Fall Wedding Gown and Bridesmaid Dress Ideas

Fall is a special season with its own unique flavor. Rather than wearing a summery dress, play up the feeling of autumn by selecting a wedding gown which really suits the season. While brides can certainly wear white at any time of the year, warmer tones like cream, ivory, and champagne are very attractive for fall. Women with warm undertones to their skin or blond hair often look wonderful in an ivory gown. If yellowish undertones make your skin look sallow, seek an ivory with a slightly pinkish hue or try a gown in champagne or pale mocha.

Sheer fabrics like organza and chiffon really are not appropriate for autumn. They are just too light and summery. Better choices for fall wedding gowns and bridesmaid dresses include silk shantung, dupioni, mikado, taffeta, lace, and satin. For a late autumn ceremony (say around Thanksgiving), velvet is another excellent choice. If you like the fluid drape of chiffon, substitute a heavy silk crepe instead. You will get beautiful movement in a seasonally appropriate weight.

Heavier laces such as Alencon or Venise are more fall-ish than lightweight Chantilly lace. The richness of a beautiful lace is a gorgeous addition to an autumn bridal gown. Lace isn’t only for brides. There are also some marvelous lace bridesmaid dresses available. A chocolate brown lace over a mocha colored lining would be absolutely stunning for the attendants. The bride could give them bridesmaid jewelry gifts made from mocha colored Swarovski crystals to complement the dresses. Another fun idea is to give fall bridesmaid gifts made from leaf shaped crystals for a great autumnal touch.

Of course if there is one thing fall is famous for, it is the rich colors. Definitely shop for bridesmaid dresses in deep or warm hues. Jewel tones are very popular right now, and classic fall shades like brown, russet, cinnamon, and cranberry are always lovely. The bride might even wish to add an embellishment to her gown in an autumn hue or surprise everyone by wearing a great pair of shoes in her favorite rich fall color. Everyone is sure to look absolutely beautiful in their perfect fall wedding attire.

Top Advice for Planning a Wedding Around a Holiday

The first tip is to give careful thought to the timing of your holiday wedding to ensure maximum attendance among your guests. If you want to plan your wedding to coincide with a fun theme like St. Patrick’s Day or Halloween, it would naturally be appealing to host the event on the actual date. That said, if St. Patrick’s Day happens to fall on a Wednesday, how many of your friends and family will be able to come to your wedding to admire your green bouquet and crystal shamrock bridesmaid jewelry gifts? In some instances, it might make more sense to have your wedding on the weekend that is closest to your favorite holiday to make sure that all of the important people will be able to join you.

Some holidays are considered sacred. You would not plan a wedding on Christmas Day or Easter if you want anyone to be in attendance (nor would you be allowed to have a wedding on those dates in a church). But having a Christmas theme wedding in mid-December would be absolutely delightful. You can decorate it in gorgeous shades of red and green, using sumptuous fabrics like velvet or tartan with gold threads. Your bridesmaids can wear velvet dresses with burgundy crystal bridesmaid jewelry gifts and carry bouquets with holly sprigs in them. As long as you schedule your wedding so that it does not interfere with the family holiday plans of your guests, they will be thrilled to attend your holiday season nuptials.

Long holiday weekends like Labor Day and Memorial Day are very popular for weddings. Since most people have an extra day off work, it makes travel much easier for the invited guests, and attendance tends to be quite good. Additionally, these are not weekends that are typically very family-oriented, so most people will not mind leaving town to go to your wedding. The main consideration for these long weekends is that due to their popularity, all of the best venues and vendors are likely to book up early. Add several months to your lead time when planning for a very competitive date. Also be sure to send out a save the date notice at least six months in advance so that your guests do not make other plans for the long weekend. Something else to think about when planning a wedding around a holiday is how much of the holiday’s theme you wish to incorporate into your decorations. When planning a holiday wedding, these are the personal choices that every couple gets to make for themselves.

