Funnily enough the inspiration for this theme came when I was pegging out the washing and I was looking at the wooden pegs. The idea I had for those I will tell you later. But if you are looking for a beautiful outdoor wedding theme, that’s not too prissy, that keeps it simple and has some unique touches, then this one is for you.
I would say this theme best suits a relaxed, informal wedding style, but with some modifications you could adapt it for a formal wedding.
Venue
Outdoor locations such as farms, barns, woodlands and parks. It would also suit gardens, vineyards and ranches. The Purple Prom Dresses are wonderful in the vineyards, trust me.
Colors
It can really suit any colors you want. I have used yellow gingham as the background for the picture and I would use gingham throughout. Red, yellow, white, blue and pastel green are great choices. But this wedding theme also suits a fall wedding scheme, so shades of brown, red, orange and ochre would work well too. You can choose orange bridesmaid dresses for your bridesmaids accommodated with the fall, purple evening dresses or prom dresses accommodated with the woodlands spots.
As a guide I would coordinate the colors with the season of your wedding, pastel shades for spring; bolder primary shades for summer and fall colors for a fall wedding. Orange will be a adventurous choice for fall but wonderful.
Decorations
Look for country style crafts, rusty tin ornaments, bunting, straw bales and hanging lanterns.
Remember those pegs? Well the thought I had was that they would make great holders for name cards Choose either the spring type or dolly pegs, paint them if you want to match your wedding colors and add a ribbon or raffia bow. If your guests don’t take them home you will have the best dressed washing line in town
Flowers
Keep with the rustic feel and choose seasonal garden flowers, such as daisies, garden roses, peonies, marguerites and dahlia’s. If you can’t lay your hands on these in your own or someone else’s garden then chat with your florist about getting hold of garden flowers.
For your arrangements I would place bunches of flowers in enamel jugs, jars or simple vases. Mix flower types if you want but remember they don’t need to be too styled or placed in a formal arrangement. Just pick a bunch and stick them in Add some corn dollies for a nice rustic touch.
For your bouquets keep with rustic looking hand tied bouquets.
Wedding Favors
Here are a couple of ideas for rustic wedding favors
Give each guest a lucky horse shoe. Horse shoes are a symbol of weddings and if you can lay your hands on the real thing they will make great favors. Tie on a thank you tag with raffia. Your guests can use them as decorative ornaments or paperweights.
Rusty keys can be found in junk stores and make interesting favors. Again tie a thank you tag onto them with ribbon or raffia, alternatively attach a key tassel to make an interesting decorative feature for your guests home.
This wedding theme has a homemade feel to it but will look anything but. It is this feel that will create a homely atmosphere and make your guests feel at home and relaxed. Oh and finally the wedding music? Well Dixie Chicks of course.
November 29, 2009
A Rustic Country Wedding Theme
November 25, 2009
How to Choose Your Wedding Colors
The color scheme a woman chooses for her wedding is important because it not only reflects the personality of the bride and tone of the wedding, it also provides background for the wedding photos. Your bridesmaids will wear the palette you choose, so the color should flatter them. You’ll use color in other places, too. Linens, flowers, personalized favors, and décor will all reflect your choice of hue.
Close your eyes and reflect on the colors of summer. Sunny yellow, watermelon, and pool blue come to mind. When we think of autumn, we often picture soft gold, pumpkin, and chocolate. Brighter hues are in store for a winter wedding. Deep shades of purple, cranberry, or navy are appropriate, as well as a black-and-white color scheme. A spring wedding is the perfect time for a new beginning. Colors like lavender, rose pink, and of course spring green, take the lead.
You’ll need to consider the existing colors in your wedding and reception venues so there won’t be any mismatch. Bring color swatches with you to check that your palette blends with walls, rugs, and furniture. Pastel shades might not go well in a country club with dark wallpaper and mahogany furniture, so adjust accordingly. Similarly, strong hues could overwhelm a simple garden wedding.
A casual wedding on an exotic beach calls for to bright colors, except that you choose beach
wedding dresses. How about using tropical flowers as inspiration? Hot pink, bright orange, and deep yellow flowers make beautiful bouquets, garlands, and centerpieces. Add natural accents like bamboo and seashells. Bridesmaids can wear complimentary-hued tea length bridesmaid dresses and sport hibiscus in their hair. Show your hospitality by providing wedding favors like treats in mini tin pails or seashell tealights.
