Weddings, lilac centerpiece (from Nole’s beautiful wedding!) photo by Punam Bean, magenta envelope with calligraphy photo by Corbin Gurkin
Row 2: dahlia and strawberry centerpiece by Studio Choo, purple felt ring pillow by ssdksy, little cake via Twigs & Honey, purple dress with belt by Ban.do
Row 3: pinwheels from Hatch Creative Studio, lilac bouquet by Claire Bean for Brides, purple picnic box by Jordan Ferney for Project Wedding

Filed Under: Wedding Buzz Tagged With: purple theme wedding

Inexpensive Ways to Decorate Your Outdoor Wedding

September 21, 2009 By Wendy Leave a Comment

Outdoor weddings have become a trend for couples who are looking for a wedding that is beyond the traditional. The fact that an outdoor wedding ceremony is already surrounded with beautiful scenery makes it even more popular because this means fewer expenses for the decoration. With so many outdoor venues to choose, finding that perfect place to hold your big day is not too much of a difficult task.

Finding inexpensive ways to decorate your outdoor wedding should not be too hard either. Here is a practical guide that will help you come up with nice and wonderful decorations for your outdoor wedding without going beyond your budget.

Where, oh where?

The venue of the outdoor wedding is one of the factors that will determine what kind of decorations to have. Since outdoor locations vary, you have to make your choice first to make the decoration planning simpler and easier. Some of these ideas will help you get started:

Beach – White folding chairs, tropical flowers, tiki torches, driftwood decorations, centerpieces made of shells and sand

Backyard – Printed backdrops, tarpaulins, lattice fences, trellis of flowers, wire arch of flowers or balloons

Garden – Floral arrangements, garlands, tulle, lights, tea light candles

Park – Flowers arranged neatly on pills or columns, balloon sculptures, candles, Grecian columns

Table Centerpiece: Center of Attraction

Table centerpieces are some of the most important elements of wedding decoration. To save on this aspect, try making it a do-it-yourself project with the help of your bridesmaids or friends. Here are some table centerpiece ideas that are easy to make.

Put a candle inside a tall glass, wrap the glass with thin handmade paper and you will have one elegant piece of a candle table centerpiece.
Find some mason jars at home, put some flowers in it and tie the jar with a raffia ribbon.
Borrow some small potted plants from your dad’s garden and decorate the pots with satin ribbon.
Get a hold of a clear vase, fill it up with sand, and top it off with seashells, starfish and other great finds on the beach.

More Ideas on Inexpensive Outdoor Wedding Décor

Use tulle to hang around the edges of gazebos, podiums, aisles, trellises and so on. Tulle is an expensive material that can add a touch of class to your wedding.
Do not tie all the chairs with a bow tie, have it on every other chair only or only on the chairs located near the aisle.
Opt for balloons to decorate a wedding trellis or arch. If you really want to use flowers, choose those that are grown in your area and are in season.
Rent a tent. It may add to the cost of the wedding but it pays to be sure that your guests will be kept safe from sudden burst of rains or extreme heat. If possible, find a venue that provides free tent covering.
Gather some friends to trim the lawn in your backyard. To save the extra cost of hiring someone to manicure the lawn, turn the chore into one afternoon of fun and enjoyment by making it a time to do the chore together and have some bonding moment.
Use candles for lighting. Instead of equipping the venue with light bulbs that cost a lot, use candles that would even add a dramatic effect to the event.

Outdoors weddings are always fun. Not only do people get to enjoy the wonderful warmth of the sun and the cool breeze, the beauty of nature also makes the event beautiful and stunning. To ensure that you make the most out of your outdoor wedding celebration, keep all of these tips in mind.

Source: This article was submitted by Wendy L. Bishop.

