Five Ways to Use Giant Balloons in Your Wedding Decorations

Balloons! The word can bring up all sorts of memories of days gone by … birthday parties, proms and other festive events! In this blog post the wedding balloon ideas I’ll be sharing are not those that you might remember from childhood birthday parties and high school proms. Instead, I’ll be sharing ways to use giant balloons, which can add a lot of visual appeal to your wedding décor.

I will admit that balloons can at first seem like a tacky addition to add to your wedding décor but keep an open mind. The balloons that we are seeing in today’s weddings aren’t the pear-shaped common variety, but rather, are large, round “statement” balloons that are often decorated with tassels, fringe, etc. They are used at the most elegant of weddings and are really lovely!

Some of the ways you can use giant balloons at your wedding are  ….

• Ceremony Décor
• Reception Site Décor
• Reception Table Décor
• Dessert Table Décor
• Props for Wedding Photos

I hope the photos below will help you see all that you can do with balloons!

Ceremony Décor. Adding balloons is a way to infuse the ceremony with your wedding colors. Notice that other decorations are kept to a minimum, in both photos below. The balloons make a strong statement, so other decorations are often not needed.

Reception Décor. Balloons are a great addition to your reception décor. The tassels on the balloons and twinkling lights complete the fairytale look.

Table Décor. Balloons will add a festive air to your tables. You can keep your centerpiece somewhat simple and use the balloons to add pizzazz.

Wedding Dessert Bar/Candy Buffet. Notice how much appeal just a few giant balloons can add.

Wedding Photos. Balloons are a perfect accessory for wedding photos. They can be used for a sunny, fun photo as in this first photo or in a more artistic shot as in the 2nd photo. They make interesting props for bridal party photos, as well.

You probably noticed that a lot of the photos above show balloons with streamers and/or tassels attached. The added elements create a lot of visual interest to the balloons. If you decide to add streamers and/or tassels to your balloons just make sure that yours aren’t too heavy or they will weigh down the balloons. Below are some photos to give you some ideas for streamers and tassels.

I want to share some links with you where you can get step-by-step instructions on how to DIY balloon streamers/fringe: The Alison Show, Green Wedding Shoes, Glitter Guide

And to see an elegant wedding’s use of balloons, here is a link:
Green Wedding Shoes Wedding

For an elegant tassle/fringe you might want to consider using ribbon.
100-Yard Rolls of Ribbon at Exclusively Weddings – 24 Color Choices for Satin and 9 for Sheer Organza:
7/8″ Satin Ribbon 
7/8″ Sheer Organza Ribbon 
5/8″ Satin Ribbon
3/8″ Satin Ribbon

Photo Sources: work-and-process.blogspot.com, Green Wedding Shoes, Ruffled Blog, Green Wedding Shoes, Rock N Roll Bride, White Liilac Inc, Cafernia Sweet, Jordan McBride, Boho Weddings, NA, Keely Thorne, BHLDN, Bridal Musings, Tikkido, Jordan McBride

Five Fresh Ideas for Using Ribbon Streamers at Your Wedding

Decorating with ribbon is a relatively easy way to add lots of pizzazz to your wedding ceremony and reception. In this post I will share some ideas you may not have seen before. I won’t be talking about using ribbon on bouquets, aisle markers or on little boxes for your wedding favors … you probably know about that already!

I will focus on five fresh ideas for using ribbon streamers for:

• Ceremony Backdrop
• Ceremony and/or Reception Chairs
• Reception Ceiling Décor
• Reception Table Runners
  
• Wedding Balloons

Ceremony Backdrop. If you are having your wedding ceremony outside, chances are you will need a backdrop for the area where you and your groom will stand for your wedding vows. This will be the spot where important wedding photos will be taken as you exchange rings, share your first kiss as husband and wife, etc. So, you want it to be beautiful! Using ribbon is less expensive than flowers and doesn’t require a professional to set up. This is something you can do by yourself … with a little assistance from a few friends and/or family.

The backdrop below is very simple and understated. Notice that the aisle markers coordinate with it.

This photos shows how the ribbons are attached. As you can see, your backdrop can be as elaborate as you want it to be!

This backdrop  uses several types of ribbon which gives it a lot of visual interest.

Ceremony and/or Reception Chairs. Decorating chairs can be a bit labor intensive and if you don’t have help, instead of decorating all of the chairs, you can just do the bride’s and groom’s chairs or the head table’s chairs.

All three of the ribbon designs below make great use of coordinating the wedding colors. Here is a link to show you how to do these techniques:
How to Decorate Chairs with Ribbon

Reception Ceiling Décor. Here are some examples of how to decorate your reception site’s ceiling with ribbons.

If your reception site has chandeliers you can coordinate your wedding colors by simply adding ribbons to the chandelier.

Not every venue can handle the ceiling detail that is shown below but for those that can, you can add a lot of interest and color with ribbon.

Reception Table Runners. If you are on a budget and don’t want to have elaborate centerpieces, you can use ribbon streamers to add color and interest to your tables.

Ribbon is great for substituting for a tablecloth and often it is a lot more festive!

Wedding Balloons. When it comes to balloons there are “degrees” of “fabulousness”! Yes, you can get the pear-shaped ones and tie some “curling” ribbon on them but why not take it up a notch and use round balloons with shimmery,satin ribbon!

Balloons are great for photos and the ribbon “pom-poms” take things from average to spectacular! The last photo shows more detail of the colorful ribbon pom-poms in this photo.

