7 Wedding Ring Bearer Pillow Alternatives

Gone are the days of one size fits all wedding ceremonies.  Brides and grooms want choices and that doesn't stop at the ring bearer.  From ring boxes to ring dishes to custom banners, put a twist on the traditional ring bearer pillow with these fun ceremony alternatives.

Ring boxes are becoming increasingly more popular as an alternative to traditional ring bearer pillows.  In about every style imaginable, you are bound to find one to fit with your wedding theme.

Personalized Ring Bearer Pillow Box

 

I Do Personalized Wood Wedding Ring Box

 

A Promise Made Vintage Ring Box Book

Woodland Personalized Acrylic Wedding Ring Box

Ring dishes are another great option for your ring bearer. Why we love them?  They add a vintage, old-fashioned appeal to your wedding ceremony.

 

One Love Heart Shape Ring Bowl 

 

With this Ring Wedding Ring Bearer Box

Don't want to burden your little guy with the responsibility of holding the rings? Have him carry a cute personalized banner instead.

 

Here Comes Your Girl Personalized Wedding Banner

Love what you see, check out the full collection of ring bearer pillow alternatives

Printable Wedding Planning Checklist for DIY Brides

We know planning your own wedding can be a little overwhelming, especially in the beginning.  Where do you start? Who do you call first?  When a wedding planner just isn't in the budget, what is a DIY bride to do?  Lucky for you, we've been in the industry long enough to know the answers to all your wedding planning questions.  To make it easy, we've put together this comprehensive wedding planning checklist which includes a countdown to your big day listing all the most important duties to tackle before you walk down the alter.  We hope you love it! Feel free to download, save to your computer, print, and check off your to-dos as needed.

Click here to download the FREE editable wedding planning checklist

System Requirements: You will need Adobe Acrobat or Adobe Reader, version 7.0.5 or later.  If you don't have either, Adobe Reader is available for free at adobe.com.  Once you have downloaded Adobe Acrobat or Adobe Reader software, you will be able to save this checklist to your computer for easy access to your to-do's and contacts. Not available for resale or redistribution.

2015 Wedding Trends and Ideas

Researching wedding trends for 2015 has got us beyond, BEYOND excited.  There is no doubt that 2015 is going to be a year full of gorgeous and jaw dropping weddings.  Elegance and understated sophistication will reign supreme.  Expect to see lush florals, gilded decor, and personalized touches from the bride and groom throughout the year.  One thing is for sure, brides and grooms are pulling out all the stops to ensure their guests are having a great time and that their personalities are shining through on their big day.

1) Loose, Organic Florals

 

Velvet and Twine

This unstructured approach to wedding flowers is taking the wedding industry by storm and can be seen in everything from bouquets to table decor.  The idea is to create a just picked from the garden look full of texture, foliage, berries, and romantic stems like garden roses, peonies, ranunculus, and hydrangeas.

2) Crafted Drink Stations

 

The Melideos

 

Oh Its Perfect

Crafted drink stations are all about bringing a signature drink to your wedding. N/A options like decked out water stations and lemonade and iced tea bars are always a popular choice.  Bubbly bars and craft beer stations are also gaining popularity.  These stations have the added benefit of saving you money on your bar budget.  By sticking to just a few select items instead of providing a fully stocked bar, you will save on the unnecessary extras.

3) Unexpected Menu Options and Food Trucks

 

Justin and Mary

Couples are venturing away from candy buffets or dessert bars and instead offering guests a unique twist on appetizers and menu items.  On site food trucks will be seen throughout 2015 and unique food stations such as cheese buffets, bruschetta bars, taco stations, and fruit bars will take the spotlight.

4) Framed Seating Charts

 

Style Me Pretty

Whether written on a vintage mirror or displayed within an ornate picture frame, one thing is for sure, romantic seating displays are a must have in 2015.

5) Long Sleeved Wedding Dresses

 

Mira Zwillinger via SMP

6) Watercolors

 

Grey Likes Weddings

 

Hey Wedding Lady

7) Calligraphy

 

Elizabeth Anne Designs

From painted signs and seating charts to invitations and place cards, hand written calligraphy lends a romantic, personalized and inviting touch to the small details.

8) Gold Decorations

 

Wedding Chicks

Silver is no longer the go to accent color for brides.  Golden, gilded, glittery, and rose gold wedding decorations have taken over and help add warmth to a wedding color palette pairing flawlessly with rustic wood elements and earth tones.

