Top 4 Ways to Include Memorials into Your Wedding Day

First and foremost, thank you to all our readers for their loyal support.  More and more, our brides have been asking what the best way is to include memorials into their wedding day...while still making the focus on the bride and groom.  Because you spoke, we listened and are happy to give you our list of the top 4 ways to include the memory of your lost loved ones into your special day.

#1) The number one and easiest way to include lost loved ones is through your wedding programs.  Truly a tasteful and understated way to say, 'We're thinking of you.'  How to pull it off - One the back of your programs, simply add a meaningful quote or poem with the words 'In Loving Memory of' written underneath.  Add the names of all the individuals that couldn't be with you on your special day in their honor.  (You can also take this one step further by also playing their favorite song during your ceremony and/or reception.)

#2) The second most popular choice by couples are memorial cylinders and vases.  Include these beautiful displays in both your ceremony and reception.  Place an engraved memorial cylinder, with an optional photo of your loved one, near the alter during your ceremony.  The candle can either be lit before guests arrive or lit during the lighting of the unity candle.  Afterwards, set your cylinder on a display table during your reception.  A popular display spot for cylinders is on the escort table sitting next to a photo of the bride and groom with the person being memorialized.

#3) Losing your father is one of the hardest obstacles a bride-to-be can overcome but still should not overshadow your joyous occasion.  For bride's who have lost their father or father-figure, the memorial candle walk is ideal.  Instead of a bouquet, carry a candle down the aisle in memory of dad.  You can opt to be escorted by another close family member or walk by yourself.  Once you get to the alter, light your candle and set it in a candle holder next a favorite photo of your father.  This is truly a meaningful and heartfelt way to express your feelings.

#4) Subtle yet meaningful, add a photo buckle charm to your bouquet to keep the memory of your loved one close to your heart.  Insert your favorite photo and tie the buckle with decorative ribbon onto your bouquet wrap.  After the ceremony, your buckle can easily be removed and tucked away for safekeeping.

Best wishes to all.  "Gone yet not forgotten, although we are apart, your spirit lives within me, forever in my heart". ~ Author Unknown

Allie

Wedding Cake Serving Sets for your Cake Cutting Ceremony

One long standing tradition included with your wedding reception and one that your guests will look forward to is the cutting of your wedding cake. The wedding cake is one of the main focal points at the reception and often is placed on a decorated table with yours and your bridesmaids’ bouquets. All eyes will be on the newlyweds as you slice the cake. The first slice is traditionally cut hand over hand from the bottom layer; the groom feeds the first slice to the bride, then vise versa.


There are an abundant of elegant wedding cake server sets available to honor this special tradition. You can select a server set from a variety of designs to compliment your wedding theme. Have your server set engraved with your names and wedding date making it a treasured keepsake to use over again on each anniversary in remembrance of your wedding day.

Renee'

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