Filed Under: My Theme, Reception & Ceremony Tagged With: Outdoor Weddings, wedding on shoestring budget

12 Romantic Tips on How to Use Candles in Your Wedding

September 16, 2009 By Kyla Leave a Comment

weddingcandles The day you have been dreaming of has finally come. In a few months’ time, you would be walking down the aisle to exchange vows with the man of your life. And of course, it makes sense that you would want the event to be as perfect possible. This can be made possible with a little help from family, friends, and some wedding items like candles that can beautify the occasion. Here are 12 tips on how to use candles for your special day.

1. Have a candle-lit wedding ceremony.

Having a candle-lit ceremony is romantic and at the same time cost-effective. This idea, which is suitable for evening weddings, can surely contribute to the uniqueness of the event.

2. Scatter votive candles around the reception area for a romantic ambiance.

For a more dramatic effect, make sure to keep the lights dimmed a little, and have clusters of votive candles placed on top of the tables, the bar area, and the buffet table. This evokes a romantic but festive atmosphere that would make it easy for the guests to have a grand time.

3. Place tapered candles in mason jars and hang as lanterns.

Another great way to produce a dreamy ambiance is to hang mason jars with candles around the ceremony or reception venue. Tie raffia ribbons around the mason jars to add visual interest.

4. Put votive candles above a mirror for a nice wedding centerpiece.

This type of wedding centerpiece is not only cost-effective but is also very beautiful and elegant, as the flame on the candle would cast a beautiful glowing reflection on the mirror.

5. Decorate the altar with candles

Since the altar is the focal point of the ceremony venue, you would want it to be adorned with various pillar and votive candles to lighten it up. This is especially useful if your wedding is going to be held at nighttime.

6. Line up the aisle with glowing candles

Walking down the aisle would not be any more beautiful than if you do it with gorgeous glowing candles on the side.

7. Make a floating candle table centerpiece

A floating table centerpiece is inexpensive, easy-to-make and best of all, spectacular. Just get a clear vase with a wide opening. Pour some water in it and have votive candles float around the vase. Drop some food coloring on the water to give it a nice shade. Scatter some rose petals on the water for more visual effect.

8. Have floating candles in the swimming pool

If there is a swimming pool in the wedding venue, be sure to have floating candles light up this area. The result will be a dramatic decoration for your wedding event.

9. Put candles inside a clear glass, wrap the glass with handmade paper

Another idea for a table centerpiece is to get a clear glass, put a pillar candle inside and wrap around a handmade or colored tissue paper around the glass but leave the top open. Light up the candle, and voila, a wonderful table centerpiece.

10. Place candles inside vintage lanterns

Vintage lanterns can give your wedding that classic look and you can use votive candles to place inside the lanterns.

11. Use personalized unity candles

For the unity candles, you can add personality to them by having your own words printed on the candles.

12. Give out scented candles as wedding favors

Scented candles are great wedding favors that would not require you to spend much. In fact, you can even make your own scented candles at home. Just be sure to complement the scent of the candles to the overall theme and feel of your wedding.

Candles are some of the most versatile and beautiful items that can turn your wedding into one special and memorable event. With the wide selection of candles that are available in the market today, you will not have a difficult time finding the ones that can complement your big day.

More Decorative Candle Ideas:

Candles come in many different forms yet always add a romantic element to any decor. Select from our range of popular styles and colors.

Filed Under: Reception & Ceremony Tagged With: romantic tips, using candles in wedding

Unique and Eco-Friendly Centerpiece Ideas

September 11, 2009 By Jennifer Leave a Comment

RSS wedding buzz, source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/EarthFriendlyWeddings/~3/2_fdHNaavNI/unique-and-eco-friendly-centerpiece.html

Pears on a pedestal and musings in milk glass, here are a few eco-friendly centerpiece ideas to inspire the brain. Vintage milk glass and edible centerpieces make for a great way to reduce waste and incorporate family heirlooms in your decor. My favorite is the first picture – the grain of the wood, the patterned fabric, and the rich color of red create such a lovely effect.

by Jane Flanagan

by Kimberly Shaw Graphics

by Lepiaf.Geo

Filed Under: Wedding Buzz Tagged With: eco-friendly centerpiece ideas

Fall Theme Wedding Ideas & Trends

September 8, 2009 By Stephanie Leave a Comment

bronze Many couples choose a fall theme wedding because of the cool air, magnificent colors and outstanding autumn atmosphere. Both elegant and memorable, autumn theme weddings can feature a variety of unique ideas.

