Month: November 2016

Plum and Sage Wedding Theme

Winter weddings are special. While for many couples the ideal time of year to tie the knot is summer, there are a growing cohort who are coming to appreciate the unique nature of a winter time wedding. There’s plenty to love about this time of year, the beauty of the changing leaves, the bare trees against the green, the possibility of snow, the cosiness of a roaring fire and even a few truly stand out pictures with the rain can all be a real draw.

Plus at this time of year availability for your favourite bands, venues and vendors can be much more accessible not to mention the savings too.

So now you’re sold on the idea, it is time to think about how you’d like your winter wedding to look and while it’s tempting to go for traditional hues of silvers, golds, reds and greens, think about something a little different such as the rich seasonal hues of plum and sage.

We’ve put together some ideas to whet your appetite, but if you’d like to chat further about this or any other aspect of your wedding day décor, then please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

 

Florals
From buttonholes to bouquets, choosing vibrant florals in shades of plums, purples, lavenders against rich greens is a virial treat for the eyes. It can really bring warmth and depth to the day and work well with tweed for men and of course provides a stunning contrast for the brides dress, as well as the bridesmaid’s dresses.

 

Centrepieces
Centrepieces really bring your venue to life and with this colour palette there’s huge scope to be as vibrant or subtle as you wish. From rich table runners or table cloths in purple and plum, to contrasting flowers, rustic boxes filled with green cacti and purple flowers, lanterns or birdcages, purple or green ombre coloured mason jars, to stark white candles wrapped in greens, there’s so much to think about.

Chairs
Chairs are another sometimes overlooked way to get colour into your wedding day décor and while sashes are the obvious choice, you can also think about using draping, cushions, ribbons and florals to make the colours really stand out.

 

Room Décor
There’s plenty of ways to add touches of plum and sage accents around the room as well as on your tables. Paper lanterns and pompoms are a wonderful way to do this and can look very dramatic, as can garlands on fireplaces and staircases. Backdrops are also well worth considering and can work as a sort of DIY photobooth for the day too!

 

 

Wedding Table Name Ideas

Of all the wedding planning processes, coming up with ideas for your table names or a theme for your tables can be one of the most enjoyable but also at times the most difficult. Why? Well ideally whatever theme you go for should try and reflect both of you as a couple to give the reception a really personal feel. Generally speaking it’s not hard to find those shared interests, but if one of you is a diehard movie buff and the other is a major music fan, sometimes it can be hard to settle on one idea. Of course, you can always find a compromise that will work and ultimately this part of the wedding planning process is lots of fun and can allow you to really channel your creative side.

Remember the more personal you can make the ideas, the better it will be and you don’t have to go with some overly elaborate mechanic either, often the simplest ideas are the best. I’ve put together some ideas to get the creative juices flowing, but these are simply the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the possibilities.

If you’d like to chat about this or any other aspect of your wedding day décor, then please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me directly.

Musical
Many couples first bond over a love of music and some can even chart their relationship by favourite songs, albums and concerts, so it makes sense that this is one of the most popular ideas for table names. Think of naming your tables after those favourite songs. Use the CD or old record of that song as the physical table name and write the significance of each song, such as the first meeting, first dance, first kiss etc. Alternatively if you saved those special concert tickets then why not frame them and use them as the table names?

 

Milestones & Memories
All relationships will be filled with precious milestones and memories and why not incorporate these into your wedding day? Think about creating table names by using photographs that correspond to something meaningful to you as a couple. Table 1 could be a picture or memento of your first anniversary or first date? Similarly why not use a photos of you both growing up as table numbers, so when you were both 1 for table 1 and so on.

Film
Much like music, film can be another major shared interest for you both as a couple and gives great scope for creative table names. Why not name them after your favourite films and use mini versions of the movies poster or clapper boards. Movie quotes are another great idea or name the tables after the all-time great movie couples/romances.

 

Travel
Often couples have travelled quite a bit before they decide to tie the knot and it can end up being a fantastic idea for your table names. Using postcards from cities you’ve visited, or even photos of you in those cities, maps, luggage tags or even cities you plan to visit together as a couple can all work really well.

 

Food or Drinks
If you’re both a pair of self-confessed foodies, then why not bring that shared passion into your wedding décor. Consider naming tables after your favourite foods or meals, cocktails or even wines and use wine bottles as the table names.

 

 

Quirky Wedding Menu Ideas

As you get deeper into your wedding day planning, you realise there are many ways to add your own stamp and personal touches along the way. Indeed many of these little touches are just that – small details that actually make a huge impact and anything you can do to make the day feel more personal and special to you both as a couple is always worth looking into.

Menus for example are a great way to add a spark of individuality to proceedings and it doesn’t necessarily have to be a big expense. Many wedding venues and packages will provide a plain printed menu for your reception, but there are lots of ways you can customise the menu to make them almost part of your wedding day décor. For example if you’re going for a rustic style wedding theme, then a large menu on a board or palette would be a great fit. Similarly you need to take into account the type of meal you’re having. If it’s a quite formal affair, then individual menus would work best, but if you’re having long cafeteria style tables or a more relaxed buffet meal, then one or two larger menus for the whole group work perfectly.

If you’d like to chat about this or any other aspect of your wedding day décor, then please don’t hesitate to contact me directly.

