Country Wedding Details

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Country style is always comfortable, never stiff or formal. When planning a country style wedding, keep that in mind when selecting your reception venue. Instead of a fancy ballroom or a generic hall, consider places like meadows, rustic barns, and country inns. These are places where you can create the welcoming sort of atmosphere that epitomizes the country.

Food is an important part of a celebration. For a country wedding, plan a menu with foods that are familiar and unfussy. They don’t need to be fancy – just delicious! Ideas include down home favorites like country ham, homemade macaroni and cheese, and fresh berries.

For drinks, big glass jugs of lemonade would be the perfect refreshment. Iced tea would be another good drink to have on hand – sweetened if you live in the South or unsweetened if you are a Northern bride.

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Fresh and casual flowers like gerbera daisies, wildflowers, or poppies would be beautiful. You can arrange them in simple glass vases, pop them into galvanized steel buckets, or even loosely arrange them in white pitchers (a basketweave design would be ideal). Another idea is to choose potted flowers displayed in baskets. Tie a gingham ribbon around the basket for a lovely country detail.

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The bride’s attire should also have a less formal look. Fabrics like linen, Swiss dot, or organdy would be lovely choices. The idea is to choose a gown that makes sense in your setting and enhances your theme.

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Your accessories should also look at home in your setting. Handmade wedding jewelry would be beautiful for the bride and her bridesmaids. Look for wedding jewelry that has been handmade with fine details like freshwater pearls and sterling silver. When you find the right pieces, you will have the pleasure of being able to wear them again after the wedding.

Whether you grew up in the country, or are a city girl looking to create a welcoming environment for your reception, you can’t go wrong adding some country details to your wedding. The warm and relaxed feeling of a country wedding will make it a day that everyone will enjoy.

Wedding Contingency Plans

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They say that the best made plans may go awry, and that is certainly true of weddings. You plan and you plan, but sometimes things pop up at the last minute that have to be dealt with. These are some of the things to think about…

One of the main reasons that couples need contingency plans for their wedding is inclement weather. If you are having an outdoor ceremony, you definitely need to have a rain plan. Either rent a tent (and a floor if it is a really soggy day), or have an alternate indoor location. If your wedding does end up being moved at the last minute, be certain to get word to all of the guests!

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The wedding bands are a very important part of the ceremony, so be sure that you give them ample thought in advance. If you will have a ring bearer, you might want to reconsider putting the actual wedding jewelry on his little pillow. Many couples tie a pair of symbolic rings to the pillow, and give the real ones to the best man (who is hopefully more responsible than a young child! If not, give the rings to someone else to hold.).

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What are some other wedding contingency plans that couples should have in place? A big one is a plan in case uninvited guests show up at the reception. If you are diligent about following up the R.s.v.p.s, hopefully you will not encounter this problem, but it does happen more often than you may think. If there are a few guests that you have not heard from that you think might make a surprise appearance, have a plan in place with your caterer.

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Every wedding has a few surprises, and there is no way to plan for all of them. Once you are confident that you have contingency plans in place for the big issues, allow yourself to relax about the rest of it. As the old saying goes, “Don’t sweat the small stuff”!

Selecting Readings for Your Wedding

One of the most meaningful parts of the wedding ceremony is the readings. It is a chance for the bride and groom to personalize their wedding, so you will want to choose the passages carefully. You can also invite a close friend or family member to do a reading, which is quite an honor.

In many wedding ceremonies, the couple will follow a fairly standard format. If you are having a religious service, your readings might well be your only chance to put anything of yourself into the ceremony. In many churches, you will be given a list of suggested readings, which are usually Biblical passages. The bride and groom will then get the chance to select the two of them that they feel best suit them and their relationship.

If you have the freedom to choose your own readings, it can be both a great opportunity and a bit overwhelming. Where to begin? Well, the idea is to have the reading reflect something about you as a couple. It could be a poem that you both love, or a passage from a book. You could choose words or a story that will tell the guests something about your relationship. If you are stumped, try looking at a book of classic love letters or romantic poems.

