Wedding Trends That Take The Cake

The perfect time for the new adventure that your marriage will bring might just be springtime! Spring is considered a time of rebirth and renewal, and isn’t that just what your wedding signifies? Also, spring is not the most popular time for a wedding  (summer and fall are), so you may have an easier time getting top-notch vendors and venues. You may even get discounted rates! Use these tips to help you plan your spring wedding:

Think. What are your favorite parts of the season? Do you love the flowers? Do you want an early wedding so that you can enjoy the whole summer with your new hubby? List what you love most about the season…even if it’s just the fact that it may be easier on your budget…so that you’ll have a clear picture of your wants and needs while planning your wedding.

Indoors or outdoors? If you live in a warmer climate, you may consider holding your wedding outside. If your weather is kind of “iffy” in the springtime, you may want to keep it indoors. Also, keep in mind that spring brings rain, so any time spent outdoors may require an umbrella or an awning.

Timing is everything. As mentioned before, since springtime isn’t the most popular time to have a wedding ceremony, you may find that vendors and venues are more available. Still, you’ll want to pick your date, venue and vendors in a timely manner. Also, keep in mind that proms are held in the spring, so limos and tuxedos may be rented early. Plan for this.

Choose your colors. When choosing colors for your spring wedding, keep in mind that you may want to stay away from the bright colors of summer and winter. Consider pale, muted colors instead to reflect the season.

What to wear? When deciding on wedding attire, keep in mind that the weather can be sketchy. One day it’s warm, the next it’s cold. Some days are dry and some are wet. For this reason, you may want to avoid satin shoes (rain) and pick dresses that are versatile. If you choose sleeveless dresses, give your bridesmaids wraps as their bridesmaid gift to keep them warm, if necessary.

Consider a hint of color. Even if you want a white wedding gown, you may want to add a sash in a pastel color. Or how about a hint of all-over color? Embroidery in a light color would work well for this.

Think spring when decorating! What could be more festive than using the colors of spring to decorate your wedding reception? Pale greens, lavenders, pinks, roses and blues would all work well.

Accent tables with gingham fabrics, ribbons or even polka dots. Fill white baskets with an abundance of spring flowers for a fabulous centerpiece, or why not use an inexpensive terracotta pot with a moss or ivy-covered Styrofoam ball inside of it? Rose petals spread around the tables would be the perfect touch too.

Pick your flowers. Spring flowers include roses, peonies, irises, tulips, hyacinth, lilies and Gerber daisies. Choose a variety of these blooms to make the perfect spring bouquet!

Have fun with your wedding stationary! Save the Dates, affordable wedding invitations, place cards and announcements can all be quite whimsical and colorful. Use a matching theme and consider using some fun font styles to accent the whimsy of the season.

Favors should be fun! Keeping with the theme of whimsical fun, some good options for guest favors might include personalized seed packets or bulbs. Individual flower bud vases, personalized with your names and wedding date, might be nice too.

Lisa Bakewell

You want your guests to have a great time at your wedding reception, so you’ve spent some time thinking about the music that you’d like to have your band or DJ play. And it’s a good idea. After all, you want to have the perfect songs for your First Dance, your Daddy and Daughter dance and your Last Dance. 

But…have you given any thought to songs that you DON’T want played at your reception? No? Well, you may want to consider adding these songs to your  “DO NOT PLAY” list:

YMCA, the Macarena, the Hokey Pokey and the Chicken Dance…Sure your guests all know the moves, but these dances are not the most flattering for guests dressed for elegance. Do you really want to see your relatives swiveling their hips and flappin’ their arms?

Locomotion, Cha Cha Slide and Limbo Rock…Again, these songs bring out the teenage dancer in all of us, but, again, some of your guests are a tad further from their teen years than others. People could get hurt!

Mony Mony (Billy Idol) and Total Eclipse of the Heart (Bonnie Tyler)…These songs are ones that everyone loves to try to sing. They also love making up their own…objectionable lyrics…to them too. Do you really want Aunt Bertha subjected to that?

Stayin’ Alive…This Bee Gees classic brings back memories of John Travolta’s classic hustle moves, but there aren’t too many of your guests that will know more than one dance move to this song…Yep, that’s the one!

Who Let the Dogs Out? (Baha Men) and Everybody Have Fun Tonight (Wang Chung) …Yikes! I’m not sure how these songs ever became popular in the first place!

