Using Animals in Your Wedding

Many, many brides and grooms are animal lovers, and including a live animal in your wedding might seem like a very special addition to your day. There are, however, some ways to include animals which usually go very smoothly, and others which are best avoided. This is what you should know about using animals in your wedding.

Probably the most common way that couples bring an animal into their wedding is when they include their dog. The dog might be an honored guest, it could be the ring bearer, or it could even walk the bride down the aisle (sorry, Dad!). Any of these ideas can work out beautifully, as long as you consider the location and the temperament of your pet. Certainly many indoor venues like churches are not going to allow any dogs in the building other than service animals. This means if you really want Fido with you during your wedding ceremony, you should check out the pet policy of any potential venue you are considering. Outdoor locations will tend to be the most accommodating.

Sometimes animals are used to create drama. This would certainly be the case when the bride rides into the ceremony on a white horse or the newlyweds arrive at the reception via elephant. Without a doubt, the elephant idea is pretty darn fabulous. It is a customary part of some Indian weddings, but a very fun tradition to borrow for other couples as well. Of course, a trained wedding elephant is not available in every town, nor will it fit into every budget. It would work best for an outdoor reception so that the guests could be surprised by your grand entrance on the pachyderm.

The other most common way that couples use animals in their weddings is to release doves or butterflies at the end of their ceremony. This is unequivocally a bad idea. While it sounds beautiful, the reality is that the birds and butterflies often die shortly after being released. Besides that, the release often does not go as planned; you open the box of butterflies and find them already dead or the birds refuse to take flight and soar. If you want butterflies at your wedding, wear Swarovski crystal butterfly motif bridal jewelry. Let the real creatures live their lives in freedom.

A Forest Theme Wedding

Imagine how beautiful it would be to have a forest theme wedding. The soothing natural colors, the charming woodland creatures, and the abundance of rich textures would all combine to make a truly delightful experience. These are some ideas and inspiration on how to design a forest theme wedding.

As with most weddings, the place to begin is by selecting your wedding colors. For a forest theme wedding, choose rich colors like chocolate brown, moss green, and touches of gold (either metallic or not). These colors will be equally at home in an actual forest clearing or in a more conventional indoor reception site. Chocolate, moss, and gold can also be used for any season; change the tone by fabric selection. For instance, in the autumn or winter, you could use sumptuous materials like velvet and shantung, whereas in the spring or summer, things can be lightened up a bit with organza or chiffon.

For the wedding attire, something a bit non-traditional would best suit a forest theme. Think romantic and soft, maybe a bit ethereal. The satin ballgown is definitely out. You could use a couple of different inspirations for a forest-y wedding gown. One would be the dreamy woodland fairy and another would be the more down-to-earth but romantic Robin Hood style. The bridesmaids’ dresses would be gorgeous in a moss green with chocolate colored accents. Topaz colored crystal bridesmaid jewelry would be a stunning accent or choose Swarovski crystal leaf pendants and earrings as the bridesmaid jewelry.

Decorating the ceremony and reception sites for a forest theme wedding will be really fun! Gather natural materials such as pinecones, moss, and branches as your primary materials. You can go with a very rustic feeling or take the theme in a more elegant direction by adding touches of metallic gold. Of course the ideal place for a forest theme wedding would be a clearing in an actual forest, but you can also transform an indoor setting by bringing in all of the natural elements. Gobo lights projecting tree shadows onto the walls of a tent or ballroom would be a wonderful detail.

Tips on Getting Organized for Your Wedding

Some people are natural born planners, while others…not so much. Whichever your planning style, when you are trying to pull together a wedding, you will have many details which you will need to stay on top of. These are some tips on getting organized for your wedding so that nothing falls through the cracks.

A great wedding planning book is a must for any bride. The timeline tool is one of the most important keys to keeping on track. After all, if you have never planned a wedding before, you may have no idea that you need to order your bridal gown at least six months in advance or that the most popular reception venues often book one to two years in advance. The other really useful thing about a wedding timeline is that it breaks the planning process down into more manageable bites.

