Winter Wonderland Wedding

     Picking up where I left off, let's talk about a winter wonderland wedding. If you are dramatic, or just love drama--not the cinematic kind, but the wow-factor kind--then this may be the wedding for you. With a winter wedding, one can use the color white everywhere. But the best part? Any color goes with white! So if you want to go traditional winter wonderland, then you may like dusty blue or silver for your bridesmaids dresses, flowers, etc. If you want something more modern, you could use red, black, or dark teal. You could even use lime green and it would look good, because everything else is white!

     I find this decreases a lot of stress that a bride may have when considering how the season's colors can tie into her wedding day. For a spring wedding, for example, pastel colors are the norm. However, many brides run into the problem with trying to have pale pink with other colors; or having too many pastel colors together, or having too many colors, period. Afterall, very few brides want their wedding to look like a circus. Therefore, bringing white in as your backdrop, your canvas, gives you virtually endless possibilities in decor and even your wedding day fashion.

     When I think of winter wonderland weddings, I think elegance, granduer, serenity, and surrealism. Just the thought of waking up to your outdoors completely wrapped in white, draped in white, sprinkled with white... I don't know about you, but it just feels magical to me. Like the world suddenly got this message from above, saying, "chill out! Be still. Rest." Winter time is so quiet and peaceful, but it is also dramatically beautiful. These are things I think about when I think "winter wonderland."

     To acheive these mental visions, I imagine having white tree limbs as an ample part of the ceremony and the reception, crystals dangling, and soft lighting; all white linens draped from the ceilings, seating that is either clear or with white cushions, and flowers with the palest of hues (peonies work well for this). Surfaces will glitter and glisten, shimmer and shine. Everything will have a delicateness to it, but altogether, the image will make a big "wow" impact. I imagine everything looking as if it was frozen in perfect time, and making guests feel as though they've entered into a slumbering winter wood.

    I wound up creating quite a collection of inspirational photos to express my ideas, and since they say a photo is worth a thousand words, why don't we let some them speak for themselves?

 

 

     Giving into the idea of drama and elegance, I would envision the bride in a voluminous dress. This would add to the wow-factor and magical granduer of everything her special day is meant to be. Whether or not you're into cathedral-length veils, this would be a good time to try one. Glitter shoes are entirely acceptable, jeweled glitz is a must, and faux fur shawls or cuffs are in style for this winter wonderland wedding. The bridesmaids, though beautiful in their own right, may be dressed in more slimming gowns to off-set the bride's full gown. A subtle shade of blue, silver, or gray would work best for most themes (unless you'd like something bolder, try plum or navy).

 

     What the ceremony has in white, I'd like the reception to have in metalics. Don't get me wrong, white has its spotlight here, too, but it's more left-center than center stage. Here, metalics will take the show in adding opulance to any venue. The added silver tones will reflect light from candles and create a icicle jewel-tone among guests tables and the dance floor (where twinkle lights, or chandeliers may be hanging). If your winter wonderland is near Christmas time, consider using jingle bells as an accent to your white linens and tableware. Small jingle bells can be used on napkin rings, large ones can be party favors, and medium sized bells could be used to create a topiary as pictured above.

 

     If you're keeping your wonderland wedding low-key and traditional, consider giving your guests a surprise inside your cake. A punch of raspberry, blackberry, or cherry filling could add bold flavor to an otherwise all-white table spread. Food doesn't have to be stuffy, but can be fun; such as offering beignet, dusted with powdered sugar, to your dessert line-up. They go along with your theme in a natural way, but are deliciously unexpected as most weddings will only have cake for their guests. Try adding a little color with berries or nuts to not only accent the beignets, but to add various flavors to one's palette. If you like a little bubbly with your meal, you may also consider having a nice champagne, white wine, or blush. Then, head outside to launch your very own wish lanterns into the night sky!

     In a winter wonderland wedding, the fairy tale is yours!



Photo credits: allaboutlemon.com, bellethemagazine.com, bestweddingseller.com, chaoihubpages.com, dilshil.com, heartloveweddings.com, marthastewart.com, pinterest.com, tumblr.com, zarabridal.com

Calling in Sickly

I was planning on creating this lavish post (okay, it's wordy, but lavish just sounds better) about a Winter Wonderland themed wedding, but sickness is among us and, alas, I've been busy. Quite frankly, I'm exhausted. But I don't mean to leave you empty handed.

I found this article on Alfred Angelo's site about their 75 (yes, seventy-five!) tips for wedding day fashion. So, take a looksie over here while I go grab more tissues... Hopefully I'll be back up and running, and my blog, too, very soon!

