16 Ways to Dazzle with Geodes at Your Wedding

Geodes are a stunning natural occurrence where crystal quartz formations develop inside hollow rocks. Agate is a similar-looking, colorful and patterned type of rock often used in conjunction with geodes, and is formed in lava or volcanic rocks. Lately, they have been forming in other ways: cakes, jewelry, nail polish, wall art, and more. We absolutely love how geodes are being used in art, food, and parties to add some color and sparkle! The beautiful crystals are basically begging to be used in your wedding. Here are some ideas for how you can include geodes as decorations, favors, foods, and more!

Source: Green Geode Print, Pink Geode

Decorations
If you love color, sparkle, glitter, pizazz, or even just are looking for something different, consider using geodes in your decorations. They make beautiful escort cards – and if you write the table number on a piece of paper attached to the stone, guests can take them home and use them as paperweights, coasters, or bookends.

Source: Agate Escort Cards

If you have high ceilings, consider hanging geodes or similar, geometric shapes. Hanging decorations can also save table space!

Source: Hanging Shapes, Hanging Pendants

You can find hollowed-out geodes that hold tea lights and use them in your centerpieces. Mix them into your floral centerpieces too, like with these succulents.

Source: Candle Holder, Succulent and Geode Arrangement

Are you setting out photos of the bride and groom? Or are you having a memorial table? Use geodes and wire as photo holders.

Source: Geode Photo Holder

Wrap them around your napkins! These would be easy enough to make, too, with your favorite geodes, ribbon, and some hot glue.

Source: Napkin Rings

And who needs a beach wedding when you have one of these incredible geode prints as your ceremony backdrop? You could also use a large geode print as a backdrop for a photo booth at your reception.

Source: Wall Art

Favors
The escort cards and candle holders mentioned before make awesome favors, but there are other options too! Remember those geode-and-succulent centerpieces? If you put them in small containers, give those to your guests to take home. Better yet, take those hollowed-out geodes and plant the succulents directly in them! Air plants also work really well inside geodes, and you don’t need as big of a hole for them.

Source: Air Plant

Food
The only thing better than eating good food is eating good food that is also pretty.

Source: Blue Cake, Green Cake

There have been some amazing geode cakes served at weddings, but you can do more than cut away a section and decorate it. Check out these geode cookies and cake pops, too!

Source: Cookies, Cake Pops

What about cupcakes? Easy to make and just as beautiful.

Source: Cupcakes

Rock candy is another easy one, and can be made in tons of different colors. This would be a great favor for kids, as well. You can make the traditional rock candy on a stick, or impress your guests with these geode-shaped rock candies.

Source: Rock Candy

You can also use these adorable geode cake toppers instead of a more traditional pair. They’re really easy to make yourself, as well. Just pick two geodes you love and add a veil and a hat or tie."

Source: Bride and Groom Topper, Cake Topper

Jewelry
Instead of a ring pillow, check out these gorgeous geodes, hollowed out and attached with a hinge to make a ring box:

Source: Ring Box

The bridesmaids can have matching jewelry. Geodes give you the options of simple but eye-grabbing jewelry, like the images below, or pieces as extravagant as your wedding itself.

Source: Earrings, Necklace

Are the groomsmen wearing boutonnieres? Add a geode!

Source: Boutonniere, Groom

These incredible rocks are so beautiful and so versatile when it comes to decorations -- and themes. Use them in your natural theme, rock theme, color theme, or many others. The possibilities are endless. How will you use them in your wedding?

Elizabeth graduated from The University of Findlay with a Master of Arts in Rhetoric and Writing. She now resides in Portland, Oregon where she is employed in the real estate business and is particularly enjoying the local cuisine. As a writer, Elizabeth believes in a quote from one of her favorite TV shows: "We have only two jobs on this Earth. The first: to learn. The second: to cope." A deep desire to learn struck Elizabeth when she was young, and now she hopes to help you cope by sharing information, and helping you apply the knowledge. Weddings and event planning can be overwhelming; sometimes it's okay to take a little advice from a stranger on the internet.

Unique Twists for your Greenery-Themed Wedding

One wedding trend still going strong this year is the use of succulents and other greenery. We get it -- the simplicity of the greens and whites is stunning. The most common displays of this theme are in bouquets and table decorations, of course. But with so many brides doing this, you may want to add a few details here and there to make your wedding stand out from the rest. Mixing in unexpected colors, signature cocktails and desserts, and other accessories are just a few ways to make the theme your own.

One of our favorite colors to pair with succulents is this deep garnet.