Resources:

It’s best to cut your ribbons at a slant or “V” at the ends. Here are instructions for doing that: The Right Way to Cut Ribbon Ends

100-Yard Rolls of Ribbon at Exclusively Weddings – 24 Color Choices for Satin and 9 for Sheer Organza:
7/8″ Satin Ribbon 
7/8″ Sheer Organza Ribbon 
5/8″ Satin Ribbon
3/8″ Satin Ribbon

Photo Sources: Lizzie Photo, Stripling Photography, Anne Robert Photography, Alyssa Vincent, Wedding Chicks, Anushe Low, Keely Thorne Events, She-n-He.com, Style Me Pretty, A Little Polkadot, Keely Thorne Events/Craig Davis Photography [last two photos]

Top 10 Tips for the Perfect Candy Buffet for Your Wedding Reception

In my last blog post I showed you how to create a dessert bar and I thought I’d follow that one up with tips for creating a candy buffet, in case you are trying to decide which one to have at your reception. Of course, some brides have both or combine them, but this post will focus on just the candy buffet.

Top10 tips for creating the perfect candy buffet:

• Include approximately 7-10 different types of candy.
• Vary the candy in size and texture.
• Vary the type of candy such as chocolate, taffy, hard candies, suckers, etc.
• Use glass containers of different heights and shapes.
• Go for a big impact with a color theme of 2-3 colors or shades of one color.
• Add a sign with a saying such as “Love is Sweet”.
• Have small bags or boxes available so guests can take candy home.
• Decorate the containers with ribbon and/or tags that identify type of candy.
• If your reception is outdoors in summer, stay away from candy that melts easily.
• Be sure to have someone in charge of refilling the containers as they run low.

And a bonus tip from Candy Warehouse: “If you are providing a candy buffet/bar that allows guests to take some candy home with them in the form of a party favor, our general rule of thumb is to account for approximately eight ounces of candy per guest.”

The photos below are examples of how to create a fabulous candy buffet.

The creative sign with coordinating ribbon adds lots of pizzazz!

The addition of ribbon dresses up the jars and gives the display a coordinated look. Notice how two of the jars are perched on upside-down vases to give them height!

This table would not be difficult for you to duplicate. It gets its wow-factor from having a lots of choices and sticking with a strong color theme in shades of purple with gold and white accents.

This is another display that uses color well. It really has it all… two colors that give drama plus beautiful jars in interesting shapes and in a variety of sizes. The matching sign helps draw the guests to the table.

The ombré pink theme is played out in the candy choices. The intense pop of color and coordinating backdrop make for a striking buffet.

Here’s a close-up view of some of the candy choices you  might want to consider. Using many shades of one color is one way to create instant drama.

Photo: Candy Warehouse

Our Pinterest board has more ideas for you :
Wedding Dessert Bar and Candy Buffet

Photo Sources: Katelyn James Photography & Jasmine Star Photography, New England Fine Living, Events Beyond, Wedding Bee, The Rose Wedding Photography, Candy Warehouse

How To Create the Perfect Wedding Reception Dessert Bar

Instead of serving just one dessert to your guests, you may want to consider having a dessert buffet or dessert table, which these days most people call a Dessert Bar.

Having a dessert bar is one more way to wow your guests and in most cases this is something you and/or your family and friends can DIY. You can use all store bought desserts, all homemade or a mixture of the two.  How large and elaborate it is can vary considerably and you just need to go with what you are most comfortable with and what is within your wedding budget.

Some ideas to consider:

• Add ribbon creatively to tie around containers or to drape across the table.
• Make sure the bowls/platters in the display vary in height.
• Consider using one or two colors to create a striking, cohesive color palette.
• Instead of putting your desserts on a table, use a piece of furniture.
• Incorporate interesting objects as risers for your containers.

Usually the wedding cake is on the same table as the dessert bar and is the “anchor” and centerpiece of the display. In many cases you can get away with a much smaller cake since there are other desserts that your guests can choose. Notice the empty picture frames in the background in the photo below. They are painted to match the color scheme and add visual interest.

The dessert bar below uses an overall black and white palette to create a cohesive look. The black and white ribbon, which is an easy addition, adds pizzazz.

One way to add creativity to your dessert bar is to put it on an interesting piece of furniture. With an outdoor wedding you will have nature as your backdrop but consider pom-poms or other décor to tie it all together.

The unique and fun dessert bar “table” below would work well for a rustic wedding.

This dessert bar uses interesting vintage elements to help achieve the varied heights of the platters.

The dessert bar below has several decorator touches: The desserts are displayed on a vintage dresser, which is decorated with an on-trend fabric. The risers for the platters are simply boxes covered in the same fabric that decorates the dresser. The green, vintage dishes add a special touch, as well. Everything coordinates with the colors of the cake for overall “fabulousness”!

This beautiful arrangement of French macarons is the centerpiece of this vibrant dessert bar. Except for the perfect tablecloth, everything else is kept rather simple, so as not to compete with it.

Photo Sources: Red Elephant, Cake-A-Licious, Gabriel Ryan Photography, What’s Gaby Cooking, K & K Designs, Style Sweets, Anneli Marinovich Photography

Resources:

DIY Wedding Reception Supplies
If you want to make your own tissue paper pom-poms, we have a tutorial that gives step-by-step instructions: How to Make Tissue Paper Pom-Poms

Wedding Dessert Bar and Candy Buffet on Pinterest

30 Ways to Have Your Dream Wedding for Less, Part 5

In 30 Ways to Have Your Dream Wedding for Less, Part 5, I will share three more money-saving ideas: One location for both the ceremony and reception, pom-poms for inexpensive pizzazz, and choosing a day other than Saturday for your wedding.

