Elegant Wedding Donut Wall

The newest dessert trend sweeping the wedding world has us in confection heaven. We can't get enough of these donut walls - the perfect delectable, edible art! You read that right. As brides continue to lean towards non-traditional wedding treats, we’ve seen a growing number of dessert tables that forego classic cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and candy to make room for a dazzling display of donuts.

Just think about it - those holes in the center just beg to be hung on hooks to create a jaw-dropping array of sugary, frosted deliciousness. They make not only a beautiful backdrop, but also a generous goody station for your wedding reception, brunch, or bridal shower. Don't be afraid to embrace this trend for all your party needs. Weddings shouldn't get to monopolize all the fun, so create a donut wall for your next baby shower, bridal shower, or birthday party to really add the wow factor for guests.

Curate the colors for your event, and then visit your local bakery or donut shop to request a mix of colored frostings, sprinkles, and glazes to fit your theme. Whether you choose pinks and browns, cheerful sprinkles, striped and swirled patterns, or a brighter color combination, there are a million different ways to blow your guests away with this insanely cool dessert craze.

Check out the pictures below to see more of this sweet wedding trend.

When choosing the types of donuts to offer, keep in mind that glazed and frosted ring donuts are generally larger than cake donuts. If you want all of your donuts to be the same size and look more cohesive, you will want to choose one type, and stick with it. 

There are still plenty of options for both types of donuts, so don't worry - this isn't too limiting! You can still request different types of frosting, glazes, and sprinkles for ring donuts, and cake donuts can be made in assorted flavors and colors.

Personalized cocktail napkins are the perfect size for donuts and coffee, and with a large variety of color options, they can seamlessly match your theme.

A hot cup of coffee pairs perfectly with donuts, so make sure to put out a few pots of coffee for guests to enjoy. Custom printed coffee cups add a personal touch, and are great for guests heading out for the night.

Favor bags make the perfect accessory for your donut display, and can be personalized with your names and date along with a sweet or funny message. Guests can take a donut back to their table, or home to enjoy later in these food-grade bags. Here are some of our favorites fun donut sayings:

Love Is Sweet - Please Take A Treat

DO-NUT leave without a treat!

All you need is love... and maybe a DONUT

Glazed and Delicious

Donut you want one?

Donuts are our love language

Donut leave me hanging

Donut Worry, Be Happy

These gorgeous dessert displays can also double as a guest book alternative. Use decorative wooden tags for guests to write a short message on and then hang on hooks along the sides of your donut wall. At the end of the night, you'll have plenty of heartfelt messages from family and friends to save as keepsakes after the wedding.

Treat your wedding guests to a sweet snack for the road by providing wax-lined tin-tie goodie bags for them to fill with a donut or two. The tops close to keep donuts fresh, and the wax lining keeps glaze from soaking through the bags. We've found that 6" x 9" bags work best for holding a ring donut or two, and smaller bags work well for taking home an assortment of donut holes.

DIY PEGBOARD DONUT WALL

We are huge supporters of this tasty trend, so to help spread it far and wide, we've included a step-by-step so that you can make your own! You and your guests are going to love having this new wedding food fad to enjoy at your wedding!

Materials Needed: 

Pegboard

Measuring Tape

Pencil

Saw

Paint

Paint Roller

Trim - Home improvement stores have a variety of different sizes and styles, so you can go as simple or intricate as you want

Hammer

Nails

Hinges

Drill with Screwdriver Bit 

Metal Pegboard Hooks - 6" hooks comfortably hold two donuts each

Donuts

Instructions: 

Step 1 - Cut the pegboard to form multiple panels as shown above. Measure, mark, and cut the pegboard to the desired size.

Step 2 - (Optional) Paint the pegboard. Lay it down on a protected surface. Paint and repeat with multiple coats until the color is even. Let dry.

TIP - When cutting the pegboard into foldable panels that will stand on their own, we recommend adding trim to each side of each panel. Pegboard is quite flexible and needs the extra stability to stand upright - especially when cut into narrow panels. Trim can also be painted to add a unique, decorative touch to your donut wall. 

