Trick or Treat...Wedding Style Guide

Halloween is one of the most popular holidays, and it’s easy to see why. Dressing up and becoming someone else for a night in order to get free candy is a lot of fun. It’s also the only night that it is socially acceptable to pretend to be someone else.

 

If you happen to be one of those people who put Halloween decorations in their yard on the first of October, you may want to consider having your own Halloween-themed wedding.

 

The Venue
 

 

You’ll want to find a big, open room for the reception. An abandoned barn or factory building would be best. Hang lanterns, orange tulle, and fake cobwebs on the walls and from the ceiling, but choose heavy black fabrics for other things such as table cloths, curtains, and just to hang from the walls.  If the weather permits, have the ceremony in a cemetery.  Include an area for a spooky photo booth for your guests.

 

The Food
 

 

We love these Halloween inspired cake ideas.  For your cake topper, try a couple inspired by Tim Burton’s The Corpse Bride.

 

Serve lots of pumpkin- and apple-flavored foods. Try to serve only red drinks, or use food coloring to dye drinks red when possible.  For the rest of your food, especially during cocktail hour, try adding a spooky twist whenever possible.

 

The Look

 

A vintage wedding dress is the best style for a Halloween bride (again, think Tim Burton). If you’re really going all out, you could tear it in a few places and get the bottom of it dirty, so it looks black – like you’ve been running away from monsters.

 

For your makeup, choose pale colors for your cheeks but dark red and black for your lips and eyes.

 

The bridesmaids should wear dark colors: navy blue, plum, or black. Choker necklaces are a great accessory for this look.

 

Have the men in the wedding party wear swallowtail coats, undertaker-style.

 

It's All in the Details

 

Don't forget all the small details that come together to create your Hallo-wedding.  The stationery, guest favors, and decorations are a few more items to consider that will help pull your look together.

For you invitations, be sure to let guests know about your spooktacular theme and whether costumes are welcomed.  For your getaway car, consider driving away in a gothic horse-drawn buggy.  A great favor for your guests is a bag of Halloween candy! Use personalized paper bags and decorate them with fake spiders and ribbon or use mini jack-o-lanterns.

Image Credits: Poison Bottles, Cemetery Wedding, Halloween cake, Halloween Masquerade Wedding, Sugar Skull Invitations

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.

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

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.

 

Autumn Apple Inspiration Board

Fall is that exciting time of year when there is a sense of electricity in the air that seems to radiate around everything.  The air is crisp, the leaves are changing colors, the weather is getting cooler and there is nothing better than curling up with a warm mug of apple cider.  Of course we couldn't help but put together this darling apple inspiration board in celebration of the season.  Chop full of charming details, how cute would your wedding reception be if it was hosted at an apple orchard?  Hand out personalized apple bags and allow guests to pick their own apples to take home as fall wedding favors.  Love it.

 

Image Credits: Apple butter, Couple with apples, Apple with Rings, and Pies via Style Me Pretty, Apple Slice Favors, Couple on picnic blanket via Polka Dot Bride, Apple garland via Snippet and Ink, Monogrammed burlap favor bags, Mason jar lighting, Apple cider favors, DIY apple pie favor kits, Pick your own apple favors via Gabriel Boone Photography

Top 5 Flowers In Season For Your Fall Wedding

Fall weddings are characterized by rich shades of red and orange that give an added romantic flair and warmth to this already special event. Picking the flowers that you'd like to use during your reception and ceremony can be an especially exciting challenge, as this flora will play a big part in dictating the overall aesthetic of your nuptials. For fall weddings, you should go about choosing seasonal varieties that will be at their peak during the autumn months, featuring hues that are characteristic of the season.

Here are five flowers that are in season during the fall - they're our top picks for your big day:

• Asiatic lily - This beautiful flower can give your bouquet a cascading effect as you walk down the aisle. With long, curved petals, the buds appear to burst from the stem. In a light orange tone, the Asiatic lily could be the perfect flower for your centerpieces as well.

• Celosia - Few flowers make more of a statement in a bouquet than celosia. Whether you choose the plumed type, which produces impressive spires, or the crested variety with its striking twisted form, you can't go wrong using this flower in your wedding.

• Gerbera - This kind of daisy is the perfect flower for a harvest wedding, as it has a very basic shape and petal structure, but blooms in amazing shades of red and orange, making it a wonderful statement piece.