Tip 13. One Location for Both the Ceremony and Reception. Having both the ceremony and reception in one location can be accomplished in several ways. One way is to choose a venue where you can have your wedding outdoors and reception indoors or vice versa. Or you may want to have both the wedding and reception indoors or outdoors in separate areas of the venue. There are definite cost savings to using one location. Read more . . .

30 Ways to Have Your Dream Wedding for Less

New Blog Feature! For the next ten weeks I will share three money-saving ideas in each blog post for a total of 30 Ways to Have Your Dream Wedding for Less. In addition to listing my tips, I will give you resources and photos so you can actually use the tips! I hope you will enjoy this addition to the blog!

In this first post in the series, I’ll cover money-saving ideas for your wedding cake, bouquet and reception tables.

Tip 1.  Wedding Cake. This week’s three money-saving wedding tips starts with the wedding cake. Choose an alternative to a large, elaborate wedding cake and go with a small cake instead. A small cake will require less work in making and transporting than a large one and will therefore cost you less; however, it will still be fine for your ceremonial cake cutting. You may be wondering what to serve your guests if you have a small wedding cake. Here are a couple options: Cupcakes. Cupcakes are less expensive and require less expertise than creating a wedding cake. And by serving your guests cupcakes, you will avoid a cake cutting fee from the venue, which can be around $1.50 per person. Sheet Cake.  Another option is to supplement your small cake with a sheet cake, which is cut “behind the scenes” and then served.  A simple sheet cake is less expensive to make and easier to cut than a multi-tiered wedding cake.

Our Cupcakes Pinterest board has lots of photos to help with ideas.

The photo below is  from Taylor and Andrew’s wedding and shows how a small cake with cupcakes can work wonderfully!

Photo Source

Tip 2.  Bridal Bouquet. There are several ways to save on your bridal bouquet with varying degrees of savings. I’ll start with two very obvious points: A small bouquet will cost less than a large one and flowers sourced locally will cost less than flowers flown in from far away. If your budget is very small, I suggest that you pick up “cash and carry” flowers and tie them in to a hand-tied bouquet. I searched the Internet to find you a tutorial on how to make a hand-tied bouquet. The one I found has easy-to-follow step-by-step instructions. My favorite tip from the site is “Practice beforehand. Don’t wait until the day before the wedding to give bouquet making a try”!
Hand-Tied Bouquets

If you work with a florist, be sure and let her know your budget and be willing to use flowers that are less expensive such as roses instead of orchids. Using fillers of greenery and/or baby’s breath in the bouquet is a way to stretch your budget, also. We have two Pinterest boards with lots of bouquets to help with ideas. Be sure to show your florist (if using one) photos of bouquets you like.
Colorful Bouquets – White Bouquets

The bouquet below is a hand-tied rose bouquet with the addition of sprigs of rosemary.

Photo Source – Click to Enlarge

And if you are getting married in early spring, you may want to consider a Daffodil bouquet. Daffodils are profuse in the spring in many areas of the U.S. and you might even be able to get them at no cost at all. If you have enough time, you could even plant bulbs yourself to harvest in time for the wedding. In the photo below, the addition of a decorative wrap and embellishment elevates the look.
How to Make a Daffodil Bouquet

Photo Source – Click Photo to Enlarge

Tip 3.  Large Reception Tables. By using larger, and therefore fewer, tables you will need fewer centerpieces and tablecloths. Along those lines, I especially love the idea of long, rectangular tables because they create a “family-style”, friendly ambiance and therefore encourage conversation.

Sometimes when using round tables it can be difficult to get a “decorator” look with DIY centerpieces. But long tables are very forgiving! You can use plain bottles or bottles decorated with ribbon or twine and add cut flowers and your tables will look lovely. Empty wine bottles, beer bottles, and other glass bottles will work just fine. Check with local restaurants and see if they will give you their “empties”. Our DIY Centerpieces Pinterest board has lots of ideas as does our Wedding Reception Tablescapes board.
Photo Source – Click Photo to Enlarge

Additional Resources in My Other Blog Posts:
More photos from Taylor and Andrew’s wedding are in this blog post:
Taylor and Andrew’s Rustic Wedding

Wedding Bouquet Shapes
DIY Wedding Centerpieces
Wedding Cupcakes and Mini Cakes

Signature Wedding Cocktail

One of the biggest expenses for a wedding reception is an open bar. Costs can spiral out of control pretty fast, since most venues charge you for every bottle that is opened, even if it was used for just one drink. If you are handling the bar details yourself, it can be an overwhelming task and expensive to stock it, hire a bartender, and the like.

One way to save money on the alcoholic beverages is to offer just wine and beer. But if you want to crank it up a notch and “wow” your guests, you may want to serve one or two signature wedding cocktails, either with or without the beer and wine option. And with an open bar you may be tempted to buy premium brands of alcohol but if serving a pre-mixed signature cocktail, you can get way with more moderately priced brands.

Even if you are having an open bar, serving a signature cocktail can still be a fun addition.

Sometimes both the bride and groom choose a cocktail as their “signature”.  Couples even incorporate a sign to announce the choices, such as this one:

There is really no end to the possibilities available when choosing a wedding cocktail. In this post, I’ll show you some options. Recipes are included in the link underneath each photo.

