Five Valentine’s Day Inspired Wedding Ideas

Are you and your fiancé true romantics at heart? Does the thought of a Valentine’s Day Wedding send your heart aflutter? February 14 is certainly a cherished day to celebrate love and romance, and what could be a better way to bring together family and friends in observance of your union! Here are five Valentine’s Day inspired wedding ideas to ensure that everyone will be seeing hearts by the end of the night!

Dress

Go classical and romantic with your dress—heart shaped necklines, lace, and flowing veils speak of romance and sweet femininity. Choosing red bridesmaid dresses and accents is an option for a Valentine’s Day wedding, but I prefer pale blush pink shades. It is, in my opinion, easier to incorporate into the overall design of your reception and ceremony because the hue is not as bold or overpowering.

 

Michael Segal Photography www.michaelsegalphoto.com

Michael Segal Photography www.michaelsegalphoto.com

Décor

Be sure to book your location in advance because Valentine’s Day weddings are proving to be more and more popular. If weather in your location permits, a wedding in a garden provides the perfect romantic backdrop. Before the ceremony begins, ask married couples to stand and reaffirm their love for each other. Incorporating other couples acknowledges the true meaning of Valentine’s Day, as well as thanks them for allowing you to be a part of their journey as a couple. At the reception, have your band or DJ play old classic love songs—think Frank Sinatra, Billie Holiday, and Bing Crosby. Order vintage Valentine’s Day cards online, and use them as seat markers for your guests. Decorate the tables as if you were preparing for a romantic meal at home—plenty of candles, flowers, and gauzy fabrics set the scene, and the mood, for romance.

www.designrelated.com

Karen Horton www.designrelated.com/Karen

 

Flowers

Roses are the hallmark of Valentine’s Day, but do not be afraid to incorporate a variety of pink and red flowers. You do not want your flower arrangements to look perfect and stodgy—instead, have your arrangements look like they were plucked out of a romantic garden, growing wild and untamed.

Michael Segal Photography www.michaelsegalphoto.com

Michael Segal Photography www.michaelsegalphoto.com

 

Food

Food is the way to most people’s hearts, so have your food choices reflect the romanticism of the night. Oysters, chocolate covered strawberries, champagne, chocolate fondue, asparagus—these aphrodisiac foods are delicious and in the theme of Valentine’s Day. Most importantly, allow the cake to be the main star!

 

Michael Segal Photography www.michaelsegalphoto.com

Michael Segal Photography www.michaelsegalphoto.com

Favors

Remember those cute Valentine’s Day cards you had to pass out in elementary school along with the heart-shaped candies? Customize boxes of the candies with you and your partner’s name, and include a Valentine’s Day card that says, “Thank you for being our Valentine.”

examiner.com

examiner.com

Top Five Winter Wedding Ideas

Winter is a time of family, friends, feasting, and festivities, and it is quickly becoming one of the most popular times to tie the knot. However, with the holiday season in full swing, winter can also be one of the most stressful times of the year. With our five top ways to incorporate winter themes into your wedding, you can add some festive cheer without adding extra stress to your season. So cozy up and read on to learn how you can be extra merry with your holiday and wedding planning!

Dress

The type of weather and climate you will be facing on your big day will determine just how bundled you and your wedding party will need to be. Keep in mind that despite how chilly it might be outside, you do not want to be sweaty and uncomfortable in a thick and heavy dress once you are inside and in the heat. Intricately detailed dresses (a la The Great Gatsby) are still trending this season, so take advantage of the beautiful beading and let it reflect the feeling of a gorgeous winter landscape. This decadent trend also celebrates straps and long sleeves, as well as capes and fur stoles. And don’t worry—there are plenty of gorgeous faux fur stoles out there for you to choose from!

