Pink, Black and White Themed Wedding

Pink and Red Themed Wedding Inspiration Board

I wouldn't normally pick pink and red as a colour combination that would work for a wedding, but as Anne Ruthman Photgraphy demonstrates, it can work, and it can be stunning!

Pink and Purple Wedding Flower Inspiration

A Country Themed Wedding

Wedding Photography by Ulmer Studios, inspiration board from Style Me Pretty

Black Bridesmaid Dresses

Black has been one of the hottest colours for bridesmaids this past winter, and with brides choosing from the endless array of evening dresses that are available in black, it isn't hard to see why this is a popular colour choice. Let's take a quick look at some of the benefits:

• These bridesmaid dresses can be bought off the rack
• They don't necessarily have to be bought from a wedding or formal store
• If you want to use different styles for different bridesmaids, you don't really have to worry about colour shades not matching
• With endless styles to choose from you're more likely to find a style that all your bridesmaids are happy with
• Black is a very elegant choice for an evening wedding
• Perhaps your bridesmaid is more likely to wear a black evening dress again? (Because in reality, most bridesmaids don't end up wearing their dresses ever again).

Top Tips For Saving On Your Wedding Cake

Image source: Little Miss Cupcake Paris

Use real flowers (as in the picture above) instead of expensive hand made sugar or icing decorations.

Make your own cake and get a professional to decorate it.

Go one step further and make and decorate your own cake. Books available from your local library can get you started with basic decorating techniques, and edible and non-edible embelishments can be bought from homeware shops, speciality food shops, cake decorating shops (and online cake decorating stores) and ebay.

Have a small cake for decoration with a larger and non-decorated cake to actually serve to your guests. No one will ever know!

Polystyrene cakes have just started doing the rounds again. These are display cakes (like the above point) and decorated so professionally that no one will ever know they difference. Because they are not made of food stuffs they can be used over and over again, and are therefore cheaper than a real cake. Then your only expense is the actual cake that you serve your guests (which can be anything, from anywhere, and made by anyone because how it looks doesn’t matter!).

Have a professional cake decorator decorate a polystyrene cake for you to match your wedding theme.

If you are having a layered cake, you could make one of your layers a polystyrene layer (that is of course iced and deocrated exactly the same as the rest of your layers.

Ring the cake decorators association in your state (you can find them in the yellow pages or on the internet) for a list of people who decorate as a hobby. You can get a lovely cake for a fraction of the cost.

This Smart Bride didn’t have a cake at all (a very personal choice and not for everyone). I have never understood the cake cutting tradition and doing this was not important to me (or my husband). Of all the weddings I have been to I have either not eaten the cake I have been served because I’ve been too full, or they’ve given it to me in a little bag to take home, and that ends up sitting on the kitchen bench for a week before it goes all hard and crusty and I throw it in the bin. We mentioned the missing cake to a few of our guests after the wedding and they said they didn’t even notice. The time we saved by not cutting a cake was spent on the dance floor, partying. The money we saved was spent on our honeymoon. A very personal choice, but something you may want to consider.

Green Wedding Colors: The "It" Color for 2011

By Tiffany Cole

The thought of green wedding colors has great appeal to me. Why?

Because green is my favorite color. For example: my wall-to-wall carpet is green; I have a lot of green colored clothes; I have green accents all over my house; in fact, my house is painted green; I painted my outdoor furniture green; and I still miss my little green sports car that died.

And why not green, after all, shades of green symbolizes health, growth, life, fertility and the environment.

Green wedding colors whether used with a cooling effect like blue or a warming effect like yellow becomes a beautifully balanced and harmonizing theme.

The wonderful thing about the color green is that it can be used any time of the year and either indoors or outdoors.

The green you use should be coordinated with your wedding location and your theme.

By that I mean, if it's to be a more formal affair then the greens would be better in dark, rich and somber shades but if it's a casual informal ceremony then try light, more playful, shades of green and, by all means, use more than one shade of green.

Another really terrific color combination is purple, lilac and mint green. You will be long remembered for this color theme.

Here are 8 great ideas to incorporate the color green into your wedding:

1. Print your wedding invitations with dark green ink one light green paper. Use green-lined envelopes and/or a green envelope seal.

2. Use green blooms, ivy, ferns and other greenery as part of your wedding centerpieces. Adding green marbles, moss or pebbles to the centerpiece is also a lovely idea.