Checklists are another key organizational tool that every bride needs. It can be so easy to overlook details when your to-do list is about a mile long. Any good planning book will have checklists for you to fill in once you have finished a task. Bridesmaid gifts selected – check, honeymoon booked – check, programs ordered – check. Keep your checklists organized by setting up a computer program with monthly, weekly, possibly even daily lists. Some of the items on your list will be big picture stuff “hire a caterer”, while others will be more of the little details “remind fiance to buy dress socks”.

You will also want a way to keep all of your wedding materials organized and at your fingertips. If you a bride who actually enjoys sorting and organizing, you will find that a three ring binder is your best friend for wedding planning. Customize it in a way that makes sense to you. Some brides prefer to store most of their wedding planning details electronically. It is a very accurate way to keep track of things like the R.s.v.p.s, due dates for vendor payments, and items which have been ordered along with their delivery dates. Just be sure not to have any photos of your wedding gown in a computer program where your fiance must stumble across them!

Vintage Wedding Inspirations

Vintage inspired weddings are really popular these days. Take your favorite time period, absorb its unique style and flair, and use it as the basis to plan a really spectacular wedding. These are some ways to use your vintage inspirations to create a wedding that will be unforgettable.

Attire. If there is one thing that instantly evokes a specific era, it is its clothing. The entire bridal party should definitely dress in wedding attire which is inspired by the theme era. Having a 1950s style celebration? A strapless gown with a full tulle skirt and pearl bridal jewelry will conjure up the perfect style. For a Roaring ’20s wedding, beaded chiffon dresses would be perfect, or choose a silky bias cut dress for a 1930s Old Hollywood affair.

Flowers. It many not be as obvious as attire, but every time period definitely had its own signature flowers as well. If you love the romance of the Victorian era, pick your bouquet based on the Victorian language of flowers. The bride who loves the ’50s can carry orchids or roses, while sleek calla lilies will suit a 1930s glamor bride.

Cake. A great way to make your cake fit the era is to find a vintage cake topper. There are many available, dating back to around the 1920s. You can either choose to design your cake to look very much like one from the era (the classic white buttercream cake of the 1950s), or create a cake which is inspired by the style of the time period, but does not replicate an original, such as an ice blue and silver cake designed to look like an Art Deco skyscraper for a ’20s theme wedding.

Drinks. Every era had their own special style of entertaining, and this is a fantastic way to make your guests feel like they have been transported to your favorite time period. Serve Manhattans and Martinis for a 1950s wedding reception or Sidecars to evoke the feeling of a speakeasy. Signature drinks made with rum or brandy would be perfect for a 1940s inspired affair, or break out the vodka for popular drinks of the ’60s such as Screwdrivers and Vodka Gimlets. And of course, Champagne is always in style for a wedding in any era. Happy planning!

The Big Wedding Following a Private Ceremony

For a variety of reasons, sometimes a couple decides to have a very small private wedding ceremony with a justice of the peace, rather than a full scale wedding bash. Whatever the reason, it is not uncommon for the happy married couple to decide several years later that they would like to have a full traditional wedding with all the trimmings, the one that they did not have the first time around. This is a look at the etiquette and practical considerations about planning a big wedding following a private ceremony.

Here is the thing: if you are already married, you are already married. When having a formal wedding following an earlier marriage ceremony, it is technically a renewal of vows. Much of what you do can be the same as any first time wedding, but a few changes are in order. Can the bride wear a long white gown? Absolutely. Is a long veil and a train appropriate? Not to be a downer, but no. A floor length bridal gown with a stunning piece of hair jewelry instead of a veil is the way to go. You can still have bridesmaids, all dressed up in pretty dresses and bridesmaid jewelry precede you down the aisle, and by all means, have a flower girl if you wish.

Gifts are a large part of weddings, but most couples who are already married prefer to make it clear to their guests that no gifts are required. Never write anything about gifts on a wedding or vow renewal invitation, not even if it is a no-gifts request. Ask your close family and friends to spread the word instead, which is very effective. Should someone choose to give you a present anyway, just graciously accept it and consider yourselves lucky to know such generous people. By the way, a bridal shower is not appropriate for a woman who is already married. You could, however, have a special night out with your bridesmaids; it would also be the perfect time to give them their bridesmaid jewelry gifts.