• Queen Anne's Lace - This is perhaps the ultimate filler flower, as it has enough thickness to fill a bouquet out completely without taking away from the statement made with more vibrant flora used in the array.

• Rose - This may seem overdone, but richly colored roses can give the perfect air of class and comfort when used as a decoration at your wedding. Small arrangements at every table will be tasteful and timeless - they are a standard for a reason.

There are numerous varieties of flowers that peak during the autumn months that will make your nuptials absolutely gorgeous. You can never have too much flora at your wedding, after all, so choose several different species to incorporate into your reception and ceremony. Combined with seasonal fall wedding decorations on every table, these arrangements will help your venue burst with color and make your big day an event that no one will soon forget.

Image Credits: Bridal Bouquet, Fall Celosia and Gerbera Daisies Flower Arrangements

5 Non-Traditional Wedding Cake Ideas For Fall Weddings

The quintessential wedding cake consists of several towering tiers of creamy frosting with nondescript bride and groom figurines proudly standing aloft the top-most layer. While this approach is traditional, it is also extremely forgettable, as a standard-issue wedding cake will hardly make an impression on your guests or stand out at your reception. This is especially true for fall weddings, where you want the cake to help establish the overall aesthetic and act as a centerpiece for the entire celebration.

Below is a list of fun cake ideas will not only satisfy your taste in style but also your appetite, covering all the bases for your fall wedding. These designs run the gamut, whether you are looking for a high-fashion delicacy or a cake that ties your theme completely together.

1. The Fruit Cake - The term "fruit cake" usually has a negative connotation, whether you are discussing a crazy person or the seasonal treat that tends to get trashed during the Christmas season. If done right, you won't be regifting this cake, as you can ask your designer to use marzipan to create seasonal fruits - think apples, berries and even pumpkins - that can be placed on the tiers of your cake. The flavors on each level can reflect a different fruit used in decoration, allowing the cake to be as beautiful as it is delicious.

2. Off-Balance Cake - For those who like pushing the extremes of cake architecture, this design will definitely leave a lasting impression. Instead of a structure composed of tiers that gradually decrease in circumference as they go up, have your designer layer similarly sized cakes one over the other with each piece centered near the edge of the one below it, achieving an almost spiral effect. Accent it with delicate orange and yellow flowers reminiscent of those in season to tie in the autumn look.

3. Candy Plus Cake - While you may not be embracing the entire Halloween theme at your fall wedding, 

autumn and winter are undeniably the busiest times of year for candy makers, and incorporating your favorite sweets into the reception is something everyone will appreciate. Go for a smaller wedding cake and have a candy bar surrounding it that features either your favorite seasonal confections or a few gourmet variations - think cupcake-sized Reese's cups. This will give your guests some variety and supply that sugar kick everyone needs to get on the dance floor.

4. Chocolate Cake - It's true that you are playing it safe by sticking with a vanilla cake, as chocolate isn't everybody's cup of tea, but with shorter days and longer nights, it's alright to go a little darker with the decor at the reception - including the cake. A rich chocolate frosting will be stunning if accented appropriately with designs like cream-colored scrolls or piping. You can even integrate some subtle marzipan foliage into the presentation if you feature warmly colored decor throughout your venue.

5. Wedding Pies - Apple, pecan and pumpkin pie are quintessential fall deserts, and for a crowd pleasing favorite at your reception, opt out of cake all together.  Create a pie stand that mimics the ascending structure of a traditional cake and place your bride and groom toppers accordingly.

Regardless of the cake style you choose, you'll want to add fall wedding napkins personalized with the bride and groom's name and wedding date to your cake table. Cake table napkins can designs with colors and designs to perfectly compliment your wedding cake.

Have fun at your wedding and surprise your guests with a fall-themed cake that will truly leave an impression.