3. Your wedding favors can be in green favor boxes filled with your choice of candies or cookies. A votive candle in your chosen shade of green placed at each guests seat can act as a place mark and then they can take them home.

4. Have your table linens be in your shade of green or having a white tablecloth with green table runners is very attractive. Then tie the napkins with green ribbon and top off the look by having green tulle tied around the guest chairs.

5. At the wedding ceremony have a green aisle runner and tie green pew ribbons on the aisle chairs or pews.

6. Use topiary trees at the church entrance which can then be taken to the reception and placed on each side of the bridal head table; this will help keep down the flower budget, too.

7. You can find green wedding ring pillows and unity candles to complete the green theme at the church.

8. Have your wedding cake decorated with greenery instead of flowers and green faux jewels on your cake is very elegant looking. Green icing or frosting is certainly an eye-catcher especially if used with a secondary theme color.

Of course, outdoor settings are especially suited for green-themed weddings as you can take advantage of nature's handy work.

Botanical gardens, city parks, and some churches have beautiful gardens where you can have your wedding. You will need to check the facilities to see if they are available for weddings and receptions.

And, don't forget, a family member or friend may have THE perfect yard for your special day.

If the wedding is indoors be sure to check to see what the color of the walls, carpets and drapes are to make sure it fits with your colors. You certainly don't want clashing colors; rather you want to integrate your colors for a coordinated look.

As you can see, there are many ways that green can be a gorgeous color for your wedding no matter whether you choose it to be a dominant color or used as an accent. This gentle color gives a sense of nature and peace and makes it perfect for a romantic wedding. So enjoy the above ideas for green wedding colors and, I bet, with just a little thought you can come up with many more.

For more about weddings and Green Wedding Colors check out Tiffany's blog.

Tiffany Cole has a huge passion for weddings and in particular likes to come up with creative ideas to create dream weddings without breaking the bank. If you'd like to see more of Tiffany's ideas, tips and tricks then you can go to her blog at http://InexpensiveWeddingIdeasGuide.com.

How To Choose The Perfect Wedding Shoes

By Barbaran Campbell

This article comes to you from someone who has a long established love of footwear and who has supplied, dyed and decorated wedding shoes for a living for the past 25 years. Over that time, I have learned a thing or two on the subject of how to go about choosing the perfect wedding shoes for what will, undoubtedly, be one of the best days of your life!

I don't know of any woman who can honestly say that a stunning pair of shoes doesn't make her feel great - even on a normal day! But on your big day, a gorgeous pair of wedding shoes becomes even more important and will make sure you feel even more beautiful. And, of course, don't forget your hen night when you will most definitely need lots of 'sparkle' on your toes....

On a more serious note - your wedding shoes are just as important as your wedding dress - but many brides are so engrossed in the mountain of arrangements they need to address that they neglect prioritising their shoes. You should choose your shoes around the same time as you are choosing your dress as you will need them for your dress fittings. Any alterations being made to the length of your dress will be determined by the heel height of your shoes. Also, surprisingly, it may take more time to source your shoes than it takes to find your 'dream' dress.

They say 'no pain - no gain', however, when it comes to your wedding shoes, comfort must be your number one priority. No matter how stunning your shoes are, if you are in pain or discomfort, your mood and your face will reflect it! Your wedding day will most certainly mean many hours of standing and walking and, later, dancing too....

So, you should ask yourself a few basic questions:

Can I walk upright and straight, without stumbling in my shoes?

• Platform (4 inches +) - requires courage and confidence - for that 'model' look. Shoulders back, chest out, great pout..........
• Stiletto heels (3 - 4 inches) - elongates the legs helping to ensure you appear taller, slimmer and definitely more glamorous.
• Stiletto heels (2 - 2.5 inches) - great for Mother of the Bride/Groom.
• Kitten heels and flats - perfect for tall ladies. If you are not used to wearing high heels then stick to what is familiar. Otherwise you will be 'teetering on the brink' and appear unstable on your feet or - worse still - look like you've had too much champagne!
• Victorian wedding boots with 'bustle' dresses make a statement and are great for winter weddings.

Also, consider your surroundings - wedge and flat shoes may be more suitable for weddings in gardens or beach weddings for example....

Will my shoes be comfortable all day?

• Is there any padding in my shoes?
• Are my shoes made with padding/strong soles so I don't feel every 'pebble' when walking?
• Is there any slippage on one shoe? (Everyone has one foot bigger than the other). You may like to consider buying a pack of 'party feet' and using just one of the pads under the ball of the foot that is slipping to ensure a comfortable fit or, alternatively, purchasing a product made from memory foam which you can cut to size.