When you are having a small wedding, it can be wonderful to invite all of the guests to participate in the readings. You can pass out sections from a poem, and ask each guest to read a line in turn. You can also try a call and response reading, where the officiant leads the way, and the assembled guests read a response. It is very meaningful to have the guests take part in your wedding.

Although it is not mandatory, it might be nice to give your reader a small gift of thanks. For instance, if you are giving pearl bridesmaid jewelry to your attendants, then while you are shopping, you could pick up a little something for your readers. The gift could be similar to the one you give your attendants, but perhaps done on a smaller scale. So if you have chosen complete sets of bridesmaid jewelry for your attendants, you might give your reader a simple pearl pendant.

Give yourself plenty of time to select the readings for your wedding ceremony. The readings are a part of the wedding that the bride and groom should definitely decide on together. It is a nice time to reflect on yourselves as a couple, as well as on your upcoming marriage.

Bringing Children to a Wedding

For children who have never attended a wedding before, preparation is key. This is especially true for the little ones, such as three or four year olds. They likely have no idea what goes on at a wedding, and are probably making up fantasies in their heads about it, which may or may not match the reality. To be sure that they understand what will really happen during a wedding, it is a good idea to talk them through it.

A good way to prepare your child for being a wedding guest is to show him or her books ore movies that feature weddings. Little girls, in particular, will love seeing pictures of brides in their long white gowns, flowing veils, and fancy wedding jewelry. Any of the books that are geared towards flower girls or ring bearers would be appropriate for pre-schoolers. There are also cute little sets of toys that feature a bride and groom figurine.

Make sure that the morning of the wedding is not the first time that your child tries on his or her fancy outfit. The dresses that little girls wear to such occasions often have crinolines or lace collars that can be too scratchy on sensitive skin. If you find this out in advance, you can have a seamstress add a lining or remove any itchy trim.

The final thing to think about when taking your children to a wedding is your exit strategy. If the party is going to be going strong well past their usual bedtime, then either plan to turn the kids over to a babysitter after the ceremony, or to head out from the reception after the cake has been cut. On the other hand, some children have so much fun at weddings, that they are the ones cutting a rug on the dance floor all night! Either way, when you have planned well, you will know that the wedding will be a fun event for the whole family.

Surprising Wedding Trend: Butterflies

Every wedding needs that one special element or theme that will bring it all together. Sometimes that concept can be rather unexpected. One surprising wedding trend right now is to beautify your wedding with butterflies.

There are countless ways to incorporate butterflies into your wedding design. Since they are associated with flowers, that is a good place to start. A tight round bouquet with multi-colored flowers would be even more gorgeous with one or two butterflies adorning it. Look for butterflies that are made from either sheer fabric or feathers, with little clips that you can use to attach them to things.

The wedding cake is another great place to use the butterfly motif. You can use more of the fabric ones, or have your baker create them out of gum paste. It would be just beautiful to have a cake with elaborate frosting flowers, and then to enhance it with graceful butterflies. What a romantic design that would be.

Butterflies can also adorn the bride herself. I have seen stunning bridal gowns that have pastel butterflies embroidered on the bodice or on the train. As long as they are done in a soft color palette, the effect can be subtle and sophisticated. Of course you would want to avoid anything that looked too childish.

For the bridesmaids, there are a few great ways to include them in the butterfly theme. Rather than going overboard with butterflies all over their dresses, choose more subtle accents. A single small butterfly clip in the hair of each attendant would be very pretty. Another idea is to forget about adorning the bridesmaids with a literal representation of a butterfly; instead bring out the luminous colors from your motif by giving them crystal bridesmaid jewelry.

The one type of butterfly to avoid using in your wedding is a live one. Although it looks beautiful to release a box of the fluttering creatures at the end of your ceremony, the sad truth is that they rarely survive very long. It is much better to use faux butterflies as a way to make this wonderful theme come to life.

Planning for Your Wedding Day Hair

One of the things that you will surely want for your wedding is great hair. The right hairstyle will be the perfect complement to your wedding gown, and it will help you to feel beautiful all day. When you become engaged, there are a few things that you should do to plan for your wedding day hair.