 

ruffledblog.com

ruffledblog.com

Décor

Be cognizant of your guests’ winter traditions by staying clear from decorating with a purely Christmas theme. There are plenty of ways you can add gorgeous winter décor that doesn’t scream Santa Claus—plus, by steering away from Santa motifs and red and green drapery, you are also keeping your wedding and reception classy, and not cheesy. However, you can still incorporate red and green by using garland and holly, and a Christmas tree here and there won’t overkill your venue. A gorgeous tree upon entering the reception adds a majestic and wintery touch—having your guests sign tree ornaments to hang on the tree is a great substitute for a guest book, and it allows you and your spouse to have something special to look back on every winter.

Two Chics Photography

Two Chics Photography

Flowers

Bring the outdoors inside by decorating tables with pinecones, tree saplings, holly, garland, and poinsettias. Large white branches with orchids dangling from the limbs resemble snowflakes falling in snow. Don’t be afraid to use winter fillers—pinecones, sprigs of Christmas trees, branches—in your bouquet in lieu of using purely flowers, and instead of choosing only red and green flora, opt for cooler colors in muted tones.

 

http://www.bobanddawndavis.com/

http://www.bobanddawndavis.com/

Food

Wintertime is all about cozy comfort food that is shared with family and friends, so don’t skimp on the food at your reception. Choose filling classics such as mashed potatoes, ham, turkey, and squash, and let your sweet tooth take over with s’mores stations and miniature pies. My favorite part? A hot coca and cider bar!

Hot chocolate bar

Favors

As always, the best favors tend to be either edible or functional, and a winter wedding gives you plenty of options in either category. Miniature pies, hot cocoa ingredients, and peppermint bark make for tasty favors, while gloves, scarves, and blankets are always appreciated during the winter months.

Bridesofadelaide.com/au

Bridesofadelaide.com/au

Top Seven Unique Thanksgiving Wedding Ideas

Thanksgiving is a time to gather together with family and friends and celebrate the things we are most thankful for. Oh, and, of course, stuff ourselves silly with delicious food! It makes complete sense then that so many couples are deciding to get married around Thanksgiving. These top seven tips will ensure that your wedding day is classy and beautiful, and not something that resembles an elementary Thanksgiving Day pageant parade. No Pilgrim hats and feathered headbands, please!

Invites and Save the Dates

One of the most important things to keep in mind when planning a holiday-centric wedding is that many friends will want to spend the holiday with their own families. The way to overcome this is to send our your Save the Dates as soon as you possibly can! Thanksgiving weddings, though, do offer the additional bonus of most of your guests already having time off of work for the holiday.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/nmiphotocreations

http://www.etsy.com/shop/nmiphotocreations

Location

Thanksgiving is the epitome of autumnal beauty, so choosing either an outside venue—or a venue that can give you plenty of gorgeous fall landscapes—is the way to go. The rich fall colors, the bounty of fallen leaves, and the forgiving temperatures of fall, all make for a perfect outdoor wedding.

http://www.weddingomania.com/

http://www.weddingomania.com/

Décor

Let nature dictate the décor for your ceremony and reception! Think of woodsy and rustic themes, allowing yourself to be inspired by trees, feathers, bird’s nests, and fallen leaves. Stay away from cheap Thanksgiving decorations: no miniature cornucopias or turkey designs cut out of construction paper. Evoke the meaning of the season by placing decorative and rustic chalkboards around the venue, allowing people to write down what they are most thankful for. If you are opting for an outdoor wedding, have the chalkboards perched in the middle of the tables. You want your ceremony and reception to look easeful and natural, almost as if it’s an enchanted autumnal forest. Having an elaborately decorated and stuffy reception just doesn’t suit the meaning of Thanksgiving.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/RoxyHeartVintage?ref=exp_listing

https://www.etsy.com/shop/RoxyHeartVintage?ref=exp_listing

Food

Food is the highlight of Thanksgiving, so make sure that your food is the highlight of your reception! You can always choose a more traditional Thanksgiving meal to serve your guests, or, if you’re concerned that your guests will already have had their fill of turkey from their own Thanksgiving celebrations, you can always serve traditional family dishes with a twist—Gruyere mac and cheese with bacon, apple stuffed pork chops, bourbon chocolate pecan pie, etc. Garnish your wedding cake with a few autumnal touches, and place it atop a tree stump cake stand.