Incorporate the deep hues of brown, red, orange, bronze, gold and beige into every aspect of your fall wedding. A romantic, sophisticated or rustic mood can be created using this warm fall colors. You also have the options of selecting gown in a variety of colors with either long or short sleeves.

Autumn flowers add to the mood of your fall wedding. Include favorites such as dahlias, spider mums, chrysanthemums, sunflowers, heather, wheat and sprigs of berries in your bouquets and on the tables. Decorate with colorful garland and include vanilla scented candles or potpourri at each table.

Decorating in bronze add to the elegance of your fall theme wedding. Both bronze and copper are ideal metallic accents for fall weddings, inspiring thoughts of copper kettles, fireplace décor and frolicking in fall leaves. Fill small bronze colored buckets with potpourri as favors for your guests. Fill copper kettles with dried fall flowers as centerpieces for your tables. Scatter silk fall leaves around your guest book table for an authentic autumn feel.

A Halloween fall theme wedding is another exciting idea. You can use a simple Halloween theme by using mini jack-o-lanterns on the tables and pumpkin scented tea lights. Decorate your wedding cake with orange, yellow and brown. If you prefer a full-fledged Halloween theme, invite all your guests to come in costume. This is a great way to include the kids in your wedding day. Bob for apples and give out trick or treat bags filled with gourmet jellybeans and prestige chocolates as wedding favors.

A traditional harvest theme is also a great way to celebrate your fall nuptials. Instead of having the wedding in a garden, park or backyard, rent a barn. Decorate with fall flowers, pumpkins, hay and black-eyed Susan. Get a square dance caller and give out cowboy hats to all your guests. Combine a western theme with your fall favors for a fun-loving wedding day nobody will forget.

A fall theme wedding uses a variety of unique ideas, colors and accents. Thanks to Mother Nature, you have all the beauty you need for your wedding day by simply using the awesome autumn atmosphere.

Filed Under: My Theme, Tips & Ideas Tagged With: fall theme wedding ideas

Wedding Reception Table Decoration Ideas

September 7, 2009 By Harmony Leave a Comment

Wedding reception table decorations show off your theme and give your guests an easy way to get involved in the party was soon as they arrive. Your guests are never unsure or bored when you use interesting wedding reception table decorations.

Have wedding directional signs posted so your guests can find the wedding reception tables when they arrive. This will immediately make your guests feel more comfortable. The first thing your guests will look forward when they arrive at the reception area are place cards to figure out where to sit. Use tent cards or number holders to number the tables so guests easily locate their table.

Use a themed place card at each plate setting with the guest’s name. Themed place cards may be elegant roses on ivory or shaped like a seashell. Add elegance to your themed place cards by displaying them in place card holders. Even plain place cards look dynamic in a traditional round silver place card holder or a blossom vase filled with a single silk bloom. These table number cards and holders can be favors for your wedding guests.

After your guests sit down, they will look around at the other Wedding reception table decorations. Napkins and tablecloths should match the wedding party and theme. Include napkin rings for a elegant touch.

Wedding reception table decorations are not complete without flowers, whether live or silk. Flowers may be professionally arranged or you can do it yourself with a bit of creativity. Select square vases in different sizes as a centerpiece with visual interest. Fill them with water and add polymer pearls that expand into colorful spheres. Even if you use silk flowers, you can add water for a realistic effect.

