29th April, 2013 - Posted by Lia - No Comments
For some, picking out wedding colors for your special day is no big deal, but for others it can be a huge headache, so here is a guide to creating the winning palette for your special day.
To begin with, think about what is the centerpiece at a wedding. It’s not just the dance floor, but also the cake. You’ve also got the invitations, the table centerpieces and of course, the bride’s gown. Years ago, many brides used to accent the white wedding day décor with a hint of color, but now weddings have become bolder and brighter.
The first thing when picking a color scheme is to know where you’re hosting the reception. Your color scheme in a hotel will be different to a historical building or an outdoor reception. Each venue might have its own color set so you don’t want your scheme to clash. Get to know the color combinations you like, have a look at magazines or browse art galleries and know what it is you want.
This will help you to narrow down your choices, and to pick out the perfect hue, go to a paint shop or fabric store and collect swatches. Knowing you want green isn’t enough – do you want forest green, lime green or sage green? And sometimes, going for two colors can work a charm.
The use of color really depends on the mood you’re trying to create, and the best way to begin is to figure out what emotions you want to inspire, whether it’s energetic, peaceful or regal. These different feels will call to mind a variety of color.
While white is the traditional color for the bride, things have become more liberal nowadays and you don’t need to wear a dress that’s solid white, you can add accents of color to it. However, the color will really be conveyed in the bridesmaids’ dresses. Invitations are also a good way to set the stage, so this is a good place to use color, either in the card itself or something as subtle as the font or ribbon.
Flowers and décor are the easiest and most important way to introduce color, and no matter what shade you’ll find flowers to match – although maybe not available or affordable. However, there is a cheaper option, and that is to go with white flowers with containers that match.
Last but not least, the wedding cake. With the right mixing and preparation, your wedding cake can reflect both the color and the style elements used throughout the wedding. Icing is a great background for colorful sugar flowers or paste stripes or effects. Fondant can also come in a number of shades and here you have a great opportunity to mix and match colors.
8th April, 2013 - Posted by Lia - No Comments
Even in our digital age, paper still carries something romantic about it and we hardly think the tradition of the paper invitation is going to die out any time soon. The year 2013 brings in a whole new set of themes and trends that are going to spill out onto the wedding stationary, so let’s take a look at what those are this time.
The fairytale wedding is making a comeback, but not only that, rustic is huge this coming year, so it makes sense to marry the two together. The gorgeous velvet and colored wedding dresses from designer Oscar De La Renta make us think back to medieval princesses and courtly love, and with the surge of princess tales in the cinema lately, it makes sense that more and more brides are looking to get their happily ever after. For this trend, look to an enchanted forest for inspiration, from a mix of flowers, leaves and natural fabrics, all with a touch of decadence, of course.
Vintage is huge this year and nothing says more than Victoriana than good old-fashioned lace. It’s beautiful, feminine and makes us immediately think of brides and weddings. This is a beautiful feature to include in with your stationary.
Continuing with the vintage theme, homespun designs are continuing to gain popularity. This can be achieved by combining various fabrics, buttons and other materials together, whether it’s a quilted pattern with rustic designs to something with a chic feel to it, it’s a good direction to go in.
Floral patterns are huge this year, especially in the stationary area. It’s a trend that is looking to stay firmly put for a while, and offers so much freedom for creativity. You can opt for something vintage, chintzy, modern and in a variety of colors from something stronger to pastel shades.
Keeping in with the vintage feel, retro geometrics are back. If florals are not your thing, then why not try to modernize things a bit with bright and vibrant shades that come in a variety of geometric patterns. These look really chic and elegant printed and offer a change to really get the creative juices running for your stationary designs.
Whether you’re looking for something romantic, chic or even out-there, there are plenty of ideas to draw inspiration from. The great thing about the above trends is that they can be customized to suit your own tastes and needs.
7th March, 2013 - Posted by Lia - No Comments
Planning a wedding is lots of work and sometimes it’s difficult to find inspiration – so perhaps looking at the current trends for upcoming weddings in 2013 might help.
