Fabulous Floral Pomanders for Weddings

Floral decorations are a mainstay of any wedding. If you really love fresh flowers, it can be fun to think beyond the basic bouquets and centerpieces and embrace other forms of floral design. One of the most delightful types of floral arrangement is the pomander – a perfectly round ball of flowers, usually hanging from a ribbon. Take a look at all the wonderful ways you can use fabulous floral pomanders for your wedding.

One of the sweetest ways to use a floral pomander in your wedding is to have your flower girl carry one in lieu of a basket. Make a fairly diminutive ball of blossoms so that it does not overwhelm the little girl. It would be lovely to make her pomander from the same blossoms the bridesmaids will be carrying in their bouquets. For that matter, you can also consider substituting pomanders for the bridesmaids’ bouquets. They should be slightly larger than the one carried by the flower girl. A beautiful idea is to accessorize the pomander to coordinate with the bridesmaid jewelry. If they will be wearing pearl earrings, suspend the floral balls from a rope of faux pearls instead of a ribbon for a very elegant design.

Pomanders also make outstanding ceremony decorations. They are especially versatile for an outdoor wedding. Hang pomanders in several colors from an arbor for a ceremony in a garden. Tie the floral balls to the ends of the rows of chairs (this also makes a beautiful pew decoration for a church wedding). Pomanders look wonderful when suspended from shepherd’s hooks planted along an aisle for an outdoor ceremony. Bright colors tend to work the best, as they have a great “pop” when seen from a distance. Hot pink, lime green, yellow, or vivid purple all work beautifully. It looks fantastic to combine two bold colors, such as cherry red and lime green. The great news is that carnations can readily be dyed any color, so if you want turquoise blue pomanders, you can have them.

There are some beautiful ways to use floral pomanders to decorate your wedding reception. They look very charming when hung from the backs of the bride and groom’s chairs at the dinner table. It is a nice way to make the seats special. They can be strung along porches, placed on stands as centerpieces, or hung over tables instead of chandeliers. If you love flowers and whimsy, floral pomanders might be just what you need for your wedding decorations.

Can Long Distance Relationships Survive?

There is an old saying that absence makes the heart grow fonder. Some even say that familiarity breeds contempt. These sayings were probably written by someone in a long distance relationship! It is certainly true that there is something very special about the time spent with a loved one who you only get to see occasionally. In a long distance relationship, there is little of the day to day grind, so that when you do make the trip to see your sweetie, that time together tends to be spent doing fun and exciting things. That in turn makes the relationship seem very exciting.

To make up for the lack of daily or even weekly contact, it is important to keep in touch via phone calls, letters, and email. Long, romantic letters can be one of the best things about having a distant boyfriend or girlfriend, as a matter of fact. Without regular times to have long phone calls, the relationship will end up withering. Send little gifts to say “I was thinking of you”, like a pair of pearl earrings you picked up while on a business trip or a travel guide to a place you want to visit together.  To have any chance of nurturing a long distance relationship into something lasting, both people have to be willing to put in the work to stay connected.

Trust is another vital element in maintaining a long distance romance. If you know that you are the jealous type, you may never be able to become comfortable with having your boyfriend or girlfriend (or spouse, for that matter) in a far off location. Their daily life will be filled with people that you do not know, and some of them are bound to be attractive members of the opposite sex. If you cannot trust your partner to remain faithful when they are far away, a long distance relationship is definitely not for you.

Living far apart can tend to make people grow apart. For a long distance relationship to have a chance at succeeding, there has to be an end point in mind for the separation. If there is no chance that you will ever live in the same place, it is hard to stay motivated to put in the work required for a long distance relationship. It can get very lonely. The long distance romances that end up working out are those which hold the promise of one day being together all the time.