Table centerpieces bring life to your reception tables but should not impede your guests from talking or looking around. Put a double heart dish vase in the center of each table filled with nuts and candies for your guests to snack on. Delight your guests with a heart shaped fondue table centerpiece filled with melted chocolate and strawberries.

Bring color and theme to your table decorations with clear cylinders filled with candies, mints, shells or rocks and decorated with ribbons. Finally, even the wedding favors you give to your guests are wedding table decorations. Mini beach bags filled with mints are perfect for a destination wedding. Silver plated photo frames with a picture of the happy couple will be treasured by all your guests.

The perfect table decorations reflect the theme of your days and become lasting keepsakes when the party ends.

Filed Under: Reception & Ceremony Tagged With: wedding reception table decorations

How Do I Decorate My Wedding? – Ask The Expert Answer

August 31, 2009 By Angela Leave a Comment

Question from Rochelle:

Hi. I’m getting married in Dec 2009 and wanted your advice on what theme is best with fuschia and off white. We are thinking of having orchids. The groomsmen will wear white shirts with fuschia cravats and the bridesmaids will be in short fuschia dresses with a white border. Should I have silver instead of white? How do I dress the tables? I need ideas on what to have as a centerpiece? Thanks

Answer from Bridal Expert Angela:

Hi Rochelle, and congratuations on your upcoming wedding. Fushia and white sound like a great colour combination. You could go with silver, but many silver colours look like grey, so it would depend upon what silver you chose.

As for what theme, you could just have a colour theme of fushia and white. Your choice of theme is usually generic, or specific. Generic themes are like a colour theme, or you could also have an orchid theme. If you wanted to have a specific theme, usually couples choose a wedding theme that reflects their interests and personality.

Wedding table decorations are usually flowers, candles, sand, water, or food, in various combinations. A lot depends upon how formal a wedding you are having, and what feel you are going for. Tables can be dressed is lace overlays, table runners, table squares, etc. Have you asked your reception site what they have available? Most reception sites have a variety of choices for you to choose from, and for a cost, can bring in unique items based on your budget.

If you look at all the categories on your right as you scroll down, you will see many posts talking about this subject, where you can get more ideas. The shopping items at the top right also have lots of great ideas. Check them out. If you have further questions, feel free to ask.

Angela Fiebelkorn, Ask The Expert

Filed Under: Ask The Expert, Colours, Decorations, Reception, Themes

How Do I Make My Own Wedding Reception Centrepieces? – Ask The Expert Answer

August 3, 2009 By Angela Leave a Comment

Question from Mandy:

Hi, I am trying to make wedding reception centerpieces myself. Here’s the idea: small vase filled with water and glitter, with 1 flower in each. Will the glitter sink, any ideas on floating glitter? Thanks a lot.

Answer from Bridal Expert Angela:

water pearls.jpg Hi Mandy. What a lovely idea. I believe you are right—the glitter will sink, but it really depends upon the way the manufacturer makes the glitter.

This is not something that you can plan out in advance—you need to experiment. There are different kinds of glitter, and you can even use silver confetti which be a little bigger, but depending upon the manufacturer, might float. You will need to see how it reacts to being in water for a number of hours, as confetti might start to fall apart. Again, depends upon the manufacturer, and how they make their product. Saying that, go out to your local craft store, or dollar store, and see what you can find. Then experiment.

Have you considered these Water Pearls for wedding table decorations. Using coloured sand is also an option that you might want to consider. There are also different kinds of confetti to choose from, so take a look at these great options.

There are many great ways to create an inexpensive reception table centrepiece. Good luck, and if you have further questions, feel free to ask.

Angela Fiebelkorn, Ask The Expert

Filed Under: Ask The Expert, Decorations, Reception Centerpiece Ideas

What Can I Use For Wedding Table Centerpieces Instead of Flowers? – Ask The Expert Answer

June 26, 2009 By Angela Leave a Comment

Question from Xandy:

We’re having an outdoor wedding on a game farm. There are going to be some horses involved. The reception is going to be in a hall. The colours are brown, purple and green. What can we use for table decorations if we don’t want to use flowers?

