Non-Floral Decorations for Wedding Receptions
As beautiful as fresh flowers are to decorate a wedding, they do not fit in with everybody’s taste or budget. There are many elegant and beautiful ways to dress up your reception venue without using cut flowers. These are some wonderful choices for non-floral decorations for wedding receptions.
Candles: The flickering glow of candlelight will add romance to any style of wedding. They are generally quite affordable when compared to flowers, which makes candles an excellent option for the bride on a budget. When decorating with candles, the key is to use them in large numbers to really make a statement. While a couple of votive candles in the middle of a table for ten will not look very impressive, a collection of ten candles in different heights will look marvelous. You can also use one large pillar candle and display it in an interesting holder like a lantern or a hurricane to give it style and size.
Balloons: This type of non-floral reception decoration is a bit more controversial. Some people feel that balloons are a fantastic way to add color and fill up a large reception space in a festive way. Others believe that balloons are either too casual or too juvenile for an event where the bride is wearing an elegant bridal gown with gorgeous wedding jewelry. As a rule of thumb, balloons work best for informal or whimsical receptions. They will look more sophisticated if you use chic color palettes such as gray and yellow or jewel tones, rather than primary colors that will call to mind a child’s birthday party.
Props: There is a big trend these days of using unique props for wedding decorations. They are fun because they are so different than the standard floral centerpiece. In addition, carefully selecting the props you use will allow you to express your personality and give your reception character. Ideas for cool props include stacks of vintage books, old birdcages, funky little sculptures, and large wicker balls. Use props that enhance the overall theme of your wedding, whether your style is a Roaring ’20s bridal gown with vintage wedding jewelry or an ultra modern loft wedding.
Fabric: Gorgeous fabrics can be used to truly transform your wedding venue without flowers. Drape the ceiling in pink organza to cast a flattering romantic glow over the entire space. Hide ugly columns with elegant curtains. Decorate the front of the bar with a swag of material in your wedding colors. Because fabric effects are done on a large dramatic scale, you will only need a minimum of additional decorations to complete your reception decor.
Filed under Wedding Jewelry, Wedding Planning | Tags: non-floral centerpieces, non-floral wedding decorations, wedding centerpieces, wedding decorations, Wedding Jewelry | Comment (0)Great Decorations for Casual Weddings
Handmade elements are a key trend for weddings in everything from the invitations to the wedding jewelry to the favors. Handcrafted decorations also happen to be perfect for casual weddings. Large paper pom poms are easy to craft from colorful tissue paper and are a festive pretty decoration for a wedding. Hang giant pom poms from trees or the ceiling of an indoor venue to add bursts of color. Medium sized paper pom poms can be strung on clear thread and suspended behind the ceremony altar, over reception tables, or used to break up the reception site into several spaces. Small pom poms can even be crafted into centerpieces in lieu of fresh flowers.
White lights are another fantastic decorating idea for a casual wedding. If you are having an evening wedding outside, there is no quicker way to transform the area than by stringing tiny white lights in the trees. Voila – your backyard will become an enchanted garden for one night! Little white lights work equally well for indoor spaces. A rustic barn or lodge reception site will look beautiful with hundreds of white lights twinkling in the rafters. It is a simple way to get a big look without investing a lot in costly floral decorations.
For an oceanside wedding, sea glass and old bottles are wonderful informal decorative elements. The soft blues and greens of sea glass are absolutely beautiful, and would be great to pull throughout the wedding – think about ordering handmade wedding jewelry in those hues or choosing a sea glass inspired bridesmaid dress. Fill large hurricane lanterns with the colorful sea glass for a quick and easy beach wedding centerpiece. A wreath of white flowers around the base of the lantern would be a lovely addition to the design. Or fill a low tray with smooth sea glass and use it as a base to anchor the escort cards for the reception. Group old glass bottles in shades of green, blue, and purple behind the tray and place a single flower in each one for a gorgeous yet simple detail.
There are many other great decorating ideas for casual weddings. Baskets of geraniums or mums are a charming way to dress up the steps of a porch. Bowls of citrus fruit, pears, apples, or pine cones can be used for side tables. Wedding decorations need not be elaborate or opulent to be beautiful, as these informal decorating ideas prove.