If your wedding is in winter or autumn, you can serve a drink that coordinates with the season, such as the Candy Cane Martini and S’Mores Martini shown below:

Recipe

Recipe

For a wedding that is on or near Memorial Day or Fourth of July a Fireworks Daiquiri is an impressive choice:

Recipe

For spring and summer weddings, a Blow-Pop Martini or Strawberry Lemonade Sparkler is a welcomed treat:
Recipe

Recipe

You can also choose a cocktail in your wedding color(s) such as the Sparkling Shamrock below that will coordinate with your Lime Green wedding color:

Recipe

Or a Blue Wave to match your Teal and Fuchsia colors:

Recipe

And of course you can never go wrong with Champagne.  And there are some delicious sparkling wines available for a fraction of the cost of Champagne.

You may want to choose Pink Champagne (or sparkling pink wine)  Here’s an article to help with your choice:
The Best Sparkling Pink Wine for Under $20

Whichever signature cocktail you choose, your guests will surely be impressed and will toast to your creativity!
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For more signature wedding cocktail ideas from EW, see our Pinterest board:
Wedding Cocktails on Pinterest

Photo Sources:
Signature Cocktails Sign: Cathy’s Concepts; Candy Cane Martini: Q’s Tasty Concoctions; The S’mores Martini: Cheeky Chic; Fireworks Red, White and Blue Daiquiris: Food Network; Blow Pop Martini Cocktails: tablespoon; Strawberry Lemonade Sparkler: Rippee Photography; Sparkling Shamrock Champagne Cocktail: Formal Fringe;  Lime Green Collage: Wirken Photography, The Culinary Chronicles, Jose Villa Wedding Photography, Formal Fringe, Sweet and Saucy Shop, Martha Stewart Weddings; Le Blue Wave: LILA Photo; Teal & Fuchsia Collage: Cindy & Saylor, Photography by Vanessa, Bradley James Photography, Abby Jiu Photography, Olofson Design, Ivy Studios Photo; Gold-Rimmed Glasses of Champagne: Kristyn Hogan Photography

Your Outdoor Wedding Reception – What’s Your Style?

Planning your wedding reception can be a daunting task. After all, most engaged couples have not had the experience of planning such a large and important party before.

To help with your planning process, I will cover some of the hallmarks of three popular types of outdoor receptions in this post.  At first glance all three may seem to be very similar to each other but there are definite differences in décor and style that really do help create a unique look and feel for each one.

The reception styles I’m including are Casual – Festive, Rustic and Garden.

CASUAL – FESTIVE WEDDING RECEPTION
Venue: Backyard, park, farm, and other outdoor venues.
Décor: Pom-poms, banners/bunting, paper décor and often decorations that hang from trees, fences, and the like. You can go with just “casual” or include more fun details for “casual-festive”.
Seating: Pillows, benches and simple chairs with or without pillows, sometimes decorated with ribbon streamers.
Tables:  Often long tables are used without tablecloths.  You can include place mats, table runners or tablecloths in simple fabrics such as burlap and cotton.
Centerpieces: Simple DIY incorporating candles and flowers in vases or in recycled jars and bottles.
Flowers: Simple in-season local cut flowers such as roses and daisies with baby’s breath and greenery added.

This informal style often includes colorful ribbons to decorate place settings, bottles, vases and chairs.

Hot Tip:  Even though  your reception may be casual, it is fun to add “designer” items such as vintage-style drinking straws, creative cupcake wrappers, cupcake toppers, styling tags, and other elements that tie together your color theme and help create a cohesive put-together look. The photos below help illustrate how this style can take shape.

RUSTIC WEDDING RECEPTION
Venue: Farm, park or backyard — sometimes in a large, rented tent or in a barn.
Décor: Burlap is often used, sometimes paired with lace. Mason jars are plentiful to hold flowers, candles, beverages and food.
Seating: Benches or simple chairs often decorated with burlap.
Tables: Picnic tables; round or rectangle tables without cloths or with burlap cloths.
Centerpieces: Simple DIY using Mason jars and recycled bottles and jars. Colorful marbles or stones are often used at the bottom of the vases.
Flowers: Lavender; sunflowers, daisies, dried flowers.  Dried wheat is often used in the decorations.

Bales of hay and hand-painted wedding signs can be incorporated in to the décor.

Hot Tip #1: If you love the rustic style but want your reception to be a little more formal, you can make the short jump from “rustic” to “country chic”. Country Chic combines rustic with more refined accessories, as shown below in the last two photos in the collage and the last single photo. In the last photo the burlap runners and yellow metal buckets are paired with white tablecloths and an elaborately decorated ceiling to create a unique and appealing country chic décor.

Hot Tip #2: If you want to make sure that your reception “screams” rustic, be sure to include Mason jars, lots of natural wood, burlap and informally arranged cut flowers.

Rustic – Country Chic:

GARDEN WEDDING RECEPTION
Venue: Public or private garden or most any outdoor space that will accommodate the reception
Décor: Lots of flowers, of course! The décor can be simple or elaborate but this style is usually refined in the accessories and décor used.
Seating: Simple, stylish chairs
Tables: Tables almost always include a tablecloth or elaborate runner
Centerpieces: Centerpieces are usually lush and include lots of flowers
Flowers: Flowers often include roses and other in-season local flowers and can be in formal arrangements.

While this style incorporates nature in its décor, its decorations
usually lean toward simple elegance.

Hot Tip: If you have the reception in a public garden/park you will have some of your decorations already taken care of from the lush surroundings and plantings that are already there.

