Candles and Lanterns Table Scape

Candles never go out of style no matter what time of year. Elizabeth Anne Designs offers lots of beautiful ideas for tablescapes such as these candle and lantern decorated wedding tables. (The pink candlescape was designed by Alexan Events and photographer was Jared Wilson.)

With the advent of fall, more and more wedding decor will include beautiful lanterns. They come in whispy white or wrought iron black. (Lantern photos by Marie Labbancz and featured on Evantine Events.) If your wedding group will be meeting outside, you can light real candles for a soft romantic look to your wedding tables.

Those who have their wedding event indoors can have the look of real candles without the mess. There are many options for putting battery operated candles inside the lantern. Whatever you choose for your tablescape, either will provide the ambience you are trying to achieve if displayed thoughtfully.

Easy, Reasonable, Bridal Shower or Wedding Decor

Want fun wedding or bridal shower decor that won't break the bank? Why not try your hand at pom poms! You could use these for any time of year in your wedding decorations. Not hard to tackle, Martha Stewart has great how to's explaining how to create these.

You have the freedom to use bright solid colors of tissue paper or patterned tissue. For winter or Christmas weddings, fashion pom poms out of white tissue and hang with paper snowflakes, and chinese lanterns.

The pom pom napkin ring holders are adorable and would add a nice designer touch to any wedding table. While very simple, these pom poms can look fun and elegant at the same time!

Simple Chair Decor

If you want lots of fun ideas for wedding decor, you will want to visit Project Wedding.
You could spend hours on their site and enjoy every minute of it! They came up with a really cute and simple idea for decorating your chairs for your wedding dinner, brunch, or reception.

All you need is some fabric, ribbon and scissors. It's that simple. Put a slash through the sewing because on top of the unique design there is no sewing! You can read the step by step directions on the short tutorial.

Use your imagination and adapt this idea according to your wedding colors. Try substituting bridal tulle for the ribbon. (It comes in many different colors!) If you are a "do it yourselfer" this may be a great project for you, your bridesmaids, family, friends anyone who has offered to help with your wedding or reception!

Go Green Vase

The ladies over at Lolliblog spotlighted these lovely tulips sold in bags. These would make a lovely gift for any time of year or could serve as a nice wedding decor accent.

You could use these on your wedding tables or give a smaller version to wedding guests as a wedding favor. Simple elegance would describe these paper vases. In a time when everyone is green conscious, you could do a lot with these paper bagged tulips.

For example buy a square of the fake green moss then set one (or more of these bags on top of it). Tie an elegant contrasting ribbon around the bag.

If you are looking for a special gift to give those who help with your wedding day, consider giving them flowers such as these. They can plant the flowers and remember your kindness and your wedding day long after it is over.

Bride and Groom Silverware

Aren't these fun? What a great idea for your cake table! His and hers, yours and mine, Mr. and Mrs. Whichever phrase you like, this would be such an elegant and simple addition to your decor on the cake table from Beach House Living.

After your wedding day, you could pull these out and use them on your anniversary or you could put them in a special shadowbox and hang them on the wall. Add your wedding announcement, some lace, a wedding napkin any little memento of your special day and voila! You've got a great display to hang on your wall.

Design in Food and Fabric

Once you pick a theme for your wedding and once you choose your wedding colors, you can carry your design throughout the food, the fabric, and the centerpieces. Over at Elizabeth Anne Designs , you can see a great example of this created by April Foster Events . The design chosen for a wedding is seen repeated in the cake, the table decor, and the desserts served to guests. Photos are by Megan W Photography. The colors are very relaxing and peaceful. So summery and inviting! You'll even find the how to's!

Place Setting Magic

For you upcoming wedding brunch, breakfast, or bridal shower, take your inspiration from a little fabric and a sheet of scrapbooking paper. This same idea can carry over for a special dinner date or fun party. Choose a 12 x12 piece of scrapbooking paper for your placemat. Put some fabric or a tablecloth under the placemat. If you would rather just use the paper placemat for your place setting then go for it.

Add some flowers, candles, goblets pulling your inspiration from the scrapbook paper placemat. Add some silverware, fancy folded napkin, and pretty plates. I added some whimsical pink fringe trim under the small plate. If you like, for fun added flair, put the menu on some other trendy paper and stand it in front of the goblet for your guests to view. Add your own spin on the place settings you want and you will be making your own table magic!

"Spring" Into Weddings!

Love the smell of Spring blossoms! With so many things starting to bloom in your yard and neighborhood, consider gathering blossoms of all colors and textures to incorporate into your wedding decor.

Cut some fruit tree blossom branches and tie together with a wide satin ribbon. Put them into a glass vase. White or purple alyssum ground cover would look great floating in a glass dish surrounding three to five slightly open roses carefully put in the center of the dish.

Look for ivy spilling over fences this time of year and cut some to put in table arrangements or your bridal bouquet. You can have your floral designer incorporate Spring blossoms into your wedding bouquet. If you choose a beautiful silk bouquet, there are many, many gorgeous blossom branches to choose from. A great variety of colors available too!

If by chance, you are planning an outdoor wedding, add some rustic or shabby chic looking birdhouses by the guest book or on your tables decorated with Spring blossoms! Put them around wedding photos displayed on a tree stumps or a table.

These are just a few ideas to get your creativity going so get your Spring on!