9) Unity Ceremony Alternatives

 

My Wedding Reception Ideas

Forget the typical unity candle ceremony, couples want a more personalized option for their unity ceremony from sand shadow boxes and love letters to wine blending ceremonies.  See 11 Wedding Unity Ceremony Ideas

10) Wreaths, Garland, and Greenery

 

Green Wedding Shoes

 

Brides

2015 will be full of organic details, greenery, and foliage.  Wreaths and garland will be seen on everything from chairbacks and table runners to archways and get away cars.

11) Family Style Seating

 

Supply Paper Co.

Some of the funnest wedding receptions are the ones served family style.  Pass the potatoes please!

12) Taper Candles

 

Style Me Pretty

13) Guest Lounge Areas

 

One Wed

Give your guests an escape from the dance floor with a cozy lounge area where they can sit back and relax for a beat.

14)  Hanging Decorations 

 

Bridal Guide

 

Style Me Pretty

Chandeliers, flowers, lanterns, string lights, and even the table centerpieces themselves are being raised to new heights with this hot trend.

11 Wedding Unity Ceremony Ideas

When you are having an outdoor wedding, the traditional unity candle ceremony is just not an option (need we say it...wind).  So many of our brides begin the search for unity candle alternatives. Even our indoor brides are looking for a unity ceremony with a little twist.  We've put together 11 of our favorite wedding unity ceremony ideas, and we must say, we think you will have a hard time deciding.  They are all pretty great.

1) Sand Ceremony 

Source:  Sand Ceremony Shadow Box Set

Made popular by outdoor and beach weddings, sand unity ceremonies are undoubtedly the most popular alternative to the traditional unity candle ceremony.  Great for windy locations, you won't have to worry about a flame flickering and going out.  How does it work?  The bride and groom each have their own color sand which is then poured together to represent the blending of their two lives.  Variations include adding additional sand colors for children and/or the officiant.

2) Love Letter Ceremony

Source: Love Letter Wine Ceremony Box Set

The love letter ceremony is a romantic concept that involves both the bride and groom writing letters to each other listing all the reasons why they fell in love.  The letters are then sealed and placed in a box along with a bottle of wine to be opened either on a set anniversary date or in times of hardship (which is why this concept has also been dubbed a "fight box"). The couple would then open the box to read the letters to each other and drink to their marriage.  Afterwards, you can write new letters to be sealed and opened on a future anniversary.

3) Make a Time Capsule

Source: Katie Lewis Photography, Erika Delgado Photography, Style Me Pretty

Similar to the love letter ceremony, the time capsule box is meant to be sealed and opened either on an anniversary or during times of hardship.  Instead of letters and a bottle of wine however, this concepts goes one step further to include well wishes from guests, along with sentimental items from the bride and groom's courtship years.  Open the box to reflect on your marriage and then add new items to reseal into a brand new time capsule.

4) Branding

Source: A Colorado Courtship, Wedding Chicks, Ruffled

This unity ceremony idea goes out to our rustic and country brides.  Why not create your own brand to display in your home after the wedding.  Very country chic.

5) Plant a Tree

Source: Marvelous Things Photography, Valerie Joy Photography, United With Love

For garden, summer, or spring weddings, a tree planting ceremony falls right in line and represents the strong roots of your marriage.

6) Reverse Unity Candle
 

Source: Shelley Paulson Photography, Uniquely You Wedding Planning

This is by far one of our favorite unity ceremony ideas.  A small twist on the traditional unity lighting ceremony, the reverse unity candle involves all the guests and we can almost guarantee there won't be a dry eye in the crowd.  How it works:  After the bride and groom light the main unity candle, they continue down into the pews to begin lighting the candle of the maid of honor and best man, who then continue passing the flame one by one until every candle in the crowd is lit.  The result is a magical room of candlelight that unites the bride and groom with their family and friends.  We especially love this reverse unity ceremony idea for evening weddings or dimly lit venues where it will have the most impact.  (For larger weddings, the bride and groom can opt to continue down the aisle lighting the first candle at the end of each pew to help speed the procession).

7) Wine Ceremony

Source: Personalized Wine Box and Decanter Set from My Wedding Reception Ideas

Blend your two lives together as one with this twist on the traditional unity ceremony.  Like a good wine, a marriage will only ripen and grow stronger with age.  Seal the same brand of wine along with a few mementos in a box to enjoy later on your 1st, 5th, or 10th anniversary.

8) Unity Cross Ceremony

Source: The Unity Cross and Pinterest

In a unity cross ceremony, the outer cross represents the man, the inner cross the woman, and the three pins represent the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.  The two are are fit together and held by the pins during the ceremony to represent the togetherness of marriage and strength through God.