Filed under Wedding Jewelry, Wedding Planning | Tags: casual weddings casual wedding decorations, handmade wedding jewelry, wedding decorations | Comment (0)Outdoor Decorations for Fall and Winter Weddings
The decorations you select for the outside spaces of your wedding are the ones which will create the first impression of your wedding. Whether your guests will view them only briefly as they scurry into a warm church on a frigid December day or will spend the entire celebration surrounded by them at an early autumn outdoor wedding, the exterior decorations are very important. Create a beautiful welcoming design with these ideas for outdoor decorations for fall and winter weddings.
In the autumn, outdoor decorations often take on a rustic flavor. This is great for the diy bride, as they are often easy to assemble. Grand stalks of wheat tied to the columns of a country inn with a russet colored ribbon would be a great way to set the tone for a charming country wedding on an early October afternoon. Line the front steps with baskets of mums in seasonal colors for a gorgeous burst of color. The baskets of flowers can be re-purposed as table decorations for the post-wedding brunch the following day, or simply transport them to your home to decorate your own porch or yard after the wedding. These decorations would be very much in keeping with the taste of a bride who likes a simple silk shantung gown and handmade wedding jewelry.
Wreaths are stunning decorations for doors, trees, even the broad side of a barn. The marvelous thing about a wreath is that you can create a nearly infinite variety of styles using the same basic form. For an elegant wedding during the Christmas season, adorn the church doors with a pair of square wreaths made from boxwood. Tie on wide white satin bows with extra long streamers for a minimalist chic effect. For a fall celebration, create a rustic wreath from grapevine and berries to hang on the door of a restored barn reception. Add a bow in a cranberry or pine green burlap for a festive touch. Wreaths can also be very feminine, such as a classic round pine wreath decorated with dried white hydrangeas or preserved white magnolia blossoms.
Lighting is an easy way to add drama to the exterior spaces of your wedding. Classic tiny white lights can be used to great effect when hundreds are strung through trees flanking a front door. Or hang small clear glass globes over an entry way filled with flickering white candles. On a snowy day, covered lanterns with ivory candles planted in the snow alongside a walkway would be a beautiful way to brighten up a gray day or icy evening. The special attention you give to decorating the outside of your wedding site will make an incredible first impression.
Filed under Wedding Jewelry, Wedding Planning | Tags: fall weddings, handmade wedding jewelry, wedding decorations, winter weddings | Comment (0)DIY Fall Wedding Decorations
These are some beautiful ideas for DIY fall wedding decorations that anyone can create…
The brilliant fall leaves are one of the most distinctive features of autumn, and they make a great inspiration for a wedding design. You know how pretty your bridesmaids will look in leaf theme crystal bridesmaid jewelry, such as amber colored Swarovski leaf pendants, so why not extend that motif to the rest of your wedding? Use either silk leaves or preserved real leaves in a multitude of brilliant reds, yellows, and oranges. Long strings of leaves can be hung behind the ceremony altar for a beautiful backdrop for the bride and groom.
Fall leaves also work wonderfully for centerpieces. You can actually preserve real leaves right on their branches to use for table decorations. Suspend tiny lanterns with tea lights from the branches for a magical effect. Scattered leaves are an easy addition to any fall wedding, with absolutely no creative experience required. They can line the edges of the aisle for the ceremony, be scattered on a guest book or cake table, or even be used in place of standard place cards at the dinner tables. What an easy way to give your wedding a great autumnal touch!
Pinecones have a great late fall feeling and can make an excellent decoration for a wedding around Thanksgiving. Take real pinecones and spray paint them with a soft gold color. Suspend them from regular sewing thread in a bronze or gold color, and hang them from white birch branches for a modern centerpiece design with an autumnal flavor. Surround the vases with votive candles in ruby red glass holders to bring a pop of color to the design. You can also wire the special pinecones into wreaths for church doors.
It is impossible to mention diy fall wedding decorations without bringing up pumpkins and gourds. Hollow out a white pumpkin and fill with fresh wildflowers for a simple but beautiful altar decoration. Arrange clusters of odd and interesting gourds in golden wire baskets around the cocktail hour. Use your imagination, and you will find tons of fall items that will make very easy diy projects to enhance the style and beauty of your wedding.