Image Credits: Fall wedding cake, Fall candy bar

A Traditional and Romantic Take on Fall Wedding Colors

There does not need much explanation of why fall is such a beautiful time of year for a wedding. The weather, the colors present in nature and the feelings of comfort and family that come along with the season are all top selling points! When choosing colors for your fall wedding one can easily be influenced by the colors of the changing leaves and cheery, plump pumpkins of the season. This traditional fall wedding color scheme of oranges, rust, goldens and cream  is a guest favorite! You can't go wrong really with sticking to these warm and welcoming shades. Now if you are a bride who doesn't like to stick to conformity and be constrained by these traditional falls colors, think outside the box. We've put together a romantic color inspiration for your consideration as well. Picture a golden wheat field at dusk with shades or purple-y gray in the sky and the creams and browns of the fields. Simply romantic, and still so totally fall. Read on for our traditional and romantic take on fall wedding colors.

  

Image Credits: Main wheat and pumpkin image, white pumpkin floral centerpiece, fall wedding cake, orange tie groom, carved wedding pumpkins, wheat boutonniere, wheat bouquet, wheat field bride and groom and wheat hair piece

Mouthwatering Signature Wedding Cocktails

Add a personal touch to your wedding reception by offering up a signature cocktail to your guests.  Deciding on the perfect signature drink for your reception may be as simple as matching colors or as involved as telling a story about how you met.  With the huge variety of drink options available, it's no secret that you are going to need to do a bit of research to really find the right cocktail for your wedding.  (But hey the taste testing makes it totally worth the research!).

To decide on the right cocktail, consider picking a drink that includes your favorite liquor, one that matches your color scheme, or one that simply just sounds delicious.  To add a personal touch, choose a drink that fits with your personality or tells a story about how you met.  Seasonal drinks are an easy way to impress too.  Spring or Summer wedding?  Think clean, crisp, and fresh drinks that have lime, lemon, or mango flavors.  Fall wedding?  Consider spiced apple cider.  Winter wedding?  Peppermint drinks, eggnog, and cinnamon spiced cocktails will appeal to the season.

For those looking to save a little money, skip the cocktails all together and offer an assortment of your favorite wine or beer as your signature drink.  You will save time and money by simply limiting the amount of ingredients.  For the less frugal bride and groom, consider offering two drinks instead of just one.  His and Her drinks are a great way to get the conversation flowing and make both genders equally happy.  Offer one drink that has a rougher edge like an Old-Fashioned or Manhattan for the men and another with a feminine appeal like a Cosmo or Sex on the Beach for the ladies.

NA Wedding?  Just because your wedding reception is alcohol free, doesn't mean you have to miss out on all the fun.  Simply turn your signature cocktail into a wine-free sangria or a pumped up punch full of fruit slices and berries.  Vintage coke bottles, personalized cups, striped straws, and other whimsical accessories are all great ways to jazz up NA drinks.

To help you with inspiration for your own signature concoction, we scoured Pinterest and came up with these mouthwatering cocktails and drink stations that we just love.  Cheers!

Don't forget to name your signature cocktail.  After all, it's called signature for a reason.  Try out name generators like this one to take your wedding drink to the next level.  Still unsure what drink to serve, here is another great drink generator for never ending recipe ideas.

Image Credits: Mason jars with striped straws, Drink station, Lemonade bottles, John Daly sweet tea, Mason jars on green tray, Drinks with blue umbrellas, Makers Mark mason jars, Fruit filled punch, His and Hers drink station, Apple bourbon, Winter cocoa, Bridesmaids with vintage bottles, Mason jars with striped straws, Chalkboard sign, Maple leaf mason jars

How to Make Photo Centerpieces with Candles

Inspired from the DIY master Martha Stewart, we had to try these super cute do it yourself photo centerpieces for ourselves (with our own wedding twist of course).  Read on to learn how to make these glowing photo masterpieces.  So simple and inexpensive, one centerpiece cost us just around $4.  View Martha's original tutorial here.

We think these lantern centerpieces are particularly great because they are easy to make and are great conversation starters.  They work for any type of setting from wedding receptions and rehearsal dinners to anniversary parties and birthdays.

With just a home printer and a few household items, you can create this stunning focal point for your wedding and truly let your own personality shine through. (pun intended.  heehee)

What you'll need:

3-4 same size picture frames (makes one centerpiece)

Translucent vellum paper in white or ecru (or 24lb paper stock substitute)

A few of your favorite photos

Home printer

Glass enclosed votive candles (or LED substitute)

Cloth Tape

Scissors
Windex

Step 1 - Get all your supplies ready for assembly.  We recommend grabbing a few friends to help and create a bit of an assembly line.  Begin to disassemble your frames, removing and discarding the backing completely.  Keep the front of your frames and the glass inserts.  Paint or stain the fronts of your frames if desired letting them dry completely.

