A Clambake Reception is Perfect for a Summer Wedding

We recently discussed how special a beach wedding can be now that winter is finally over and warmer weather has arrived. And while a ceremony on the sand is memorable, there's no better way to celebrate your seaside nuptials than by having your reception on the beach as well. 

After you have said your "I dos," move the wedding party down the shore a bit to a clam bake set up just a few yards from where you exchanged vows. This takes the pressure off of your guests who would normally face the hassle of having to commute from one venue to another - an issue at many traditional weddings , and allows the high spirits your attendants felt watching you and your partner tie the knot continue rather than pause between ceremony and reception.

Additionally, coastal cuisine is a seasonal favorite that everyone at your reception will certainly be pleased to indulge in.

Keep the mood light and romantic at your outdoor party - much like you did during your ceremony - and have your guests sit on picnic tables and lawn chairs. Don't forget, it's not a clambake without a large, but contained, bonfire to cook your seafood and then illuminate the beach once the sun sets.

If you are contemplating gift ideas for wedding guests, you can incorporate the laid-back atmosphere of your clambake reception into your party favors by giving attendees personalized can and bottle koozies that they can use while they celebrate your big day.

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Spring Wedding Flowers

Congratulations Spring bride!  You get to be married during one of the most beautiful times of year; springtime.  A time of rebirth and renewal.  Lucky for you, the Spring season brings with it some of the most beautiful types of flowers for your wedding day.  By sticking with blooms that are found during the Spring season, you can save cost and have fresh flowers at your wedding without breaking the bank on out-of-season blooms.  The flowers that bloom during the Spring season will greatly depend on your location.  This handy flower guide shows common Spring blooming flowers typically seen in the Northern Hemisphere.  When choosing your flowers for your Spring wedding, an easy way to create a cohesive look is the carry your flower choice throughout your wedding decor into your bridal bouquets and table centerpieces. Don't be afraid to mix and match your spring flowers to create the perfect arrangement.  Blooms like Ranunculus and Wax Flower make great filler flowers and look beautiful when paired with complementing stems like roses or peonies.

Image Credits: Feverfew bouquet, Tulips, Daisies, Peonies, Lilacs, Anemones, Daffodils, Wax Flower, Ranunculus, Orchids, Forget me nots

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A Carefree Bicycle Wedding Inspiration Board

With spring having just arrived, I can’t help but think about pulling my old bicycle out of storage and going for a long relaxing bike ride.  Listening to the birds sing and feeling the cool, crisp spring air would be a welcome change in pace!  Today, we are bringing you an inspiration board full of charming ideas for incorporating bicycles into your wedding day.  If you and your special someone love to hop on a tandem bicycle and enjoy some time together, using bicycle accents in your ceremony and reception may be a fun way to bring some personality to your wedding.  

You will surely evoke fond memories of bike riding for young and old alike by adding a bicycle design to napkins, invitations, or even custom gift bags for your guests.  There are many little touches that will bring a smile to your guests’ faces.  Bicycle bell favors with a custom sticker make for a perfect keepsake.  Try decorating with various styles of miniature bicycles with flowers woven through the handlebars or wheels.  Any of these ideas will make for a nostalgic and carefree atmosphere at your spring or summer wedding!

Image Credits:  Couples on Bicycles(Sources Unknown), Bicycle with Rings, Custom Printed Bicycle Gift Bags, Invitation, Bicycle Belt, Bell Favors, Bicycle Wheel, Programs, Cake Topper, Bags, Miniature Bicycle Decoration, Bicycle Arch, Just Married 

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Things We Love - Creative Food Stations

Gone are the days of traditionally catered food selections like baked chicken and lasagna.  Today's couples are serving up more stylish food options in the form of fun and creative food stations.  Whether you are treating guests with pre-dinner appetizers, the entire main course, or dessert, food stations are a great way to inject a bit of interest into your wedding reception.  To pull off a successful food station, keep a few simple rules in mind.  For build to order menu options, have more than one cook so lines do not back up.  The same goes for multiple food stations.  Create two lines at popular stops to prevent line congestion.  Lastly, keep your theme in mind, let loose and get creative with your displays.  

Appetizers - Appetizer stations are a great choice during cocktail hour.  Guests can enjoy your tasty and creative treats while they wait for the newlyweds to arrive.  Popular appetizer food stations are vegetable displays, soup stations, sushi bars, cheese buffets, and breakfast and crepe stations.  One trend we love are miniature sized foods that typically would be seen as a main course.  Think mini sliders, mini fries, and itty bitty grilled cheese with shots of tomato soup.