Below is an example of all of the styles together so you can more easily see how they differ. Click the photo for a large version.

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For more ideas see our Pinterest Boards:
Burlap Wedding Ideas
Mason Jars for Wedding Decor
Mason Jars for Beverages
Mason Jars for Food
Country Chic/Rustic Weddings
DIY Centerpieces
DIY Reception Ideas from Exclusively Weddings

Resources on This Blog:

How to Use Mason Jars at Your Wedding
Taylor and Andrew’s Rustic Wedding
Rustic Wedding

Photo Sources:
Casual-Festive Collage:  Etsy, Piccsy, Ariella Chezar, Troy Grover Photographers Photo 1: Holland Photo Arts Photo 2: Style Me Pretty Rustic Collage:  Lovely Little Details, Jose Villa Wedding Photography, Jose Villa Wedding Photography, Ace Photography Photo 1: Southern Weddings Photo 2: Krista Fox Photography Garden Collage:  Moments of Magic, Vanilla and Cinnamon, Jose Villa Wedding Photography, Jesse Leake Photography Photo 2: Belle the Magazine

Easy DIY Wedding Reception Centerpieces

If you are planning your wedding you are probably seeing the total cost add up … and up! One way to stretch your wedding dollars is to use DIY wedding reception centerpieces.

In this post we’ll focus on the ways you can incorporate glass bottles in to your DIY centerpiece. There are lots of other DIY possibilities as well, which we will cover in future blog posts. In the meantime, check out our DIY Centerpiece Pinterest board which has over 100 photos of ideas and inspiration.  DIY Centerpieces on Pinterest

The price of the bottles can range from a couple dollars each to free! You can use soft drink bottles, beer bottles, wine bottles and “dress” them up to look great. We suggest mixing free bottles with a few purchased ones.

And you can mix cuttings from bushes in with your cut flowers to stretch their effect.

One way to create centerpieces with a square shape is to use small jars or bottles and tie them together with ribbon, twine, yarn, etc. and fill them with cut flowers in your wedding colors.
Photo Source

Photo Source

Another idea for a DIY centerpiece is to use a variety of bottles and fill  each with a single flower. This works especially well for long, rectangular-shaped tables.

You can use a variety of bottle colors or shades of a single color for impact.

Photo Source

Photo Source

Another option, besides adding flowers to a simple bottle, is to decorate the bottles. You can use colored glass “pebbles” to add a pop of color in the water and/or add decorative paper, ribbon or yarn.

Photo Source

Photo Source

Photo Source

The bottles can also be spray painted or dipped in paint to coordinate with weddings that are using either silver or gold as an accent.
Photo Source

Photo Source

And for winter weddings you can give the bottles a wintery look as shown below. See photo source below for instructions on how to accomplish this look.
Photo Source

How to Create the Perfect Wedding Reception Table Décor

Your wedding reception is likely going to be the highlight of your wedding day. The ceremony is over and probably some of the stress is now gone and you and your guests are ready to party!

Planning your wedding reception is very much like planning a party . . . probably the most important party you’ll ever plan. Most of us want our guests to say “Wow” when they enter the reception venue and see the dinner tables decorated to show that you have thought of everything and that you obviously care about your guests.

Exclusively Weddings’ team recently did a photo shoot of a reception table to give brides some ideas on how various elements come together to create a welcoming and inviting table. The elements include candles, place card holders, flutes and favors.

(Click the images below for full-size versions.)

Candlelight is always a welcomed addition to a table setting. Here, our designers used our Damask Vellum Shades to create decorative lighting.

Our Baroque picture frame, which comes in a choice of black or white, works perfectly for use as a place card holder, table card holder or as a favor. Black Baroque Frame and White Baroque Frame.

And for your edible favors, Two-Piece Favor Boxes offer so much versatility. You can dress them up in a multitude of ways. They are perfect for holding candy or other goodies. A lot of brides mix and match them by buying two different colors and using the top of one and the bottom of another to create a custom look.

Personalized Ribbon is an accent that never fails to make an impression! It can be personalized so that the name and date will appear on the streamer ends of the ribbon or it can be “continuous” and appear from one end of the ribbon to the other. In the bow below, the names and date look best when they appear on the ribbon streamers. The Organza Bag (available in 17 colors) is filled with our Premium Sugared Almonds.

One of my favorite items is this pair of Crystal Wrapped Flutes. An artist in Oregon designed the crystal wrap using the highest quality Austrian crystals just for EW.  She hand applies the crystal decoration on the flutes as well as a complementary knife and server set. They can be used solely for your first toast together or you can also include them for your head table guests/wedding party as an exceptional keepsake of the day. The flutes and Serving Set come in 8 crystal-color combinations and of course they can be used for many years to come to celebrate anniversaries in grand style. Oh, and they can be personalized, too!

Voilà … the completed reception table! All of the elements have come together to create a welcoming and dazzling tablescape for your wedding guests. Our design team chose to create a black-and-white-themed table; however, it would be easy to add a third color and still keep the basic design. Red, pink, purple, lime, yellow, orange, turquoise, and royal blue are just some of the colors that look great with black and white. The Printed Menu wrapped in Ribbon (available in 23 colors) adds the final finishing touch. A flower arrangement that is of minimum height assures that the guests can see each other easily to talk and laugh and enjoy the festivities!

 

Your Wedding Colors – Peacock

When choosing colors for your wedding, if you don’t shy away from vibrant colors and if you like colors in the purple and blue families, then you might want to consider a Peacock Color Theme.

