Pretty Pine Cone Wedding Inspiration Board

As much as we look forward to summer and the fun it brings, I think the fall and winter are just as wonderful in their own way.  This is especially true for weddings.  Where the bright colors of summer have faded, there are now rich tones of reds, oranges and browns to enjoy.  There is a beauty in the changing of the seasons, with fallen leaves and pine cones in abundance this time of year.  If you are planning a wedding during fall or winter, try incorporating pine cones in your wedding.  Not only are they easy to find, but they are simple but stunning accents to any wedding.  We have put together some pine cone wedding inspiration for you to help give you a few ideas of how to include pine cones in your wedding.

Image Credits:  Bouquet, Ring Pillow, Personalized Wedding Welcome Bags, Boutonniere, Place Setting, Pine Cone Place Card Holders, Wedding Ring Photograph, Bride with Bouquet, Pine Cone Wedding Cake, Pine Cone Lined Aisle, Invitations, Pine Cone Garland

10 Easy Halloween Treats

Can you believe Halloween is right around the corner? Time to dust off the fake spiders, cotton batting, and pumpkin carving tools.

Just for fun we thought we would share some of our favorite Halloween treat recipes and ideas for your spooktacular party this year.  Have fun picking out your favorite poison (cue cackle).  Or mix and match to create a true monster bash.

For other great ideas, be sure and check out all our Halloween party decorations and favors.

 

See numbered links below for more details and to get the recipe

Image Credits: Pumpkin Carving Stencils, 1. Zombie Eyeballs, 2. Fizzy Pumpkin Party Drinks, 3. Tombstone Cookies, 4. Personalized Hershey Miniatures, 5. Spider Deviled Eggs, 6. Halloween Bundt Cake (with eyes!), 7. Design Your Own Halloween Cocktail Napkins, 8. Vegan Witches Fingers, 9. Yummy Mummy Cheese Spread, 10. Design Your Own Halloween Stadium Cups

Wedding Inspiration for the Southern Bride

Are you a southern, country gal at heart? Do you love the home of country music, drawling accents, fried chicken, and farming? Let your wedding reflect the best of Dixieland!  Of course, there are many more aspects that give the south the dynamic environment that everyone loves. Here’s how to find the southern finest and mold it into your dream wedding.

Southern Wedding Bouquets

Light colors:

1. Peonies
2. Hydrangeas
3. Astilbe
4. White Anemones
5. Viburnum

Bright colors:

1. Sunflowers
2. Black-Eyed Susans
3. Orange Calla Lilies
4. Snapdragons
5. Ranunculus

Southern Wedding Cakes

1. A monogrammed wedding cake is a classic look in the south, and generally looks best with simple decorative icing and no topper.
2. Follow the Peach State’s lead and garnish your cake with this delicious fruit!
3. If you don’t like peaches, try strawberries and blackberries, or other berries that are in season.
4. For a wedding in a rustic setting, decorate the cake to look like a bird’s nest, with two birds on the top in place of bride and groom figurines.
5. Show off your gardening skills with a cupcake garden. Match the cupcake designs to your bouquet or compliment it with other Southern favorites from the list above!
6. Pearls are one of the tell-tale signs of a southern lady. Wrap a strand of pearls around the base of your cake tiers to give it a sophisticated look.

Tips for the Reception

1. Hold your reception in a barn. The high ceiling will make the space feel more open, there are many options for decorating, and you’ll still have a simple, relaxed feel.
2. Burlap tablecloths give your tables an organic, on-the-farm feel.
3. You can also use small burlap sacks for bags for your favors.
4. Home-cooked meals are one of the first things people think of when they describe the south. If you can, serve food that is homemade. If you can’t, stick with familiar, comfort food.

Most importantly, remember that one of the things the south is best known for is its warm, welcoming hospitality. Keeping your wedding simple.  Using things that remind you of home are the best ways to capture the heart of the south.

Image Credits: Citrus bouquet, Peach wedding cake, Nebraska barn wedding, Bridesmaids, Burlap favor bags, Couple with dogs, Groomsmen, Rings on rope

Elizabeth is an undergraduate at Ohio Northern University with a double major in professional writing and creative writing and a minor in psychology. Liz writes for My Wedding Reception Ideas as well as creates multi-modal writing projects for Re:Media, an Ohio Northern University online publication.

How to Brighten Your Fall Color Scheme

Red, yellow, orange, and brown are probably the first colors you think of when you hear the phrase fall color scheme. These colors are certainly bold, prominent colors during autumn, but there are other colors that can make your color scheme just as fall inspired while bringing a brighter, refreshing addition to your palette.