Easy Ways to Make Your Wedding More Eco-Friendly

One: Use Less Paper. Think about how much paper is used in a traditional wedding: save the date cards, invitations, response cards, double envelopes, bridal shower and rehearsal dinner invitations, programs, menus, escort cards, table numbers, gift wrap…the list goes on and on! It is actually pretty easy to reduce the amount of paper you use for your eco-friendly wedding. Skip the response cards, save the dates, and double envelopes. Write the reception menu on a chalkboard, bistro style. Wrap the bridesmaid jewelry gifts in pretty scarves instead of wrapping paper (plus the scarves will be nice bonus gifts in addition to the bridesmaid jewelry!). And for the essentials like the wedding invitations, opt for recycled paper or an alternative fiber paper like hemp or bamboo.

Two: Think Beyond Cut Flowers. Every wedding needs beautiful decorations. That does not mean that you necessarily need to buy hundreds or even thousands of cut flowers that will be thrown away at the end of the reception. For the centerpieces, consider potted flowering seasonal plants that can be planted in the ground after your wedding. Little pots of herbs displayed in groups in the middle of the table could be not only eco-friendly centerpieces, but can also be taken home as the wedding favors. Grow them yourself from organic seeds to save money. If you do opt for cut flowers, choose organic locally grown blossoms whenever possible.

Three: Serve Organic or Local Food. Wouldn’t your guests enjoy a wonderful meal made from wholesome fresh ingredients grown without the use of pesticides? And wouldn’t they prefer a flavorful piece of free-range chicken that is not full of hormones or antibiotics? Food that is raised or grown with care is both better for the environment and tastier. Local produce and meat are also good options, even if they are not organic. At least you will be supporting local farmers and reducing the amount of fuel used to transport the food from the farm to your reception table. Consider working with local farmers to produce something special like farmhouse cheddar or goat’s milk soap for the wedding favors.

Four:  Plan a Green Honeymoon. For couples who want a relaxing honeymoon with a reduced impact on the planet, a trip to an eco-lodge is just the thing. They are located in naturally beautiful spots around the globe, and are retreats which focus on conservation and appreciation for the local culture. At the same time, the amenities at many eco-lodges are top-notch, so don’t feel like you will be roughing it as you lounge in solar powered splendor. Isn’t it wonderful when you can green up your wedding without sacrificing a thing?

Sophisticated Gifts for Your Wedding Party

Gifts of bridesmaid jewelry are among the most traditional for wedding parties. The wonderful thing about jewelry is that there is a piece of jewelry which will suit the taste of any woman. When you seek bridesmaid jewelry gifts which are sophisticated and stylish, look for pieces made with unique design elements. A pair of keshi pearl drop earrings is a chic gift for the bridesmaid who loves fashion. For your maid of honor, add a necklace with keshi pearls strung on a fine silver chain.

Bridesmaids who adore beautiful things will also enjoy receiving sophisticated gifts of silver. A monogrammed silver compact mirror would be a terrific bridesmaid gift for your friend who likes designer bags. After all, she wouldn’t want to pull a cheap plastic mirror out of her fabulous handbag! For your bridesmaid who likes home decorating, a chic silver picture frame with her initials is an elegant wedding party gift. If you have a friend who is crazy for jewelry, a great gift idea is a small engraved silver jewelry box to hold her most treasured pieces. It is perfectly fine to choose a different personalized silver present for each attendant, as long as they are all of comparable value.

Let’s not forget about the men in the wedding party. Groomsmen deserve sophisticated gifts too! A terrific present for a formal wedding is a pair of monogrammed silver cufflinks that can be worn for the ceremony. Choose oval cufflinks for the men who have the most classic taste and square ones for the guys who like more modern streamlined style. Executive silver gifts are also highly appropriate for a group of groomsmen who are mature and successful professionals. An engraved silver business card holder will make a handsome addition to a man’s briefcase or desk. Pen sets and silver plated USB flash drives are also very sophisticated choices.

Personalized leather gifts are another excellent idea for the groomsman with sophisticated taste. A leather portfolio is a nice choice for a lawyer or any professional who needs to keep a notepad handy. Or how about a monogrammed leather passport cover for your best man, the world traveler? A customized leather and plaid covered flask will add style to a tailgate party for your buddy the college football fan. As with the bridesmaid gifts, groomsmen gifts can be chosen for each individual, or you can select one item that you think the whole group will like.