My Humps (Black Eyed Peas)…Again, this song may be objectionable to some of your guests. Think teens and twenty-somethings dancing to this song in front of grandma! Not a pretty thought, huh?

Every Breath You Take (The Police)…A little stalkerish, don’t you think?

Lips of an Angel (Hinder) and Jesse’s Girl (Rick Springfield)…These songs are about cheating and lusting after your friend’s girl. A bit inappropriate for a wedding, don’t you think?

Tears in Heaven (Eric Clapton)…Sure it’s a beautiful song, but a bit of a downer for a wedding reception.

White Wedding (Billy Idol)…This song is about Idol’s hate for his sister’s fiance. Other hate songs you might want to skip include Love Stinks, I F**king Hate You, You Gave Love a Bad Name and Tainted Love.

For a great selection of Save the Dates, visit Best Little Wedding Shop.

Lisa Bakewell

If you’re a true romantic, a Valentine’s Day wedding theme might be right up your alley. Even if you’re not getting married on Valentine’s Day, you might consider incorporating some of these fanciful touches to create the wedding of your dreams

Attire: Classic style dress is just what the doctor ordered for a truly romantic wedding. Consider wearing a timeless white dress and have your man wear a tuxedo with tails…and possibly a top hat and gloves. Check out old movies for great ideas. You might also consider a wedding dress with red accents, and have your bridesmaids wear a complementary color, such as red or pink. The groomsmen might wear red ties (maybe bowties) and cumberbunds.

Location: Make sure you book your location early, especially if Valentine’s Day falls on a weekend, as it’s a very popular day to get married. Pick a location that’s not too small or too large, but one that allows you to create a cozy, romantic feel. Decorate as you would for a romantic dinner with soft lighting, lots of candlelight, flowers and flowing fabric.

Décor:A classic red and white color scheme would work well for your wedding reception, and you can play up the Valentine’s Day theme in a number of ways. Anything heart-shaped or red and white (and, possibly, pink) will add to the overall romantic ambience on your special day. You might also consider draping the light fixtures with jewel- toned beads. A great source for beads is area thrift stores, such as Goodwill and the Salvation Army stores.

Music:You’ll want your music to set the mood for your romantic day. Consider hiring a string quartet to help set the Valentine’s Day mood. Or, if you want a DJ, consider having him/her create a song list full of romantic love songs. Granted, your guests will want some music to get them moving, too, but a great slow dance every now and then will set the mood for romance.

Flowers: Flowers are by definition romantic, so use them in abundance for your Valentine’s Day theme wedding day. While roses are the classic, they may be expensive in February. You may want to look to other red, pink and white flower type, such as carnations, which look great and are typically inexpensive.

Menu: Since Valentine’s Day is the most popular lover’s holiday, why not fan the sparks between your guests by including some aphrodisiacs in the menu? You might include foods, such as oysters, asparagus, almonds, poultry with mole sauce (a Mexican chocolate sauce), chili peppers and chocolates.

Cake:Valentine’s Day is all about love, so a great option for your wedding cake might be a tiered cake in the shape of a heart. Other things you could incorporate might include cupid, Valentine’s Day cards, doves, candied hearts, sugar ribbons and, possibly, a Swarovski cake topper.

Invitations and Save the Dates: Again, Valentine’s Day is all about love…and so is your wedding day…so you may want to consider continuing the V-Day theme with hearts, flowers and “Love.” You’ll find a wide variety of appropriate wedding invitations and save the dates to convey your message at Best Little Wedding Shop.

Favors:Give your guests tiny heart-shaped boxes of candy, chocolate kisses in a mesh bag tied with a red bow or heart-shaped ornaments that can be used on your guests’ Christmas tree as a remembrance of your big day.

Special Touches: Instead of table numbers, consider naming your tables after famous romantic couples…from today and yesterday. For some great ideas, check out Famous Couples website.

Lisa Bakewell

Seems that everyone wants a summer wedding, but creating and having a romantic winter wedding can be both glamorous and magical. Create your winter wonderland wedding by using these tips!

Attire

Why not create a romantic, Hollywood feel to your big day? Put your groom in long black tails and pick a golden-era-styled dress for yourself. Paired with a white faux fur wrap or a red silk cape, you will be stunning! For jewelry, consider anything diamond or diamond-like to add sparkle and shine.

