Fairytale Wedding

Over the past few years we have watched the traditional wedding guest book evolve into a truly amazing lifelong keepsake.  From scrapbook and instant Polaroid guest books to signature picture frames, platters and vases.

More than just a signature, guests write messages to the newlyweds on cards. These cards can be inserted into specially designed “Well Wishes” wedding guest books featuring clear sleeves for holding the cards.  There are several variations of these intriguing books, including envelopes instead of clear sleeves and mini “Wishes”  books sold in sets so that you can distribute them at each table to disperse your crowd and encourage guests’ participation.

Speaking from experience, I can tell you that there are a million things running through a bride’s mind on her special day. The dress and the makeup are crucial, of course, and she can’t help but think of the near future – what married life will be like. Then there’s the question of photographers, vows, and the reception going off without a hitch. In theory all of these things have been taken care of well in advance, but it’s hard not to dwell on the details.

With all of these unique issues to think about, there’s very little room left to consider guests. These are clearly the most important figures in your life – those that you love and trust enough to invite to witness one of the biggest events of your life. Since you could never hope to remember every detail of your guests’ experience, it’s nice to live vicariously through them at a later date. A wedding guest book gives them a way to communicate their congratulations.

You will need to begin by taking into consideration the location of your table.  Do you have  a large amount of space to work with or a tight space.  Tight spaces are a little more difficult to work with, but it is possible. A speaker podium stand does nicely in nearly any tight area indoor or out.  A counter height end table or corner stand may also be a perfect fit in certain areas.  If the style of the table doesn’t suit the surroundings of your wedding, you can always cover it.

Of course your guest book table should be convenient and easily spotted by your wedding guests.  The table should be near the entrance and should match the surrounding building and other decorations.  If the space available for the guest book table isn’t convenient to the entry, have a guest book attendant available to help make sure every guest has the chance to sign in their attendance and good wishes.  If you will have a theme, the wedding guest book and pen set that you choose should match or at least compliment it.  If you have plenty of space in the building or outside area, the next thing to think about is how much you would like to fit on the table.  Naturally a long rectangular table can hold the most or provide enough table top to spread out your items.  A round table is clean and intimate and may or may not need as much room as a longer or square table.  If your entryway to the ceremony or reception is large and open, consider putting the guest book table in the middle and include a centerpiece or floral arrangement in the center of the table top.  Sprinkle flower petals around the guest book and pen, this is especially nice if you have a small table without space for a centerpiece.  Add a soft, romantic feeling to your table with lights under the skirt of the linen or around the top of the table area.  This is truly spectacular for an evening or outdoor ceremony!  Flower or Ivy garland may also be intertwined with the lights, or use ribbon and/or tulle.  Perhaps photographs of the bride and groom or family members can be included on the table for guests to admire while waiting to sign the guest book.  Use satin material and bunch it around each photo then place votive candles or figurines around.  Depending on your space, two round tables may make a nicer exhibit then one long rectangular one.  If you will have wedding ceremony programs, you may wish to fan them out on the end of the table top, closest to the ceremony area and after the guest book.

I’m not sure where the first idea of uniting fuchsia and orange came from, but it was a brilliantly unexpected one!  You agree if you love bold colors. Of course fuchsia and orange aren’t the only awesome color combinations.  More subtle, yet still bright choices of bold wedding colors include yellow, orange, neon green and burgundy. Pair with dark purple, navy blue, black, white or ivory.

Pictured are some colorful wedding accessories in fuchsia and orange; a ring bearer pillow and guest book. Favor boxes in fuchsia, black and white. (Patterns are also a unique way to make a statement at your wedding!)  The bright flower arrangement pictured is an example of a bride’s bouquet for a fuchsia and orange theme wedding.

If there is one thing that isn’t lacking in options, it’s wedding accessories!  There are hundreds of styles available for each theme.  A Cinderella theme wedding may include Disney’s classic Cinderella and Prince Charming dancing images on anything from toasting flutes, to cake server sets, ring bearer pillows and guest books.

A Cinderella theme wedding has many aspects to draw from.  A coach carriage, glass slipper, castle, frog prince, fairy godmother and even mice friends!  Be creative! “Happily Ever After” works with a Cinderella theme wedding as well as material or your unity candle with flowers, vines, pearls or crystals. If you’re thinking about mix and match wedding accessories you could easily pair different aspects as long as they have the same style in common.  A Disney Cinderella and Prince Charming ring bearer pillow like this one pictured would team nicely with an all-white satin flower girl basket with lace similar to that on the pillow.  Your bridal garter could be all-white satin with a Cinderella slipper charm. a castle cake top and Disney Cinderella cake server set.  You could treat your guests to any favor your heart desires as long as you package it with a Carriage Coach thank you gift tag to bring it all together!  Pick one color or flower type to filter throughout your decorations and centerpieces.  With mix and match you can allocate your wedding accessories budget accordingly.

