escort cards

Equestrian Wedding Theme

It is said that Ireland is the land of the horse and they aren’t wrong. Whether you and your partner have horses, ride horses, compete, ride for fun or are just horse lovers from afar, why not bring that joined passion into your wedding day?
There’s lots of really personal and beautiful ways to include horses, equestrian themes and accents into your wedding day décor.

If you’re both horse riders, then it’s the ideal way to bring a shared passion into proceedings, plus it will be a chance to put all those rosettes and trophies to good use too!

If neither of you are horse riders or owners, but still adore these stunning animals, then don’t worry, there’s still lots of ways to bring their spirit to the day too.

With all of that in mind, here’s some visual inspiration for you, to get the ideas flowing. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with me directly if you wish to chat about any aspect of your wedding planning and décor.

Make An Entrance
If you’re a horse owner, then you’ve got to give arriving on horseback some serious consideration. Whether it’s the bride/groom arriving to the ceremony or the newly married couple arriving to their venue, this is guaranteed to be one special way to make an entrance. If you’re not a horse owner, but can ride, then be sure to look into venues that offer horse riding as an activity and check out their options in terms of hiring a horse for the wedding. If you cannot ride but still love horses, then why not arrive by horse drawn carriage?

 

Location
Channel the rustic charm of the stables by seeking out a barn style venue for your big day. Think lofty spaces, with high ceilings, lots of wood details and access to outdoor space. If you really want to channel the horse theme and know someone with an indoor arena, think about using that as your venue!

 

On the table
There’s lots of ways to have fun with your table décor, so why not stat with the most obvious – horseshoes for your favours/place cards! You could also use rosettes. Why not name the tables after your favourite horses, be it Black Beauty or Red Rum! Use trophies for your flowers instead of vases and use them as you centrepieces, interspersed with rosettes. Stirrups can be used to hold tea lights on the table or indeed look stunning as hanging tea lights.

Around the Room
If you or your partner have amassed lots of rosettes over a lifetime of competing on horseback, then why not put them to good use as your table plan or escort cards? Why not have a game of horse shoes set up in the outdoor space of your venue for guests to play. Use your old saddles as décor around the room, put flowers in your old leather boots and have some hay bales placed around the venue.

 

Images via pinterest 

Edible Wedding Favours

Having a wedding favour for each guest is not only a lovely surprise for your family and friends, but it also allows you to channel your creative side. Try and pick an item that fits in with your overall theme if you can and something you know your guests will enjoy.

Sometimes it can be hard to pick something that’s going to appeal to both men and women and to all ages. So an edible favour is an obvious choice because it will delight everyone universally.

There’s a huge scope of options when it comes to this choice, you could go for something as simple as a single chocolate, up to elaborate items like homemade jams or mini cakes.

Try and find something that’s going to fit in with your overall budget and will be appealing to everyone.

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

 

Sweet Treats

It’s a safe bet that most people love a sweet treat. Weddings can be very long days for guests, if they’ve had to get up early, make a long journey etc, they may not have eaten properly for hours and would like nothing more than a treat to whet their appetite before the meal. Think about everything from a single macaroon, to an iced cookie, mini cake, donuts.

 

Savoury

Cheese is a great choice, especially if the couple are big cheese lovers but don’t want to go all out on a cheese wedding cake. Think about some mini varieties of your favourites parcelled up with crackers and even a personalised mini cheese knife. Or what about a single piece of sushi or bento box? Chutneys are also a good choice, as are some mini loaves or artisan styles of bread packaged in personalised paper bags. And the piece de resistance has to be Tayto crisps and bread which guest can keep for their midnight snack.

 

Personalised

Any kind of edible favour will be even more appreciate if you can personalise it. It will of course take a little extra time and effort but if you can afford do to it, it’s really worth it. You can put each guests name on the item, or perhaps find out their favourite flavour of whatever you are offering – be in a cake, macaroon, cookie, jam or drink.

 

DIY

If you’re a dab hand and making things at home, then this is the perfect time to flex those muscles for good. Think about making things like Jam or honey in personalised jars. What about whipping up some Sloe Gin, flavoured vodka, or homebrew? Or why not let the guests get in on the DIY action with some jars filled with hot chocolate or cookie mix?

 

Images via Pinterest 

 

Marble Wedding Theme

If you’re looking for an ultra-cool, right on-trend theme for your wedding day, then the marble effect is for you. Think minimalist, clean lines with subtle colour palettes and you’ve got it. Marbling is a great way to add texture and works incredibly well with greys, light pinks, crisp whites and greenery for a really modern touch to your wedding décor.
Of course you don’t have to stick to the rule book when it comes to this trend. Indeed, marbling doesn’t have to be confined to muted tones of grey. Remember those fun oil marbling effect paintings most of us did in school? Well keep that in mind when it comes to marbling embellishments and why not expand the colour palettes to include anything from pastels, to brights and bolds.
If you’d like to chat about this or any other aspect of your wedding day décor and planning, then please don’t hesitate to email me directly.