One of the most luscious color schemes for weddings, this combination can include just the “peacock colors” or it can also include actual peacock feathers in the décor.

The colors  of a Peacock Theme are turquoise, royal blue, green, and purple. The purple color can vary as shown in the color chart below from a true purple to a color that leans more toward magenta or plum. Regardless of the exact shades, the hallmark of the Peacock theme is “vibrant” blues and purples with some green, as well. There often is a little bit of gold that is used as an accent.

A peacock in all his glory and a flower girl in her peacock frock. Both are gorgeous!

Peacock bouquets often include actual peacock feathers as accents but it is not required.

A tablescape in peacock colors is sure to bring ooohs and aaahs!

There are lots of ways to incorporate the peacock theme in to the wedding, including food and drink, as well as the wedding cake … and purple shoes fit right in with the color scheme!

I created two color-story collages showing how a Peacock themed wedding might look. Click the photos for the full-size versions.

For more peacock color theme photos, visit our Pinterest Peacock board.

Collages created by Sher Silver.

Photo Credits:
Collage 1: Deb Simon Photography; Flower girl tutu dress in both photos can be purchased from The Little Pea Etsy Shop. Direct link to seller. (Candid Impressions Photography) – Collage 2: Blue Petyl; DivaCratus, Southern Girl Weddings Etsy Shop, Bouquet Bouquet, Pinterest Archives, Kate Kelly Photography – Collage 3: Project Wedding (photo by: An Elegant Touch vendor: An Elegant Touch), Project Wedding  (photo by: An Elegant Touch vendor: An Elegant Touch) , Tracey Sanders Photography, Dreams and Weddings, Pinerest Archives, Project Wedding, Karen Tran Blog, Leisure Arts, Project Wedding  (photo by: Haute Couture Linens
vendor: Haute Couture Linens) – Collage 4: Tumblr.com,, Bella Cupcakes, Project Wedding, Square Pace, Weddings-Place

Your Color Story – Choosing Your Wedding Colors

Choosing a color scheme for your wedding is one of the most important wedding planning decisions you will make because the colors you choose will be played out in your invitations, bridesmaids dresses, flowers, bouquets, cake, place cards, favors, wedding decor, reception decor and more!

So, how do you go about choosing your perfect wedding colors? Some things to consider . . .

Time of Year: The season of your wedding is always a good place to start because you probably wouldn’t want to use a spring palette of pale yellow and soft pink for a December wedding. But if you love those colors and are having a winter wedding, you can use a variation of them by using a rich yellow/gold with a deep pink. In most cases it isn’t the color you choose that will make it “work” but it is the tones of the colors.

Availability of Photos to Inspire: Another tip is to do an internet search for the colors you are thinking of using. Put your colors in to Google (be sure to include the word “wedding”) and select “Images” in the left navigation. The results should give you photos of the colors you are interested in so you can see how they look together. Also, go to Pinterest and do a search on your colors there. If you want to be able to see lots of photos of ideas as you go through the planning process, this exercise will let you know if you will have those photos available. If you don’t see many photos in Google or Pinterest in the colors you are considering, it may mean that the colors and/or combination of colors is rare and you might also have trouble finding products in those colors, as well. It will save you a lot of stress and time if you can easily find products in your color.

How the Color Looks on You:  Consider the wearability of the color. For example, if you don’t look good in yellow then it may be best not to choose yellow as a primary color for your wedding. You will be standing next to your yellow-wearing bridesmaids in photos and will likely be surrounded by the color at your reception. So choose a color that work for your skin tone, coloring, etc.

How the Color Looks on Your Bridesmaids: Do take “your girls” in to consideration. They will feel better wearing a flattering color than one they just don’t feel right in. If your favorite color happens to be one that is hard to wear, let that color be your secondary color and choose a complementary main color for your bridesmaids’ dresses.

There are nine color story collages below to help you decide on your colors or to give you ideas for colors you have already selected.

You may wonder how the colors for these collages were chosen. All of them were requests from our Facebook fans and several of them have been posted on our Facebook Page.

In the future, look for more collages of colors on Facebook and here on our blog. Subscribe to our blog (link on left side of this page) so you will get email updates when there is a new blog post.

Be sure to click on each photo to see a much larger image.

Chocolate Brown works well with Tiffany Blue. You can also pair brown with pink or mint green for a similar effect. As shown in the bridesmaids photo at top right, you can use either brown or blue as the primary color. More Chocolate Combinations

Coral and Turquoise is a luscious choice for a summer or beach wedding. The coral can be dark, almost red, or a lighter, almost pink, shade. More Turquoise Combinations and more Coral Combinations.

A preppy combination for spring or summer is Navy with Pink.  The bright pink plays beautifully off the rich, deep blue. More Pink Combinations and more Blue Combinations

A great combination for spring or summer and one that also adapts well to a shabby chic theme is Pink and Turquoise. The soft pink paired with turquoise lends itself well to the use of a vintage-inspired decor.
More Turquoise and more Pink Collages.
Purple and Green combination usually draws oohs and aahs! There is just something particularly appealing about this combination. There are lots of options in the shade of purple you use. For spring or summer, the shade can be lighter and for fall you can take the purple to more of a plum color.  More Purple Collages and more Green Collages

Orange With Purple works for late summer or fall. It may not be a combination that is first thought of but as you can see, it is really lovely. More Orange Collages

Aaah, Purple with Silver … sophisticated and “rich”, this combination works for any season and makes a big impression! More Purple Combinations

Black and White paired with another color is a classic. There is no limit to the variety of colors that work well with black and white. More Black and White Options and more Yellow Options

And if you just cannot choose one or two or three colors and want a Rainbow of colors, you can do that, too! With a rainbow theme you do want to be careful with your colors so you don’t end up with something garish. With the right touch, a rainbow wedding can work.