If you’re thinking about what colors to go with, cool mint is hot right now. Whether you’re looking for chic bridesmaids’ dresses, elegant mint wedding cake to jewelry and even the groom’s suit, mint is the color that’s in right now. Why not get some mint colored crockery or even serve mint colored macaroons. Spice up your white wedding dress with mint accessories and shoes.
Birds are the big thing in fashion and décor at the moment, and naturally, this will spill an avian theme into many weddings in 2013. Nothing says natural, beautiful and stylish like birds for your wedding.
Add a little bohemian spice to your decorations with birdcages filled with bouquets or decorate your tables with birds’ nests and eggs.
For an inexpensive way to decorate your wedding, why not go for paper lanterns? They’re festive, beautiful and make any event feel special. You can go for the traditional Asian style, but with many chic designs for lanterns there are plenty to choose from to suit your style.
If you’re wondering what to do with your hair, then the rustic braid is in. There is so much you can do with braids. They’re pretty and creative – perhaps go for something different from the usual curling tongs.
Laser cuts are in for any paper or card design. Make beautiful invitations sent out in laser cut envelopes, or perhaps stylize your place cards.
When thinking of doing a themed wedding, then one hot era to aim for in 2013 is recreating the glitz and glamour from the 1920s. Celebrate your nuptials Great Gatsby style, whether it’s with a flapper style wedding dress, accessories or hair, or whether you just want a cool art deco theme for your reception – the 1920s are in for 2013 weddings.
Other trends to consider in 2013 are garlands and bark. There is a strong theme of nature in the fashion for the upcoming year, and garlands are easy to incorporate – whether they’re real or paper made.
Tree bark also makes excellent candleholders or vases, and adds a country and rustic feel to your décor. You could even go all out and decorate your wedding cake – tree style!
The overall focus of 2013 weddings seem to be rooted in nature, whether it’s flowers, bark or birds to outdoor paper lanterns and rustic braids, the hot trend for wedding is getting back to our country roots. For those of us who prefer something a little elegant there is always the 1920s and mint colored designs for inspiration.
3rd March, 2013 - Posted by Lia - No Comments
Vintage is in right now, and with the Great Gatsby craze of the moment, we can expect to see many 1920s themed weddings in 2013. But vintage doesn’t necessarily mean flappers and gin; you can come up with your own blast from the past that’s uniquely yours.
While planning a wedding is part of the fun, it can also be really stressful. To get it right involved meticulous planning and structure ideas before we put them into action.
One popular theme that can give a little personal touch to your big day is to pick a retro style from the 60s, 40s and even 20s offering a touch of the past with modern comforts.
A vintage style wedding involves a lot of detail – from the decoration to wedding invitations; even the bride’s dress and grooms suit should also fit the time. And what about photography and transportation? You can hardly do a Victorian style wedding with a stretched limo! It’s important to decide how authentic you’re going to be – all out period drama, or just a hint from the past.
Picking an era is the fun part, the 1920s makes one think of glamour and an irreverent spirit, equipped with Rolls-Royces and low-rise tassel dresses and tuxedos. The 1960s we think of the elegance of Audrey Hepburn or Marilyn Monroe, whereas if you’re up for a hippy wedding then the 1970s could be fun. The trick of getting the vintage wedding right is in the details, but in a subtle way as to not make it totally overbearing.
When you’ve picked your era, decide what kind of touch you want to add – decadent, romantic or even ecological, just because it’s based on a different time doesn’t mean you don’t get to stamp your own finger print to it. If you’re going with 1950s, then pick a Frank Sinatra soundtrack or a live jazz band. Make your invitations with that antique touch.
The right venue can also act as the perfect stage for your wedding. For a 1950s wedding, a country house with a nice garden with a live, tuxedo-clad band would be idea. For those wanting something more antique, like the 1920s, an old mansion with a classy, formal dinner with silver wear is perfect. Get out the pearls and the champagne!