Cheerful Yellow Wedding Flowers

For a charming homespun wedding style, try combining yellow flowers with red and white accents. This is not the red of seduction, but rather the classic red of mittens, Radio Flyer wagons, and folk art. A bouquet of round yellow button shaped blossoms tied together with a red yarn bouquet wrap would be absolutely adorable. Decorate the handle of the bouquet with an eclectic assortment of colorful buttons to play up the handcrafted charm of the arrangement. For the reception, red and white patterned tins can be used as centerpiece vessels filled with informal yellow blossoms.

A sweet old-fashioned yellow wedding flower is the sweet pea. The ruffly blooms simply exude the feeling of a simpler time gone by. Combine yellow sweet peas with blossoms like white garden roses, trailing ivy, and white lisianthus in loose arrangements for the wedding bouquets. They look marvelous with a soft organza bridal gown and delicate drop pearl earrings. For bridesmaids, pair these charming yellow and white bouquets with dresses in a contrasting color like spring green or lilac.

What could be more cheerful than a daisy? A bouquet of bright yellow gerbera daisies would be a fantastic addition to any informal wedding celebration. There are so many other wonderful things which can be done with yellow daisies. Suspend the round blossoms on ribbons to create vertical hangings behind an outdoor altar or the head table at the wedding reception. “Plant” the daisies in containers of wheat grass for fresh summer centerpieces or use them in a more minimalist fashion by lining the center of a long reception table with clear glass bud vases, each with one perfect yellow daisy in it. They are sure to bring a smile to the face of every guest.

After the grayness of winter, bright yellow flowers are one of the favorite signs of spring. If your wedding is to take place during the spring months, fill it will sunny daffodils and tulips. They combine beautifully with fresh white blossoms to tone down the yellowness of the floral arrangements, or stick with all yellow for a super happy look. A great thing about both tulips and daffodils is that they come in a nice range of varieties, including ruffly parrot tulips, two tone tulips and daffodils, and delightful mini-daffodils. A mini-daffodil bouquet carried by a petite bride in a lace gown with pearl earrings would be a delightful sight indeed on a beautiful spring day.

Centerpieces for Family Style Wedding Receptions

Long tables with family style service have become very popular for wedding receptions. The idea behind this style of dinner is to create a relaxed convivial atmosphere that encourages conversation and good times. It is not enough to swap out long tables for round ones, though; you also need to set the table to encourage this friendly flow of conversation. These are some suggestions on centerpieces for family style wedding receptions.

If you opt for tall elements like candelabras, choose ones with narrow bases and open designs that will not create a wall between the two sides of the table, and set them in the spaces between place settings to keep the line of vision clear. You can then fill in the spaces between the candelabras with low floral arrangements. Rustic iron candelabras would be wonderful for a vineyard wedding with rectangular tables. For a more airy look, create groups of clear glass candle holders with very tall stems in several heights.

Flowers are very popular for centerpieces. A great effect for long family style tables is to use a series of small low centerpieces down the length of the table, rather than a few larger arrangements set far apart.  A mixture of flower colors and textures suits the relaxed character of family style service. Choose flowers based on the season, the location of your wedding, and of course your personal taste. If you are a bride who loves the timeless look of pearl earrings and lace, clusters of white garden roses, pink peonies, and yellow sweet peas tumbling over the sides of vintage white hobnail vases and bowls would be lovely. Loose arrangements will lend a “fresh from the garden” feeling to the centerpieces.

When decorating your family style reception tables, do not overlook the design possibilities of fruit and vegetables. For a classic autumnal celebration, set hollowed out gourds, mini pumpkins, and eggplants down the middle of rectangular tables. Fill them with seasonal flowers in shades of red, purple, orange, and cream. A fun idea for a summer reception would be to set low footed bowls filled with lemons and limes down the length of the tables. Between the bowls of fruit, layer in very low arrangements of hot pink gerbera daisies, lime green kermit mums, and a scattering of small white blossoms (to break up the intense color palette just a bit). The final effect of your centerpieces will be inviting, festive, and absolutely perfect for a fun family style wedding reception.