 

Consider accenting the four main colors of fall (red, yellow, orange and brown) with gold, green, or blue. These dynamics will make your main color or colors stand out while adding a refreshing splash of color to your display, bouquets, or clothes.

 

 

  

Purple is another bright, bold fall color that works well as a major color. It also allows for a variety of accent colors. You can choose varying shades of purple or, for a loud color scheme, choose a pale yellow or a bright orange. Blue and silver are also complementary accent colors for purple.
 

Pink is an accent color that will complement almost any color you want to use. For red and brown, use pale or darker shades. Bright shades of pink are best when paired with yellow. You can use any shade of pink with purple, blue, and orange.

 

The time of your wedding is also an important factor when it comes to choosing a color scheme. In early fall – late August and September – you should incorporate more red and yellow. In October and early November, use brighter colors – yellow, purple, orange – for your wedding, to contrast the bareness of the trees.

 

Fall gives us an explosion of colors, so let your wedding reflect that! Don’t be afraid to have four or more colors in your color scheme, and don’t be afraid to be bold!

Photo Credits: Navy blue, gray and yellow bridesmaids, Teal and orange bridesmaids, Amnesia rose bouquet, wedding cake

Elizabeth is an undergraduate at Ohio Northern University with a double major in professional writing and creative writing and a minor in psychology. Liz writes for My Wedding Reception Ideas as well as creates multi-modal writing projects for Re:Media, an Ohio Northern University online publication.

 

Dance the Night Away at Your Wedding Without Looking Like a Headless Chicken

Although very few people are actually born with two left feet, this seems to be our favorite excuse for not getting out on the dance floor. Whether we’re nervous, scared, or actually just a really bad dancer, we’ll do just about whatever it takes to stay in our seats or against a wall.

It can also be intimidating to watch professionals dance, whether it be in a competition or in a music video. Remind yourself that they have been training and dancing for years and years. You don’t have to be a professional to have fun on the dance floor.

There is no shame in taking dance lessons with your partner before you’re married. In fact, it’s a pretty great idea. You’ll become comfortable with dancing together and you’ll be able to rehearse your dance so you know exactly what to do. If you take private dance lessons, you’ll be able to dance to the song you chose for your first dance, which will make you even more comfortable on your wedding day.

For dancing in general, there are some things you can do to make you feel better about your dancing.

• Start simple: step out with your left foot and back in, then out with your right foot and back in. Keep your steps in time with the music.
• Keep your knees slightly bent and your arms loose and relaxed.
• Watch yourself in a mirror. That may sound terrifying, but you’ll be able to see which moves look good and which moves you should avoid. However, if you find yourself feeling too self-conscious or embarrassed, just forget the mirror.
• If you do feel self-conscious while dancing, remember:
• Don’t take people’s criticisms seriously. Many of them are only being critical because they are embarrassed of their own dancing.
• Focus on the movement and the music rather than the technicalities of what you are doing. This will allow you to stop worrying and develop “muscle memory.”
• You can watch videos to learn dances. Some songs (such as the Electric Slide or Cupid Shuffle) have specific dances that you can easily learn from the video. Other music videos will have moves that are generic to that type of music.
• Dress well! If you are confident about your appearance, you’ll be more confident about your moves.
• Take a friend. It’s always easier to do something you’re nervous about when you have a friend with you.
• If the crowd on the dance floor is sparse, stand somewhat close to someone who is drawing a lot of attention. Everyone else’s focus will be on that person.
• Look like you’re having fun. Smile, laugh, make eye contact with others, and act like you know what you are doing. Even if you’re nervous, no one will be able to tell and your confidence will make others more likely to copy your moves.
• If you don’t think you can act confident enough to do your own thing, just watch what the people around you are doing. Don’t copy one person the entire night, but pick up a few moves from others and use those.

As long as you’re having fun, no one will care that you think you don’t know what you’re doing. Weddings are celebrations, so show everyone you are celebrating by dancing the night away however you want to.

Come back next week for traditional wedding dances you can try your new-found confidence on!

Photo Credits: Bride and groom dancing, Ballroom wedding dance, Wedding line dance

Elizabeth is an undergraduate at Ohio Northern University with a double major in professional writing and creative writing and a minor in psychology. Liz writes for My Wedding Reception Ideas as well as creates multi-modal writing projects for Re:Media, an Ohio Northern University online publication.