And last but not least – the bride’s dress. With vintage being so in for 2013 it shouldn’t be difficult to find the right dress.
Pick a 1920s style wedding dress or a 1950s full skirt and knee-length gown for that final touch. The groom could even dress up with vintage style elegance, with a look inspired by Mad Men to accompany his 1950s bride.
26th February, 2013 - Posted by Lia - No Comments
We hear all about the lavish weddings of hosted by celebrities, read plenty of ideas on how to have a vintage, bohemian and unconventional weddings – but a what about when the average Joe gets married?
A wedding for a typical person is hard to define, since we’re all individuals so perhaps it’s better to ask the question on how to throw a traditional wedding.
One important component in throwing a traditional wedding isn’t necessarily about the bank balance but about the timeline. For a traditional wedding that’ll be talked about for ages, it’s key to know when to do what and how to plan it.
After saying your vows, whether in a traditional church wedding or in a courthouse, it’s the reception after-party that’s the most important when it comes to your guest. It’s traditional at this point for the husband and wife to head off for pictures with their photographer in tow before you can really get down and celebrating. During this time, instead of keeping twenty to over a hundred of guest waiting, let them go off and being the celebrations without you.
The cocktail hour is a great way to get the ball rolling. Kick off the reception with some boozy delights and classy canapés, and this will give guests a chance to chat, socialize and wait for the newly weds to make their big arrival. One thing that’s important is to greet your guests, and it’s common for couples to greet their guests as they arrive on the site, but modern newlyweds are choosing a post ceremony line, rather than going round the tables during the dinner.
Once everyone is lubricated with cocktails, the bride and groom will make their grand entrance, and perhaps kick start the dancing with their first dance. This can come later after the dinner, but it marks a nice arrival.
Of course no dinner can start without the cheers and toasts, a great time to tell funny stories to the family and friends and to celebrate the couple. Then there is the dinner of course, but once the plates are cleared away it’s time to party. There is also the cake cutting that’s a huge part of the party!
After the party, all things must come to an end and the last dance is an important part to leaving the right lasting impression. So make sure you pick something festive.
For your final farewell, make sure you say your goodbyes and leave with a grand exit! Friends and family can blow bubbles or toss rose petals. Make sure you close in a way people never forget.
24th February, 2013 - Posted by Lia - No Comments
Strippers and beer – those are the first thoughts to come into our heads when we think of bachelor parties, and most brides to be dread them. But there is a way to celebrate your last night of freedom without the kegs and tangas.
A good way to plan a fun and classy bachelor party is to pick an activity and base the party around that. Just because you leave out the naked dancing girls doesn’t mean it’ll be a boring affair. Make it a night to remember rather than a cliché.
If the groom is looking for something wild, then why not get the adrenaline pumping? Rent some ski jets for the day or head up to the mountains for some snowboarding or skiing.
Paintballing is another fun way to let boys be boys, and this way no one gets hurt or even hung over.
Sports are a great chance for some male bonding, either plan a game of soccer or basket ball or attend a professional game together. Golfing or bowling are also good ways to have some lad time.
For those of you looking to mark your last days as a bachelor in style then create a casino night. Hire a professional croupier, sip some martinis while wearing a tuxedo and you too can feel like something out of a James Bond movie.
Rugged and outdoorsy types may enjoy a camping trip to the mountains with some good old hiking.
Have fun and be sensible – don’t do anything insanely dangerous. The bride is not going to be very happy when presented with a husband-to-be with a broken limb. A cast on the leg will make for a big damper on the honeymoon.
It’s a nice touch to surprise the groom with the party, but do take into account his own interests and personality. If he’s not the outdoorsy type, then perhaps the camping trip that may be heaven for you could turn out hell for him.
Once you’ve picked your central, bachelor party activity then be sure to plan a good meal afterwards. In the summer, something on a terrace or in the garden makes a good choice, while winter celebrations may benefit from something more formal. If you opt for the later, why not rent a room at the groom’s favorite restaurant?
Enjoy a bit of boisterous fun with funny toasts and an alternative version of the best man’s speech you’d rather the bride’s parents didn’t hear.