Step 3 - Add trim to the pegboard. Measure, mark, and cut the trim to fit each side of the pegboard. Paint if desired, and attach to pegboard with small nails.

Step 4 - Attach hinges to the back of the donut wall. We used 4 hinges on each side of the center panel.

Step 5 - Insert the metal pegboard hooks into the pegboard.

Step 6 - Add donuts, and enjoy!

How To Style Your Dream Wedding Like a Pro

The most important thing on your wedding day is that you are marrying your best friend. And the second most important? Some bloggers and wedding experts will insist that it is the people you will have with you, the food, the decor, or the atmosphere. We are here to tell you that the most important things on your special day are whatever you want them to be! For a couple that is eloping, the location may be the main detail, while a couple planning a large wedding may decide to focus most of their efforts and budget on making their guests comfortable.

Instead of trying to give you a step by step of how to plan the perfect wedding - because let's face it, there are an infinite number of ways to plan a wonderful wedding - we are here to help you with the supporting details no matter your theme or style. Having a vision of the mood or style of your wedding will help you to make decisions for everything from the decorations to the location for your ceremony and reception. 

It is easy to pin every little wedding detail that you adore on Pinterest and then become overwhelmed when trying to put them all together in your own wedding. Once you have a wedding board created, we would encourage you to look through and find a handful of images that really inspire you. Once you have those, you have a perfect starting point to build from.We will be starting with 4 different sets of inspiration photos and working from there.



From here, we will work towards identifying a color palette, specific style words to guide you through all future wedding-related decisions, and a few font and monogram ideas that would accent your event. 

Windswept Coastal

This set of images has us daydreaming of a breezy overcast day on a quiet stretch of beach along the sea. We pulled color inspiration from faded driftwood and the dusty blues of the ocean on a cloudy day. The script fonts chosen mimic the movement of the sea, while the block font is a perfectly simple accent.

We're picturing an intimate wedding ceremony held at the edge of the water with only a few family members and friends standing with you as you say your vows. Afterwards, you walk down the beach to the tables covered in dusty blue tablecloths layered with sheer flowing fabric and adorned with driftwood place cards, seashells, and tinted glass vases filled with wild flowers.

Image Credits: Table / Driftwood Place Cards / Waves on the Shore / Cakes

Fonts: Miama / Caviar Dreams / Sail

Lush Woodland

Our next example features lush greenery and an earthy, dreamy feel. Shades of green, tan, and copper have us swooning over the possibilities for decor and venues. The fonts we have chosen to pair with this look have a handwritten feel that keeps things relaxed and still timeless.

A moss covered forest floor with giant trees as the backdrop is what we are envisioning for the ceremony, and the reception would be perfect in those same woods or in a non-traditional venue like an older building with exposed brick walls. Use string to hang small pieces of fern leaves and paint-dipped feathers and an abundance of natural garland on the tables, doors, and hanging from the ceiling. This laid-back affair almost has a bohemian feel, but with more muted colors and soft lighting. We are in love.

Image Credits: Bride Swing / Greenery and Feathers / Lighting / Forest

Fonts: In Screaming Color / Night Still Comes / Windsong

Elegant All In White

This elegant style board focuses on a monochromatic color scheme of all white. Style words like dazzling and crisp fit nicely. Classically formal fonts bring a sophisticated feel to invitations, place cards, and signs throughout the day.

This all-white style board has us dreaming of a large white tent with white fabric draped majestically from the tall ceiling, and accented with sparkly chandeliers giving off a warm glow. We are imagining black tie attire with a glamorous cocktail hour and cigar station. Candlelight and flowers play a major role in the table decorations, and can be accented with mercury glass vases.

Image Credits: Bouquet / Chandelier / Place Setting / Dance Floor

Fonts: Burguess / Engravers / Exmouth

Glamorous Blush and Gold

In this example, the images very clearly point to a feminine, sparkly, and glamorous affair. We pulled specific colors that paired well together and can be found in the sample images to form a beautiful and cohesive color palette. Once you have these, you start to get a sense of the style; Words like glitzy, light, and romantic come to mind with the sparkle of shimmery gold alongside of the blush pinks and soft kraft color. Fun fonts and monograms keep things feeling light and feminine. 