Soft glitter and gold

There are so many decorating possibilities when it comes to having a Christmas or New Years wedding! You can use the same ideas for party decor! Found a blog I really like over at The Wedding Decorator Blog! Laura shared these photos with me that she got from a blog called City Sage.

Don't they inspire you to incorporate some soft glitter and gold into your wedding decor for your wedding luncheon, or wedding reception? Whether hanging gold or glittering white stars from the ceiling or displaying ornaments creatively strewn down a staircase (that will be used only for decoration of course)your end result will be nothing short of breathtaking! Add some bunches of white roses tied with wired ribbon that has a music and cherub print theme to your staircase for added wow appeal!

Shoes filled with some ornaments and trinkets will delight those who see your beautiful decor! You could use the shoe idea for table centerpieces and sprinkle small gold and silver star confetti on the tables. Display a decorated shoe such as the ones in the photos up off the table on a glossy white gift box tied with a long wired gold ribbon. Attach white boas to the edge of a simple white table cloth for added elegance!

Rent a white or black sleigh to put your wedding gifts in. Decorate the front with a beautiful Christmas wreath and once again put Christmas baubles at various places on the sleigh.

Glass jars filled with a variety of Christmas candies and a large gingerbread house could be a focal point for any photos you might like to display.

Use the Christmas tree background I described in an earlier post and let your imagination go as you create your own Winter wedding wonderland!

Winter Wonderland Backdrop for Christmas or New Year's Wedding

Anticipating a wedding at Christmas time or New Year's? Here are a few suggestions for making your wedding day "Merry and Bright"! Display a row of pre lit Christmas trees for your wedding line to stand in front of.

You could have a musical theme and wind ribbon(designed with musical notes on it) around the branches or tie bows printed with musical notes on the branches. Spray large pine cones with glue and sprinkle with "Diamond Dust" glitter. Hang them on the branches.

Be creative and use whatever color ribbon you like. You can add partridges, musical instruments whatever your heart desires to put on the trees. If you prefer, just leave each tree undecorated except for the lights.

This creates a winter wonderland and makes a beautiful backdrop for your wedding or reception!

Planning Your Wedding Now!

There is one simple secret to making your wedding a royal one, less stressful, beautiful, and one that you will happily remember" foreverafter" as they say! Plan ahead! Even if you're not engaged or dating anyone special. Now is the time to plan.

"What", you say that's a novel idea! In high school, my Home Econmics teacher gave me the assignment to plan a wedding. I had to choose my wedding dress, bouquet, bridesmaid dresses, rings, wedding decor, etc...This came in handy when my husband and I had only three weeks to plan our wedding. He had to report to two a days football camp when he asked me to marry him.

Because of my school assignment, I knew the style of wedding dress I wanted. One day while shopping with my Mom I saw the dress of my dreams so to speak. She encouraged me to try it on. I ended up buying it. That was five years before I met my husband! It worked out great though because it was one less thing on my wedding list that I had to worry about!

Here is what you do! Make a Wedding Planner Scrapbook. Purchase a notebook. One with paper or put your own card stock in a binder.

Wedding Dress:

Start looking for wedding dress styles that you like. You can look through magazines, take pictures at wedding receptions you are invited to, or go and try some on at a local bridal shop. Ask before taking pictures as some shops won't allow it. You can also look for pictures online.

Once you find a style(s) you like, cut them out or put the photos you have taken in your scrapbook. Do the same for your wedding veil.

Wedding Colors:

What colors do you want your line to wear? How about your wedding decor? Put samples of the colors you think you would like to have at your wedding in your scrapbook.

Wedding Bouquets

Lots of options here! One thing to consider as you put samples in your scrapbook. Many years later I wish I had chosen a lasting bouquet. I went with fresh roses and although I had them preserved, my roses faded from the sun and got crushed and destroyed. If you want a lasting memento that you can use to decorate your new home with, go with silk. They are very real looking these days and the type of flowers and colors are endless!

Don't forget the rest of your wedding line! Find a few ideas for corsages, groom and best man boutineres, and parent wedding flowers.

Wedding Decor

Same idea here. As you attend wedding receptions, bridal showers, anniversary or birthday parties find inspiration for table decor, and other ideas for decorating. look through magazines, online resources, even your local garden nurseries, etc...to find ideas to create a beautiful wedding reception setting.

Bridesmaid and Flower Girl Attire

Get fabric samples in the colors that you would like to use. Also get photos or pictures of the style of dresses you want to use at your wedding. A great online resource for beautiful girls dresses (sizes baby to size 12) to coordinate with your wedding line is at www.Christmas Twigs.com.

Wedding Cake

What kind of a statement do you want to make with your cake? Will it have fresh or silk flowers cascading in a spiral design down your cake? Do you want an elegant or cute cake topper? Gather pictures of cake decor to get an idea of the special cake you want for your wedding day. Will you "Let them eat cake?" at your wedding or will it just be for display? A cake topper is something you can easily purchase now in planning ahead.

You can create whatever sections you want in your Wedding Planner Scrapbook including the food you would like to serve, napkin ideas, beverages, favors, etc... By planning ahead, you won't be disappointed in how your "royal wedding" day turns out! You will have the confidence to put your wedding together when the opportunity comes and be able to truly enjoy your day!