Invitation Wordage

I just found this awesome site with TONS of ways to word your invitations to reflect specific situations and styles. Need help wording your invites? Check it out here! (you're welcome)

Alice in Wonderland Wedding

     With Halloween creeping up behind us, I thought it would be fitting to discuss an unconventional wedding theme: Alice in Wonderland. This one is a bit tricky as things can get kitchy, or birthday party-esque very quickly. The trick is not to foucs on making the theme into a wedding, but to focus on making it a wedding with a theme. So let's get to it...

 

The Ceremony: A wedding is a story between two people. It celebrates who they are, but more importantly, who they are becoming. Similarly, a wedding can become a story within its theme in order to enhance the essence of the day. The tale of Alice in Wonderland is timeless, fun, and a bit whacky--but a wedding shouldn't be the latter. For this wedding, I'd like to see the ceremony decked in everything white. White chairs, white draping, a white aisle, and white flowers. I'd like to see all white pomander topiaries upon white columns, spaced out down the aisle. Perhaps the aisle runner won't be fabric, but instead an elegant design laid out in white flower petals? It would create whimsy without tackiness, and it would be unique. A white chandelier, or many small glass spheres with tealights inside, over the alter would be nice, as well. White is a symbol of peace, purity, and elegance. But the reason for all the white is to give a nod toward the roses Alice sees in the palace garden of the Queen of Hearts. This nod simply gestures toward the theme without it being so blatently obvious. The bridesmaids dresses and all the bouquets, however, would be red, in order to bring the story into its next chapter: the reception.

 

The Reception: Alice originally sees those rose bushes in the Queen's garden white, but her servants are painting them all red (or off with their heads!). I would like to bring this into the reception by making virtually everything red. Red table linens, red flowers, a red-enfused cake. The chairs would remain white in order to add a little pop of color, but their coushions, or covers, would also be red. Another fun accent would be boxed topiaries to separate the table areas (for this, the tables should be round and seat no more than ten guests). Imagine an English garden lined with green hedges, or perhaps a hedge maze? Guests will have the feeling of their own intimate eating spaces with the topiaries placed just right. I was thinking red uplighting, as well, but you know... That might look like a vampire's lair, so how about we make that white instead? The dance floor, oh the dance floor, will be black and white checkered. Once again, a touch of whimsy without suffering class. I think that the cutlery should be gold in order to express the opulence of the Queen's majesty, and the table centerpieces? Hmm, a red pomander topiary to offset the white ones of the ceremony, but much larger (I surprisingly could not find a picture for this). Plates and glasses should also reflect red and gold hues, or be entirely clear to let the linens do the work of showing color. The cake is where couples can always get a little crazy in expressing their personalities, so have fun with it!
To have even more fun (because that's what the reception is all about) brides can now think of their guests. You not only want them to have a good time, but you want to thank them for joining in on the celebration of your marriage, right? So let's talk favors. For this wedding, I'm thinking we need to introduce the White Rabbit in a vision of chocolate. Yes, white chocolate rabbits for your guests to take home, enjoy, and remember your fabulous wedding day. But wait, there's more! Your cake might be an edible masterpiece, but how about we add something guests don't usually expect: personal sample platter of tea cakes. Once again, a nod toward the theme, as in the Mad Hatter's tea party, but not crazy kitchy. Guests can have fun trying new flavors and textures (think various fruits, creams, and even nuts) at their tables when endulging in their mini cakes.

The Fashion: Let's not forget what the bride will be wearing on her special day. For an Alice in Wonderland theme, I'd like to see the bride in something for fun, girly, young, with a touch of whimsy. Keep flowy fabrics in mind, bows, asymetrical lines, and oversized flowers when finding a gown. Trying something you never thought you'd pick, such as a short-length gown, may be a good choice in finding the right gown for this theme. But remember, it's a wedding with a theme, not the other way around. Trying new things is awesome, but don't make sacrifices for what you love. Gowns with a pastel hue may fit the bill here, or ones with a colored sash or colored trim. Try on gloves, experience different lengths of veils, or even try a white top hat. Keep it fun, but make sure it makes you feel beautiful. If you'd like to go with 'something blue,' I like the idea of having a touch of blue on the bride's shoes, or on her garter underneath the dress (I LOVE the little Alice touches this photo has on its garter). Sapphire or aquamarine jewelry can also be included as something blue. For something old, I like the idea of having an antique pocket watch on a chain wrapped around the bride's bouqet. If you have a family heirloom such as this, this is the perfect theme for it. A pocket watch goes back to the White Rabbit again and not wanting to be late for "a very important date!" It can also be used to hold a small photo of a lost loved one who cannot be there for your special day.