Step 2 - With photo editing software like Photoshop or PhotoFiltre, convert your photos to black and white or sepia.   Resize your photos to fit the frames you've purchased.  Print your photos onto the vellum paper you purchased.

Step 3 - Cut out all your photos trimming and discarding the excess vellum paper.  Set aside your cut-out photos to be inserted into your frames.

Step 4 - After cleaning your glass inserts with Windex, place the glass back into your frames.  Once dry, insert your photos into your frames face down.  Keeping the glass fronts in your frames will help protect your photos and make your centerpieces a bit sturdier.  Fold your picture frame tabs in place to hold your picture.  If your frame does not have tabs, simply add some tape to the edges of your photo to hold it in place.

Step 5 - Line up each of your frames side by side making sure they fit snugly together.  Place a line of cloth tape down the seam where your frames meet and press firmly on the tape to secure.  Continue repeating this until you come to the last frame.  Place a strip of tape so that half of the tape hangs of the edge of your frame.  Stand your frame upright and connect your exposed sides together to finish off your centerpiece.  Place your photo centerpieces around a glass enclosed votive candle to ensure your lantern does not catch fire.  You can also substitute your candle for an LED votive for added fire safety.

We created cube shaped centerpieces by using four 5 x 7 frames.  You can also opt for triangle shaped centerpieces by using three frames instead of four.  For added visual interest, choose frames that are different heights.  Make one centerpiece using 5 x 7 inch frames and another using 4 x 6 inch frames.  Set each completed centerpiece next to each other and surround with additional votive candles and flowers for a show stopping wedding table setting.

Great Ideas for Inexpensive Wedding Centerpieces

Choosing wedding centerpieces for your wedding can be an expensive undertaking, but it doesn’t have to be that way. We have come up with several fun and inexpensive wedding centerpiece ideas.

Bring the outside in: Using tree branches, leaves, pinecones and other natural elements from the outdoors doesn’t cost a thing and can be some of the most beautiful centerpieces. By adding limbs from a Japanese maple tree to a large glass vase you can create a breath taking fall wedding centerpiece design. Think seasonal of course when you are planning to use Mother Nature’s decorations. If you are having a spring wedding, cherry blossoms, summer wedding use olive branches or winter wedding, use birch. Remember you can also add spray paint, beads and lights to jazz up any centerpiece design.

Double Duty:  Another way to save money on your wedding centerpieces is to use them for more than one purpose. One way to do this is incorporating your desert table into your centerpieces. You can buy several inexpensive cupcake holders and bake your own cupcakes. By adding decorative cupcake liners and little bling you can create great cupcakes without paying a professional. Fill the holders with your cupcakes and set one on each table as the centerpiece. This will create a fun and yummy centerpiece that your guests are sure to love.

Less is more: Sometimes the simple things in life can be the most beautiful. If you are having a winter wedding try filling up vases with inexpensive Christmas tree bulbs. This makes a gorgeous center piece and can be very cost effective.  Another fabulous idea is to use taper candles. You can normally buy tapers very cheap and in many color combinations. Check out your local thrift stores and buy different size and color holders to make an eclectic and interesting centerpiece.

Fruit instead of flowers: Fruit can also be a great centerpiece idea. By simple filling a glass vase with lemons you can create a masterpiece. This works for all seasons as well, use apples and pears for the fall, cranberries for winter and lemon, limes and oranges are perfect for summer and spring weddings. The wonderful thing about using fruit is the color palate you can create. Also, get creative, add candles or lights. Let your imagination work for you.

The most important tip is, do your homework and shop around to find what inspires you before you start planning your centerpieces.  Going in prepared will also save you money and time. Good Luck!

Image Credits: Maple tree, taper candle and citrus centerpiece from marthastewartweddings.com.  Cupcake centerpiece from http://dulcedesignscandy.com/.