6th February, 2013 - Posted by Lia - No Comments
Centerpieces set the theme for the room and define the décor. Depending on the theme you’re going for, your centerpiece will be the defining element in capturing the essence of your wedding day. There are many ways to create effective centerpieces, from lighting to mirrors, flowers to water dyes, the only limitation here is what your imagination is capable of.
To set the mood, you want one large centerpiece to catch your guests’ eyes, but then replicate that in miniature on each table. For example, you have a large floral display on the main table, size that down on the individual tables scattered round. An effective way to illustrate this is to invest in vases of varying sizes, that way you can cater your floral arrangements appropriately around the house.
A creative technique for flower arrangements is to buy some colorful vase filler and top up some martini glasses and add some flower heads on top. Do you have large lilies on your table, then set only a few small lily heads in the glasses decorated round the tables. You can also go in the favor of candles and opt for floating candles in martini glasses or glass pearls.
Another eye catching centerpiece idea is to opt for hanging glass orbs. You can do a lot with this, whether you chose to go with elaborate floral displays or candles.
Rustic colors and textures are in season this year, and a great way to capture that is to use bark in your decoration and centerpieces, birch is a particularly great choice in doing this. You can couple these with wildflowers, berries or even dried flowers to recreate that countryside charm. Ghost wood branches and natural branches are also effective to capture the feel of the outdoors.
For a modern, avant-garde feel, use some midollino sticks to create a sense of height and shape. Go wild with the colors, deck the top with flower heads, again there is just so much you can do with this. Other alternative flower displays are agora vase stands, vials and mirrored vases, to give a futuristic element to your displays.
Candles wrapped in diamond mesh wrap invoke a sense of glamour and festivity. They’re an inexpensive and beautiful way of crafting a centerpiece that’ll add class to your wedding.
The options are limitless, and you’re really spoiled for choice with the number of ideas out there for centerpieces. Decide on what kind of wedding you’d like to have and then you can go crazy with the designs, techniques and applications of your centerpieces.
16th January, 2013 - Posted by Lia - No Comments
Oscar De La Renta is one of the top designers of wedding couture and has had almost every female celebrity turn to his creations. His wedding line blends a romantic sense of tradition with something modern and edgy. He’s one of the top designers in the world for bridal wear and accessories.
Born in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, Oscar De La Renta moved away from his Caribbean roots to branch out into the fashion world of the USA, where he became internationally known in the 1960s as one of the couturiers to dress the first lady Jackie Kennedy. Later on in his life, he won numerous awards for his designs and would go on to dress film stars and even royalty.
The beauty of Oscar De La Renta’s designs is that he has something for everyone. Whether you’re looking for a traditional bridal dress with white lace and embroidery detail, with ball gown cuts and chapel trails. Other traditional white brides dresses with untraditional cuts include the White Satin pump, with an ivory silk faille trumpet gown with long sleeves decorated with Chantilly lace overlay.
For something a little more gamine, you can try a white satin mule with silver and crystal embroidery. This design is playful, with its camellia cotton guipure sweetheart dress over a tulle petticoat. A far cry from the traditional ballroom cuts!
The exciting thing about Oscar De La Renta is his alternative designs, whether they deviate not only in color, but also in design from the traditional bridal wear. One of his dresses in the 2013 collection is a crimson crush pleated silk velvet gown in a column design, finished off with an ivory crush pleated tulle trim. The dress might not make you think of virginal bridal dresses, but conveys images of romantic heroines with flowing red hair in Pre-Raphaelite paintings, ideal for brides looking for a romantic look beyond the cliché.
Or, if you’re looking for something seasonal for the spring, then the pink and blue organza flower gown, detailed with sequins and embroidery is ideal for a springtime wedding. Blue is in this season, and Oscar De La Renta offers many original, beautiful, feminine and sexy dresses for any bride looking for something blue instead of the traditional white.
To many Oscar De La Renta is the optimal wedding dress designer to many brides, since he captures the imagination of women all over looking to walk down the aisle.