With this style board, we would lean towards a classy reception hall, decorated in light and airy fabrics with some stunning sequin or glittery accents. The attire for the evening would most likely be formal, with a formal dinner followed by dancing. When in doubt, go with sparkle!

Image Credits: Place Setting / Invitation Suite / Wedding Ring / Glitter

Fonts: Cantoni / Adobe Caslon Pro / Sweet Pea

Now that you've seen our examples, we'd love to hear what you come up with! There is no wrong way to use these style boards, but you can see how easy it is to imagine all of the rest of the details once you have pulled together the basic feel you want for your special day! Make sure to bring yours with you when meeting with your wedding vendors to keep you on track, and to help them to understand your vision.

Introducing...The Bridal Party

Everyone knows the wedding is about the bride (and maybe a little bit about the groom). But the bridal party plays a huge role, mostly behind the scenes, and they deserve to be recognized for their hard work.

 

There are easy ways to make sure the bridal party gets this acknowledgement, but there are also creative, fun ways to introduce your closest friends and family to all of your guests.

 

Traditional Introductions

Make sure your MC or DJ knows the correct order the bridal party will be entering in the reception, as well as how to pronounce their names. The minimum the DJ should say is their first and last name and role in the bridal party. Something else you can consider adding is how they each know the bride or groom. Another fun tidbit to add is just a fun fact about each person. For example, “John Doe is the best man and was the groom’s roommate and wingman in college—he’s the one who introduced the groom to the bride!”

 

Don’t forget to introduce the ring bearer and flower girl!

 

It’s common to put information about the bridal party in the program for your guests to read, and while this is helpful, it can be impersonal and doesn’t give them a chance to put names to faces.  Consider putting in a small photo next to each member of the bridal party along with a short bio.  Weddings are about joining two families, but the bride and groom need to facilitate this, and the best way to start this is to introduce the bridal party.

 

Other Tips for Formal Introductions

 

Make sure your bridal party is comfortable with each other. Even if they don’t know each other before the ceremony, encourage them to spend some time together, since they will be walking and dancing together all day.

 

Enter the reception hall excited. When your guests see you and your bridal party having a great time, they will be more excited and will participate in the festivities more eagerly.

 

Communicate well with your DJ or MC. If you have hired a professional, he or she will have lots of ideas for how to spice up your introductions and can facilitate the whole procession.

Creative Introductions

 

Encourage your wedding party to do something fun as they enter your reception.  Choreograph a dance routine and have the members of your bridal party waltz, tango, or wobble their way into the reception hall. Let each couple decide individually which dance they want to use for their entrance.

 

Use props: find toys or other props that fit your theme and have your bridal party use them during their introductions.  This bridal party entered to the song Thrift Shop sporting their best thrift store attire.

 

 

Still not sold with these introductions? Consider this:

 

 

At this wedding, the bride and groom put together a meet the bridal party table. All you need to do is put each person’s name, picture, and some information about them in a picture frame. Here are some ideas for what to include in the information section:

• How they know the bride/groom
• Where they’re from
• A fun fact
• A funny quote from them that was said at some point during the wedding planning

These picture frames don’t have to be for just the bridal party, either. You can include the parents of the bride and groom, the ring bearer, the flower girl, and anyone else you think deserves one!

 

However you choose to do the introductions, make sure you include a big thank you to all those who helped to make your day special.

Image Credits: Wedding Party Photos, Wedding party booklet, Thrift Shop Entrance, Meet the maids and grooms

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 Create a Tasteful Memorial at Your Wedding

A wedding is a beautiful ceremony celebrating the union of two people, but it’s also so much more than that. A marriage brings together two families. This is why it is so important to honor your deceased family members in some way to celebrate the part they've played in bringing you to this moment.