If you find your wedding venue already heavy on the décor, use some crafty thinking to work your color scheme into it. The best approach is to make your primary color neutral. Cream, gray, or white looks beautiful accented with heavier colors. Create centerpieces of white hydrangeas with bright blue iris or yellow narcissus. Your bridesmaids will wear neutral dresses, such as white bridesmaid dresses,pink bridesmaid dresses,accented with a colorful sash and carry a bouquet of bright flowers. Guests will enjoy receiving favors of “champagne” bubbles or frosted glass coasters.
A garden wedding doesn’t need too much added color. Flowers should compliment the existing gardens and bridesmaid dresses should be in simple, solid hues,like orange bridesmaid dresses,black bridesmaid dresses,red bridesmaid dresses. There is probably enough green, so use other colors like peach, yellow, and lilac. Tables can be set with lace and vintage touches. Gift your guests with something nostalgic like a scented soap or paper fan.
November 22, 2009
Bridesmaid Dress Colors-Choosing the Right Gown for Your Girls and Your Wedding Ceremony
One of the biggest questions to ask when choosing a bridesmaid dress is about color. Aside from choosing a shade you like, you’ll want to pick one that fits the tone of the ceremony: elegant, refined, causal, religious, etc. You’ll also want to choose a color that flatters the bridesmaids.
Here are some thoughts on choosing a color for your bridesmaid dresses.
Black. The modest bridesmaid dresses are blacks. However, black can be made a bit more casual if you go with a shorter dress or by combining it with white or another light color. Junior Bridesmaid Dresses can be made to blacks. This color looks good on most women and is slimming, and black bridesmaid gowns usually are easy to recycle for a later formal occasion. In some people’s minds, though, black just isn’t “wedding” enough because it is associated with mourning and sexuality. By the way, blacks are the best choices for plus size bridesmaid dresses for it seems slim on black.
Orange. Orange is a bold color choice. Like black, it tends to work best for the elegant evening wedding, but can be toned down if the dress is shorter or contains other colors. To avoid the ‘fire engine” effect, choose a shade that’s a little muted, and to tone down the sexual connotations of this color, choose a modest dress. Orange bridesmaid dresses often looks best on women with olive or brown skin, and sometimes makes blondes and redheads look pale.
Pink. Pink signifies innocence and youthful femininity. It’s a good choice for a springtime, outdoor wedding, but might not be appropriate for older bridesmaids. A more sophisticated choice is rum pink bridesmaid dresses, which is feminine and pretty without looking too prom-like. You can also tone down the prom look by keeping the dress simple, without frilly bows and poofy stuff.
November 10, 2009
the Latest Trends in Bridesmaid Dresses
Styles - A-line bridesmaid dresses which look great on all different body shapes and sizes are very popular. The hottest styles right now are two-tone, two-piece floor length styles, mostly sleeveless. Also very popular are column style dresses, floor length, halter bridesmaid dresses . Another big trend is having a shawl accompany the dress, particularly the barer styles,such as spaghetti straps bridesmaid dresses.
Colors - Platinum is very in style at the moment, as well as the white bridesmaid dresses, orange bridesmaid dresses. There is also a trend toward burgundy and hunter for Fall weddings too. Black is always in style and always a popular choice among both brides and their bridesmaids. In addition, many of the designers today are also using better quality fabrics to make it , like dupioni silk, velvet , crepe and silk chiffon bridesmaid dress.
Combinations - Another trend is to choose a manufacturer that offers different styles in the same fabric and color and letting each bridesmaid chose the style they look best in. You could apply some simple rules - no dress above the knee, or no strapless dress (or whatever look you want for your wedding). Another popular and pretty trend, especially for spring and summer weddings, is a “color run”. That means that each bridesmaid wears a different color of the same dress.
Although today there is less tradition around colors, styles and seasons, it is always wise to use common sense. For example, it would not be wise to choose a tea Length or short bridesmaid dresses and strapless bridesmaid dress during the winter, while a heavy material during the summer in an outdoor ceremony.