Sources: Thirsty sign, Vegetable buffet, Bruschetta, Shrimp cocktail, Mini grilled cheese and soup shots, Man holding slider and fries, Mini sliders and beers 

 

Main Course - Serving your full reception menu in the form of food stations requires a bit more planning than smaller appetizer, drink, or dessert stations.  Keep in mind the quantity of food you will be needing to satisfy guest appetites.  Build your own buffets are a popular choice among couples and include anything from build your own taco buffets to upscale grilled cheese stations.  Other popular main course selections include potato bars, authentic inspired food stations, fair food inspired stations, and street vendor food carts.  Street vendor food carts can be found on nearly every busy city street these days.  Don't be afraid to consider renting one or more of these carts in lieu of traditional catering options.  Your guests will love your unexpected food choice.  Tip: We recommend staying away from miniature foods for your main course unless you plan on including other side dishes to create a balance of dishes for guests to fill up on.

Sources:  Food truck, Taco station sign, Taco buffet, Striped food tents, Grilled cheese station, Baked potato, Cheddar cheese

 

Dessert - Candy buffets can be attributed as one of the original wedding food stations.  More recently, this wedding staple is taking a more creative turn in to form of themed dessert stations.  Popular options include a S'mores bar, build your own yogurt station, cookie buffet, and ice cream station.  Put a unique twist on typical dessert options by including a miniature dessert bar full of delectable itty bitty treats.  Mini stations full of bite sized cheesecakes, pies, cookies, and cake will have guests coming back from more.  Set out personalized candy bags next to your buffet so guests can also take their goodies home to enjoy later.

Sources: S'mores bar, Snow cone station, Yogurt buffet, Cotton candy machine, S'mores station, Mini cheesecakes, Mini pie buffet

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Turquoise, Tangerine and Fuchsia - A Sweet and Fun Wedding Color Story

With spring and summer right around the corner, I find myself daydreaming of green grass, bright flowers and warmer weather almost daily.  This week we have a fun inspiration board full of wedding inspiration for a wedding that brings together turquoise, tangerine, and fuchsia details for your enjoyment.  From the bright colored flowers and accessories to the playful wedding cake and unique place settings, this is the perfect combination for a beautiful sunny day.

Image Credits:  Turquoise Vases with Pink and Orange Flowers, Place Setting, Tie and Boutonniere, Turquoise Vases with Pink Flowers, Streamers, Bridesmaids Dresses, Cake, Turquoise Bracelet, Turquoise Heels

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Bring Glamour and Camping Together for a Perfect Glamping Honeymoon

Can you think of a more romantic honeymoon than lying under the stars with the person you will be spending the rest of your life with?  Camping seems to be one of the best ways to get back to basics and enjoy  your new husband or wife.  Unfortunately, camping is sometimes just a little too basic.  Before enjoying the night sky, you have to pack a tent, food, supplies, and leave all of the modern amenities behind.  Luckily for us, more and more glamping sites have been popping up across the country.  Glamping, or glamour camping, gives vacationers all the fun and nostalgia of camping without all of the hard work.  

Lodges, tepees, yurts, and glammed-up Airsteam trailers allow you to enjoy the outdoor experience with some of the comforts of home.  For example, you can choose a location that offers electricity, private bathrooms, king-sized beds with pillow-top mattresses, and concierge service.  If you would prefer something a little more down to earth, you can choose a glamping site that offers only oil-lamps and solar-panels that ensure you have warm showers.  Either way, it is probably best to leave your cell phone and other gadgets at home and just enjoy some time with your new husband or wife!

These luxury camp sites are located in beautiful places like Montana, Texas, California, Ohio, and South Carolina.  If you are looking for to go a little farther from home, check out sites in Africa, New Zealand, Scotland, and Thailand.  There are far too many locations for glamping to mention here, but with just a quick search you will be well on your way to a relaxing and down-to-earth honeymoon, with all of the amenities you are looking for. Wherever you decide to go for your honeymoon, make sure to enjoy each other as much as the beautiful scenery!

Image Credits:  Glamping on Safari, Glamping in the Mountains

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Inspiration for Your Wedding Welcome Gift Bags

If you are having a destination wedding or asking many of your guests to stay in hotel rooms, it's a good idea to include a little something special for those guests traveling to your wedding.  Wedding welcome gift bags are a great way to add a personal touch to your wedding and say a special thank you to those loved ones.  But not every gift bag is created equal.  Many come in the form of baskets, reusable totes, paper bags, and boxes.  And even more different are the items you can put inside of your welcome bags.