You may wish to formulate a long term plan with your hairstylist as far as a year before your wedding. This is not to say that you should have trial runs to come up with your exact hairstyle this far in advance. It is more about thinking in general terms what options you would like to have, and what you will need to do to get there.

Your haircut is another thing that you should think about well before your wedding date. Very layered haircuts may be great for everyday life, but can pose a problem for styling on the day of your wedding. You may find that all of those loose layers can be very messy when you are trying to form them into a more defined style for a formal event. To keep all of your options open to you, talk to your hairstylist about keeping layers to a minimum.

Another thing to think about when it comes to your wedding hair is how it will work with your headpiece. You have the option of choosing the headpiece based on the hairstyle that you want, or designing a hairstyle around your favorite hair jewelry. For instance, if you know that you want to wear you hair mostly loose, then a choose a piece of hair bridal jewelry such as a dainty pearl headband. On the other hand if you have fallen in love with a set of hairpins, then you will know that some sort of updo is needed to anchor them.

Your wedding hairstyle will definitely help to define your final look on your wedding day. This is why most brides find it helpful to start planning for it well in advance. You will find that with a little preparation, your wedding day will be the ultimate “good hair day”!

Cutting Wedding Costs

It seems like these days everyone is looking for ways to cut costs. When it comes to planning a wedding, it is easy to feel torn between saving money and throwing the wedding of your dreams. Luckily, there are some ways to cut costs without cutting down on style.

The bulk of your wedding budget will end up going towards your reception, so this is the also place with the most potential to save. Sometimes couples think that they can save money by having the wedding at home instead of renting a venue. The truth is, though, that by the time you have dealt with renting everything from a tent to silverware to a porto-potty, having a wedding at your house is probably one of the least economical options.

The music is certainly one of the most important parts of the reception, especially if you prefer live music instead of a d.j. One great way to save on the entertainment is to look for musicians at a local college. For instance, if you live near New York, why not audition students from Julliard? With a little research, you can find a band or soloist that is very talented, but also quite affordable.

When trying to save on wedding flowers, there are a couple of things to keep in mind. The first is that if you go with blossoms that are in season, you will save a bundle. Forget about flying tulips in from Holland for your autumn wedding; instead look for another option. Another way to save is to ask your florist to recommend flowers that are less expensive than the ones you see in the magazines, but that have a similar look.

Another way to cut costs for your wedding is to do much of your shopping online. You will often find much more reasonable prices on everything from invitations to bridesmaid jewelry gifts. When you purchase your gifts, like bridesmaid jewelry, over the internet, you will have the added bonus of a much better selection from which to choose.

Your wedding is a once in a lifetime event, and you never want to look back and wish that you had done things differently. When you know where to look, it is possible to have your dream wedding without overspending. This way you reflect back on your wedding, you will have fond memories as reminders, not outstanding debt!

Elegant Two Tone Wedding Gowns

Looking for a wedding gown that is both hot off the runway and also very elegant? One of the most beautiful trends in gowns for 2009 is the two tone effect. These gowns have a subtle contrast that makes them look special and unique.

Two tone gowns are a lovely way to take your dress beyond basic, without necessarily doing anything too avant garde. The contrasting tones are usually subtle, such as white and ivory, ivory and champagne, or cream with blush. There are a variety of different ways in which the two colors can be juxtaposed.

One of the simplest two tone concepts is to have a contrasting sash on the wedding gown. This is a very easy way to add a bit of interest to a clean silhouette. A very pretty look is to pull out the color from the sash into your accessories. For instance, if you have chosen a gown that is ivory with a blush colored sash, then look for pearl bridal jewelry in gentle shades of blush or rose.

A very pretty two tone wedding gown style is the double layered dress. In this style, there is one solid piece of fabric, either a sheer or a lace, layered on top of the second color. This is a great option for the bride who is afraid of cutting up her silhouette with bands of contrasting colors (particularly true for petite brides). It allows you to have the depth and interest of two tones without any distracting breaks in the dress.