9) Handfasting / Binding of Hands

Source: Larissa Cleveland Photography, Shannon Leahy Events

The Handfasting ceremony is a Celtic custom that dates back centuries and is a historic tradition that is quickly cementing itself into modern wedding day customs.  Handfasting or the "Binding of Hands" involves wrapping different colored ribbons into the infinity shape during your wedding vows representing the symbolic union, commitment of marriage, and binding to each other as man and wife.

10) Jumping the Broom

Source: The Studio B Photography, Style Me Pretty

Broom Jumping is a centuries old African American tradition that has become more increasingly popular due largely to the book "Roots" and the film "Jumping the Broom".  Broom jumping involves a handmade natural bristled broom decorated with ribbons, flowers, and mementos.  The bride and groom jump over the broom as an act of sweeping away any past wrongdoings and welcoming new beginnings as husband and wife.  Jumping the broom can also be placed at the end of the ceremony to represent the joining of the two families and as a wonderful tribute to the tradition. 

11) Hand Washing Ceremony

Source: Erin Hearts Court and Shadowcatcher

A humble tradition, the hand washing ceremony is an act where the officiant pours water over the bride and groom's hands to purify them.  The couple then wash away each others past wrongdoings, cleansing each other from their faults, and starting fresh as man and wife.  The hand washing ceremony is many times used in conjunction with the blessing of the hands; where the couple, now cleansed, take each others hands to repeat their wedding vows.

21 Insanely Fun Wedding Ideas

Around here we love anything unique and unexpected.  But with weddings pouring in our inboxes day in and day out, it can be hard to get that Ah Ha moment.  What we really want to say is, Yeeees! That is so awesome! Can we have that at our make believe someday wedding, pretty pleeeease!  We scoured the web and can wholeheartedly say we have found the 21 greatest, insanely fun wedding ideas.  We think you will agree.

 

Cotton Candy Weddings

1) Display Cue Cards at Your Ceremony

 

Buzzfeed

Just plain funny.  Pros: Your guests will undoubtedly get a few laughs.  Cons: The focus may not be entirely on you and your fiance. 

2) Have an Artist Paint Your Ceremony

 

Venue Safari

Wouldn't the picture be great displayed in your home afterwards?  We also love the idea of having caricature sketches done.

 

3) Send Save the Dates that are a Little Cheeky

 

 Inspiring Pretty

4) Opt for an Anniversary Pinata instead of a Traditional Guest Book

 The Knot

How fun would this be to open on your one year anniversary?  Break open a bottle of bubbly and this pinata!

5) Instead of settling for just one angle, find your best side!

 

Huffington Post

6) Give your groom a little something to keep those feet toasty warm

 

 Buy them here

 

 7) And for the bride, a little something blue

 

Southern Weddings

Such a sentimental and personal way to commemorate your wedding day.

8) Send Your Guests Mad Lib RSVP's

Pure

9) Who says flower girls have an age limit?

 

Offbeat Bride

Get your Grandmas to toss the flower petals.  An adorable and fun way to include them in your wedding day!  Photography by  Genevieve Leiper

10) Provide entertainment for guests with nostalgic cootie catchers

 

Buy them here

11) Or display word search napkins at the bar

 

Found on The Knot.  You can also buy word search napkins here.

12) And better yet still, showcase a full size Price is Right Wheel

 

Tulle and Chantilly

13) An old mailbox makes the perfect wedding card box

 

Bridal Musings

14) Serve Your Food Family Style

 

Intimate Weddings

This method of dining is making a comeback for wedding receptions because of its wonderfully intimate feel and budget friendly price tag.

Pros: Budget Friendly, Encourages conversation and interaction among guests, Great option for pot luck style weddings or self-catering bride and grooms.

Cons: Not all caterers offer this dining style so be sure to check beforehand.

15) Instead of a photo booth, set up photo stand-ins

 

Cuts & Stitches

16) Life-Size Jenga is the perfect lawn game

 

Gimme Bar

17)  Give guests hangover helper kits filled with Gatorade, Tylenol, and coupons for McDonald's breakfast

 

Found on Etsy.  You can also buy here.

18) Have a Taco Bar at your reception. (Better yet, just have Chipotle cater your wedding)

 

Pinterest

According to their website, Chipotle can cater up to 200 people in all U.S. locations except New York.  Read more about their catering options here.  To satisfy even the pickiest eaters, we like the idea of setting up a variety of food stations and having an Around the World style menu.

19)  Pick a Side Buttons

  

By The Robinsons

20)  Have a Food Truck at Your Reception

 

Carpe Donut

21) Give your leading ladies a quirky handkerchief (Don't forget one for yourself!)

Kirsten Julia