For bridesmaid dresses, you may want to pick dresses with rich fabrics, such as satin, heavy silk, brocade or velvet. And don’t forget an attractive wrap for the bridesmaids to wear on the day of your wedding. This would make a great bridesmaid present, as well.

Location

You can get super-creative with location for your winter wedding. Why not choose a bed and breakfast, a lodge or inn with a fireplace or an historic mansion? Be sure to find out what seasonal decorations your wedding venue uses too. You may be able to save a lot of money if your wedding site is already heavily decorated for the season!

Invitations

Wintry motifs make a great theme for your wedding invitations. Also, you could go with metallics or white on white for a dramatic announcement of your big day. Check out these great invitations from Best Little Wedding Shop.

Menu

Go ahead offer the chicken or steak as your entrée, but consider adding wintry touches to your menu, such as pumpkin soup or a squash dish. Also, consider serving hot chocolate, eggnog, spiced wine or mixed coffee drinks.

Cake

Choose a white on white cake and decorate with marzipan snowflakes, Swiss dots, fresh white poinsettias or a snow globe. If you’d rather not have a traditional cake, though, why not choose a rich dark chocolate cake or a cheesecake with a raspberry filling or sauce? Not in the mood for cake at all? Chocolate covered cherries or strawberries might be just what you’re after!

Flowers

Winter flowers offer you an abundance of choices. Want an elegant look? Go for silver and white. Flowers you might use include dusty miller, baby blue eucalyptus, white roses, white mums or beautiful lilies. If you’d like to celebrate the season with more color, consider red and green. Using red roses, ornamental berries and holly and pine greenery will give your bouquets and flower arrangements a festive look.

Décor

Simply decorating your tables with white poinsettias will set a wintry mood to your reception. Also, pillar candles with pine branches or cranberries paired with floating candles will do the trick. Consider using strands of small white lights strung around doorways, over tables and on archways to add a rich and festive mood.

Favors

Favors for winter-themed weddings offer a lot of inexpensive choices. Why not give an ornament or a snow globe featuring a bride and groom? Also, inexpensive cocoa mixes in an attractive tin would work nicely. Sweets, such as cookies or candy would make a nice treat, as well. 

Things to Consider

Winter weather can be a problem depending on your location. Make sure that your guests don’t have to walk too far or spend a lot of time outside.

Make sure your receiving line keeps your guests out of the cold. If your ceremony space has a large entryway or vestibule, you may be able to wait there and have your guests greet you after the ceremony. If you hold the receiving line at the reception, make sure you’re far enough inside the building, so that guests won’t have to wait outside if the line gets backed up.

Remember to consider the holiday travel season when planning your wedding. Lots of commitments and higher travel costs might make it inconvenient for your guests to attend a late December or early January wedding. Book your date and get your save the date cards out early.

Lisa Bakewell

Thanksgiving is one of the biggest “get-together” holidays, and since your family may already be celebrating, why not consider making it your wedding day? It’s the perfect occasion for an elegant, yet relaxed celebration, because autumn offers natural, simple décor and great, inexpensive comfort foods. Consider using these creative tips to plan your Thanksgiving–wedding style!

Flowers and Décor:

Since this time of year is naturally beautiful, lean on Mother Nature for your decorations, and choose warm wedding and reception colors.

• Incorporate reds, rusts, oranges, yellows, browns, gold, cream, wine, and burgundy into the theme of your wedding. They are rich, deep and warm–and very inviting.
• Choose table runners that accentuate the colors of the wedding.
• Dim the lights to foster the “at home” feeling.
• For centerpieces, lay a few leaves around the table.
• Use fall flowers like mums, yarrow, daises, and roses, dahlias, lilies, yarrow, orchids, hydrangeas, sunflowers, baby’s breath, colored leaves, to create decorations and bouquets.pheasant feathers, tallow berries, and dried wheat to your bridal bouquets and decorations to complete the autumn look.
• Group gourds and pumpkins around the room. Remember, pumpkins are not only orange. You can find white and blueish ones, as well.
• Carve out pumpkins and put votive candles inside.
• Use leaf or pumpkin shaped floating candles in a bowl placed on a autumn decorated plate.
• Lay out seasonal fruits sprayed with a golden sparkle on gold plates with votive candles randomly placed on top.
• Fill cornucopias with seasonal produce and plants.
• Create a white candle arrangement mixed with cinnamon sticks tied with fall colored ribbons.
• Create a posh Thanksgiving ambiance by draping lush velvet throughout your party space.

