The YouTube Wedding Phenomenon

It seems like for many couples these days the most important consideration when planning a wedding is how to end up as the latest YouTube sensation. Anyone who watched Pam and Jim’s wedding on “The Office” now knows that even the ceremony processional is another chance for the bridal party to do something outrageous and memorable (as Jim said, as soon as he saw the video on YouTube of a bridal party dancing up the aisle to “Forever”, he knew they were in for it!). This is a look at the YouTube wedding phenomenon.

Some of the wedding videos on YouTube get literally millions of hits. Think about that; you could have two million people around the world interested in your wedding. The “JK Wedding Entrance Dance” video that inspired the scene on “The Office” has been viewed by over 28 million people! The bridal party who was in it even ended up on the “Today” show. For many couples, that kind of internet fame is simply too enticing to resist. Apparently everyone wants to be featured in the next hot viral video, and to grab their 15 minutes of fame.

Most of the popular wedding videos on YouTube are centered around a surprise (and almost all of the hot videos involve dancing, usually done by people with no special talent in that area). What makes them so fun is the gotcha! moment. As in, the doors to the church open, the bridal party is poised to march down the aisle, and surprise! they do a wacky choreographed dance instead of the expected dignified procession to “The Wedding March”.

Brides and grooms are definitely a big part of the YouTube phenomenon. The first dance used to be a moment when brides in their fine gowns and elegant bridal jewelry sets took a sedate spin around the dance floor with their beaming new husbands to “Unforgettable” or a Frank Sinatra song. These days, it seems like the surprise is when the bride and groom dance to the classic song all the way through. The guests are perched on the edge of their seats waiting for demure brides in their bridal gowns and sets of pearl jewelry to kick off their white shoes and start shaking it to “Crank That” or “Baby Got Back”.

Everyone is getting in on the act. From outrageous father and daughter first dances to entire bridal parties recreating the video to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller”, wacky choreographed dances are fast becoming a mainstay at otherwise formal and traditional weddings. Personally, I think that there is a trade-off; what you gain in laughs and internet celebrity, you lose in dignity and classic good taste. However, each bride and groom has the right to have the wedding that they want, and if what they choose is to try to get their reception to be a big hit on YouTube, they will certainly have plenty of company!

Wedding Decorations Inspired by Bridal Gowns

The bridal gown is one of the favorite parts of the wedding for most brides. If you ask brides what they loved most about their weddings (other than the groom!), most will say their wedding dresses and their bridal jewelry sets. Since it is such a special part of the wedding day, it can be really fun to design some wedding decorations that are inspired by the details on your bridal gown. These are some suggestions to get you started.

If you have chosen a bridal gown with special beading, you will surely want to use that as the inspiration for the décor at your wedding. A sweet dresses with seed pearl embellishments worn traditional pearl bridal jewelry sets would lend themselves to one style; if the beading on your gown is done in dazzling Swarovski crystals, you would go another direction entirely for your décor. This is what allows you to really personalize your wedding.

With the sweet gown as your inspiration, think about a white-on-white color scheme featuring lots of tiny pearls. For example, an all white bouquet of peonies and garden roses would look beautiful when tied with a wide white ribbon bow. Trim the edges of the ribbon with a row of tiny stitched pearls. You can even use seed pearls to create subtle monograms on everything from white linen banners to hang on the church doors to a custom chair cover on the bride’s seat at the reception. For the wedding cake, a white buttercream frosting with faux frosting “pearls” would be ideal.

If it is sparkle that made you fall in love with your wedding gown, bring that bling into your wedding design. Go crazy with crystals! Adorn the reception venue with opulent crystal chandeliers, hang teardrop crystals in the centerpieces, and even slip a few twinkling Swarovski crystals onto the ribbons on the wedding favors. As long as all of the crystals you use are top quality, the effect will be elegant and extraordinary, but never tacky. It is a great way to create a unified décor scheme that will tie your whole wedding together beautifully, while highlighting the special features of your wedding gown.

Bridal Jewelry Has Lasting Value

Although most brides say that they are trying to save money on their weddings, there is one area where they have decided not to cut costs: bridal jewelry sets. There is a very good reason for this; not only will the right wedding jewelry help to make the bride shine on her special day, but it is one thing that can be used again and again after the wedding is past. These are some tips on how to choose bridal jewelry with lasting value and beauty.