Can I dance in my shoes?

• The same as above applies...... However, you may like to consider having two pairs of shoes, one for the day time and one for dancing the night away....

Is the heel height practicable for day wear and evening wear?

• Consider the length of your dress - very high stilettos or shoes with crystal embellishments could snag your dress while you are dancing. (Having two pairs of shoes, one for the day time and one for dancing may be the answer).

Are my shoes too high for my partner?

• Could wearing 4 inch heels mean you embarrass your partner if you are towering over him during the ceremony or in photographs?
• Consider the reverse - wearing flats could mean you are too short and he is towering over you!

Are my shoes suitable for all weather eventualities?

• Don't care so long as I am wearing my fabulous shoes!
• Consider spraying your shoes with a water repellent such as Scotchguard. Spray 6-8 inches away from the shoes - do not saturate - and allow to dry naturally overnight. Re-spray if you know rain is forecast!
• Getting married on a beach? Flat shoes make it easier to walk on sand. Consider spraying with Scotchguard to off-set the effects of salt in the air.
• Water sodden grass? Flat shoes ensure you don't destroy delicate stilettos - though they should be sprayed with Scotchguard or similar.

Can I wear my wedding shoes again after my wedding to get the most wear out of them?

• If you have sprayed your wedding shoes with a water repellent then they cannot be dyed successfully as spraying the shoes makes them water resistant and therefore the dye won't penetrate as it otherwise would. There are some companies who use 'colour matching' techniques as opposed to a traditional 'dyeing' process which means that any colour applied sits on top of the fabric rather than being absorbed into it.
• Purchase good quality dyeable satin wedding shoes to ensure that they can be dyed in any colour after your wedding day.

So you see, choosing comfort on the day doesn't necessarily mean jeopardising your style. Choosing wedding shoes you love doesn't mean that you can't wear them again after your wedding. As I have explained, if you pick good quality, dyeable satin shoes, they can be dyed after your wedding and you can wear them again and again for other special occasions.

Lastly, I would say that if your budget allows - treat yourself to a pedicure to ensure your feet feel silky soft and that your chosen nail polish has been beautifully applied.....

Then, relax and enjoy......

Barbaran is the Author and is dedicated to helping brides, bridesmaids and mother-of-the-bride find the perfect wedding shoes and bridal accessories for their big occasion. For more information a and a vast array of bridal shoes and bridal accessories please visit www.barbaran.co.uk

By Barbaran

Barbaran
http://www.barbaran.co.uk

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Barbaran_Campbell

Pink and Purple Wedding Inspiration

The Boutonnieres (Button Holes)

A boutonniere (also known as a buttonhole) is the male equivalent of the corsage worn by a woman. The boutonniere is usually a selection of one or two small flowers on their own or with a bit of fern, greenery or baby's breath. It is worn mostly for formal occasions such as a wedding or prom.

The boutonniere is always pinned to the left lapel of the suit or tuxedo. The groom, best man, groomsmen (ushers), fathers of the bride and the groom wear boutonnieres.

If the bride has someone else escorting her down the aisle, he should also wear a boutonniere. If a woman escorts the bride she should wear a corsage.

The groom's boutonniere can stand out from the rest of the boutonnieres, by selecting a different color for him. If you prefer the groom and his attendants to wear the same color flower, request that the groom's be made with a double flower.

A boutonnières will take on endless well intentioned abuse on a wedding day. The delicate stephanotis and miniature cream rose button holes will look spectacular at first but it will quickly wilt after the countless hugs from your guests. You should select a hardy flower that will not droop easily.

A great alternative to the fresh flower boutonnières is to go for silk or dried flowers such as lavender in spring, or berries for a winter wedding. Instead of wrapping the flower in floral tape, consider using ribbon or an elegant piece of fabric.

Boutonnière flowers are usually selected from the flowers in the bride's bouquet. The colors of the boutonniere should match the general color theme of the wedding. Traditionally the bride's family orders the boutonnieres and has them ready for the groomsmen.

Tip:

If the groom or any of his attendants have severe allergies to flowers consider using a silk boutonniere.

By Harriet Britto

Harriet Britto is the owner of The Wedding Information Site a site that will help you in creating your wedding with your own personal style.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Harriet_Britto