Answer from Bridal Expert Angela:

Hi Xandy, and congratulation on your wedding. It sounds great!

Reception table centrepieces can include fruit, sand, lights, water, and candles to name the most common elements. There are some lovely examples of wedding reception centerpieces in this video. Also, this link takes you to many table centrepieces that you can purchase on-line.

Some examples of centerpieces would be vases with fruit inside. Or multiple vases with coloured water with floating candles on top. Vases with rocks on the bottom, a lovely blossom anchored with the rocks, filled with water topped with a floating tea light can be quite stunning. The water lights you can find on the last link are very beautiful. Wedding favours can also be grouped on the table to create a focal point, and this link to wedding favours gives you a very large selection.

These should give you an idea and the two video links will give you even more ideas. Good luck, and if you have further questions, feel free to ask.

Angela Fiebelkorn, Ask The Expert

Filed Under: Ask The Expert, Decorations, Decorations, Reception, Reception Centerpiece Ideas, Wedding Table Decorations

How Many Centrepieces Do I Put On Each 8 Ft Table? – Ask The Expert Answer

June 15, 2009 By Angela Leave a Comment

Question from Diane:

I am in charge of centerpieces for my step-daughter’s wedding, she is having a communal table setup with a total of 16 – 8 foot tables…to calculate the number of centerpieces needed, how far apart should the centerpieces be?

Answer from Bridal Expert Angela:

Hi Diane. Your answer depends upon the size of the centrepieces. Smaller centrepieces should be approximately 4 feet apart—2 for each eight-foot table. If you are going to be using a larger centrepiece, then you could just have one on each table.

For example. If you are having a trumpet vase with flowers, feathers, branches, etc. then you will need less of them. In fact, you could have one for every 2 8-ft tables. If you are having a posy of flowers, then you would have 2 for each 8-ft table. If you chose a long flat dish with sand, tealights, etc., one per table in the centre would be appropriate. It is all about scale.

You don’t want the tables to look empty, or the overall look to be too busy. So part of it depends upon the table setting also. If you are having a simple meal with plate, cup, glass, and silverware, you could have a more substantial centrepiece. If the table setting has plate, side plate, cup, water glass, wine glass, champagne glass, and silverware, I would go with either one larger centrepiece per table, or two small centrepieces per table. If you decide to go with an extravangant centrepiece (like the trumpet vase), I would put one on every 2 tables.

This video on Table Centrepiece Decorations might be helpful. Check out these great water lights for vases.

Good luck, and feel free to email again with your questions.

Angela Fiebelkorn, Ask The Expert

Filed Under: Ask The Expert, Reception, Reception Centerpiece Ideas, Wedding Favours

How Do I Choose Wedding Reception Table Centrepieces? – Ask The Expert Answer

May 19, 2009 By Angela Leave a Comment

Question from Kathy:

We are having a winter wedding in January 2010, can’t decide on centrepieces. And most important where can we possibly take nice indoor photos in
Mississauga? Thank you so much.

Answer from Bridal Expert Angela:

Hi Kathy and congratulations on your upcoming wedding. You might find this video on wedding reception table decorations helpful. It covers the main types of centrepieces that you can choose from.

As for indoor photos, I do not live in Ontario, and have only been in Mississauga once many years ago. Since you live there, I suggest you think about an indoor garden or botanical gardens that may be available. City historical buildings are another popular choice, and so is legislative buildings. If you are having your wedding in a church, that could be another option. I have seen winter outdoor photos taken on a popular foot bridge, as well as a unused railway bridge.

Depending upon the architecture of your reception site, you might consider photos at that location. The next time you are out and about in Mississauga, I suggest you look at your surrounds with new eyes and consider everything you see as a potential wedding photo site. You might surprised at what you come up with.