How to Politely Incorporate Charitable Donations Into a Wedding

It is a very admirable urge to use your wedding as a way to give back to your community. The bride who wishes to find ways to support a beloved charity is a refreshing break from the Me-First Bridezilla attitude that one sees more often than we would like. At the same time, a wedding is not a fundraiser, and it is important not to offend your guests in the name of doing a good deed. This is a look at ways that a couple can politely incorporate charitable donations into their wedding.

The frank reality is that people are not particularly crazy about receiving a card that says “In lieu of a favor, a donation has been made in your name to _____”. They just aren’t. It is not really a gift for them, after all, but a gift for your favorite cause. No matter how worthy the cause may be, it is not more worthy than showing hospitality to your friends and family. Keep in mind that there are some things for which a charitable donation simply cannot be substituted. It is not going to fly to give make donations instead of giving bridesmaid gifts.

This does not mean, however, that it is impossible to work in a charitable donation as part of the wedding favors. The best way to do it is to find a charity that you support who sells something nice that you can give as favors. The Arbor Day Foundation, for instance, sells little live trees that you can give as favors, and the proceeds go to support their efforts. Many charities do something similar. This is the perfect solution, because it allows you to give money to your favorite cause, while also giving your guests a nifty little gift.

There are some other interesting ways to incorporate charitable donations into your wedding plans behind the scenes. You could hire a volunteer from your favorite organization to provide a service at your wedding and then donate whatever you would have paid a professional to do perform that task. In some cases, they may be able to hook you up with a volunteer who has expertise in an area of need, such as bartending, but there are also other tasks – coat check attendant, for example – that could easily be done by any adult volunteer. By the way, there is no need to make a big fuss about your charitable donation (like printing a note about it in your programs, for instance); doing the good deed should be the motivation, not getting recognition for it.

Bridesmaid Gifts for Destination Weddings

When you are having a destination wedding, it can be nice to select bridesmaid gifts which tie in with the style of your celebration. Jewelry is always one of the most popular bridesmaid gifts. Everyone loves receiving jewelry as a gift, after all, and it has the timeless quality that makes it a lasting keepsake of your wedding. If you are having a destination wedding, why not select bridesmaid jewelry which coordinates with your theme? For a beach wedding, you could give your attendants monogrammed shell pendants or crystal shell necklaces. Other fantastic ideas for beach wedding jewelry are crystal starfish pendants and earrings. If your destination wedding is headed for a cold weather location like a ski resort, a crystal snowflake pendant would be a fabulous gift idea.

Since destination weddings always involve travel, luggage and accessories are always a terrific bridesmaid gift option. Personalized pieces are especially thoughtful, such as a monogrammed duffel or garment bag. A monogrammed cosmetic bag is another great gift idea, either on its own or as part of a set of coordinating luggage. Just for fun, add a personalized luggage tag in each bridesmaid’s favorite colors to her bags. Great travel bags are a bridesmaid gift that your friends will enjoy for many years after your wedding.

Another neat idea for destination wedding bridesmaid gifts is a bag of items to make her trip more pleasant. Fill a cute mini tote bag with the little things which will make the trip more relaxing and the hotel room feel more like home. Small bottles of fancy lotion will be just the thing for battling the dry air in the plane. A fragrant candle in a travel tin will help the hotel room smell wonderful. A pair of soft slippers will feel wonderful to put on at the end of the wedding reception. If you are headed to the beach, throw in a pair of flip flops to get her in the island spirit. For a wintery destination, a soft scarf in her favorite color will keep each bridesmaid feeling warm and pretty.

A personalized travel journal would be a terrific bridesmaid present for your friend who likes to journal. Emboss her initials in it to make the gift even more special, and don’t forget to include a pen! If you have a bridesmaid who enjoys scrapbooking, a new scrapbook would be a fun bridesmaid gift. Start it off with a page featuring pictures of the two of you together, and then she can have fun filling in the book with pictures, tickets, stationery and other mementos of the trip and your wedding. Another wonderful idea is a picture frame. You could choose one made from a sea glass mosaic for a beach wedding or a classic bridesmaid theme frame.