What do you have to have to complete a fairytale dream wedding? ”And They Lived Happily Ever After” wedding accessories of course!  Inspired by every fairytale story that ends with the princess riding off into the sunset with her prince, a happily ever after dream come true.

There are many individual wedding accessories available as well as complete theme collections. Most are imprinted with a “Happily Ever After” or variation of it. My favorite “Happily Ever After” wedding collection is the “Fairy Tale Dreams Collection” pictured above, containing everything you need for your fairytale wedding ceremony and reception from the guest book and pen, to the ring bearer’s pillow and flower girl’s basket to the unity candles, bridal garter and castle cake top. These items are made of delicate satin, embellished with glittering jewels and a Cinderella slipper charm, each is embroidered with metallic thread that proudly states; “And they lived Happily ever after . . .”

Determine your desire for quality when it comes to your wedding ceremony and reception decorations and accessories. Are some of these items things you will only use for one day? You may consider renting certain items, such as the ceremony decorations and candles or the cake knife and server used at your wedding reception. For the ceremony and reception items that you would like to last as memorable keepsakes, such as your wedding guest book, unity candle, wedding day jewelry, reception cake top and bridal garter, you may wish to start browsing now and allow plenty of time to find just the right pieces!

When deciding what company to purchase your wedding accessories from, whether locally or an online store, try to get an idea of the quality of workmanship of the products they offer by retrieving samples or doing research on the item’s manufacturer. For instance Cathy’s Concepts, Lillian Rose, Hortense B. Hewitt, Fashion Craft and Wedding Star are all well-known, top providers of wedding accessories. Also, you may wish to consider shopping at a location that provides many options or is a specialty in your chosen theme.  Next, consider the quality of the customer service provided by the company you will order your accessories from.  Are they readily available?  Do they have fair policies? Order your items in plenty of time of your wedding, that way if you need to return or exchange an item because you are unhappy you will have time to do so.

A fairytale dream wedding come true may include Cinderella theme elements such as renting a horse drawn coach carriage like the one pictured. Don’t forget Cinderella’s furry friends and helpers, the mice, happily printed on your reception napkins, pumpkin centerpieces and glass slipper favors! Be sure to watch the classic Cinderella film, as well as some more modern versions for even more inspiration.

If you wish for Cinderella and Prince Charming to truly be a part of your fairy tale wedding theme, then consider purchasing ©Disney’s save-the-date magnets, invitations, cake top, knife and cake server set or ring bearer pillow with Cinderella and her Prince Charming delicately pictured dancing in the stars!

As I browse what seems like millions of styles and options of wedding accessories I think they are lovely but how can I make them feel like mine? Sure, there are many options to personalize these accessories with our names and monograms, but I needed to find something a little more.  I wanted to find ways to add interests and pieces of my past to my wedding.

My “something old” will be a cameo bracelet, part of a jewelry set handed down to me from my great fairy godmother. It’s very classy and dainty. However part of this set included some very large clip-on earrings, one of which is broke. I am planning to attach one earring to my flower girl basket and the other to either my ring bearer pillow or guest book. I will decide after I see how it looks on each of them.  This idea for really personalizing my wedding accessories not only got me carried away about what else I could do with them, but also makes me feel like I am bringing a piece of my past to my wedding. In a way, my great fairy godmother will be at my wedding!

The expenses of your wedding day can quickly surpass your budget. This is why it is so important that the bride and groom sit down together (possibly with their Fairy Godmother wedding planner!) and decide what aspects of their wedding is the most important to them. Of course the entire day is important, but choices are made (whether realized or not) on what the large majority of the budget is spent on.

For instance, is it spent on a destination wedding? On the memories the best photographer and or videographer will capture? The bridal gown of your childhood dreams? Perhaps the ”sky is the limit” when it comes to the wedding decorations that will create the perfect ambiance for your special day? Maybe you go all out with a horse and carriage coach like Cinderella’s? Or provide gourmet catering, open bar and lavish favors for your guests? There is no wrong or right here.

Remember, it is your wedding and the choice is yours. Just make sure that the choices you make are ones you can live with happily, ever after!