When choosing your veil, what usually works the best is to match the color of the tulle to the main color of the dress, and any trim to the deeper shade on your gown. So if you are wearing a silk white wedding dress with a contrasting blush sash, choose a veil that is also diamond white, perhaps with a blush satin bias trim around the edge.

A two tone gown is a great way to indulge in a current bridal trend without looking trendy. It is a subtle enough effect that it will stand the test of time. This allows brides the wonderful feeling that their wedding day look is both current and classic.

Pre-Wedding Fitness Plans

Whether you are recently engaged or about to walk down the aisle, it is a universal truth that all brides are concerned about their figures. You want to look as good as possible in your wedding dress, after all. The way to get there is with a sensible and effective fitness plan.

There are many types of fitness plans to help brides get in shape. Choosing the right one for you will depend on your temperament, your physique, and how much time you have before your wedding. You want to devise a plan that is challenging enough to be effective, but that is not so difficult that you end up losing too much weight, or on the flip side, giving up because it is unrealistic.

A very good place to begin can be with vigorous walking to improve overall health and fitness. If you are hoping to lose a fair amount of weight, cardio work is going to be a very important component of your plan. As you get into better shape, you can go from walking to running, or try out other forms of cardio like an elliptical machine or a spinning class.

Speaking of classes, some people find that being part of a group makes exercise more fun and less like a chore. It may also help to get you to push yourself harder while you exercise. There is a type of class for everyone. Yoga is a great way to help create long, lean muscles while also releasing some of that wedding stress.

The final thing to remember is not to obsess over what you are going to look like in your dress. Your whole wedding day look is going to be a complete package: gown, veil, bridal jewelry sets, hair, and makeup. (Brides love shopping for their bridal jewelry sets because they always fit, no matter what your size!) Nobody is going to notice if you didn’t lose that last ½” from your upper arms, so don’t let it ruin your day.

Remember that your fiance loves you for who you are, no matter what. Getting in shape for your wedding is a great goal, as long as you don’t let it take over your life. With a sensible fitness plan, you can arrive at your wedding day both looking and feeling great.

Wedding Planning for the Anti-Bride

So what is an anti-bride? She is the one who does not flip through bridal magazines at the newsstand, could not care less about the subtle distinctions between ecru and eggshell, and is not about to promise to “obey” anyone. Above all, the anti-bride cannot imagine wearing a big poufy dress, cathedral length veil, and sparkly crown. In other words, she is not into the “princess for a day” fantasy.

If you become engaged and come to realize as Carrie Bradshaw once said in Sex and the City that you are “missing the bride gene”, you may indeed be an anti-bride. Although you may feel that you are surrounded by people pushing you into a nightmare of tulle, ice sculptures shaped like swans, and other things that make you hyperventilate, do not panic: you are not alone. There are, in fact, plenty of other women out there just like you, anti-brides who want to have a great wedding, but on their own terms.

The key to being a happy anti-bride is to be true to yourself. So if your mother tries to push you into the wedding of her dreams, or your co-workers just don’t understand why you would wear a red wedding gown, be prepared to stand your gown. Chances are that you have been doing this most of your adult life, anyway.

If you are an anti-bride, your good friends can also lend you a lot of support as you plan your ideal wedding. They will be the ones who back your decision to wear the wedding gown of your choosing, no matter what anyone else thinks of it. They will also be the ones who will keep your spirits high even on those days when the whole wedding thing is driving you nuts.

Be sure to acknowledge them with special bridesmaid gifts. Something unique that suits their individual personalities is ideal. If you are an anti-bride, the chances are that you will only be having a couple of your closest friends as attendants (instead of a platoon of girls dressed identically in aqua chiffon), so it gives you the freedom to customize your bridesmaid gifts for each of your friends.

The good news for anti-brides is that weddings are all about personal expression these days. There are tons of organic caterers, creative seamstresses, and others out there to help you plan a wedding that truly reflects who you are. Bride or anti-bride, that is really all that most women want from their wedding in the end (other than the groom, of course!).