How to Plan a Wedding Using Coupons and Discounts

Extreme couponing is big news these days, and it is no secret that people everywhere are looking for ways to get more for less. That leads to the question: how can the frugal bride apply this same principle to her wedding, while still designing a beautiful celebration? These are some tips on how to successfully plan a wedding using coupons and discounts.

First let it be said that you can’t get something for nothing. What this means is that if you want to get discounts on as many of your wedding essentials as possible, you must be willing to invest time to save money. After all, those extreme couponers on television spend a lot of time preparing for their big score, and so must a bride who hopes to get the best deals possible. So instead of picking up a lot of your wedding decorations in one big trip, be prepared to space out your trips to coincide with when you can get the best coupons or deals on the items you need. You might have to visit several bridal shop sales to find the perfect gown when seeking the deepest discount, instead of buying at the first place you visit. Of course, sometimes it also makes sense to buy in bulk. If you can get free shipping by ordering all of your bridesmaid gifts at once, why would you ever purchase the bridesmaid gifts one at a time and pay all that shipping?

Wedding decorations are one of the best things to get using a coupon. Sign up for emails from the big craft stores like AC Moore and Michaels to get their weekly coupons in your in-box. Sometimes they may offer big discounts at odd times, like 40% off your order Wednesday night only, so be ready to jump on these offers. You can easily gather many of your wedding necessities like candles, favor boxes, ribbon, photo albums, invitation stock, and other decorations this way. Also be there when the store opens for their seasonal sales, to stock up on discontinued floral and other wedding supplies.

Take advantage of free customer loyalty programs at stores whenever you can. This is a great way to get coupons in the mail or sent to your email. 40% off one item at your favorite department store could mean a fabulous pair of bridal shoes or a dress for the mother of the bride. Sign up for Groupon deals (a local group coupon) and score a deal on beauty services at a local spa for you or your bridesmaids. If you are disciplined about paying off credit cards every month, use a cash-back rewards card for your wedding purchases whenever possible.  Now that is smart shopping!

A Red and White Wedding Color Palette

A great place to start planning a red and white wedding is with the attire. Certainly, the bride will wear a white wedding gown. For the bridesmaids, a red dress is the obvious choice. There are actually many shades of red, from cherry to cranberry to wine, so select your red with care. The rich hue looks wonderful in fabrics such as satin and dupioni which really hold an intense saturation. White pearl jewelry would make lovely bridesmaid gifts with the red dresses, or give your girls glamorous bridesmaid jewelry gifts like crystal chandelier earrings. Black, silver, or gold shoes will look more chic with the red bridesmaid dresses than dyed-to-match red shoes.

Red and white look fabulous together for bouquets and centerpieces. Because the red is such an intense hue, it is best to mix it fairly evenly with the white to create a balanced effect. Red and white roses in combination are always stunning for a traditional wedding. If you are getting married in the winter, consider tropical flowers like amaryllis or poinsettias which come in the two signature colors. For a spring wedding, white and red tulips would be lovely. A great style for an informal wedding would be red and white gerbera daisies mixed together in equal parts. There are also some flowers which combine red and white on a single blossom, such as carnations.

Pattern and texture are excellent ways to take your red and white color palette in a specific direction. For example, if you are planning an informal summer wedding, a cheerful white and red gingham check would be wonderful for the tablecloths. Top it with gerbera daisies in tin pails for a great summer picnic effect. Looking to create a more grand setting for your wedding? Top your tables with a cranberry and white cloth in an opulent jacquard pattern. Rich textures like velvet ribbons on the bouquets will add to the style.

Naturally, you will want to incorporate your signature color palette into the wedding cake design. A charming idea for a summer wedding cake would be a buttercream cake frosted with a basketweave pattern. Top it with fresh strawberries or raspberries – delicious! If your style is more grand, a white fondant cake decorated with red swags would be magnificent. Keep in mind that red coloring can make frosting taste “off”, so use red accents sparingly and think about including non-frosting red decorations like ribbons, fruit, and flowers. It will be the perfect finishing detail for your gorgeous red and white wedding.