November 9, 2009
How to Choose Harmonizing Bridesmaid Dress Colors
What color bridesmaid gown is most appropriate for your wedding?
Here are some thoughts on choosing a color for your bridesmaid dresses.
Black. Black gowns are most appropriate for an elegant evening ceremony. However, black can be made a bit more casual if you go with a shorter dress or by combining it with white or another light color. This color looks good on most women and is slimming, and black bridesmaid dresses usually are easy to recycle for a later formal occasion.
Red. Red is a bold color choice. Like black, it tends to work best for the elegant evening wedding, but can be toned down if red bridesmaid dresses is shorter or contains other colors. To avoid the ‘fire engine” effect, choose a shade that’s a little muted, and to tone down the sexual connotations of this color, choose a modest Bridesmaid dress. Red often looks best on women with olive or brown skin.
Pink. Pink signifies innocence and youthful femininity. It’s a good choice for a springtime, outdoor wedding, but might not be appropriate for older bridesmaids. A more sophisticated choice is rum pink bridesmaid dresses, which is feminine and pretty without looking too prom-like. You can also tone down the prom look by keeping the dress simple, without frilly bows and poofy stuff.
Navy blue or royal blue. Dark shades of blue can be a good alternative to black. They’re sophisticated, slimming, and look good on most women, but don’t have that mourning connotation. Dark shades of blue bridesmaid dresses work well with older bridesmaids. If you choose royal blue, don’t pick too bright of a shade, because that screams bad ’80s prom dress. If you choose navy, try not to go too dark or else the dresses might clash with the tuxedos.
Maroon and hunter green. Along with navy blue, maroon and hunter green are clean, vivid, “preppy” colors. They’re dark and colorful without being too overpowering. Green bridesmaid dresses is hard for some women to pull off, especially if you choose a brighter kelly green.
Purple. Purple can be a good alternative to red. It’s bold and colorful, but doesn’t come with red’s sexual connotations. Like red, purple bridesmaid dressescan make a woman with pale skin look paler, but it can also complement yellowish skin tones. Choose shades carefully, as some can be pretty tacky. Purple doesn’t always look good on heavier bridesmaids.
Orange. Orange is in vogue, especially subtle shades of peach and coral. Not everyone can pull off orange, though, especially darker and brighter shades. Bright orange bridesmaid dresses tends to look better on women with dark skin.
November 6, 2009
How to Choose Colors for Bridesmaids Dresses
For many brides-to-be, it makes sense to simply choose a color for their bridesmaids dresses, rather than choose a particular dress (although these will likely come from the same designer). While this strategy places the choice of style with the bridesmaids themselves, the brides still usually choose the color.
Solicit your bridesmaids’ opinions. Even though you will have to make the final decision (particularly if there are a lot of bridesmaids), it is a good idea to get at least a general idea from the bridesmaids. Are there colors they absolutely won’t wear? It is better to have this information upfront than to suggest a deal-breaking color later on. For example, fewer bridesmaid would want to wear Black Bridesmaid Dresses.
Consider the time of year and type of venue. The colors that make sense for a casual outdoor wedding in May will look ridiculous for a New Year’s Eve, black-tie event. You should also consider the room in which you will be taking pictures, as well as your likely color scheme for the reception. No bridesmaid in Elegant Bridesmaid Dresses will want to be pictured while they are in front of a woren begger.
Find stores/lines/designers with dresses you like in the colors you are considering. You cannot simply tell your bridesmaids to buy a “blue” dress, as there are an infinite number of shades of blue. Similarly, two dress colors might have the exact same name (emerald blue, for example) but look different if they are made from a different material or by a different designer. You would better choose Designer Bridesmaid Dresses. Sometimes, if you buy more, there will be Discount Bridesmaid Dresses.
Try to see the color in person. Discerning color from a computer screen, if you are shopping online, is rather difficult. Especially the Orange Bridesmaid Dresses and Pink Bridesmaid Dresses, you can’t tell if it is the color that you really want from a computer screen.