Filed under Bridesmaid Jewelry, Wedding Planning | Tags: crystal bridesmaid jewelry, diy, fall wedding decorations, fall weddings, wedding decorations | Comment (1)
Wedding Reception Basics
Just beginning the wedding planning process? This is the perfect time to learn all about organizing your wedding reception which follows the ceremony. Whether it is a large party or an intimate event, most wedding receptions will include these same basic elements.
Decorations: Decorations include centerpieces and other floral arrangements, candles, and tablecloths. If your wedding will be more formal or grand, you may well have additional types of adornments. These could include rented crystal chandeliers for a bride who loves the sparkle of crystal bridal jewelry and wants to bring that same kind of sparkle to her venue. Other types of decorations could be ice sculptures, fabric to drape ceilings or walls, and custom lighting.
Music: Virtually every wedding reception will feature some sort of musical accompaniment. This could range from a full orchestra, to a d.j., to an ipod, depending on your taste and the formality of your event. Even for short or small receptions which will not include dancing, it is nice to use background music to create ambiance. It could be as simple as recorded music played over the venue’s sound system, or you could splurge on a string quartet or harpist to play during dinner.
Food: What would a party be without food? At the very minimum, the hosts should treat their guests to cake and punch, although most weddings feature much more lavish spreads. Typically, the reception will kick off with a cocktail hour, during which assorted appetizers and drinks will be served, followed by a full dinner. At fancy weddings, there may also be a “Viennese hour” or dessert bar, and almost every reception will have some form of wedding cake.
Other: This category could include anything you need to rent to furnish your party, such as a tent, tables, chairs, and place settings, if not provided by the venue. It would also include wedding favors, place cards and escort cards, and the guest book. These details can range from extremely important (such as tables) to elements which are customary, but not mandatory, such as the guest book. A lot of it will depend on the reception venue and the style of your wedding.
Filed under Bridal Jewelry, Wedding Planning | Tags: Bridal Jewelry, wedding decorations, wedding food, wedding music, Wedding Planning, wedding receptions | Comment (0)Dramatic Wedding Flowers
Flowers are one of the most popular wedding decorations, and they have more impact than almost anything else. Of course, flowers are pretty no matter how you use them, but there are some fabulous ways in which wedding flowers can be used beyond the standard centerpieces. Take a look at these ideas for dramatic wedding flowers which will take your wedding to a whole other level.
Chandeliers have become extremely popular for weddings over the last several years. The classic crystal chandelier is certainly beautiful, but flowers can be used to create one-of-a-kind chandeliers which will take your guests’ breath away. This is a great idea for brides who enjoy having things which are custom made for them, such as monograms, bridal jewelry, and wedding gowns. A stunning design idea is to have a very large circle of roses made to suspend over each table. Have them lit, and they will make stunning chandeliers to illuminate your reception.
Repeated design elements can be a terrific way to make a huge impact on your reception space. One of the most spectacular ways to use wedding flowers is to have them made into pomanders, which are large globes of flowers suspended from ribbons. A mass of pomanders can be hung over any space which you would like to decorate. They also look incredible hung in a vertical row of three or more floral balls. One of the great things about pomanders is that they can be just as beautiful when made from less pricey blossoms like carnations or daisies as from more costly roses.
Floral streamers are another stunning way to decorate your wedding with flowers. For an exotic flair, take white orchid blossoms, and string them on clear monofiliment wire. Make a “curtain” of the floral strands behind the altar to define the space for an outdoor wedding or one in a loft space. A more casual effect can be created by substituting brightly colored gerbera daisies for the more sophisticated orchids. The floral streamers would also look fantastic behind a sweetheart table at the reception or when used to define the bar area. With so many unique ways to use flowers, why stick to the standard wedding flowers?
Filed under Bridal Jewelry, Wedding Planning | Tags: custom bridal jewelry, wedding decorations, wedding flowers | Comment (0)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.
Filed under Bridal Jewelry, Wedding Planning, crystal bridal jewelry, pearl bridal jewelry | Tags: bridal jewelry sets, wedding cakes, wedding decorations, wedding gowns | Comment (0)