 

Stationary and Signage
Marbling works so well for invites and save the dates so have a look at the designs that are out there. A marbled menu on each place setting will also add visual texture to your tables. Also think about having some strategic signage throughout the day too. And they don’t have to be made out of marble, regular card printed with marbling effect will work just as well.

 

Finishing Touches
Think marbled table runners, dishes or napkins. Why not use some marbled ribbon wound around candles or lanterns, or why not just go for a few marbled accents such as balloons or aisle runners? Or instead of the traditional guest book, why not get a customised piece of marble for guests to sign? It can become a bespoke piece of art for your home afterwards.

 

Favours
Cakepops or cookies covered in swirls of chocolate will look stunning or why not get creative and make some homemade soap with marbling effect? Marble coasters with guest’s names can easily double as favours and escort cards and they don’t have to be made out of real marble either, regular card with a marble effect printed on it will look just as good. Or what about regular place cards sitting in marble stones?

 

Cakes
Your wedding cake is a great way to channel your theme and marbling is one of the hottest cake trends of recent times and it’s not hard to see why. From greys, to pinks and beyond, using marbling turns your wedding cake into a beautiful piece of art you almost won’t want to cut it will look so good.

 

 

Let them Eat Cake Marie Antoinette Wedding Theme

Whether or not Marie Antoinette actually said the now infamous words ‘let them eat cake,’ her name is now forever synonymous with extravagance and luxury. Think big hair, big colours like golds, pinks and creams, lots of opulence and of course incredible cakes and sweet treats.

It’s a really fabulous theme or inspiration for a wedding day because it allows you to have lots of fun and go big if you’ve always wanted too. While of course opulence is the key word, there are lots of ways to give the appearance of extravagance without actually going over your budget. Think false blooms, glitter, upcycled antiques and lots of gold spray paint.

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

 

At the table
Chiavari chairs were made for this theme, menus printed in the shape of old style mirrors or fans from the era with gold lettering are a must. Why not have mini Eiffel towers or crowns as your centrepieces? Lots of ornate and antique style china which you can use as your centrepieces work really well too. Have glitter sprinkled on the table or go for full on glitter table cloths. Gold coloured plates, glasses and cutlery and of course high candelabras with lots of blooms will top off the look.

 

Around the room
Antique ornate mirrors or frames within frames look stunning as your table plan. If you can get your hands on an old or antique chair that you fancy upcycling to look like something that could have been in Marie Antoinette’s court, then use it around the room for fantastic effect. It will also look great in your pictures too. Don’t forget the ‘Let Them Eat Cake’ signs, and old style birdcages for your wedding cards look stunning.
Around the room

 

Favours
Macaroons have to be one of the quintessentially French items we think of when we imagine Marie Antoinette and they make ideal favours, or have your guests name on each one so it works as an escort card too! Antique style mini snuff style boxes, French Fancies or decorated biscuits work really well also.  

 

Sweet Treats
When it comes to a Marie Antoinette style wedding cake, it’s got to be big and bold! Think lots of tiers, embellishments, decorations, colours and adornments. Also don’t forget to add a good helping of highly decorated mini cakes, French petit fours, opulently decorated biscuits and bubbles or drinks with glitter on the rim too!

 

Alice in Wonderland Wedding Theme

From the queen of hearts, to the mad hatter, the March hare and all the fun that goes with it, choosing an Alice in Wonderland theme for your wedding day is a great choice. If you’ve always been a huge fan of the Lewis Carroll classic then there’s no better way to bring it to life then with some nifty wedding décor. Think playing cards, the Queen of Hearts, Flamingos, hats, sweet treats, colour, rabbits, clocks, magic and everything in between.

Of course you don’t have to go all out and make like you’re in the Tim Burton film adaption of the book either. You can always add subtle Alice in Wonderland style touches which can work incredibly well too. Whichever you go for, there’s so many fun and eye-catching ways to bring the theme to life.

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

 

Table Plan and Escort Cards
Playing cards would make ideal escort cards or similarly cards laid out on a board for a more traditional style of table plan would work fabulously well too. Think about maybe having a key for each guest with an Alice in Wonderland style label attached with the guests name on it, or a teacup for each guest as their escort card/favour.

Table Décor and Centrepieces
Tea pots, be they on their own or stacked work incredibly well as Alice in Wonderland themed centrepieces. Also think about antique style pocket watches and clocks draped on the table or as the main focal point. Why not have pages from the book itself or playing cards? Flamingos and mad hatters style hats also work really well and can look truly stunning if you feel like making more of statement.

 

 

Photobooth Fun
Whether you’re having a professional or a DIY photobooth, an Alice in Wonderland style theme lends itself perfectly to lots of fab photo fun. Have a big box of props on standby, like Mad Hatter’s hats, queen of hearts crowns and trademark red hair, the Cheshire Cat’s grin, Alice’s Hairband, ‘off with their heads’ signs and everything else in between.

 

Cakes and Food
It wouldn’t be an Alice in Wonderland themed wedding without cakes and tarts and all manner of sweet treats… let’s not forget the Mad Hatters Tea Party. Have fun with your wedding cake and chat to your cake maker about what sort of decorations and adornments they can do. If you don’t want to go all out with your cake then have fun with mini tarts, cupcakes and cakepops with ‘eat me’ stickers on them and why not dress up your pre-reception drinks with fun ‘drink me’ labels too.