 

Leaves
Using oversized tropical style leaves is a great alternative for your wedding menu. Ideal if you’re having a classic theme of green and white with a focus on foliage, or indeed if you want to channel that Hawaiian feel, it works very well too.

 

Doilies
Doilies may be synonymous with the old world, but they can look super smart for your wedding menus. Ideal for a host of themes from vintage to elegant, think about playing around with spraying the doilies different colours, and getting a calligrapher to individually write each one, with each guest’s name on the doily too.

Chopping Boards & Blackboards
Boards work really well with a more casual themed wedding. Whether that be a rustic, barn style or a wedding with long cafeteria style tables, consider using boards instead of plain printed menus and if you’re serving a buffet or more relaxed style of meal, boards are the perfect match. You could opt for one large oversized board on a palette for example. Large or mini blackboards and chopping boards also work really well.
 

 

 

Glass and Mirrors
Similar to boards, creative use of mirrors or glass can work really well for your menus. These are generally larger pieces, akin to the size of the seating plan and is placed in a central location on the room so all the guests can read it.

 

Napkin Menu
This works really well for practically any style of wedding and you can get as creative as you wish. You can also add a personal message and use it as the guest’s place card too, for maximum multi-tasking.

 

Food and Drink
Why not have a paper bag printed up with the menu on it and inside pop a bread roll or other edible treat for the guests? And if you’re both wine aficionados, why not turn each table’s bottle of wine into the menu via the label?

 

Alternatives to Wedding Confetti

Confetti is as synonymous with weddings as the white dress, walking down the aisle and saying ‘I do.’ It is a custom that has indeed been around for centuries and its origins can often be traced back to Italy. The idea behind showering the newly married couple with confetti is to bestow on them lots of good luck, prosperity and fertility amongst other things.

Today, confetti has been banned or frowned upon in many churches or venues, mainly due to the messy aspect and the clean-up needed. However, there are plenty of alternatives to normal confetti and there is even bio degradable confetti available too. Always chat with your ceremony venue contact in advance and find out what if any alternatives they will accept. But if the answer is no and you still have your heart set on some confetti then don’t despair! Simply think about different locations to throw it outside of the church or on the venue grounds and have the camera ready for some stunning shots.

If you’d like to chat about this or any aspect of your wedding day décor, then please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me.

 

Bubbles
Bubbles have become one of the most popular, modern alternatives to confetti, because these little beauties simply disappear leaving zero mess behind while still looking simply stunning in pictures. Plus kids and adults can really enjoy having fun with the bubbles too.

 

Glitter and Sequins
Glitterbugs, this one is for you! While glitter dust and sequins look absolutely amazing, they can be a touch on the messy side, so do make sure you’ve got the okay before going ahead, or be smart and give guests little parcels of glitter to throw in a designated area that’s more suitable.

Florals and Petals
Another option which has become super popular in recent years is to throw petals or florals instead of paper confetti. Think about having petals in pretty cones for each guest, or go for something different such as herbs, dried flower heads, lavender or in the autumn season leaves work really well too.

Pom Poms
Pom poms may be normally used on a larger scale for wedding décor, but mini versions for your confetti is a really creative choice.

 

Paper
Of course there’s nothing wrong with using paper confetti and there are lots of ways to reinvent the classic, such as with streamers, paper hearts or other shapes too.

 

Images Via Pinterest

Autumnal Wedding Theme

There’s something so beautiful about this time of year. The vibrant colour of the changing leaves in auburn, reds, browns and golden yellows, along with the subtle smell of chimney smoke, roaring fires, wooden branches, pumpkins, apples and the evenings drawing in that make for a really inviting atmosphere.

And if you’re planning your wedding at this time of year, then you’re in for a treat as there is so much seasonal inspiration to bring into your décor. From the ceremony to the venue itself and even the food and drinks, there’s so many ways to include that autumnal feeling into your celebrations. Think pops of oranges, crimsons and browns through your centrepieces and make use of seasonal produce such as pumpkins, apples and squash, as well as fall inspired flowers and berries.

If you’d like to chat about this, or any other aspect of your wedding décor or planning, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me.

 

In the Church
Set the tone from the start with some autumnal accents in your church or ceremony venue. You could go all out with tall tree style pew ends to bring a sense of the outdoors in. But using colourful autumnal leaves to line the aisles works just as well. Think of having mini pumpkins, burlap bows and lanterns along with autumnal coloured flowers too.

 

Centrepieces
Pumpkins of course are a given for this time of year, but they don’t have to equal Halloween and hollowing them out and adding in flowers instead of candles is a sophisticated take on the seasonal theme. Also think about using different size and varieties of pumpkins and get creative with the spray paint for a great look too. Wood accents are also ideal as are logs, branches and autumnal leaves dotted around the table. Cinnamon sticks around candles look great as do a smattering of acorns and chestnuts.

 

Escort Cards
Have fun with your escort cards and use seasonal produce like apples, mini pumpkins, figs and squash! Individual leaves and pine cones also look stunning.

 

Food and Drinks
Why not replace the traditional glass of bubbles for apple cider? Or a spiced apple and cinnamon cocktail concoction? Mini apple pies or apple donuts make great canapes too, as do pumpkin pies and American inspired s’mores and candy apples which grown-ups and kids will both adore.