We have many Pinterest boards with thousands of pins to help you with inspiration and ideas. We post new photos daily so follow us to keep us with the newest pins!
EW on Pinterest. We have a Pinterest board for all of our 100+ collages .. click here.

Collages created by Sher Silver – Exclusively Weddings

After this post was created, I added another one with lots more collages. To see it, click here.

Photo Credits:
Blue and Chocolate: Rustic Wedding Chic, Serendipity Photography LLC, Tucson Bride & Groom, Project Wedding, It’s a Piece of Cake,  Connie Cupcake, obscured.tumblr – Coral and Blue: Inspired by This, Brett Rose Photography, Project Wedding, Object:Splendor, Aloha Island Weddings, Wedding Wire, All the Beauty Things –  Pink and Turquoise: Bride Finds, Hostess Blog, Gather Love, Project Wedding – Purple and Green: Project Wedding, Twigs and Posies, Join the Party, The Cake Parlour, Wedding Cake Blog, Style Me Pretty, Philippe Bas Florale passie – Purple and Orange: Renee Landry Style, Project Wedding, Unique Event Design, Wedding Bee, Elizabeth Anne Designs, Project Wedding – Purple and Silver: Project Wedding, Ken Kato, A Southern Tradition, Project Wedding, Pinterest Archive, Alternative Purple, Done Brilliantly, Isari Flower Studio, Pinterest Archive –Yellow & Black/White:  Style Unveiled, Bliss Events, Michaels, Sugar & Co. – Rainbow:  Sugarland, Jim Kennedy Photographers, the little epicurean, Trent Bailey Photography, Iftheringfits, paper & cake, SprinkleBakes

Autumn Wedding Décor

Crackling fires, a chill in the air, pumpkins and falling leaves … Autumn! It’s a great time to have a wedding!

To help in choosing colors for your Fall celebration, I’ve compiled the Fall Pantone colors for the past three years (shown in first image below), so you can get a sense of the colors and tones that work best for that time of year. Rich, warm colors seem to be on trend each year. You’ll find shades of green, purple, deep yellow, brown, blue, grey, and, of course, orange.

It’s fun to mix and match the colors. It may be easier to find reception décor if you use orange; but you can easily add another color for your bridesmaids dresses and as an accent color in your décor, if you prefer.

Decorating with pumpkins, gourds, candles and leaves is often seen in Fall wedding celebrations but you can get creative and add other Autumn-inspired items, as well. I hope some of the ideas below from our Fall Weddings Pinterest board will inspire you to create your own perfect Fall wedding.

And by the way, for Fall 2012, Pantone has chosen Tangerine Tango shown in the first chart below, as the Color of the Year!

For more fall wedding ideas, see our Fall Weddings Pinterest board.

Photo Credits:
Photo 1: Exclusively Weddings – Favor Boxes and Ribbon – Collage 1: Diane’s Cakes and More, Circadee.com (with instructions),
Exclusively Weddings – Fall in Love Soap Wedding Favor,
SAS Interiors (with instructions), YankeeHarvest.com, Project Wedding, yifatoran.com – Collage 2: Tatertots and Jello, Exclusively Weddings – Gold Brocade Coaster Wedding Favor, Better Homes & Gardens (with instructions), Bratty Cakes, My Heart’s Desire, Exclusively Weddings – Lavish Leaves Invitation, Martha Stewart (with instructions), Painted Preppy, donlucas.com

Wedding Signs

A fun, new wedding trend is emerging …. wedding signs! It’s the perfect way to add a personal and creative touch to your wedding ceremony and reception. The style of the sign can range from rustic to shabby chic to elegant … from black and white to colorful. And is there anything cuter than a darling little boy or girl carrying a “Here Comes the Bride” sign. As shown in the collage below, signs can take a variety of styles and shapes to fit perfectly with your wedding vision. You can go with your level of formality or totally opposite. As shown in the first photo below, the bride and groom and their little attendants are dressed to the nines but their sign is rustic, which is a contrast that works.

There is no limit to the shapes and styles you can use as shown by the wide variety in the photos below.

In addition to the “Here Comes the Bride” sign, there are a lot of additional ways to incorporate signs in to your wedding as shown below.

For more inspiration and ideas on wedding signs follow our two Pinterest Boards:
Wedding Signs and Bride/Groom Chair Signs

Photo Credits: The Etsy links will take you to the pages where the items are sold.
1st Collage: (2) Etsy, (3) Southern Weddings, (5) A Paper Proposal (7) Etsy – 2nd Collage: (1) Etsy, (2) Southern Weddings, (3)Etsy, (4) Etsy, (5) Etsy,
(6) Etsy, (7) Etsy, (8) Etsy

Your Wedding Color – Pink

Pink! It can’t be denied … pink is a “happy color”! And since it is often referred to as the “color of love”,  it is no wonder that it is a classic and popular color for weddings.

And pink is versatile. It can be paired with a myriad of colors such as black, brown, orange, turquoise and more. And it looks great with and accent of silver or gold.

There are so many shades of pink that as you go from pastel to vibrant, you will achieve a totally different look. On the colors shown in the first photo below, you can see the wide range of shades of pink … from the softest blush pink to intense pink that is almost red.