Planning a Weekend of Wedding Events

For a Saturday wedding, the wedding weekend will likely begin on a Thursday. This is the ideal time for the bride to host a ladies’ luncheon, a lunch which she gives to show her appreciation for her bridesmaids. During the luncheon, the bride will give out the pearl earrings, or whatever gift she selected for her bridesmaids. The ladies’ luncheon is typically held in a nice restaurant, since the last thing the bride needs to be doing the week of her wedding is cooking and hosting a party at her house!

Friday is when things really ramp up. A trip to the beauty salon is usually the first order of business for the ladies in the wedding. This can be a really fun time for the bride, her bridesmaids, and the moms to bond over manis and pedis (and maybe a few Champagne cocktails, if the spa is really posh!). Friday afternoon is the usual time for the wedding rehearsal, and it is important that all hands are on deck for this event. Some couples like to line up an activity to entertain their out-of-town guests on Friday who will not be attending the rehearsal. A sight-seeing tour or trip to a local attraction like a vineyard would be a good choice.

Friday night is the traditional time for the rehearsal dinner. In recent years, some couples have opted to host a wedding welcome dinner instead of a rehearsal dinner. The difference is that the welcome dinner is open to everyone, which can make a lot of sense if a large percentage of your wedding guests will be out-of-towners. The rehearsal dinner or welcome dinner can be as formal or informal as you like. You could rent a yacht and serve a five star meal or have a picnic in a neighborhood park; there is no right or wrong. The only rule of thumb is that you don’t want to have a rehearsal dinner which is more lavish than the wedding reception!

On Saturday will come the wedding ceremony and reception, of course, but that is not all. For ceremonies with a 4pm start time or later, it has become very popular to arrange a group activity to keep people entertained before the wedding. The golf tournament is a particular favorite, although you could choose any activities which you think your friends and family would enjoy. The comes the wedding itself, which is of course, the main event of the weekend.

The final thing to add to your wedding weekend is a post-wedding brunch on Sunday morning. This is always a fun and relaxed event, where guests can see the newlyweds one more time before they head off on their honeymoon. It is really just a great way to cap off a wonderful weekend of wedding fun.

The Post-Wedding Brunch

As the wedding day has morphed into the wedding weekend, one event that has become quite popular is the post-wedding brunch. Although some brides may cringe at the idea of another event to organize and some guests feel like enough is enough already, personally I love the brunch the day after the wedding. It gives everyone a chance to visit a little more before heading out of town, and besides, who doesn’t love brunch? This is what you need to know about planning a post-wedding brunch.

First of all, the bride does not have to be the one to plan a day-after brunch. Her parents could host it, the groom’s parents could host, or even a grandparent could organize the brunch in honor of the newlyweds. Second of all, the post-wedding brunch does not need to be a fancy event at all. By far the easiest way to do it is to book a private dining room in the hotel where most of the guests are staying. Don’t worry about fancy flowers or custom linens; this is not the wedding, after all, just brunch. As long as it is a nice hotel (or restaurant, if you prefer), whatever they provide in the way of decorations will be absolutely fine.

The purpose of having another get-together the day after the wedding is to give everyone one more chance to see each other, which can be wonderful for families who are far-flung. One or two days just isn’t enough time if you only get the whole group together for weddings and holidays. The brunch serves one very other important role: it is always fun to gossip about a great party the next day! This is the perfect opportunity for everyone to rehash the excitement of the day before while it is still fresh in their minds. For the bride and groom, this is the time to get the real scoop on all the interesting things that happened at their wedding – so fun!

While the post-wedding brunch need not be formal, the newlyweds should still make an effort to look good. Match your attire to the setting. For a country inn, a cashmere sweater, tweed skirt, and pearl earrings is a polished brunch outfit. In the summer, a pretty sundress with a tin cup necklace and pearl earrings would be just right. Around the holidays, even daytime parties like brunches tend to be dressier, so step it up a notch with a beaded sweater set and a knee length velvet skirt or a silk wrap dress. After all, your post-wedding brunch is your first chance to make a great impression as newlyweds!