Source: Tie, Dahlia

Another is ultra violet, pairing with more general greenery.

Source: Leaves, Galaxy

Keep reading to find ways to incorporate each of these in your wedding plans!

Flowers and Decorations

You’ll want to minimize the use of these colors in a bouquet or decorations in order to truly stick with the greenery theme, but just a couple of flowers per bouquet in either of these beautiful colors will be enough to draw anyone’s eye.

Source: Succulent Bouquet 

The same applies to table arrangements. How gorgeous is this simply-decorated reception hall, from the garland to the lights to the bursts of purple on the tables? Less is more if you’re looking for an attention-getting pop of color.

Source: Table Decorations

If your venue allows for it, use a “stepable” succulent or other sturdy plant in the aisle – it’ll feel like walking through a forest. Sedum Makinoi is durable enough that it could be planted afterwards, too, so you could have someone collect it after the ceremony and include it in the favors or plant it yourself. Imagine looking at your yard every day and being reminded of walking down the aisle!

Source: Stepables Succulent

Accessories

These wooden ring boxes are adorable and would be an awesome craft for you and your partner to make together.

Source: Tree Stump Ring Box, Carved Wood Ring Box

If you’re leaning more towards succulents, these beautiful ring boxes are sure to stun as a ring-holding terrarium. You can paint the outside garnet red or ultra violet to match.

Source: Terrarium Ring Boxes

Use leaves as your place cards or escort cards. You could also use potted mini succulents as an escort card and a favor.

Source: Succulent Favors, Escort Card Leaves

Cocktails

Really take your reception up a notch by serving one of these cocktails. You can also put your own spin on the cocktail and include a recipe card and personalized cup or flute as a wedding favor.

Greenery – put the theme into your drinks!

Pomegranate and Rosemary Champagne Cocktail: this easy cocktail is gorgeous and delicious, with just pomegranate arils and juice, rosemary, and champagne.

Rose and Cucumber Collins: this twist on the gin-based classic Tom Collins is refreshing and perfect for a summer wedding.

 Source: Pomegranate Rosemary Champagne, Rose Cucumber Collins

Green

Midori Mebuki: a bright green drink made with melon liqueur that tastes like sour candy. “Mebuki” means “budding” in Japanese and refers to the beginning of spring, making this cocktail an interesting addition to your spring wedding bar menu.

Amuse Vert: this recipe calls for Hendrick’s Gin, which is made with rose and cucumber, ginger, lime juice, and fresh kiwis. The fresh fruit adds to the color and adds a sweet and tart flavor that can’t be matched by artificial fruit flavoring.

Source: Midori Mebuki, Amuse Vert

Ultra Violet

Shrinking Violet Cocktail: supposedly, the name comes from how fast this drink shrinks after you take a drink. Made with just Crème de Violette Liqueur and champagne, this simple purple cocktail is a great upgrade to the traditional champagne toast.

The Artist: a violet gin martini. Garnish with flowers instead of olives.

Source: Shrinking Violet, The Artist

Garnet Red

Summer’s Garden: another wonderful summer drink. Blackberries, rose geranium syrup, gin, and lemon juice blend beautifully for a light, tart taste.

Frozen Hibiscus Margarita: this clever combination can be served in a glass as a margarita or frozen and eaten as a sorbet. The addition of hibiscus flowers and vanilla bean make this a margarita your guests will love recreating at home.

Source: Hibiscus Margaritas, Summer's Garden

Desserts

My favorite part of any theme is the matching desserts. This is your chance to get really creative. Where do succulents, greenery, and flowers fit in the dessert world?

Lilac blackberry pavlova: this meringue-based dessert is fairly easy to make and is just as delicious as it is pretty.

Donuts: you can’t go wrong with donuts to begin with, but with these colors and the added flowers, your guests won’t be able to stop – gushing or eating!

Source: Lilac Blackberry Pavlova, Lavender Floral Donuts

Candied violets: this versatile candy can be added to cookies, cakes, ice cream, drinks, fruit plates, and more for a sweet, delicate touch.

Violet creams: basically a violet-infused pudding that can be served as a pudding or over shortbread cookies. Sprinkle some of the candied violets on top!

Source: Candied Violets, Violet Creams

Rosewater and raspberry panna cotta: another “basically pudding” dish, this panna cotta is creamy and decadent, despite the recipe boasting it’s low-calorie content (but we all know calories don’t count at a wedding anyway).

Source: Panna Cotta

Red velvet cheesecake brownies: What’s better than combining two desserts? Cutting them into heart shapes and serving them at your wedding.