The Meal:

The Thanksgiving wedding meal should be pretty easy. There’s no need to try to be creative since many guests look forward to turkey with all the trimmings.

You might also consider serving:

• Warm apple cider or mulled wine for a seasonal flavor
• Soup in a hallowed out pumpkin is unique and festive
• Desserts such as pumpkin pie or a baked apple desert–or even a tiered pumpkin pie!

Tip: Consider incorporating your family recipes into your wedding menu, and serving the meal family style.

Attire:

Dress for you Thanksgiving wedding can be either casual or formal.

• Choose a wedding dress in off white or cream with gold beading or leafy embroidery.
• Consider wearing a warm shawl to cover your shoulders since the weather will be cool.
• Choose fall colors in a warm material for bridesmaid dresses. You may also want to consider long sleeves.
• Tan, beige, or brown tuxes with ties that match the bridesmaids fall color dresses will work well for the groomsmen.

Favors:

• Make homemade goodies like fudge, candy apples, or jams and present them in festive packaging.
• Fill mini burlap bags with coffee beans, bulbs, or other treats. Use a label with your monogram or wedding date and secure with a ribbon.
• Give miniature bottles of maple syrup as a sweet treat.
• Fill miniature wood crates lined with straw with goodies for a rustic touch.

Invitations and Stationery:

• Send out save the date cards as soon as possible since your wedding will fall on a holiday weekend.
• Dress up ordinary wedding invitations and wedding with inexpensive silk fall leaves included in each mailing.
• Emboss off white or ivory invitations with pressed autumn leaves for a beautiful touch.

For a great selection of Save the Date Cards and Wedding Invitations, visit the Best Little Wedding Shop website.

Lisa Bakewell

Traditionally, the most popular day for a wedding is Saturday, which makes for tough competition when it comes to securing venues and services for your big day. To avoid hearing “that date has already been booked,” why not plan an “off-day” wedding instead? Not only will you have a better chance of having your wedding on the date of your choice, it also makes economic sense because:

Keep in mind, too, that restaurants are usually thrilled to have rehearsal dinners booked on Thursdays or other evenings during the week. These are, typically, their slower business days, so you’ll find that the staff will be more attentive to your party’s needs, and the atmosphere will be more relaxed.

Another reason for the growing popularity of off-day weddings is that benefits you, your family, and your friends.

By now, you may be thinking that an off-day wedding sounds like a terrific idea for you and your soon-to-be-spouse. If this is the case, you’ll not only save money, you’ll be able to enjoy more time with your loved ones and you’ll most likely hear “Yes” from vendors and service providers instead of “We’re already booked.” Here are a few things to keep in mind, though:

If all of this advice sounds good to you…go ahead and buck the traditional Saturday wedding!

Lisa Bakewell

You’ve decided on a Las Vegas destination wedding. So now it’s time to plan the festivities, and then you’ll be ready to order your Las Vegas-themed Save the Date cards (and  magnets)  and Las Vegas-themed wedding invitations.

You’re excited. And you should be! As the marriage capital of the world, Las Vegas grants more than 122,000 marriage licenses every year. And it’s no wonder. From its simple drive-thru weddings to super-extravagant (and expensive) black tie affairs, Las Vegas has a lot to offer the couple ready to tie the knot in a fun and exciting way.

Check out some of the reasons, and you’ll be saying, “Viva Las Vegas” as your perfect wedding day destination!

It’s fast and easy.

• Neither blood tests (nor waiting periods) are required if you want to tie the knot.
• The legal age is 18 for both men and women (proof of age is required).
• Civil ceremonies can be performed at the Marriage Commissioner’s Office at 309 S. 3rd St.
• Most chapels allow couples to book their wedding right away, and some even accommodate walk-ins (or drive-thrus). Chapel fees vary depending on the services provided.
• For marriage license information, call the Clark County Marriage License Bureau at (702) 671-0600. License Bureau hours are 8 a.m. to midnight, including holidays.

It’s affordable.

• Las Vegas weddings cost less than traditional ceremonies, with weddings starting as low as $75.
• Weddings can be created ala carte in most cases too.
• Licensing fees are $55.
• You can have the wedding without the reception, if you want, and still have lots of entertainment options for your guests. The party never stops!

It’s convenient.