 

Recently, couples have set aside a small part of their ceremony to light a candle. Typically, this candle has the names of the departed persons and a short verse. While this brief memorial service is beautiful and appreciated, it is also a solemn break from what is otherwise a joyous day. Your guests who are not family or who did not know the people you are remembering can often feel interrupted or confused, simply because they don’t feel the same way about your family members as you do.

 

Other Memorial Options

 

There are many other ways to remember these special people without causing any kind of break in your ceremony or reception.

 

• Place a single rose in the bride’s bouquet that is a different color from the rest. This is more
  

  

  effective if the bouquet is only one or two colors, because the memorial rose will stand out from the rest.
• Attach a picture of the deceased to the bride’s bouquet in the form of a memorial buckle. If other bridesmaids are related, they can each have a picture of someone.
• Write a short statement in the wedding program (typically seen placed on the back or at the end of program):

  “Today we would like to remember our lost loved ones who cannot be here with us to celebrate. 

  First name, relationship to bride/groom 

  Gone but not forgotten”

• Reserve a seat for each deceased family member by placing a single rose and a name card on the chair.
• At the reception, set up a small table with pictures of each person you want to remember, a short poem, and a candle. In this situation, a battery-operated candle may be better than a wax candle, since you won’t be able to watch the open flame during your reception.

 

If you are having a small wedding with family members making up the majority of the guest list, you might want to stick to the memorial candle tradition, since it will mean more to the guests. If you decide you want some sort of memorial service at your wedding, choose to do something that will be meaningful to you, your partner, and the loved ones you are honoring. Your guests, whether they know the deceased or not, will appreciate a small but significant memorial display more than an extravagant presentation.  For other ways to incorporate memorials into your wedding, come check us out here.

 

 

Image Credits: Memorial candle holder, Memory bouquet charms, Memorial table setting, Memorial ladder

 

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.

Difficult Engagement Situations and How to Deal with Them

You may expect everything to go smoothly while you are engaged, and it will for the most part. You and your fiancé will be blissfully in love. Unfortunately, you’ll also get a lot of unwanted questions, suggestions, and criticism from everyone in your life. Here’s how to deal with some of them.

 

1. I’m going to be in the wedding party, right?

 

This assumption could come from almost anyone you know: your younger, too-cool-for-you brother or your roommate from your freshman year of college. The first thing for you to remember is to not let anyone pressure you. It’s your wedding, so you make all the decisions. If the question persists, it is best to try and let the person down easy from the beginning.  Don't drag it out longer than necessary.  Tell them you are taking your time with the decision and that you are considering a small bridal party.  You can also consider including that person in a different way in your wedding.  Such as, making them a reader at your ceremony or an usher.  Your friends and family don’t have to be in the bridal party in order to play an important role!

 

2. Let me help with the wedding planning!

 

This statement can be a huge relief when it comes from someone close to you, but you will hear it often from people you don’t know very well. It’s fine to accept help from anyone who offers, but be sure that they are trustworthy and will actually follow through with their offers.  Also, any helpers will need to know your expectations for the wedding and tell them that you get the final say in any and every decision. Don’t hesitate to say no if the planning takes a turn you don’t want it to.  It is very easy for wedding ideas to spin out of control when there are too many opinions in the mix.  Be firm on this one.  Your helpers will actually thank your ability to delegate in the end.

 

3. The traditions you start with your fiancé now will stay that way forever.

 

Getting married means combining ones lives for better or worse.  Living arrangements are simply something many couples don't consider.  This goes from the big, extended family traditions to smaller things like who does which chore. Choosing between families for holidays can be a difficult decision, but you can always alternate by year. This year, go to his family’s Thanksgiving dinner and her family’s Christmas party. Next year, switch. If you are able to, consider going to both families’ parties. Another option is to host your own holiday meal so both families can come together to celebrate.

As for smaller traditions that you set, don’t fret! Try making a chore calendar for you and your partner to follow in the beginning.  Eventually, you both will get used to each other's habits and which one of you prefers the dishes over the laundry. More importantly, though, you’ll need to learn to just go with it. Your lives will change as the years go by. You’ll become a team and be able to deal with situations like this together.