The most important thing when you are looking for jewelry that will become a wedding keepsake is to choose pieces that are made from fine materials. Diamonds and akoya pearls are long time wedding favorites, as are more affordable gems like Swarovksi crystals and freshwater pearls. All of these options will look beautiful for years and years to come. In addition, choose sets of bridal jewelry that have been handcrafted from sterling silver or gold instead of a base metal that will lose its beauty over time.

Style is another factor to keep in mind. If you select necklaces, earrings, and bracelets with a timeless elegance, you know that you will always love them. Also think about your lifestyle, and what types of pieces you are most likely to enjoy wearing again after the wedding. For instance, if you have no special occasion items in your jewelry wardrobe, you might be glad to have bridal jewelry that you can wear again for future special occasions. In this case, look for very elegant pieces, such as those that have a lot of Swarovski crystals for the most sparkle.

On the other hand, some brides to prefer necklace, earring, and bracelet sets that they can wear more casually, like with a pair of jeans and a crisp white t-shirt. The jewelry that works the best for this type of future use is often a bit more trendy and casual. Chokers and bib style necklaces can be great accessories to wear when you want to add a quick dash of style to a very simple outfit. Now that you know all of the ways that you will be able to enjoy your bridal jewelry again after the wedding, you can see that is it one thing that you can definitely add into your wedding budget without guilt (unlike the $900 designer shoes or the helicopter ride to the reception!).

Charitable Weddings

I recently watched a new show called “Wedding Day” that had an interesting new premise. A team of talented wedding planners get together to throw an amazing dream wedding for a deserving couple who could not otherwise have one. This got me to thinking, it doesn’t require the magic of television to make someone’s dream come true. The friends and family of a worthy couple could get together and throw their own charitable wedding as a surprise gift to their loved ones.

First of all, everyone on the wedding planning team would pitch in their services. If the groom’s mom is a fantastic cook, maybe she could handle the catering, with some extra help from a few sets of willing hands. Maybe the bride’s aunt is a talented baker. Great! She can contribute the wedding cake. Almost anyone who is handy with a computer can design and print lovely low cost wedding invitations to spread the good news.

Of course, not everything can be handmade by a family member. For the items that will need to be purchased, one idea could be to gift it to the bride or groom in lieu of a wedding or shower present. For instance, the maid of honor could take the bride shopping to look at sets of bridal jewelry. When the pieces are made from gems like freshwater pearls or Swarovski crystals, the bridal jewelry sets can be found for no more than the cost of any other wedding gift, and jewelry makes a wonderful keepsake for the bride even after the wedding. Perhaps the bride’s parents or grandmother might decide to gift her a bridal gown, if there is not a talented seamstress available in the family.

As you are planning a charitable wedding, you are likely to find that most people who work in the wedding industry are romantics at heart. If you share the special story of the bride and groom who you have decided to help, you just might find that some vendors can be a little more flexible on their rates or might throw in some extras for no additional cost. Promising them a big thanks in the wedding programs might be a good incentive; every company loves good publicity. And surely there could be no more heartfelt wedding than one that has been lovingly assembled by the bride and groom’s dearest friends and family.

Stunning Lighting for Ballroom Weddings

Lighting has become an important element in wedding receptions. A good place to start is by deciding what areas you wish to draw attention to. These special things can be highlighted with pin spots. Typically, they will be used on the centerpieces and cake, just to name a few areas. You may also wish to use lighting to showcase any special aspects of your venue, such as ornate columns or other period details. Uplighting can be just the thing that you need for that.

Ballroom weddings are often very formal, with brides in elaborate gowns and ornate bridal jewelry sets. If this sounds like your reception, be sure that you design a lighting scheme that is as fabulous as the rest of your wedding. One absolutely fabulous effect is a stencil that projects your monogram on the dance floor or a wall in light. This is becoming a must-have for any formal wedding.

Colorwash lighting is another wonderful addition to a ballroom reception. Most ballrooms are quite vast, and there is plenty of wall space to project colored lighting against. A good lighting specialist will come up with a whole palette of colors that can be used at different times of the evening. Options range from exotic purple to feminine pink to beautiful shades of blue. Just be careful to avoid any colors that will cast an unflattering glow on your guests, such as pea green.

One more type of lighting to think about is LED lights. They have become very popular for weddings because they can be cordless. LED lights are most often used as accent lights because they can go just about anywhere – even underwater! Drape twinkling sets of LED light strands around the ballroom to look like glittering bridal jewelry for the ceiling. Or place a pink LED light in a clear vase filled with crystals to make a stunning base for floral centerpieces. These lights are so versatile that they can be used in a huge number of ways.