Pretty Purple Bouquets for Summer Brides

Summer is a wonderful time to be a bride, especially if you love flowers. Purple is an especially lovely color for your bridal bouquet, and there are so many gorgeous possibilities, from informal to elegant to romantic. These are some ideas for pretty purple bouquets for summer brides.

For a casual outdoor wedding in a meadow, a simple cluster of blossoms with a wildflower feeling would be just right. Perhaps better known as fall blossoms because they are very hardy into the autumn, purple asters and mums are great choices for summer brides. Mums and asters come in a lovely array of shades of purple, ranging from cool lavender to bright purple-pink, as well as deeper shades. Mixing and matching a few different tones and sizes of mums and asters will achieve the best effect in a wildflower bouquet. Some types of mums have yellow centers; a cheery yellow plaid ribbon would make an adorable bouquet wrap with the purple flowers for a charming country style.

There are many summer flowers which are very romantic. If you are the sort of bride who loves lace, pearl earrings, and vintage-inspired details, you will adore the purple blossoms of summer for your bouquet. A large cascading bouquet of fragrant purple freesia, lavender roses, and mini-irises would have just the right feeling of old-fashioned charm. For a very special bouquet wrap, try finding a spool of vintage moire ribbon, and create trailing streamers.

Roses are one of the most traditional wedding flowers for any time of the year, and they are an excellent choice for summer, as they take the heat well. Purple roses can be found in a beautiful array of shades, such as silvery-lilac Sterling roses, deep purple, and pinkish-purple. A spectacular design for roses is a “composite” bouquet, in which many, many petals are used to create the look of one giant flower. Surround with a ruff of deep green hosta leaves for contrast, and you will have a truly remarkable bouquet for your wedding.

There are other purple flowers which would make lovely additions to a summer wedding. Exotic orchids come in virtually every color under the sun, including shades of purple. The relaxing scent of lavender would be a great touch of aromatherapy to include in any purple-based bridal bouquet. Fragrant herbs are traditional among Scandinavian brides. You may also wish to consider lisianthus (which look similar to roses but are more affordable) and calla lilies, which are grown in pretty purple hues. One thing is for certain, whatever the style of your summer wedding, there are sure to be purple flowers which suit your taste perfectly.

Wedding Cake Flavors

Naturally the best flavor for your wedding cake is your favorite one. At the same time, it is helpful to keep the style of the wedding in mind and to try to select a dessert which complements it. The most traditional flavor is the classic white buttercream cake. If you are a fan of traditional wedding elements like roses, lace, and pearl earrings, this would be an ideal cake for your reception. You can always think about adding a layer of jam or cream to your white cake. Flavored buttercream, such as raspberry or mocha, will be delicious yet subtle. A jam or fresh fruit filling (lemon curd, anyone?) will be bolder in taste.

Chocolate is another top flavor for wedding cakes. Rich dark chocolate is definitely a top choice when the groom has a vote, and many brides like it as well. It is particularly good for a fall or winter cake, as the sweet ending to a rich meal. Frost it with chocolate icing for a doubly good taste. In the summer, an all chocolate confection can seem a bit heavy; if that is your flavor of choice, use a lighter white frosting to tone down the richness a bit. Not that anyone is going to complain about a chocolate cake, no matter what the season!

Fruit flavors can be light and refreshing for warm weather receptions. Try a lemon-infused confection for a July wedding. Or choose a tart and lively key lime flavor, which would be especially great for a Florida event. To infuse your cake with a tropical flair, choose a coconut frosting over key lime – you can bet that everyone will be coming back for seconds! Shaved coconut will look great as the main cake decoration.

Red velvet is fast becoming a favorite of brides and grooms. It is especially popular with Southern brides, as a nod to their roots, but it is also loved by couples nationwide for the signature red hue. A sweet moist flavor with a bit of cocoa, this is a great option for any time of the year. In the spring or summer, choose a white buttercream frosting or go with a rich chocolate frosting in the fall to enhance the cocoa in the cake. The best part about choosing your wedding cake is that in the end, there is no real wrong answer – after all, everyone loves cake!

