Fairytale Wedding

Here it is the beginning of a new year, between now and valentine’s day is – tax season!  You are still enjoying newlywed bliss.  The fairy tale wedding theme  may be over, but the fairy tale lives on in the joy of experiencing the simple things in your day to day life as a married couple goes on (along with the memories of that special day, of course!)

Congratulations!  If you were married on or before December 31 of 2009 then you will be filing your first tax return as a couple!  Wishing you could write off the cost of your wedding day on your tax return, you prepare to file your taxes.  You wonder if Cinderella filed taxes with Prince Charming?  Did she remember to change her name with the social security administration office?  Not to mention change of name/address submitted to the post office, car and other insurance companies, magazine subscriptions . . .

The butterfly is a powerful romantic symbol and remains a very popular choice for a wedding theme.  Contrary to what might be believed, a wedding can include butterflies without seeming childish or “girlie”.  Especially when paired with a dark color theme, an artsy palette or the newest pattern craze – plaid, pinstripe, checker or damask designs.

Some methods of including butterflies in your wedding?  How about butterfly confetti or butterflies on your invitations?  A live butterfly release comes to mind, but you can also utilize butterfly luminaries, butterfly shaped candy, cookie cutters or candles as wedding favors or include them as a whimsical wedding cake topper.  Bold, artsy wedding reception table centerpieces are pictured here.  A butterfly is a symbol of rebirth; a fantastic sign to begin a new life together with.

I’m sure you’ve heard the wedding trend buzz about including bold color, but there is also a place for plaid, pinstripe, demask design and even polka dots.  From the bridal party gowns to the reception table lines and even the wedding accessories!

A plain satin ring bearer pillow can be lime green and include a rafia ring tie, or how about in ivory but with a bold pinstripe ribbon wrapped around it!  Or if you’d like to keep it a classic with a little twist, purchase a ring bearer pillow in a damask design like that pictured.  This pattern is available in nearly every color imaginable, so you’ll be sure to find the one that suites your wedding day accessory needs!

Wether you print your own, or purchase near perfect wedding invitations, a DIY touch is to add rhinestones, stamps, ribbon or rafia.  It makes such a big difference for just a little extra effort.

You can DIY – do it yourself wedding invitations, save the dates and wedding programs!  Design everything in your own unique style and personality. Then find creative ways to display them - such as this wedding program hung from each guest chair (pictured).  Remember, you can also make your own placecards, table numbers and centerpieces to match!

Your “do it yourself” wedding doesn’t have to mean that you baked your own wedding cake from scratch!  One of the easiest (with a big impact) “tricks of the trade” for bringing it all together is taking something simple and placing it subtly everywhere.  For instance?  Ribbons, bows, rhinestones, pearls, beads or flowers are the most commonly used.

Purchase ribbon in the color or two that you will use throughout your wedding and place strategically: Tie ribbon around your card box, pin it on your wedding accessories, wrap your centerpieces or favors and even attach to your wedding invitations.  Not only will you create a unified look but you can take credit for gasps and praise from your guests!

Though there is nothing wrong with a bride who is all about tradition, these days are often about originality, bold colors and unique themes, favors and/or decorations.  Celebrating a marriage can literally include a circus, carnival or petting zoo!

Every couple wants a wedding day full of fun and memorable moments.  Perhaps even a an exciting adventure for you and your guests!  Just be sure that’s what you and your other half REALLY want.  The time planning and money you spend on your wedding day should ultimately incorporate you and your fiance’s dream components – not anyone else’s.  There are many ways to make your wedding day special and unique to you without going over board.  You could concentrate on just one unique component for your wedding, such as horse drawn carriage rides or a theme photo booth at your reception, or you could make your own wedding invitations or favors.  Have your wedding reception outdoors at a theme park, winery, resort or on the beach.

A few months ago Cathy’s Concepts introduced a fantastic new wedding item – dance floor decals.  Available in several designs and colors, they have now added coordinating window clings.

These unique wedding decorations are ideal for the banquet hall windows or get away car!  All designs may be personalized with the Bride and Groom’s names and wedding date.  The perfect wedding is all about the details and these window clings, available in 13 popular wedding colors, are sure to be a big hit!

The wedding reception is a special occasion for bride, groom, and all their family and friends to break free from the ceremonies and have some fun.  When planning a wedding reception, you should strive for your guests to have an unscripted and enjoyable time; after all, there should be some reward for sitting through a long ceremony!  First and foremost, you will want to plan for some live music, or at least a DJ.  Having unique wedding favors on the tables will keep your guests entertained as the food is being prepared. For the menu, have at least two choices, and a vegetarian option. Though traditional weddings favor foods like baked salmon or roasted chicken, there’s nothing wrong with barbequed steak and pizza either. Also remember to not forget the cake!

The wedding reception often is the most expensive part of a wedding, but if everything goes according to plan, should be a fun and memorable experience for more than just the bride and groom.

I was consulting a bride the other day who will create a fairy tale wedding theme for her big day.  She had many questions on how to coordinate accessories, decorations and favors to the theme without “overdoing it”.

Her dream fairy tale wedding theme would incorporate pieces of the Cinderella romance without relating to Disney’s version of the story and without having every wedding item scream Cinderella.  She fell in love with coach centerpieces created from silver metal that she had found, now she just needed help coordinating items such as cake tops, accessories and wedding favors.

When it comes to planning any theme wedding the answers to a few basic questions are often all you need.  Most brides know what they ultimately want.  What colors do you want?  What type of favors do you want to give – practical, whimsical, useful, elegant, etc.  Do you want a lavish cake and decorations?  Or something simple?

I suggested subtle ideas to my bride for her wedding, because she wanted a touch of fairy tale romance but not a full-fledged Cinderella themed event.

If you’re looking for unique unity ceremony presentation pieces that are truly personal, then why not make your own unity set?  Use cylinder vases or even square vases that you may already have at home.  A floating candle in colored water or a votive candle in colored sand (that match your wedding colors) paired with two taper candles (for the lighting portion of the ceremony).

One of my favorite items that turns any ordinary vase into a vibrant, personal peice without the price tag are the wedding clings pictured here.  Not only do these clings dress up your wedding ceremony decorations, they also make remarkable reception table centerpieces!