Angela Fiebelkorn, Ask The Expert

Filed Under: Ask The Expert, Ideas, Photo Albums, Planning, Reception Centerpiece Ideas, Tips & Advice

Wedding Colours – How Do You Put A Look Together From A Bridal Bouquet? – Ask The Expert Answer

December 19, 2008 By Angela Leave a Comment

Question from Bailey:

I have fallen in love with the bouquet that was on the front of real weddings a couple of months back. I know its probably not the best idea to base the wedding around that bouquet, but I love it!! It was purples, blues, oranges and maybe some blue. I really love the pomegranate colour for my bridesmaids and I want to have a plain strapless dress with a cathedral veil and a pomegranate sash. Do these colours work together? What could I use as an accent colour for the bridesmaids? What are some centre piece ideas? and with this colour, what time of year should I have the wedding?? Thanks a bunch!!

Answer from Bridal Expert Angela:

Hi Bailey, and congratulations on your upcoming wedding. Let’s start with your colour choices. Red-orange (pomegranate) and blue-green are complimentary colours (opposite each other on the colour wheel). Hence, they go well together. Blues and Purple are harmonious colours (next to each other on the colour wheel) and look wonderful together. I would suggest punches of pomegranate coloured flowers with your blues and purples in your bouquet. This combination of blue, purple and pomegranate could then move into your total colour scheme for the wedding. Your bridesmaids could have accent colours of blue and purple with the pomogranate. I would suggest using both those colours (blue and purple) as opposed to only one of the colours, as it will have a more put together look, based on your bouquet. Wedding table centrepieces would benefit from all three colours also.

I saw that bouquet you mentioned, and it is very beautiful, so I am not surprised at your desire to have it for your wedding. I would suggest you visit your florist with the picture of the bouquet, and find out what flowers they can use that match those colour tones. You might find alternative flowers that are just as beautiful as those flowers, at a less costly price. Then you need to ask the florist when those flowers you choose are in-season. In-season flowers are cheaper than bringing in out-of-season flowers, so depending upon your flower choices and your budget, that should decide the seaons for you. The colours you are interested in are perfect for any season.

A plain strapless wedding dress with a cathedral veil and pomegranate sash sounds beautiful. When you are going for simple elegance in your wedding dress, I would suggest dressing it up with a pearl necklace, and possibly a tiara to contribute to an overall look of elegance. If a wedding dress is more elaborate, then the jewellery needs to be more simple.

There are many ways to go when coming up with centrepiece ideas—-almost all of them depend upon your budget. Flowers are an obvious choice, and can be in a single vase, floating in water with candles or clustered in a multitude of vases destined for each guest. If you want to move away from the obvious, I saw a gorgeous centrepiece made with dead branches, painted white, and strung with faux crystals and ribbons in the wedding colours. There are so many choices, and they are limited only by your imagination. Have you looked at all the choices you have for wedding decorations?

Depending upon the wedding favours that you choose, that too can make a statement in your decor without the need to purchase other decorations. For example, the bride and groom wine bottle stoppers are a whimsical touch, and having your wine grouped in the centre of the table with these bottle stoppers would make a great centrepiece. The bottle stoppers can then be given away to the guests through a simple "game" like which couple at the table have been married the longest. Looking through the wedding favours will give you more ideas of what you can do to decorate your tables.

If you have any other questions, feel free to email again.

Angela Fiebelkorn, Ask The Expert

Filed Under: Ask The Expert, Colour themed, Reception Centerpiece Ideas, Wedding and Bridesmaid Dresses

What is The Best Flower Arrangement To Have For A Wedding Reception? – Ask The Expert Answer

November 10, 2008 By Angela Leave a Comment

Question from Faye:

We are having square tables that seat 8 people. What would be the best kind of flower arrangement to have?