4. The wedding is all about the bride, right?

Throughout your engagement, your friends and family are going to be making a huge fuss over you as the bride.  Between the wedding dress, the color palette, and the decorations, people are going to be looking at you because let's face it, the wedding is all about the bride right?  Well, no.  This is simply just not true.

A wedding is about the bride and groom coming together in love as one. The day is just as important and significant for the groom as it is for the bride. Be sure to make your fiancé feel included in any way you possibly can.  Put together a special date night before the big day to relieve wedding planning stresses.  Consider putting together a little just because gift to let him know you are thinking of him.  Include him in the planning by letting him choose the wedding party gifts, the flavor of the cake, and the guest favors.

Your wedding is about you and your spouse starting a new life together. It doesn’t have to be perfect, and there’s a good chance it won’t be the perfect day either of you want, but it will be beautiful and special and that’s all that you really need.

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 Choose Your Wedding Colors

One of the biggest decisions you will make when planning your wedding is picking the color scheme. The dresses and tuxes, decorations, flowers, and sometimes even the venue depend on the colors you choose.

Follow these easy steps to make the best decision concerning the colors for your wedding:

1. Use your favorite shade. Start with a color you absolutely love, and then find accent colors that complement it well.  Choose either tonal shades or a contrasting pop of color.
2. Consider the setting. What does your venue look like? What color are the floor, walls, curtains, and other decorations? If there is already a strong color scheme, you should consider working with those colors. If you’re set on a particular color, look for a venue with a more neutral color scheme.
• Tip: Older historical buildings tend to have strong patterns that may clash with your own colors, so make sure you pay attention to those factors.
3. Prepare for multiple color schemes. Sometimes the location of the ceremony and the location of the reception have very different colors or tones. You may need to have two color schemes for decorations or two major colors with accent colors that connect the two locations.
   
4. Pick colors based on your favorite flower or bouquet. If you don’t have a favorite color, but do have a favorite flower, use the flower to decide on a color scheme. Pick the color of the bloom that you like best and then choose accent colors to match.
5. Choose colors bases on your style. Are you a vintage bride?  Vintage color schemes tend to be more muted or rustic.  Modern aesthetic?  Modern weddings infuse bright pops of colors and bold patterns.  Romantic? Choose colors that are soft and feminine.
6. Consider the season or time of year. Similar to number four, look at the colors in nature at the time of your wedding and pick a color scheme that complements what you see outside.
• Tip: You’ll have to plan in advance for this one!
• Tip: Pastels and bright colors look best during the spring and summer while variations of one particular shade are better for fall or winter weddings.
7. How many colors should you have? Up to five colors is fairly normal for weddings. However, multiple color schemes take careful planning and you need to make sure you aren’t overwhelming your wedding with too many colors. Two shades of one color and one complementary color tend to be the best option if you want multiple colors.
8. Remember the clothes. Some colors just don’t look good on anyone. When you are picking a color scheme, remember you will have to pick dresses for the wedding party in at least one of those colors.

If you want your color scheme to match your personality, consider these descriptions of colors:

• Red: passionate, loyal, impulsive, luxurious, dramatic
• Orange: spicy, zesty, fun-loving, spontaneous, boisterous, trendy
• Yellow: spiritual, cheerful, sweet, outdoorsy
• Green: wise, balanced, harmonized, affectionate, refined
• Blue: tranquil, patient, wise, balanced, lovable
• Introspective: royal or pale blue
• Extroverted: turquoise or aqua
• Purple: outgoing, tolerant, witty, charming, sweet, passionate
• Pink: compassionate, sweet, feminine, demure, romantic
• Black: elegant, classic, mysterious, dignified, sexy, sophisticated
• Rainbow: trendy, unconventional, fun, playful

If you’re having a seasonal or holiday-themed wedding, you might want to stick to theses tried and true seasonal color schemes.