Perhaps the most fun part about planning a big wedding after a private ceremony is that you finally get to have exactly what you want. By the time a couple gets around to it, the bride is usually mature enough that she is comfortable taking the reigns, rather than deferring to her mother on the wedding details. After years of dreaming, it is truly a delight to see your wedding vision come to life!

Wedding Planners’ Tricks of the Trade

Not every bride will hire a professional to organize her wedding, but that does not mean that you cannot benefit from their know-how. Over the years, a good wedding coordinator learns all sorts of nifty tricks that make weddings more beautiful, better run, and more cost effective. These are some of the tricks of the trade that wedding planners use.

Reuse Ceremony Decorations. Why pay for everything twice when you can reuse much of your ceremony decorations for the reception? While your guests are enjoying a fabulous cocktail hour, the vendors can move the ceremony chairs, altar flowers, and any other decorations you had into the reception space. Think about how much money you can save by not paying for duplicate chair rentals and floral displays!

Variety is the Spice of Life. If there is one thing that every planner strives to do it is to create a wedding that is unique, not cookie-cutter. A simple way to do this on your own is to break up the sameness of repeated elements with some variations. Rather than having the same centerpiece design repeated for a dozen tables, pick three centerpiece designs with similar flowers, but of varying heights. The same goes for your bridesmaids. Pick complementary dresses and sets of bridesmaid jewelry in several styles instead of having all the girls match exactly.

Great Food is a Must. Wedding planners have attended enough receptions to know that if the food is not delicious, the guests will be grumbling. Even worse than lackluster meals are weddings that do not have enough food. There is nothing worse than having the food at the cocktail hour run out before the end of the event! Scrimp in other areas of the wedding as needed, but keep your guests happy with food that is tasty and plentiful.

Brown Wedding Color Palettes

Brown is one of the most versatile colors for weddings. While not necessarily considered to be one of the most festive colors, brown adds a richness and sophistication to a wedding color palette that can really enhance the overall design of the event. Take a look at some of the elegant ways to include brown in your wedding color palette.

In the spring, a soft cocoa color pairs wonderfully with lilac. The unexpected color combination is chic and stylish, and the brown helps tone down the Easter egg effect of the spring pastels. Try bridesmaid dresses in lilac organza or shantung with cocoa brown sashes and mocha bridesmaid jewelry sets. Bouquets in a range of lilacs and light purples tied with cocoa satin ribbons will be the perfect coordinate.

For a late summer wedding, try mixing brown with a bright coral color. The depth of the brown will tone down the intensity of the coral and make it more sophisticated. It is great for an evening wedding, but would also be quite chic for the afternoon. A deep chocolate or even an espresso shade is an excellent match for the coral. If you wish to add another color to your palette, try mixing in touches of mango for a little more warmth. All these colors work beautifully for the centerpieces and bouquets, and will also look great for all the reception details. A tiered wedding cake covered with smooth chocolate ganache decorated with coral and mango mini calla lilies would be the height of elegance and style for any reception.

If you like a dramatic look, think about mixing a rich chocolate with a dark plum hue (sounds almost good enough to eat!). This would be a regal and striking palette for a winter wedding. These colors look excellent in the luxe fabrics of the winter season such as sumptuous silks, velvets, and even faux furs. When using a palette this rich, go overboard with opulent details, such as towering centerpieces set on quilted silk tablecloths with beading. Take it over the top with a chic lounge at the reception featuring low slung plum velvet sofas with cream and chocolate faux fur pillows scattered about. Too fabulous!

The Ins and Outs of Wedding Receiving Lines

The receiving line might seem like an antiquated or outdated tradition, but the truth is that they still have an important role to play in a wedding. For a celebration of any size, a simple receiving line is by far the easiest way to ensure that the host greets all of his or guests, which is a must. Conversely, it is also the simplest way for every guest to have a chance to extend best wishes and congratulations to the newlyweds, which is a must for guests. With the reasons to have a receiving line at your wedding clear, this is what you need to know about how to arrange one.