 

Ideas for what to include in your wedding gift bags can range from the hangover helper kit to local souvenirs and everything in between. To help you narrow down the perfect items for your guest gifts bags, we've included some of our favorite ideas.

Local Collectibles - Whether you are having a destination wedding or a backyard wedding, those unfamiliar with the area will love getting local memorabilia to take home with them. Include maps of the area and transportation maps for guests who may be staying the whole weekend.  Don't forget to mark any spots that are of particular interest.  Items that are famous to the area are the perfect complement to an OOT wedding gift bag and help polish the look of a welcome bag.  Hawaii wedding?  Include real flower leis in each gift bag.  Vermont wedding? Small bottles of local maple syrup will add to atmosphere of your wedding.

Don't forget your wedding details.  Your welcome bags are the perfect spot to include all the important details about your wedding.  Be sure to include your itinerary for the weekend and any contact phone numbers for guests that may have questions.  Throw in a personalized koozie or photo of the bride and groom with a hand written message on the back so guests have a small token to remember the day with.

 

The Hangover Helper Kit has been increasing in popularity throughout the years and typically consists of everything you'll need to fend off the dreaded post-party hangover. To pull off a hangover kit, include items like a bottle of Coca-Cola, Aspirin, Water, gum, and Pepto Bismol or Tums. Add a pair of cheap sunglasses to the kit for a few laughs. A $5.00 gift certificate to Starbucks or McDonalds will be much appreciated for those looking for a coffee fix or greasy relief.

Food, Snacks, and Necessities - Include small snacks like crackers, chips, and cookies in your wedding gift bags for guests to munch on after their long flight or during the transition before your reception. These snacks also come in handy as late night munchies. Add other fun items like local magazines and mini bottles of wine or liquor. If there will be children attending the wedding, include a coloring book with crayons for them to enjoy. Lastly, don't forget toiletry items. While these functional items may be easy to overlook, many times they are the items that get the most appreciation.  Handy mini sewing kits will be a life saver for popped buttons. Other necessities like Chapstick, lint rollers, sunscreen, and mouthwash are just a few must-haves your wedding guests will be thanking you for.

 

 

  

Image Credits: Cape Cod beach bag, Kraft wedding gift bag, Honey gift basket, Photo water bottles, Itinerary, Thank you wedding gift bags, Door hangers, Gatorade hangover kit, Sunglasses, Personalized cookies, Maptote, Breakfast for two, Bermuda bag, Damask gift bag, Picnic gift baskets

 

 

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Websites & Apps to Help You Plan Your Perfect Wedding

While preparing for your wedding day, we know it may be overwhelming to keep all of your information straight.  There will be guest lists, to-do lists, vendor information, contracts, and so much more to keep track of, all while trying to keep focused on your wedding vision.  Luckily, there are countless tools to help you plan for your big day, capture the day itself, and enjoy looking back at your wedding day for years to come.  

When you start to gather inspiration, it is important to have a means to keep it all organized and just a few clicks away.  Gone are the days of sifting through what seems like hundreds of bookmarks, trying to remember which one contains the centerpieces that would be just perfect for your event.  There are now sites that allow you to pull any photo from just about any website and even make notes below the photo for quick reference.  Just a click and you are taken directly to the site you need.  Pinterest and Lover.ly are available to do just this.  Some companies even create Pinterest boards to help inspire you, such as our collection of boards.

When it comes to keeping the endless lists and paperwork organized, there are a lot of great sites that update in real-time every time a file or note is added.  This allows both you and your fiancé access to the most current information from anywhere on any device, be it a computer, tablet, or phone.  Evernote allows you to keep all of your notes, files and images readily available.  Important information can be clipped directly from your favorite websites.  You can even take photos with your phone or tablet, record a short audio clip, and save for future reference.  Google Docs and Dropbox work in a similar manner.

Wedding websites and wedding apps will continue to be popular among brides.  As a bride in today’s world, we need all the help we can get!  Though these may seem like small things to think about in the scheme of planning a wedding, choosing the right wedding planning tools will help you to have a low-stress planning experience.