 

Birds and Butterflies Wedding Theme

If you’re tying the knot this spring season and can’t decide on a theme, then why not consider having a beautiful theme incorporating birds and butterflies? Pretty, bright and perfect for this time of year, the possibilities are endless when it comes to how you add touches of these spring creatures into your day.

From accents in the church or ceremony venue, to the wedding room itself, to the tables, the cake and photo props you can have such fun bringing this one to life. Plus it’s a theme that lends itself to any colour too, from pretty pastels to pops of bold colour and it’s also a DIY’ers dream with lots of fun ways you can make and do some fab décor at home.

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

 

In the Church/Ceremony Venue
We often see rose petals sprinkled along the aisle and church pews, but why not consider small paper birds and butterflies instead? You could also put some cut outs on sticks and arrange them inside the flowers or pew ends. Also if your church or venue allows confetti then look for butterfly and bird shapes. Or if you really want to make a statement what about releasing some birds or butterflies at the end of the ceremony?

 

Table Décor
You can have lots of fun with your table décor with this theme and the possibilities are endless. Think about having bird or butterfly place cards that sit on the wine glasses. Why not have mini birds’ nests with edible eggs inside as favours? Have retro style cloche jars with nests or mini butterfly trees inside? Small birdcages make for ideal centrepieces and why not put some clip on butterflies on the seat sashes too?

 

Room Décor
Instead of a traditional guest book, why not have some love bird or butterfly shaped cards for use in birdcages or wishing tree? Ask your guest to leave little message on the notes and you’ll have such fun looking back on them after the wedding. Also if you’re a DIY lover then think about making some backdrops adorned with paper shapes, hanging paper streamers and garlands made of origami or what about gobo lights projecting butterflies and birds around the room?

 

Cakes
Finally, don’t forget your cake! A swish of colourful birds or butterflies can really make your cake look incredible and work really well on mini cakes or cupcakes too. Also think about having mini love birds as cake toppers.

 

Glitter Wedding Decor

Let’s face it, winter brides and grooms to be can afford to be liberal with the glitter. At this time of year, more than any other, you can really go all out and inject lots of glitzy accents and glitter wedding decor into your day. While summer has its obvious charms, there is just something about this time of year that makes for a uniquely beautiful atmosphere and with the festive season on the horizon, winter weddings just naturally lend themselves to a touch of glitter. And it’s also quite amazing how the right balance of colours and glitter can make a room feel warm and cosy when it’s cold outside! Never forget glitter doesn’t just have to be gold!

As an award-winning wedding planner, I’ve helped dozens of couples to bring their winter weddings to life with a touch of seasonal glam. So if you’re a total glitter-fiend, then this post is for you, as we look at lots of amazing ideas for décor, centrepieces, photo props, table plans and much more to whet your glam-loving appetite. In the meantime, if you’d like to chat about how I can help with your big day plans, then please get in touch.

 

Ceremony
There’s no reason why you can’t add a touch of glitter to your ceremony, be it in a church or another venue. Just check in advance if the venue are happy with the glitter aspect as it may require some clean up. Think about glitter aisle runners, or just glitter sprinkled on the aisle or to the side near the pews for a more affordable option. Glitter frosted pine cones and winter flowers make for ideal pew ends, as do sparkly chair covers or even glitter stars to adorn the aisle.

 

Table plans & Escort Cards
When it comes to table plans and escorts cards and glitter, the sky is the limit for how creative you want to get. Everything from a straightforward glitter dusted table plan, to feathers dipped in glitter for escort cards, glitter pegs with guests names attached and even some fake fruits such as pears, sprayed with glitter make a stunning impact. There’s not much that glitter can’t make better!

 

Centrepieces & Table Décor
You can really go to town with the glitz and glitter when it comes to your table décor. For some budget friendly DIY options, why not vamp up some winter branches with glitter? They’ll look stunning in a large vase. Sprinkle glitter of varying sizes or sparkly shapes on the table itself, dust birdcages, mason jars or candle sticks with glitter for an eye-catching centrepiece, or if you really want to make a splash, why not use a glitter ball for the centrepiece or some glitter tablecloths!

 

Foodie Favors
Nothing brings a smile to someone’s face like an edible treat dusted in glitter. It makes for a really fun effect and once you get your hands on some edible glitter, the world is your oyster. Think doughnuts, cupcakes or cakepops which make perfect foodie favours, or indulge your guests with a mini bottle of bubbles at their seat covered in the glitter of your choice.

 

Photo Props
Finally don’t forget to capture the beautiful glitter effect in your wedding photos! Have cones of glitter for guests to throw when the camera is shooting, prepare a glittery backdrop for a photobooth, or glitz up some fun photobooth props too. Use some glitter dusted LOVE or initial signs and don’t be afraid to get creative and maybe have the bride or groom take off their shoes and walk in the glitter to make some really creative shots. Chat to your photographer in advance and they’ll have lots of ideas on how to maximise the glitter effect.