• Most hotels in Las Vegas have their own wedding chapels and wedding coordinators in charge of all the preparations–from flowers and music to the wedding official, souvenirs and entertainment ideas.
• Need a ring or two? They’re easy to find in Las Vegas.
• Flowers? Not a problem.
• Gown and/or tuxedo? You can rent both.
• You don’t even have to leave the comfort of your own car. You can do the drive-thru. Don’t have a car? You can rent one.

It’s fun!

Las Vegas is not only the marriage capital of the world, it’s also the crazy wedding capital of the world. If you go there to get married, you don’t have to have a traditional ceremony–plan something fun! Las Vegas wedding chapels offer unique weddings galore. Check out these resources, and start planning your dream wedding:

• MyWedding.com: Find everything you need to plan your wedding
• ONLY Vegas: The official Las Vegas tourism website brought to you by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority
• LasVegasWeddings.com: Las Vegas wedding packages starting at $75
• Vegas.com: The official Vegas travel site

Lisa Bakewell

It’s been determined that you and your fiancé are fun-seekers who shy away from the traditional. You want your wedding and reception to be memorable–for you and your guests. That’s why we’ve decided to offer you some additional ideas for holding your unique wedding and reception.

In Unique Wedding Venues…Get Creative! we offered several unique venue ideas including cave weddings, underwater weddings, train weddings, movie studio weddings, among others. In part two of this series, we’re bringing you even more great ideas for unique wedding venues. Also, click on the photos for links to a great invitation, save the date and accessory idea from Best Little Wedding Shop. Be sure to visit the site for more great wedding products!

Here are some more “off the grid” wedding venue ideas:

Wed him a vineyard. Looking for a dreamy outdoor wedding venue? Wine Country Inn, Palasade, Colorado can help you create unforgettable lifetime memories in a spectacular vineyard setting. Exchange vows in the open outdoor pavilion among the vines, the beautifully landscaped courtyard or the elegantly appointed Vineyard Ballroom. They also offer smaller venues for more intimate events.

Marry Prince Charming. If your dream is to be married in a castle, look no further than Castle Farms in beautiful Charlevoix, Michigan. As Northern Michigan’s premiere wedding location, you’ll have lots of regal options available to you that would make even Cinderella envious! [Editor's Note: One nice feature of this venue is that you can hire your own caterer and bring in your own alcohol]

Take it up, up and away! Have your wedding in a hot air balloon! Arizona Balloon Rides in Phoenix, Arizona offers private, romantic hot air balloon wedding ceremonies as well as larger elaborate ceremonies requiring multiple balloons. They will customize the experience to meet your needs!

Make it spooky. Looking for the perfect place for your haunted wedding (or honeymoon)? Thayer’s Bed and Breakfast  in Annandale, Minnesota will fit the bill nicely. This historical B&B is an Old West Victorian mansion just minutes from the Twin Cities. As well as offering weddings every day of the year, they also offer a “Haunted Honeymoon Package” which includes a one-hour Couple’s Psychic Reading, a half-hour of private ghost hunting instruction and a disposable camera to photograph the many ghosts which inhabit Thayer’s B&B.

Follow the light. Are you and your significant other lighthouse buffs? If so, you should consider getting married in Martha’s Vineyard. Lighthouse enthusiasts consider the five lighthouses on Martha’s Vineyard to be the most diverse in a small contained area in the country, and they are available for wedding ceremonies. All of the Island’s lighthouses, except the Cape Poge Lighthouse, are easily accessible by road, and the Gay Head, East Chop, and Edgartown Lighthouses are maintained by the Martha’s Vineyard Historical Society. Call the Martha’s Vineyard Historical Society at 508-627-4441 for more information.

Have a garden party. Cleveland Botanical Garden in Cleveland, Ohio provides the perfect place to share your beautiful wedding day with family and friends. From its exotic Eleanor Armstrong Smith Glasshouse to its beautiful outdoor gardens, this botanical garden offers a most unique and elegant setting.

Lisa Bakewell

Save The Date Magnet

It used to be that destination weddings involved only the bride and groom—heading off to elope in Las Vegas—with maybe a witness or two. Today, destination weddings are becoming very popular, not only because they’re a lot of fun, but also because they include family and friends, and they can save you a bundle of cash and nerves.

If you’re on a budget, a destination wedding can be a very cost-effective choice. Since the guest list is smaller, your budget can be smaller, since not everyone on your guest list will be able to afford to travel or be able to get time off from work.

Tags: Destination Wedding, Save The Date Card, Save The Date Magnet, Theme Wedding
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