Image Credit:  Bride at Computer, Smart Phone

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Unveiling American Wedding Ceremony Traditions

The tradition of the wedding dates back to as early as prehistoric times.  Back when a groom need only carry a woman away to claim her as his bride.  Today, most of our traditions have developed as a result of changing values, beliefs, and the overall status quo.  No longer is it acceptable for a man to enter a town, throw a woman over his shoulder, and carry her away as his.

While the actual traditions of American wedding ceremonies continue to change and evolve with the times, the overall practice of certain wedding traditions has stuck with brides and grooms throughout the years.

Tradition of wedding veils - While the wedding veil has held different meanings for different cultures, one common belief is that wedding veils protected the purity of the bride from evil spirits.  Another source attests that the opaque wedding veils were used to prevent the groom from seeing the bride’s face until after the ceremony was over.  This of course is why brides had to be literally escorted down the aisle by their fathers and given away to their groom.  Wedding veils today are used more as a fashion statement that that of necessity.  From short blusher veils to long cathedral veils, the styles of veils change with each passing year and are based a lot on the personality of the bride and the style of her wedding gown.

Tradition of the aisle runner - It has been a superstition among many cultures that demons lurked underneath the ground and it was bad luck for the bride to come in contact with the ground before the ceremony.  Thus aisle runners acted as a barrier between the ground and those evil spirits.  Traditionally, a white aisle runner has symbolized a pathway of purity.  More so today, the aisle runner is not only used for decoration but as a clean surface for the bride to walk down in her wedding gown.  Bride’s today are breaking the mold on traditional aisle runners opting for personalized runners or alternatives like rose petals or burlap.

Tradition of the flower girl  -  Children have long been associated with weddings and were thought to bring luck and fertility to a wedding.  In Greek times, young girls were used to throw grain and herbs in the bride’s path as a symbol of fruitfulness.  This tradition has not changed much today evolving only through the years into a more romantic nature with traditional flower girls now throwing flower petals from flower girl baskets instead of wheat.  For modern fall brides looking for a unique twist on flower petals, they may be interested in opting for this traditional medium of wheat.

Tradition of the ring bearer - Originally it was tradition for a small boy (or page boy) to carry the bride’s wedding train for the bride. But as wedding gown styles changed, the need for a page boy dwindled and the ring bearer was born. Now typically an American tradition, a young relative of the bride or groom is given the duty of carrying the wedding rings down the aisle on a small ring pillow to present to the bride and groom.

Why a groom’s side and a bride’s side?  In years past, fathers were known to offer their daughters up as a peace offering to resolve a war between tribes.  To eliminate any conflict during the ceremony, the two families would sit on opposite sides of the room.  Today you will still see the bride’s family and groom’s family sitting on opposite sides with the bride’s family typically sitting on the left side of the altar where the bride stands during the ceremony.  Just as noteworthy, brides began to stand to the left of the groom back in Ancient times so that the groom’s fighting hand would be free to ward off anyone who wished his bride harm.

Whichever traditions you decide to incorporate into your wedding day is up to you. Your wedding will show your personality and your hopes and dreams for the future. There really is no right or wrong with today’s weddings.  What do you think of today’s traditions compared to some of these ones of the past? Will you be holding true to superstition and tradition for your own wedding?

Sources:

“A History of the American Wedding.” Random History. May 8, 2007. Web.  Jan 17, 2013.

Hudson, Sandie. “A History of the Wedding Ceremony.” Writing Historical Romance. Sandie Hudson. Oct 23, 2010. Web. Jan 17, 2013.

Stewart, Arlene Hamilton. A Bride’s Book of Wedding Traditions. New York: Hearst Books, 1995. Print.

“Wedding Traditions: The Aisle Runner.” Majestic Gardens. 2013. Web. Jan 18, 2013.

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Soft Mint and Sparkling Gold - A Wedding Color Story

The color mint will be increasingly popular in weddings this year, and we couldn't be more excited.  This subtle, yet stunning color can be matched with so many different accent hues and will give a distinct feel to every combination.  

One of the most elegant pairings is that of mint and gold.  We love the way the sparkling gold pops when paired with this soft mint green.  These colors make for such a dreamy match, especially when a few other colors like blush pink, soft coral and ivory are used to finish the look.  The mix of warm and cool tones creates the perfect look for any season, and looks equally dazzling whether used indoors or outdoors.  

 

Image Credits:  Chevron Cake, Reception Table, Teacups, A Bit of Dessert, Bridesmaid Dress, Ring, Place Setting, Mint and Gold Heels, Earrings, Place Card, Patterned Cake, A Soft Colored Wedding Dress

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