• Spring: pale, not much contrast: think of the first blooms of the year
• Shades of purple, pink, or green
• Use soft palettes of watercolors and pastels
• Summer: hot or bright pops of color: think of your favorite parts of summer, such as swimming, fireworks, and popsicles
• Avoid all-over neon which can overwhelm the senses
• Use paler colors with bright accents instead
• Autumn: earthy tones: think of falling leaves, bare trees
• Persimmon, dark mossy green, deep marigold
• Neutrals with chocolate browns
• Winter: rich tones to contrast the bareness of winter: think of the holidays – Christmas, New Year’s, Valentine’s Day
• Rich shades of red, blue, or purple
• Metallics

Lastly, don't forget to check out wedding inspiration boards on our blog here or at places like Pinterest.  You can also consider using a website like Design Seeds which automatically puts together pretty palettes for ideas and inspiration.  Whatever color scheme you choose, make sure it’s one you love. Don’t just pick the colors that are forecasted to be hot or popular this year. Remember, it’s your wedding and you get to make all the decisions.

Image Credits: Hanging bridesmaids dresses, Fuchsia and orange bouquet, Tonal bridesmaids dresses, Rustic barn venue, New Year sparkle palette

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.

Movie-themed Party Ideas to Match Your Star-Studded Wedding

As promised, here is your key to planning the star-studded pre-wedding parties you have always dreamed of, with you as the star! From your engagement party and wedding shower to the bachelor and bachelorette parties, these fun, movie-themed party ideas are sure to be a hit.

Lead your guests from the parking lot to the entrance with a red carpet. Ask guests to dress up as their favorite movie character and give trophies to the best dressed. Give favors in popcorn boxes. Watch your favorite wedding-themed movies. There are tons of ways to make your party a box office hit!

To get started, use an "admit one" ticket format for your invitations. On the top and bottom, write the date of your party. Instead of a movie title, write "[Name] & [Name]’s Engagement Party" or "[bride’s name]'s engagement party." Have some fun and come up with a creative title for your party!

Movies to watch

Engagement Party/Wedding Shower

• The Engagement Party
• The Proposal
• Father of the Bride
• The Princess Bride
• The Philadelphia Story
• Four Weddings and a Funeral

Bachelorette Party

• Bridesmaids
• Bachelorette
• Magic Mike
• Crazy Stupid Love
• The Wedding Planner
• Dirty Dancing

Bachelor Party

• Bachelor Party
• The Hangover
• How to Murder Your Wife
• The Best Man
• Very Bad Things
• A Guy Thing

Games to Play

• Kiss the Actor/Actress (similar to Pin the Tail on the Donkey)
• Charades
• “Who Am I?” Write down the names of movie stars on note cards and have guests tape the card to       their forehead – without looking! They have to guess who they are.
• Match the quote to the movie (to make it easier, use quotes from movies you watched at your party)
• “Movie Plot Slam” Split your guests into teams of 3 or 4. Write movie titles on note cards and give a card to each group. There are a couple ways you could have them tell the plot:
    - In poem format
    - In song format
    - In a way that relates the story back to the bride and groom
• Use conversation starter drink coasters to break the ice!

Food

One of the best parts of the movie theater experience is the popcorn and candy! Satisfy every taste bud in
the room with these delicious treat ideas:

• Popcorn (of course!)
• Offer extra butter, salt, and any other topping you might want – on the side so guests can choose what they want
• Chocolate covered raisins
• Sour candy
• Don’t forget the cake! Go for a black and white movie reel cake or try the popcorn cupcakes!

Decorations

A party would not be complete without decorations of some sort, and movie theaters are usually lavishly decorated, if not overwhelmingly so.

• Put flowers in a plastic popcorn holder
• Write guests’ names on Hollywood stars for place cards at the table
• Since red, white, black, and silver are the colors that are traditionally associated with movies and the theater, use those colors for tablecloths and napkins
• Hang up movie posters or a red curtain for backdrops for pictures

Image Credits:

Invitation: Cards Direct
Party food: Dreaming In Scraps

Popcorn cupcakes: Fifties Wedding

Movie-style cakes: Fifties Wedding

Place cards: janet21.hubpages.com

Roses: janet21.hubpages.com

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.