Red velvet lava cakes: don’t forget the napkins - you'll need them for these decadent brownies that are also cheesecake.

Source: Cheesecake Brownies, Lava Cakes 

Even if you choose flower-less desserts, you can still dress up the dessert table with this theme. Remember the Sedum you walked on? That same plant works beautifully as a filler on your dessert table. It’s small enough that it will rest underneath the edge of any serving platter while still giving your desserts a colorful background.

Elizabeth graduated from The University of Findlay with a Master of Arts in Rhetoric and Writing. She now resides in Portland, Oregon where she is employed in the real estate business and is particularly enjoying the local cuisine. As a writer, Elizabeth believes in a quote from one of her favorite TV shows: "We have only two jobs on this Earth. The first: to learn. The second: to cope." A deep desire to learn struck Elizabeth when she was young, and now she hopes to help you cope by sharing information, and helping you apply the knowledge. Weddings and event planning can be overwhelming; sometimes it's okay to take a little advice from a stranger on the internet.

18 Card Boxes to Complete your Gift Table

The gift table can be a tricky part of a wedding reception. For some, receiving gifts is awkward and they don’t want the gift table to be the center of attention. For others, gifts are a burden and they don’t want to think about the gifts at all. Still others are excited about the gifts and reading the cards from their loved ones. These days, more and more people are forgoing the wrapped gifts in favor of just cards and money, because they already have most of the household items they need.

Wherever you stand on the issue, the gift table is a significant part of any wedding reception. The table should be easy to find but out of the way and somewhat innocuous. Once you’ve figured out the location, though, comes the fun part – the decorating. Of course, you’ll want to keep the decorations fairly simple. You can, however, go all out on the card box instead!

The card box is often the centerpiece of the gift table. It’s the clue your guests need to know where to leave their presents, before anyone else leaves a gift or card there, at least. So why not make it an eye-catching, comment-grabbing clue?

Are you having a black tie affair? Check out these two simple and elegant card boxes:

Source: Black Bow Treasure Chest Card Box, Ivory Satin Treasure Chest Box

Do you love to travel? These suitcase and globe card boxes can help send you off on your honeymoon with a flair.

Source: Suitcase Card Box, Globe Card Box

Or maybe a Cinderella story wedding is in the works?

Source: Fairy Tale Coach Card Box, Carriage Wedding Card Box

Or, these scrolled metal boxes go great with just about any decorations – floral, lace, fairytale, casual, elegant – take your pick!

Source: Scrolled Metal Mailbox, Scrolled Metal Card Box

Speaking of floral themes, why not use a planter for your card box? This moss-covered square planter is beautiful, but any flower pot would do. You and your fiance could get a simple terracotta planter and paint it to match the rest of your decorations.

Source: Moss-Covered Card Box

For the beer and wine lover, this keg is a beautiful cardholder. Not to mention it can be used later as a decoration in your home!

Source: Wine Barrel Card Box

For a summery, outdoor reception, think about a picnic basket or a log card box:

Source: Picnic Basket Card Box, Log Card Box

If you’re going for a more modern, simplistic feel for your wedding reception decorations, you need this gorgeously simple card box. The beautiful Circle of Love design and the engraved monogram make this a great keepsake box for after your wedding, too!

Source: Circle of Love Card Box

Another great option for a simple feel is this photo box:

Source: Rustic Photo Card Box, Black Photo Card Box

This rose gold terrarium card box is the perfect accessory for a floral or otherwise plant-themed wedding. Surround it with bouquets or potted plants or succulents to create a beautiful display. After the wedding, you can dry your bouquet and put them in the box, or you can turn it into an actual terrarium!

Source: Terrarium Card Box

Our love for vintage isn't going away any time soon, and this hat box holds cards beautifully.

Source: Vintage Hat Box

If vintage isn't quite the old school vibe you're looking for, take your gift table back to its roots with the original card box: a mailbox!

Source: Mail Box

Which box is your favorite? Comment below!

Elizabeth graduated from The University of Findlay with a Master of Arts in Rhetoric and Writing. She now resides in Portland, Oregon where she is employed in the real estate business and is particularly enjoying the local cuisine. As a writer, Elizabeth believes in a quote from one of her favorite TV shows: "We have only two jobs on this Earth. The first: to learn. The second: to cope." A deep desire to learn struck Elizabeth when she was young, and now she hopes to help you cope by sharing information, and helping you apply the knowledge. Weddings and event planning can be overwhelming; sometimes it's okay to take a little advice from a stranger on the internet.