 

http://www.etsy.com/listing/69857611/medium-8-inch-rustic-wood-cake-stand

http://www.etsy.com/listing/69857611/medium-8-inch-rustic-wood-cake-stand

Flowers

Don’t be afraid to branch out (pun intended) from using exclusively flowers in your bouquet or centerpieces. Acorns, branches, and fall leaves can all make gorgeous additions to any flower arrangement.

 

http://www.weddingomania.com/

http://www.weddingomania.com/

Dress

Keep your dress classic and easeful. Thanksgiving is about the comfort of being with family, friends, and food! An overly embroidered and corseted gown will clash with your themes of nature and ease.

jcrew.com

jcrew.com

 

Favors

Favors should always be edible or useful, and since it is Thanksgiving, edible is the way to go! Miniature pies, bottles of maple syrup, maple candy, and miniature bottles of pumpkin ale all make for festive favors that your guests will surely appreciate.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/VanillaRetro?ref=l2-shopheader-name

https://www.etsy.com/shop/VanillaRetro?ref=l2-shopheader-name

Top Seven Unique Wedding Halloween Ideas

Boo! Halloween is nigh, bringing a season of candy, costumes, and creepy crawly horrors that send chills up your spine. Nothing though, might seem as scary or as daunting as incorporating Halloween themes into your wedding or reception. But have no fear! We have the top seven unique ways you can add some spooky flair to your special day, whether you choose to go all-out with a costume themed wedding or low key with a few Halloween touches here and there.

Invites

Immediately let your guests know the theme and style of the wedding by choosing an eerie, yet classy, invitation design. Something as simple as writing “Till Death Do Us Part” is a spooky spin on a classic wedding line. Allow your invites to reflect the type of Halloween wedding you are having—Quirky? Modern? Victorian?

Cary Pennington Photography

Cary Pennington Photography

Location

Location can prove to be very important when planning a themed wedding and can quickly and easily establish the atmosphere you are looking for—think: gothic churches, creepy mansions, or rustic and autumnal outdoor settings. Choosing a traditional setting and trying to coat it with cobwebs crosses the line into cheesiness, so picking an inherently spooky location can save you a lot of decorating heartache.

Attire

No one in your wedding party will speak to you again if you force them wear black and orange outfits that make them resemble pumpkins and gourds. However, where you can add some Halloween excitement is with the youngest members of your party; outfit your flower girls and ring bearers in costumes that illicit oohs and ahhs, instead of screams of fear. If you want to add some spooky touches to your wedding dresses, go for an eerie Victorian look, with plenty of lace and vintage touches. Skull cufflinks give a traditional male tuxedo some festive flair.

Ace Photography

Ace Photography

Food

Your food and beverage choices are where you can really have fun! Set up your bar as a mad scientist lab and serve drinks out of vials and beakers. Don’t be afraid to use dry ice or food coloring—a big punch bowl full of a green alcoholic beverage, labeled biohazard, is sure to draw some attention. Nothing says Halloween like a candy buffet! You can opt out of having a wedding cake and choose to do a candy buffet or creepy crawly cupcake tower, but if you do choose to have a wedding cake, feel free to make your wedding cake a festive and spooky affair as well!

 

Ace Photography

Ace Photography

Flowers

There are so many gorgeous fall colors to choose from when picking your flower arrangements. Think plum, orange, burgundy, gold, and go with lilies, roses, and orchids. Work with your florist on creating some fabulously spooky, yet beautiful, flower arrangements. Sometimes just adding some black branches is all you need to give it that Halloween flair.

Cary Pennington Photography

Cary Pennington Photography

Décor

The last thing you want is for your reception to look like a haunted house, so steer clear of cobwebs, black gauze, and fake skeletons. Victorian wedding photos, plenty of candles, and rich autumnal colors give a general eerie quality while the small details, such as the name card-holders and table trinkets, can have some quirky Halloween appeal: fake vampire teeth, miniature pumpkins, witch’s hats—the possibilities are endless!