First of all, a receiving line should never be held inside a house of worship. That is because you cannot act as host inside God’s house. There are two very good options for the receiving line location. One is to have it at the reception venue as guests arrive. The other possibility is to receive your guests outside of the church immediately following the ceremony. This is often the easiest thing to do logistically, as so many couples will have photo sessions during the cocktail hour of the reception, making it hard to find a good time to arrange a receiving line at the reception site.

There is much uncertainty about who should participate in a receiving line. The people who absolutely must be there are the bride, the groom, and their mothers. The fathers of the happy couple will often stand in the line as well, but they may duck in and out to mingle if the line is long, especially if it is being done during the cocktail hour. If any of the parents of the newlyweds have remarried, their new spouses should absolutely be invited to participate in the receiving line. Deal with any animosity between the exes and the new spouses by separating them in the receiving line. Although customary, it is not absolutely necessary for the entire group of bridesmaids to participate; if you are trying to keep the line moving, it would be okay to ask only the maid of honor to stand in the line and set the other ladies free.

There are some standard things to say in a receiving line, and of course, you may personalize them if you wish. Always offer best wishes to the bride and congratulations to the groom. Tell the bride’s mother how beautiful the ceremony was and tell the groom’s father what a lucky man his son is to have found such a wonderful bride. It is always appropriate to tell any of the wedding party how pretty they look or to admire their wedding jewelry. When introducing yourself to a stranger, a few words about how you know the bride and groom would be nice. As for the people in the wedding party, they should thank all of the guests for joining them and express appreciation for their kind words. Other safe comments include telling a guest how pretty her dress and jewelry are or saying how perfect the weather is for a wedding. Don’t worry too much about being original, as long as you are pleasant and brief, the receiving line will be a success.

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.

Simple Ways to Make Your Wedding Unique

Every bride wants her wedding to be beautiful and memorable. Most brides also want their wedding to stand apart from the crowd, even if their taste is fairly traditional. This is a look at some simple ways to make your wedding unique.

An Oval Wedding Cake. The round tiered cake is definitely expected. Square cakes are interesting, but may be a bit too contemporary for some weddings. A wonderful way to make your wedding cake distinctive is to use oval tiers rather than round. It is very elegant, appropriate for a traditional or formal reception, and yet is just unexpected enough to have a great wow factor. Be sure to play up the non-traditional oval shape by having a decorative border emphasizing the outline of each tier.

Mis-matched Bridesmaid Dresses. The perfectly matched set of bridesmaids no longer feels so fresh. A very easy way to make your wedding a little different is to let each attendant choose her own attire. Some brides will make it wide open and say, “Pick any pink dress with pearl bridesmaid jewelry”, while others might narrow it down to a specific color and fabric and request that each woman pick her favorite dress within one designer’s collection. When your bridesmaids feel their best, they will look their most beautiful.

High and Low Centerpieces. Who says that the centerpieces for each table at the reception must be uniform? A great trend is to create several different centerpiece designs in heights which range from high to low. As long as they are in similar colors and use at least some of the same flowers and elements, the varied centerpieces will maintain a cohesive style across the reception space. You can’t beat the visual interest created by mixing and matching your table arrangements. Like the oval wedding cake, this is an idea which works as well for formal weddings as it does for less traditional receptions.

Creative Escort Cards. Rather than using the standard white tent cards to let guests know their table number, try something a bit different. For a garden wedding, use die-cut bird cards and hang them from a tree with pretty ribbons. For a beach wedding, use lay out starfish in a tray of sand, and tie a tag with the name and table number of each guest to a starfish. Having a formal wedding? Paint pears gold and attach name tags to their stems. Arrange the gold pears in elegant lacquered boxes on tables for an eye-catching and stylish alternative to the basic white escort cards.

Let your creativity be your guide, and you are sure to find even more ways to add unique character to your wedding, whether it is traditional or informal.