Bridal 911 Kits

Just like a Boy Scout, every bride needs to be prepared in case of emergency. This is what to include in your bridal 911 kit…

Don’t let anything ruin your special day! Be sure that your bridal emergency kit is well stocked with painkillers, chewable tablets for upset stomach, and Immodium for more serious cases. Having a spring wedding? Add some non-drowsy allergy medication to your kit in case you or one of your bridesmaids comes down with a sudden case of the sneezes.

It is always wise to buy a bottle of the nail polish used for your manicure in case you need to touch up a last minute chip before heading down the aisle. Speaking of nail polish, a bottle of clear is useful to keep on hand to put a halt to runs in stockings. Facial blotting cloths are great to have on hand to deal with a shiny nose without adding an extra layer of makeup.

Sometimes the wedding crisis involves the bridal gown, and there are some very handy things to help deal with that type of problem. An instant stain removing wipe can be a lifesaver if you get a lipstick smudge on your gown.  Sometimes smudges of dirt can be literally erased with a standard pencil eraser. Choose one that is white, since the pink kind can leave pink dust behind on the dress. A little piece of eraser can also serve as a spare earring back, should you lose the backing from one of your pearl earrings right before walking down the aisle.

There are an infinite number of uses for safety pins, and every wedding emergency kit should contain them in several sizes. The tiny brass ones are great for pinning shut a blouse which has lost a button. Standard sized safety pins can be used as a quick fix on a fallen hem. The bigger safety pins come in very handy if the ties pull out of the bustle. The other sewing supply that every bride should have on hand is a few needles and thread to match her gown and the color of the bridesmaid dresses.

The chances are that you will not need very many of the supplies which you pack in your wedding 911 kit, which is a good thing. But for those one or two items which are needed at the last minute, having them close by will be invaluable.

Casual Chic Rehearsal Dinners

The rehearsal dinner is a wonderful opportunity for the family of the bride and groom to come together the day before the wedding. A relaxed atmosphere is often best, as it allows everyone a chance to mix and mingle before the big day. Take a look at these great ideas for casual chic rehearsal dinners.

For a spring rehearsal dinner, a really cute decoration would be small white ceramic flower pots with handpainted polka dots in lime, pink, yellow, and lilac. Any combination of the colors would work, or select one favorite to use throughout the room. Fill the diminutive pots with flowering bulbs like mini daffodils or hyacinth. Very sweet, but not too formal, perfect for a casual chic rehearsal dinner.

In the summertime, decoration options abound. For a rehearsal dinner at the beach, why not skip flowers and place hurricane lanterns in piles of sand with a few shells on each table?  Another idea is to place a bunch of freshly snipped flowers in a casual vessel, such as peonies in a pitcher or hydrangeas in a galvanized tin pail. The elegant flowers and the informal vases will help to create the desired atmosphere of relaxed elegance. Serve great food, like a crab or lobster boil on the beach, along with fresh ears of corn. The food is not fancy, but it is festive, which is ideal.

In the autumn, create a casual chic rehearsal dinner with colorful mums in wicker baskets. Hearty comfort foods prepared well will be crowd favorites. Things like homemade mac-n-cheese and apple pie would be big hits for the dinner menu. In the winter months, create a casual chic party with white branches instead of flowers for the table decorations. Hot cocoa with fresh marshmallows would be a terrific after dinner drink to serve.

Finally, always remember that the bride and groom set the tone for the rehearsal dinner. The bride should definitely wear a cute dress, even if the location is very casual. A white knee length sundress with a simple pair of pearl earrings would be lovely for a warm weather party. In the cooler months, if a dress felt like too much, the bride could choose to wear a beautiful cashmere sweater with a pencil skirt and stylish boots, along with her pearl earrings and a few charm bracelets. As for the groom, he can skip the tie if he wants, but it would look nice to wear a jacket for at least the beginning of the party. With the bride and groom looking so stylish, it will surely be a casual chic rehearsal dinner to remember!