Stylish Ways to Use Bamboo in a Wedding

Bamboo has long been a symbol of Asia and the countries of Southeast Asia. In China, it is considered to be a symbol of longevity, which makes bamboo a very fitting motif for a wedding. Not only is bamboo culturally important and beautiful to behold, it is also one of the most sustainable and renewable plant resources, so it is an excellent choice to include in an eco-friendly wedding.

As with any wedding, one of the places to start is with the invitations. It is now possible to have your wedding stationery created on gorgeous bamboo paper. The bamboo paper is ideal for the letterpress styles that are so popular these days. Bamboo has several environmental advantages over the cotton rag paper traditionally used for fine stationery. For one thing, it can be grown without pesticides, unlike the cotton used for paper; for another, bamboo requires very little water, making it an ideal choice for brides who want beautiful paper that is also “green”.

Bamboo is not only fantastic for paper, it can also be used to create lovely fabric. The truly eco-conscious bride can consider gowns created from bamboo for herself and her bridesmaids. There are some beautiful styles available for all of the women in the wedding. Your bamboo bridal gown can be accessorized with handmade jewelry sets. Look for sets of bridal jewelry that are created from dazzling Swarovski crystals, which are a better choice for the environment than diamonds.

There are many other wonderful ways to use bamboo in a wedding. It can be highly decorative, and is a very pretty natural design element. Create Asian inspired centerpieces with elements such as tall stalks of bamboo, pebbles, and graceful floating flowers. Lucky bamboo in planted in tiny ceramic pots is also a very modern and hip idea for your wedding favors.

Bamboo is a cutting edge material that has a lot to offer your wedding. It looks great and is great for the environment, which makes it a super element to include in your festivities. Whether you want to have an eco-conscious wedding or just a chic one, bamboo is a fantastic thing to use.

Planning for Fall Weddings

Attention all you autumn brides: it is time to get your wedding planned! Whether you have recently become engaged or have been planning your wedding for a year, you are now entering the “crunch time” during which you need to really nail down all of the details for your special day. These are some of the things that fall brides need to focus on in the coming months…

Hopefully by now, you have your venue booked. If not, that should definitely be your top priority. When you are working with a shorter lead time, you may find that many of the most popular wedding venues in your area will already be reserved. Couples who can be flexible on dates or the day of the week (ie, a Thursday evening instead of a Saturday afternoon), will certainly have more options available to them.

Another thing that fall brides should be sure to figure out ASAP is their wedding ensemble. The lead time on ordering a designer gown can easily be four to five months, and that is not even including the time needed for alterations. Some designers will offer rush delivery for an additional fee, or you can try your luck at sample sales if you wear a fairly average dress size. Once your gown has been selected, go ahead and pick out all of your accessories at this time, as well. You will want to shop for your shoes, undergarments, and bridal jewelry sets early, so that you are not scrambling around at the last minute.

The smaller details of the wedding can be dealt with as your date gets closer. For instance, it is just fine if you have not yet decided on wedding favors or bridesmaid gifts yet. As long as you get to those types of elements a few months before your wedding day, you will be in good shape. Of course, if you are the kind of bride who gets stressed out by leaving things on your “to do” list, there is nothing wrong with getting those details sorted out early, either.

Regal Purple Weddings

Purple has always been the color of royalty. What better way to create a regal atmosphere for your wedding than by using purple accents? It is a rich and powerful color that can add a lot to the look of your ceremony and reception.

To really play up the regal feeling of purple, you can use it in combination with metallic gold accents. For example, picture a tablescape featuring rich purple dupioni linens with tall floral displays in various shades of light and dark purple. To really punch it up, layer in gold charger plates and white china with gold borders. You can even use wine glasses with a thin gold edge. This will create a very dramatic and royal looking wedding table, and the metallic gold will also help to keep the purple from being overwhelming.

Speaking of flowers, the bride will certainly want to carry a bouquet of purple flowers, and there are many gorgeous ones from which to choose. Roses come in quite a few beautiful shades of purple, from a silvery lavender to a deep rich true purple. Lisyanthus is another flower that you can get in a wonderful purple color. Tulips can be found in a purple so deep that it is almost black, for a very sophisticated bouquet. Consider mixing in other shades of purple, like magenta orchids to add dimension to your bouquet.