Mason Jar Masterpieces

The simple elegance of a mason jar is not always recognized, but with a little time and a creative touch, you can turn a basic jar into a classy decoration for your wedding. Whether your reception is a summer soiree or a winter wonderland, you will surely be inspired by the gorgeous ideas in this blog.
With so many uses, where should we start? Pair a floating candle with lace or twine for a rustic, romantic feel. A cluster of different sized jars with only a small tea light can replace flower centerpieces and help light your reception venue. These dreamy decorations will make any girl swoon, and remind her of the enchanting wedding she has always dreamed of.

Another cute and practical idea is to use the mason jars as glasses to hold your guests’ choice of drink at the reception. Take this a step further and apply chalkboard contact paper to the jars. You can write the names of your guests and even their table number to direct them to their seats.

As you can see, mason jars can be used for aisle decorations, lighting, drinking glasses, and even place cards. So what are you waiting for? Head over to a local store in the canning section and decorate your heart out! If your wedding is too far away to wait, consider featuring these striking DIY projects at your holiday party.

Image Credits: Floating Tealight Mason Jars,  Candlelight Mason Jar Lighting, Chalkboard Contact Sheets on Mason Jars, Simple Centerpiece, Mason Jar Lemonade, Pink and White Flowers in Hanging Jar, Aisle Decorations, Red and White Centerpiece, Mason Jars with Favor Tags

Ideas for Lighting up your Outdoor Wedding

If you have decided to have an outdoor wedding then you will need to consider how to light the area. Lighting is a must if your wedding is in the evening or if it will continue into the evening hours. Lighting up your wedding venue can be simple and will also add a sense of romance and beauty to any outdoor wedding. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

Create a path of lights that will lead the bride to the altar. You can do this with candles placed about every 12 inches down the aisle or you can also string twinkle lights to poles that are placed in the ground. For a beach wedding, tiki torches will make a great path of light. I also love the idea of creating an archway that goes the length of the aisle. With some wooden poles, wire and string lights you can create a breath taking archway that your guests won’t soon forget.

For the reception you will want to add candles or fireless candles to all of the tables. Add floating candles to a bowl of water that also has flowers floating in the water or you can fill the glass bowls with rocks that will accent your wedding colors or theme and then add the floating candles. If floating candles are not your thing then go with several different candle sizes placed strategically on a mirror surface. This will add elegance to any centerpiece. The candles will not only illuminate the tables but they will set the mood for your guest to sit down and enjoy there dinner.

Depending on the outside venue you are using, we recommend adding lights to all of the trees in the area. White twinkle lights on all of the trees will only add to the sense of romance as well as keep the area lit up for your guests. You can also hang candles from the trees. Add tea lights to mason jars and string them into the trees around the reception area to create a sense of whimsy. Whether the reception will be under a tent or under the stars, you will still want to string lights across the dance floor and reception areas. One of our favorite ideas is adding round paper lanterns to the ceiling of your tent or hanging them across the reception area. The round paper lanterns create a subtle yet beautiful light and they came in many different colors to match your wedding theme.

The above ideas are sure to get you started in the right direction. One more tip would be to rent a generator from a local party rental. You wouldn’t want the lights to go out on your wedding guests. Good Luck.

The Allure of the White Pumpkin

White pumpkins are becoming increasingly more popular for fall weddings.  Maybe it's the allure of the romantic white shade that makes these adorable accessories a must-have item.  Maybe it's simply the fact that white is an easier color to match than their staple orange counterpart.  Whatever the reason, we aren't complaining.

For fall, we love the idea of choose a neutral color palette of creams and whites splashed with simple bronze accents.  To pull this look together, use any of our inspiration ideas below. White pumpkins look great when used as centerpieces, as decor for your cake/card table, and when used as guest favors or place card holders.  For a unique twist, consider hollowing out a pumpkin to use as your flower girl basket and ring bearer pillow.  You can even modge podge a white pumpkin with a pattern (shown left) for a splash of color and added interest.  (For a tutorial on this creative technique, visit budgetwisehome.com.)  Enjoy!

Image Credits:  Modge Podge pumpkin tutorial via Budget Wise Home, Pumpkin patch via The Knot, Shabby chic chair via iheartshabbychic, Pumpkin serving bowl courtesy of Paper Bird, Pumpkin staircase via Delicate Creature, Mini pumpkin decor via Pinterest, Pumpkin on scale and stool via Sugar Pie Farmhouse, Pumpkin ring bearer pillow available at Bragging Bags, Pumpkin place card holder tutorial via Twig and Thistle.