How to Choose Truly Great Bridesmaid Gifts

Every bride needs to find special thank you gifts to give her bridesmaids. But not just any old thing will do when you are trying to express your appreciation for such special people. Learn how to choose truly great bridesmaid gifts which your attendants will be genuinely delighted to receive.

The first thing a bride should know when shopping for bridesmaid gifts is that they should be something valuable. Note that I did not say expensive; it is entirely possible to find bridesmaid gifts which are affordable yet special. A valuable gift is one with a timeless appeal and which will last a long time. Bridesmaid jewelry, an engraved silver picture frame, a handmade album, and a cashmere wrap are all examples of presents with a high perceived value. Gifts which are not timeless enough to be bridesmaid gifts would be items such as paperback books, gift certificates to the movies, or a bottle of inexpensive wine. While they might be appropriate presents for other occasions, these are really not the best kind of bridesmaid gifts.

If there is one thing which is a turn off to bridesmaids, it is getting a present which is really about the bride and not them. Don’t give all of your bridesmaids gift cards to get manicures just so you can make sure that their nails look good for your wedding – that is actually something for the bride, not a genuine gift for the bridesmaids. Bridesmaid jewelry makes very popular wedding gifts because it is something that the bridesmaids can use again after the wedding. With that in mind, always consider your bridesmaids’ individual taste when selecting bridesmaid jewelry. It is terrific if they can wear it with their bridesmaid dresses for the wedding, but it is even more important that the jewelry is a style which each woman will enjoy wearing long after your wedding.

Another tip for choosing bridesmaid gifts which will be a hit is to take the personality and style of each attendant into account. It is important that all of your bridesmaid gifts be of a similar value, but it is not important that they are all exactly the same. A good way to shop can be to choose a general category of bridesmaid gifts, and then shop for unique items within that framework for each individual. Just be sure to show no favoritism with your bridesmaid gifts. Imagine how hurtful it would be for one bridesmaid to realize that you got much more expensive gifts for the other girls. The one exception to this rule is the maid of honor’s gift, as it is customary to treat her to an extra-special present for her important role in your wedding.

Rehearsal Dinner Etiquette Essentials

Before you start planning your pre-wedding dinner, brush up on the essentials of rehearsal dinner etiquette here…

The Groom’s Family Traditionally Hosts: People often wonder who should throw the rehearsal dinner, and traditionally it has been the responsibility of the groom’s family.  However, it is important to realize two things: first of all, this custom began back when the bride’s family paid for all of the wedding arrangements; if the couple is older and hosting their own wedding or if the groom’s family is chipping in for the reception, it may well work out that someone else hosts the rehearsal dinner. Point number two is that nobody is ever obligated to throw a party in someone else’s honor. If the groom’s parents do not offer to host a pre-wedding party, they certainly should not be pushed into it.

The Guest List: At the very minimum, the rehearsal dinner should include the bride and groom, their parents, the bridesmaids and groomsmen, and the officiant, along with spouses. Other immediate family such as grandparents, siblings, and often aunts, uncles, and cousins should also make the guest list. Etiquette has long stated that out-of-town guests who arrived the day before the wedding should also be invited to the dinner, however this custom is no longer so strictly observed, as the pre-wedding dinner would end up being as large as the wedding itself.

The Toasts: As the traditional host of the pre-wedding meal, it is customary for the father of the groom to open the dinner with a toast to the bride and groom. During his speech the groom’s father will usually thank everyone for making the trip, tell the bride how thrilled he and the groom’s mother are to welcome her to their family, and say a few kind words wishing the couple much future happiness. Anyone who wishes to follow suit after the groom’s father is welcome to say a few words. It is smart to do the speeches early in the evening before people get too many drinks in them!

General Party Etiquette: The rehearsal dinner is an event for all of the people directly involved in the wedding, therefore it is not the best time to hand out groomsmen and bridesmaid gifts. One of the main reasons to have a pre-wedding dinner is to allow the bride and groom’s families to get to know each other a little better before the main event. All guests should make an effort to mingle and chat with members of the other family. Unlike the wedding reception, the departure of the bride and groom from the pre-wedding party does not necessarily signal the end of the event, so the couple should feel free to graciously exit after dessert to get their “beauty sleep” before the wedding day.