Even if she is wearing a traditional white gown, the bride can still put a little purple into her wedding day look as well. One of the prettiest ways to do this is with purple bridal jewelry sets. You can have sets of bridal jewelry created for the bride and her attendants that feature Swarovski crystals in the rich color of amethysts. The purple crystals look beautiful used in combination with clear crystals or white pearls.

When you have chosen a great color like purple for your wedding design, you will soon find that it is easy to incorporate it into all of the little details that give a wedding its character.  The rich purple accents will tie your wedding together and give it that fabulous royal ambiance.

Pre-Wedding Plastic Surgery

Brides want to look their best on their wedding day. It is only natural, especially since all eyes will be on you that day. However, is it possible to go too far in the quest for bridal beauty? What about those women who turn to plastic surgery to improve their looks for their wedding?

One of the most important questions to ponder is whether you want surgery because you are obsessed with looking perfect on your wedding day, or if this plastic surgery is something that you have wanted for years, and the wedding is just the last motivation among many. If you only started considering surgery once the wedding planning began, then that is an excellent reason to decide against it.

Brides who are simply looking for a way to feel better about their appearance for the wedding day can find many other ways to do so.  Brides who are stressed about how they look in their gowns can work wonders with the right supportive undergarments. Wouldn’t it be easier to slip on a slimmer than to recover from liposuction? If you are just looking for a little confidence and a “pick me up”, consider treating yourself to some fabulous accessories, like Swarovksi crystal bridal jewelry sets.

The earlier you can get it done, the better. Imagine how utterly un-sexy it would be to have lingering bruises from lipo as you strut the beach in your “Just Married” honeymoon bikini! Speaking of the honeymoon, some procedures will also make it unsafe for you to swim for a couple of months, so don’t schedule plastic surgery too close to the date of your romantic beach getaway or destination wedding.

One of the most common pre-wedding enhancements is breast augmentation. Brides who are thinking about going this route would be very wise make a final decision before ordering a wedding gown. It is the worst nightmare of every bridal shop to have a bride saunter in for her final gown fitting with a totally new figure! If it is even a possibility, be sure to mention it to the bridal shop when you are ordering your gown so that they can take precautionary measures. When in doubt, try a padded bra instead of surgery!

Plastic surgery is a very personal choice, and it is one that the bride can only make for herself. The worst thing you can do is to undertake surgery because someone else thinks that you should look a certain way for your wedding (believe it or not, I have seen mothers suggest breast implants to their daughters to help them fill out a wedding dress!). In the end, always remember that your fiance loves you exactly the way that you are, and make the best choice for your long term happiness.

Wedding Cake Jewelry

The wedding cake is one of the most important elements in today’s weddings. No longer a simple white affair, the cake has become almost as key to the wedding as the bride’s gown. Accordingly, brides want their cakes to be absolutely spectacular, and many are even ordering special wedding cake jewelry for decorations.

Brides and their bakers can find many ways to use cake jewelry to create a one-of-a-kind confection. The effect of the cake should enhance the bride’s overall look and style. Brides who are wearing crystal bridal jewelry sets love the idea of adding some sparkle to their wedding cakes. For brides who have chosen the more demure look of bridal jewelry sets handcrafted from pearls, there are also some gorgeous cake decorations available to coordinate.

Nothing is more fabulous than a crystal and rhinestone crown perched atop your cake. This is one of the most fantastic types of cake jewelry, as well as the most regal and fabulous. A large glittering crown will make your cake look fit for royalty. This is a cake topper that is likely to be chosen by brides who don’t quite have the guts to wear a full crown on their own head, but love the look. Having the cake wear the crown allows the bride to choose a more delicate tiara for herself while still getting to use a big crown in her wedding design. It is the proverbial chance to have your cake and eat it too!

Brides who prefer pearls need not be left out of the fun. A very popular cake design is to decorate the base or top edge of each cake tier with faux pearls. It is a simple and classic treatment for a wedding cake. Pearls arranged in a diamond like pattern all over the cake is another beautiful design, and it works very well for a summer wedding, as it can mimic the fresh and pretty look of Swiss dot fabric.

Jewelry isn’t just for brides anymore! One of the best parts about cake jewelry is that you will end up with a special keepsake from your wedding that you can display or even wear. This is a terrific way to not only make your wedding cake spectacular, but to also create a lasting memory as well.