 

Ace Photography

Ace Photography

Cary Pennington Photography

Cary Pennington Photography

Favors

Halloween is the season of treats, so edible treats are the way to go! You can opt to make your candy buffet part of your wedding favors by giving your guests personalized candy bags. Masquerade masks, bottles of red wine labeled “Vampire blood,” or miniature pumpkin pies are also festive favors.

 

Ace Photography

Ace Photography

The All American Bride

The 4th of July is right around the corner, and with wedding season in full swing, it is no surprise that many brides are wondering how to incorporate the Independence Day festivities into their special day. However, if the idea of throwing Old Glory willy-nilly all over your wedding reception makes you want to run for the hills, don’t you worry—we will show you how to add hints of 4th flair without creating a cheesy red, white, and blue festival.

LOCATION:
It can sometimes be difficult to walk the line between cheesy and classy when incorporating a strong theme into your reception. Picking the right location for your big day can be the first step in discovering just how far you can push your theme. For example, an outdoor reception can have more of a vintage Americana feel, while a reception in a hotel ballroom might restrict you in how far you can go with your 4th of July decorations. In other words, allow the “feel” of the venue dictate the “feel” of your theme choices. There is something “American” feeling about an outdoor wedding, whether it’s on a picturesque beach, a beautiful lakeside shore, a rustic barn, or under a tree in your own backyard.

VintageFourthofJuly (1)

DECORATIONS:
The décor will be the most impactful way for you to add some 4th flair. The key is choosing a design aesthetic that is cohesive—the last thing you want is some random flags stuck onto your table and cutouts of fireworks taped onto the walls. A classic “Americana” or Southern shabby-chic vibe fits into a Norman Rockwell aesthetic that is perfect for Independence Day. Think plaid, gingham, old lace, burlap, and rustic wooden signs and crates—easy, comfortable, and effortless beauty. If you want to go with red, white, and blue, keep the colors subdued and distressed, never bright or tacky. Don’t be afraid to mix patterns when it comes to your table decorations—mismatched linens, tableware, and flatware can give it an old, antique feel. It should look like everything came out of an old vintage trunk found in your grandmother’s attic, not like you bought it at a party store. Vintage flags can serve as table markers at the reception, while wildflowers in porcelain and glass vases delicately enhance the table. Stringing paper lanterns and tea lights add a romantic and nostalgic flare.

Adjusted Drink Station

FOOD:
Your food choices can be a fun and creative way to add some irony and humor into your reception. This is your chance to get cheesy! “Dressed-up” comfort food is a fantastic way to keep with your theme. Bacon-wrapped dates, macaroni and cheese, barbecue, gourmet grilled cheese, sliders, popcorn, a mashed potato bar—the list goes on! Cocktail choices range from craft beer to mint juleps, and for non-alcoholic drinks, think retro favorites: Coke served in real Coke bottles, lemonade, sweet tea, root beer. Mason jars are a great way to serve your drinks, but if you are worn-out from the whole Mason jar trend, you can always mix and match old glass bottles and jars. For desserts, caramel apples, cupcakes, and traditional pies are delicious options, while a snow-cone booth is sure to add some fun and quirk to any reception. Having an outdoor reception? Make a s’mores station around a campfire!

FourthofJulySweets

ODDS AND ENDS:
Continue your theme before and after your wedding by having your wedding stationery reflect your Independence Day motif—mixing patterns, using vintage-inspired fonts, and keeping the colors within the subdued color palette from your reception. You can also use the same type of stationery for writing your thank you notes. Wedding favors for your guests could be confetti poppers, sparklers, vintage flags, or even canned preserves from a local farm. Finish off your night with a private fireworks show or by driving off in a classic pick up truck or vintage car.

FourthofJulyPinwheelWindsocks

Finally, it is important to remember why we celebrate the 4th of July, and a great way to do that is by giving back. On your wedding registry, present your guests with the option of donating to a charity of your choice. There are several fantastic organizations that benefit veterans, soldiers, and military families. On your special day, nothing speaks more towards the spirit of the American people than giving back to those who helped us secure our freedom and those who are fighting to keep it intact.