Ideas for Planning a Halloween Themed Wedding

What could possibly be more fun than planning a Halloween themed wedding? Keep in mind that a Halloween themed wedding does not have to be held on Halloween. You can have the ceremony the weekend before or the weekend after. The best thing about planning a spooktacular wedding is all the fun choices available for planning your wedding. Here are just a few fun tips for getting you Halloween wedding planning started.

• First decide how far you want to go with the Halloween theme. You can either go all out with all the Halloween trimmings, such as jack-o’-lanterns, bubbling cauldrons and costumes or you can have an elegant Harvest wedding with beautiful fall colors, pumpkin, gourds and leafy décor.

• Selecting your color scheme allows for many choices. Of course black and orange is one choice but you can also use red, yellow, copper or green, the options are endless. Have your groom and his attendants wear black tuxedos with tails to add mystery to their attire. Your bridesmaids can wear black and carry blood red roses for their bouquets. Brides should look for gothic style wedding dress with long flowing sleeves and tight bodices.

• For a dramatic Halloween centerpiece you could use wrought iron candelabras or Black Mini Lantern Tea Light Candle Holders with small gourds and pumpkins around the base. If you want to keep the mood truly Halloween add spider weds with plastic spiders to your centerpieces. Pumpkins are my favorite and they are very versatile. Buy some small pumpkins and stencils and carve your table numbers into the pumpkins.

• Everyone associates Halloween with candy, so a candy buffet is a must. Use all the fun candies of the season such as candy corn and taffy. You could also include caramel apples and sugar cookie cut-outs shaped as ghost and pumpkins. Don’t forget to add dry ice to the punch bowl to add the bubbling cauldron effect.

• Now it’s time to get into your scary groove. Have your DJ play plenty of fun Halloween songs through-out the evening like Monster Mash and Thriller. The sound track from the movie The Nightmare before Christmas also has some great music for a Halloween themed wedding.

Halloween is the holiday that allows us to be anything we want to be, so make you Halloween themed wedding the wedding of a lifetime. A Halloween wedding is a wedding that won’t soon be forgotten.

Carrie

Personalized Memorial Wedding Ideas

A wedding is so much more than just the union of two people; it's about joining families together. More wedding couples are incorporating some type of memorial for close friends and family members who have passed away or cannot attend the wedding.

If either of you have recently lost a close friend or family member, you can display a nice framed picture along with a short paragraph, poem or verse as guests walk in to sign your guest book. Display a personalized memorial vase or candle holder and have your officiate say a few words during your ceremony. Another option is to decorate a table at your reception with a memory board where guests can view at any time. There are an abundant of wedding memorial ideas and options for those who cannot attend your wedding and still be a significant part of your day in spirit and in remembrance.

Warmest Wishes,

Renee'

Breaking Away From Traditional Bridesmaid Dresses

More and more brides today are breaking away from traditional taffeta bridesmaids gowns and opting for more modern, wear-again dresses.  Long gone are the days of puffy sleeves and matchy-matchy attire.  Brides want their bridesmaids to feel just as beautiful as they do on their wedding day.  With that in mind, traditional bridal stores are no longer the shops of choice to find dresses.  Brides are breaking barriers and finding their inspiration in all venues, from small boutiques to large corporation chains.

These beautiful sheer silk georgette dresses are designed by Kostas Murkudis and available at andreamurkudis.net.  Talk about a horse of a different color.  These stunning dresses come in 143 colors with a possible 21,000 color combinations when you layer one on top of the other.  The possibilities are endless.  Such a fabulous way to give your bridesmaids wearable fashion while still meeting your wedding day vision.  Check out all the other color options over at style bubble.


Other increasingly popular spots for finding bridesmaids dresses are chain stores like anthropologie and jcrew.  Choosing a corporate store is a great way to keep all your bridesmaids in the same dresses but still give them a dress they will love.  Because, many stores will be able to inventory a larger number of the same dress style.  Another great idea is to choose a different style for each girl but the same color.  Many larger corporations will carry multiple dress styles and will be able to provide many of them in the same color.  Give your girls the color you want, the store, and tell them to go shopping. (Above photo credit - J Crew bridesmaids dresses courtesy of goode green photography)

More adventurous brides have opted to mix-and-match their gown styles by hitting local thrift shops and vintage stores.  The upside of going this route is that your dresses are likely to be very inexpensive and one-of-a-kind.  Downside...you may have to set aside a lot of time and dedication to finding dresses in the right sizes and ones that match your color scheme.

Happy Planning!

Allie

Savoring Summer with these Outdoor Wedding Favors

While walking through the stores this weekend I noticed back to school supplies are out and fall and Halloween decorations are sneaking their way on to the shelves. It makes part of me long for the crisp air and crunch of leaves that autumn brings, but another part of me refuses to give up summer without a fight! We have a good month and a half of summer weather left here in the Midwest! In honor of that, here are some ideas for those who love the sunny outdoors! 

Enjoy and help preserve the outdoors with ecofriendly favors such as plantable seed packets, polished rock place card holders, and adorable notepads that definitely remind me of climbing trees as a kid. You can also find other nature inspired decor,  like natural wood plaques, at most craft stores. These would look adorable with initials or table numbers carved into them.

Photo Credit: Martha Stewart Living

You can also give guests a little bit of nature to take home with them. Small bouquets wrapped in a cone of pretty paper can be hung with ribbon along chairs or placed in an arrangement for guests. A sign reading "take your pick!" can be placed near the flowers to be sure guests know that they are not merely part of the decorations.  Another way to incorporate fresh flowers in your favors is by giving hair clips, corsages, and boutonneires made by you or your florist. These can be pinned to a linen covered peg board for guests to choose from. If flowers are too fussy for you, potted plants and herbs are a great way to go!

Photo Credit: Martha Stewart Living

If you will have your event outdoors, be sure to provide plenty of water and shade for guests. If no trees or tents are available, you can always provide paper parasols and hand fans. Fans can serve a double purpose if you have your wedding programs printed on them. It is also considerate to provide sunscreen and bug repellant wipes, or have citronella candles lit to keep away uninvited guests.

Today's summer wedding favors are available in a wide range of themes and styles to accomodate any outdoor wedding reception or party.

Remember, it is sunny days with friends and family that will keep you warm through the winter months!

~Jenna

Back To School Lunch Bags

More and more Moms today are packing bagged lunches for their children. Whether you are trying to save money, eating organic or just trying to provide a nutritional meal for your child, lunch bags are a necessity. Your child will love picking out his or her own bag color and adding his or her name and design to their very own lunch bags. This is also a great way to keep your child’s lunch from getting mixed in with the other bagged lunches at school.

Personalized lunch bags can also be used as snack bags for sporting events or field trips. Add your school logo onto a lunch bag and have them printed in your school colors to add some fun and personalization to your next school event.

Carrie