11th December, 2012 - Posted by Lia - No Comments
The traditional wedding cake might be synonymous with weddings, but for those of you looking to break with tradition, perhaps these ideas might whet your taste buds. A multiple tiered fondant covered cake might be non-negotiable, but take a look at some alternatives for those looking for trying something a little different.
Cupcakes have been hugely popular at weddings in recent year, and they’re extremely versatile with the number of creative fillings and flavors available. You have the choice to decorate them in any way possible, and they have the potential to be super elegant, just like a traditional cake, and at the same time easy to serve and eat.
A candy bar might be an odd thing to serve up at something as formal as a wedding, but the wonderful thing is that the options to serve up are unlimited. You can even get hold of bars that go with your wedding color scheme.
Pies are usually a great hit and you can get them in a variety of flavor and fillings, whether you make them yourself or find a trusted bakery. They can be as sweet or as tangy as you wish – perhaps even serve a variety.
One creative way to cater to all the sweet-toothed guests is to organize a cookie buffet. The hardest part to pull this off is narrowing down the selection since there are just so many types to choose from. Chocolate chip cookies are always a great hit, but maybe some macadamia nut or peanut cookies are a super choice. Not to mention such a wide variety such as biscotti, sandwich cookies and macaroons. Pick something that will go well with coffee, wine or even champagne, but take care of those who have nut allergies though.
If you’re getting married on a hot summers day, then ice cream is a popular choice and can be dressed up with nuts, sauces and even fruits. Ice cream is such a versatile dessert that it’s one that’s hard to go wrong with. And with sorbets and Champagne ices around, the only limit is your imagination.
Are you looking for a carnival themed wedding? Then why not eschew the wedding cake for cotton candy and caramel apples? You can dress up all your fairground treats to accommodate your wedding needs.
If you’re looking to cater to impress, then try out the croquembouche, a traditional French pastry with fluffy an bite-sized cream stuffed choux pastries formed into a cone and assembled with strings of caramel syrup. You can suspend this with sugar-spun ribbons and drizzle it with chocolate or caramel. This gravity defying dessert is bound to stun your guests.
10th December, 2012 - Posted by Lia - No Comments
Plan a bridal shower like you would any party, whether it’s an intimate affair or a big event, the success to a good party is through careful planning. Set up a committee of trusted friends who can help to make things more fun and help run smoothly. Putting together an invite list can also help to organize things a little better and get your bride on board for this to make sure no one is missed out.
The traditional bridal shower is held two months to two weeks before the wedding, and etiquette dictates that it should take place in the early afternoon, but we’re not quite sticklers for tradition, so go with what suits the bride the best. Some might want a brunch-time party whereas other night owls might prefer something after dark.
Coming up with a self-contained theme isn’t essential, but having one does make life a little easier when it comes to the actual planning. It can help with the décor, the catering and even the gift giving. It can be a loose theme, but make sure it suits the bride herself.
Picking the right décor can be helped if you’ve chosen a theme as above, but if not, then just pick an elegant color scheme and run with that. Decorate the key areas like the bar, catering area, gift table and any other important places. Choose the right banners, centerpieces and festive decorations to bring the place to life a bit.
Food and drinks are important, and this is where the time of day is important. For a brunch, go for an elegant brunch food fare, whereas something held late night might want to be a bit on the light side. You can choose to find an external caterer or get everyone to contribute their own dishes. This is a nice way to provide a personal touch to your bridal shower.
Make sure you have some activities planned, whether it’s from anecdotes and cute games, to having a blast on guitar hero, having a bridal shower with plenty to do is a sure fire way to keep everyone amused.
Last, but definitely not least, are the gifts. Make sure you get the details of your bride’s wedding list at one department store, but sometimes it’s nice to go for something a little less mainstream. The traditional household gifts for the kitchen or the house are sure successes, but maybe going for something a littler naughtier like some sexy lingerie will go down well, or maybe a get away for the bride and her future husband.
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