For the bridesmaids, I'd like to see them in a deep red. Hot pink, black, or a deep velvety purple would also work nicely. Try not to mix-n-match the colors and styles of the girls' dresses and shoes too much, though. We don't want a circus parade on our hands. If the bride's dress is full length, then I think the bridesmaid's dresses should be short (and vice versa). I like that it just adds visual interest and makes the bridal party less stuffy if they don't all match. Implementing rosettes on the girl's dresses would be a nice touch, as well, in order to go back to the Queen of Hearts a little bit. They would also add a romantic touch to the ceremony and, honestly, can there be too many flowers in a ceremony? If not on their dresses, bridesmaids could also have a flower in their hair. If brides are looking for a more funky look, their girls could have dresses with one strap, no straps, or even Victorian sleeves (I know, the last one sounds crazy, but trust me). They could also have a great shoe--what girl doesn't want one?--like a high pump or peep-toe bootie. Remember to mix simplicity with accents, however, so as not to go overboard.

The Locations: So where will this all take place? Ideally, I would like to see the ceremony outside, weather it be at a park, a meadow, at the botanical gardens, or in some grand courtyard of a fabulous hotel. Cocktails and reception should probably be indoors in order to let the lighting (candles, chandeliers, uplighting) the give your celebration it deserves. When outdoors, certain details can be lost to a reception, and the space also may not feel as intimate. The sound of your DJ or band may also not be as profound as it should to dance the night away. Keep these things in mind--as well as the distance from the ceremony, the parking, and the weather--when planning for your reception. And remember... You've got just one day to express yourself, and to relish in the beginning of the rest of your life... Enjoy every second!




Photo credits: squidoo.com, ebay.com, pinterest.com, blog-kerantran.com,brides.com, dressale.com,flikr.com, lagartier.com, redhotplants.co.uk, weddingzidea.com, wedeclectic.com, wehartit.com, and winter-brides.livejournal.com.

    

Pride & Prejudice Wedding

     One movie that I can watch over and over again, without getting bored or worn out, is Pride and Prejudice. Wheher it's the older versions or the newest one, starring Keira Knightly, the story is timeless and touches my heart. I love the romance, the dancing, the vintage flare, and the happy ending, of course. This story inspired me to have a Pride and Prejudice wedding of my own a few years ago.
     After my then-fiance proposed, I knew I wanted my wedding to be classic, elegant, and beautiful. Alright, ever since I was a young girl I have dreamed of having a spectacularly elegant and beautiful wedding. The classic part came with growing up. But even young, I knew that it was a big day, and that it was special, so I wanted all the details to embody that. However, the details of one's wedding should also embody the bride and groom; it is their day, afterall. So little touches, here and there, were added to make the day personal, as well as elegant.

     My gown had lace, organza, taffeta, and lovely beaded cap sleeves. It was romantic and it was my dream dress (the first I'd tried on!). My bridesmaide and matron of honor both wore sage green dresses with off-white lace embelishments. I wanted my bouqet to be a jumble of things, almost like wildflowers that Elizabeth Bennet might pick while on a long walk in the countryside. To make it a bit more elegant we used hydrangea and sahara roses. My girls had the same flowers formed into a pomander, which they held by an off-white ribbon on top. I wanted to go with pomanders because they're also called "kissing balls," which I thought was fitting. They also have a unique and vintage feel to them that went along with my theme. We also had lovebirds upon real branches in cages upon each table, with greens and candles glimmering inside. Our cake topper, made by Whilton, had two lovebirds on a swing in a heart-shaped cage, surrounded by jewel-embellished flowers. Our cake had a lace ribbon of fondant around each layer, and fondant sahara roses, as well.
     Everything from the white columns draped with flowy fabrics, to the large earns of flowers adorning the aisle made the room beautiful. I was hyperventilating all the way down the aisle as "A Postcard To Henry Purcell" played (which happened to be the song used during the Black and White Ball in the 2005 version of Pride and Prejudice). That scene is my favorite, when Elizabeth and Darcy are dancing together, the romantic tension is simply bursting. As the dance moves them, their emotions are moved concerning each other, and it moves me, too. I just had to use it as my entrance song. My guests might not have grasped the meaning behind the alluring violenist song, but it had meaning to me. As the ceremony came to a close, the sunset glinting through the arched windows gave a surreal and fairy-tale effect. We said our vows and kissed as man and wife.
 
      Now, nearly four years later, I wish to be part of others' special days. I want to help make each wedding something true to their hearts, and something they will never forget. The road from engagement to ceremony to reception is a long one (it took us seven months just to find a reception hall!), and a little help never hurt anyone. But this is my passion. I love helping others and making them feel special because I beleive that they deserve it. Within this blog, I will discuss wedding designs, decor, behind the scenes information you'll need to know, and other tidbits; like etiqutte at the table, shower, and involving invitations. Comment, leave feedback, and ask questions. I may not be a professional planner, but I've got big ideas, creativity, experience, and answers. Thanks for making me part of your special day!