Request material swatches. Even better than seeing the dress is having swatches of the material to take home (this is also important if you can’t go to the store or see the designer’s work in person). Having the swatches also allows you to show them to other friends, as well as to the bridesmaids, and to see how the colors look in different lights.
Make your decision. You might solicit the bridesmaids’ opinions one more time at this point, or simply decide yourself given the information you have gathered.
July 17, 2009
Summer Wedding Ideas
May through August is the number one most popular time of year to get married, and for good reason too. Summer weddings are full of sunshine and warmth, and allow you to get married outside in good weather. Take full advantage of the season and all it has to offer you when planning your summer wedding with these tips and ideas.
The Setting for Your Summer Wedding
Summer weddings are ripe for an outdoor setting such as a beach, a garden, or a beautiful yard. Take advantage of the long days with an afternoon wedding, or highlight the glorious sunsets by saying your vows as the sun goes down behind you. Use fresh fruits and vegetables to decorate — perhaps including clementines and cumquats in your flower arrangements, or simply filling a large vase with bright yellow lemons. Bring light to an evening wedding with torches and strings of lanterns in the trees. An extra-summery idea is to use gingham tablecloths with a few sunflowers in metal watering cans as centerpieces.
Summer Wedding Dresses and Attire for the Bridal Party
The bride who marries in the warmth of May, June, July or August is a lucky one; over 75% of dresses that you’ll find are sleeveless and/or strapless, making them perfect for the season. Look for light fabrics such as organdy, linen, chiffon, crepe, georgette, and other light weight silk, so as to not add too much bulk.
At a beach wedding, look for an easy and elegant slip dress such as Carolyn Bissette wore when she married John F. Kennedy Jr. in Hyannisport. The bridal party can all go barefoot, and the men can wear dress shirts with slacks, or linen suits. For a garden wedding, ; consider big straw hats, either for just you or for all the bridesmaids. You might choose brightly colored dresses like Yellow Bridesmaid Dresses,White Bridesmaid Dresses, Orange Bridesmaid Dresses or short floral cocktail dresses for the bridesmaids to really evoke the season. The men in the bridal party can go for the classic navy blazer with khaki slacks, or beautiful suits. For a more formal affair, there’s no reason not to choose morning suits or tuxedos (depending on whether it’s an evening or daytime wedding) but give a nod to the season by replacing the black tuxedo jacket with a natty white dinner jacket.
Of course, for all the women in the bridal party (and some of the men!), you must think about what heat, humidity and moisture will do to your hair. Most importantly, don’t try to fight your hair in the summer: straight hair will get straighter and limper, and wavy hair will get wavier and frizzier. Updos by a professional who will design a long-lasting style are one of your best bets. A crown of flowers, or a single large flower tucked into your hair will look summery and beautiful.
Food for Your Summer Wedding
Celebrate the bounty of the season by filling your menu with fresh fruits such as watermelon, and berries, and fresh vegetables such as corn. Between courses, or as an additional dessert, offer refreshing granitas and sorbets. An elegant summer wedding menu could include a bevy of fresh seafood, including lobster and oysters. For a more casual affair, consider a backyard barbecue, or traditional picnic food including potato salad.
Wedding Favors
Send your guests home with a taste of the season: in August, a fresh pear, or earlier in the summer, a ripe peach. For a beach wedding, you might consider giving out perfect sand dollars, seashells, or beach-themed candles. Summer weddings are is also perfect for seeds or small pots of flowers as favors. If it will be warm or extra sunny, give out beautiful wooden fans or paper parasols to use during the ceremony and then take home.
Summer Wedding Flowers
You can’t go wrong with an abundance of flowers at a summer wedding. There are so many varieties in season, you may have a tough time narrowing your choices down! Fill the scene with bright and cheerful flowers such as roses, sunflowers, red and yellow calla lilies, dahlias, gerber daisies, cosmos, mums, and zinnias. Bright purple dendrobium orchids are much less expensive during the summer months, so you can feel like a queen without the budget of one.
An alternative idea is an airy summer look with mostly white and light colored flowers such as roses, stephanotis, white phlox, elegant white calla lilies, huge and fragrant casa blanca lilies, hydrangea, snowball mums, and daisies (also known as Shasta daisies).