Answer from Bridal Expert Angela:

Hi Faye. The best kind of flower arrangement would be a low centrepiece style flower arrangement for the tables. You want your guests to be able to speak with each other without having to look around a taller bouquet of flowers.

Depending upon how much room you have on the tables (which sounds like a fair bit based on your description), you might consider an arrangement that "trails" or spreads out from the centre of the table. With two people on each side of the table, there will be adequate room for a larger, low centrepiece arrangement in the centre.

If you have any other questions, feel free to email again. Thanks you.

Angela Fiebelkorn, Ask The Expert

Filed Under: Ask The Expert, Reception Centerpiece Ideas

Unique Wedding Ideas for an Original Day

July 13, 2008 By Nicole Leave a Comment

Unique wedding ideas make your day an original creation everyone will talk about for many years to come. Celebrate your love and wow all your guests with unique wedding ideas that show off what a unique couple you are.

Traditional weddings are a lovely way to express your feelings but they’re not for everyone. Some couples prefer a more informal setting or an atmosphere that reflects their unusual preferences. While many naysayers may try to convince you to have a classic wedding, your special day should be as unique as you want it to be. Every couple is individual and unique wedding ideas celebrate that fact.

Coming up with unique wedding ideas is easier when you look at what other couples have done. Peruse wedding magazines, visit websites and participate in forums to find the unique wedding ideas used by other couples. Reading about these unique wedding ideas will inspire you to become creative about your own big day. After all, it is an once-in-a-lifetime event and you want it to be as different and memorable as possible.

One of the classiest unique wedding ideas is to get married on a yacht. Most of us do not know anyone who owns a yacht personally, so arrangements to rent the boat for a day must be made. Some yachts are rented solely for the purpose of entertaining so they are customized to be comfortable for your wedding guests. Have a sailing theme throughout your day with crisp colors such as white, silver and navy blue. Celebrate your nautical nuptials with themed wedding favors for your guests. Give out miniature metal boats filled with treats so your guests never forget your fabulous wedding on yacht. Create a whimsical “Love Boat” atmosphere your guests will remember fondly forever.

Unique wedding ideas often come from holiday seasons. For a fall wedding, have a Halloween theme. The bride, groom and wedding party can dress in black. Have the guests come in costume and include children, who will love this type of unconventional wedding. Use jack-o-lanterns as centerpieces. Have everyone go bobbing for apples and dance the “Monster Mash”.

Christmas also offers unique wedding ideas during the winter season. Have poinsettia plants as centerpieces. Use small pine trees to decorate the altar. Have metallic tulle bows on all the railings and doors. Invite children and put out favors wrapped in Christmas paper. Include a visit from Santa Claus. If Christmas is your favorite holiday, celebrate your love and this festive time as the same time.

Maybe you both want to elope with a couple of close friends instead of planning a formal event. Destination weddings are a perfect way to tie the knot without all the fuss. You don’t have to invite odd relatives or nasty friends because you’re exchanging your vows hundreds of miles away in an exotic, tropical location. Bring along flip flops that leave “just married” marks in the sand after you exchange your vows under the sultry sun. Use a keepsake starfish cake topper for your wedding cake so you can bring it home as a lasting memory of your delightful destination wedding. After you exchange your vows at a destination wedding, you can start the honeymoon right away.

Unique wedding ideas also include ceremonies within your ceremony. A unity sand ceremony is the perfect way to unite blended families. The bride, groom and children all pour colored sand into a glass vase. The vase filled with colorful sand represents the new, blend family from the marriage to remind everyone of the love they now share.

Make your wedding cake unique by using tiers of cupcakes rather than a formal cake. Not only is this more affordable, your guests can choose any flavor they want. Include a variety of cupcakes so everyone gets their favorite kind. Strategically place bride and groom cake toppers all over the cupcake tiers for decoration.

If you don’t find tradition appealing, seek out unique wedding ideas to create the day of your dreams. Your unique wedding ideas will have your guests talking about your special day for years long after the party ends.

Filed Under: Ideas

Wedding Reception Table Centerpieces

June 26, 2008 By Jennifer Leave a Comment

Wedding reception table centerpieces are a focal point and guests look at them often throughout the party. Often guests take home wedding table centerpieces after the party as a lasting keepsake of your day. Consider these themed wedding table centerpieces ideas for unique creations your guests will clamor to bring home.

Flowers are traditional wedding table centerpieces for all types of gatherings. Avoid tall blossoms that block the view of guests and deter casual conversation. Try to choose flowers with a delicate fragrance because a strong scent may be upsetting to some guests while they eat. Your arrangements can be large or small with seasonal fresh or dried flowers in colors that match your wedding party. The flower arrangements should suit the size of your tables. Square glass vases in various sizes are interesting wedding reception table centerpieces and simple to set up. A single flower tube vase on each table is a simple, elegant touch for more intimate wedding groups.

Add color to your floral wedding reception table centerpieces with water pearls in a rainbow of colors. Have bowls of water with colorful water pearls and floating candles instead of flowers. Alternatively, you may want to add long, lovely taper candles to your floral arrangements for a truly romantic look and ambiance. Add sparkling glow to your floral wedding reception table centerpieces with a water activated diamond light at the bottom of each. Bring more glitter to your wedding tables with themed confetti scattered under the centerpieces. The confetti will catch the diamond light under your centerpieces.

If you choose small wedding reception centerpiece ideas for a more conversational atmosphere, use mirrors to make them look bigger. Place mirrors under pillar candles for an illuminating glow. For weddings with children present, you can use battery operated tea lights for your candles rather than fire which could become hazardous. Steer clear of the mirrors as little hands are curious and could get hurt on glass.

Add gold, silver and glitter to your wedding reception table centerpieces along with trim in your main accent color for an opulent effect. Create centerpieces with candles and decorate with ribbon bows to match your wedding theme. Use miniature baskets with curled ribbon ties and fill the baskets with candies, Jordan almonds or potpourri. Choose ribbons and bows in colors to match your wedding party.

Easy wedding reception table centerpieces are lovely white ceramic plates spelling out “L-O-V-E” on each table that really express the message of the day. Fill the plates with flowers, candies, fruits, colorful crystals or candles. The plates won’t overshadow the tables yet add the celebratory touch you want. Each guest can take a filled letter home after the reception as a keepsake of your special day.

Give your guests a special treat in the middle of the table to tempt them throughout your wedding with heart shaped fondue to stir up conversation and appetites. Indulge your guests with melted chocolate, strawberries and pretzels for dipping. The fondue will encourage the guests at each table to mingle right away and your guests will talk about this unforgettable wedding centerpiece for years.

Another interactive idea is board games as wedding reception table centerpieces. Glass chess sets or colorful checkerboards get your guests involved while adding to the décor of your wedding. Decorate the area beneath them with glitter or confetti in unique shapes to reflect the theme of your day.

Striped and polka dotted metal boats filled with mints make perfect wedding reception table centerpieces at nautical nuptials. For waterfront weddings, these adorable little boats celebrate the seafaring spirit of the day. After your destination wedding, the guests can take the keepsake boats home for a beach feeling all the time.

Candy, rocks, crystals and colorful stones can be used to create dynamic wedding reception table centerpieces. Fill glass cylinders with a different items based on the theme of your day. Chocolates are perfect for luxury weddings. Use gourmet jellybeans for weddings with children. At a beach wedding, fill the cylinders with sand. You can even use various shaped cylinders, such as western boot shaped glasses filled with rocks for a country wedding.
Your wedding reception table centerpieces add personality to your day. Give your guests something to talk about right away with original centerpieces they will want to bring home.

Filed Under: Decorations, Reception Centerpiece Ideas, Wedding Favours