As you choose your shade of pink, be aware that some pinks tend to be warm due to having a bit of orange in them while cool tone pinks have some purple in them.

The colors below are just a few of the pink choices available!

Pink is a great color for bridesmaids dresses as it is flattering to just about everyone. In the photo below Ali’s bridesmaids look adorable in their hot pink dresses. Vibrant pink is perfect for these vibrant, fun-loving gals. (Read more about Ali in an earlier blog post.)

A luscious orchid tree is breathtaking in pink.

Check out our Pinterest board for more ideas …..
Pink Wedding Ideas and Inspiration

Photo Credits and Links to Exclusively Weddings’ Products:
Collage 1: 1st photo: Kelly Rae Stewart Photography; 3rd photo: twiggi;
4th photo: tinywhitedaisies, 5th photo:“Celebrate” Wedding Invitation;
7th photo:“Heart Garden” Personalized Hershey’s Bar. – Collage 2: 1st photo: The Creative Party Place; 2nd Photo: Vintage Rose Garden; 3rd photo: “Sweet Hearts” Wedding Invitation; 4th photo: The Cake Girls – Project Wedding; 5th photo: Personalized Napkins – Collage 3: 1st photo: Etsy; 2nd photo: Icing Designs (Instructions included); 3rd photo: Wedding Cake Cookie; 4th photo: Paper Lantern – photography by Kelly Rae Stewart; 5th photo: Bouquet Cuffs; 6th photo: Project Wedding; 7th photo: Ice Bucket – Large Photo of Orchid Tree: Hollywood Candy Girls

A Cake For The Groom

Everyone is familiar with the traditional wedding cake and almost all couples have a sumptuous creation. Another dessert that you might want to include is the groom’s cake. The groom’s cake is a great addition to the wedding dessert selection and one that will surely delight your groom.

A groom’s cake is typically a surprise for him from his bride. The flavor is most-often chocolate and the range of designs is endless.

Designs for the groom’s cake seem to fall in to three groups. One is to have a rich, chocolate cake in a traditional shape with accents of chocolate-dipped strawberries. Another is for the cake to be decorated suggestive of a tuxedo. If you don’t want to go with the complexity of a custom design, the chocolate cake or tuxedo cake is a good way to go.

If you have access to a creative baker, you can work with him/her to design a cake with a fun theme that reflects the groom’s hobby or special interest. Even though the wedding cake tends to follow tradition, anything goes when it comes to the groom’s cake!

Choosing a groom’s cake that reflects the groom’s favorite hobby is a perfect way to include his hobby without making it part of the overall wedding décor. For example, sometimes a groom will want to have a hunting theme or race car theme but in most cases these types of themes don’t work well for a wedding and reception. Having a special groom’s cake that goes all out to showcase his theme may be the answer.

Your groom will likely be thrilled to have a cake made with him in mind and will surely appreciate your thoughtfulness.

Chocolate and strawberries are a popular combination for the groom’s cake.

A cake that is reminiscent of a tuxedo is also a popular design.

For a design that will surely “wow” your groom, choose to replicate his hobby, college team, sports team, or any other of his favorite things!

And if you want to incorporte the groom’s cake with the wedding cake, you can go with something entirely unique like this cake!

For more ideas for your groom’s cake, see our Pinterest board where we have over 150 cakes to inspire you. Follow our boards to make sure you are updated with our most recent pins: Groom’s Cake Board on Pinterest

Credits:
Collage 1: A Cake To Remember, Karamata, Wedding and Cakes, Simply Elegant Bridal, Provo Wedding Guide  – Collage 2: Liane McCombs, Sugar Delight, Cake Picture Gallery, Not2Crumby, Cake Picture Gallery – Collage 3: Vida Dolce Cakes, Kari Severson Machal, Brides.com, Catherine Ruehle, Delish, Carolina Cake Queen, fsumaria

Ooh La La – French Fries For Your Wedding Reception

Who doesn’t love French Fries … crispy and delicious … and there is one more trait … versatile!

You may think of French Fries as strictly the domain of fast food restaurants. However, if you haven’t thought of French Fries for your wedding reception, it’s time to consider this growing trend. French Fries can fit in to just about any style of wedding reception … from elegant to casual; from traditional to rustic. They can be part of a main course sit-down-dinner or a casual buffet or even a trendy “midnight snack”.

The secret to successfully incorporating French Fries in to your wedding reception menu is two little words … PREPARATION and PRESENTATION. The key to elevating French Fries to wedding reception fare is to prepare them in a special way and to  serve them in a unique container that fits the style of your reception. Adding a selection of accompanying sauces can also make French Fries extra special.

The pictures below show many examples of how French Fries can be served. One way is in shooters.  Another great container for French Fries is one that is cone-shaped. There is no end to the many options in materials and style for the cone-shaped container. You can have a “wow” by simply folding great-looking paper in to a cone shape.

Recipes for many of the dishes shown below are included at the end of the post.

More photos of ways to serve French Fries and more wedding reception food and drink ideas on our Food and Drink Wedding Ideas Pinterest Board. Follow us on Pinterest for updates on our daily pins.

Photo Credits and Recipes:
Collage 1: French Fries with Three Dips – Recipe – Epicurious, Sliders and French Fries – Recipe – Pizzazzerie, French Fries in Chinese Take-Out Boxes – Creations Catering, French Fry Sign – Shop – Etsy – Collage 2: French Fries in Blue Polka Dot Cones – Weddingbee, Idaho® Potato French Fries W/Lime and Cilantro – Recipe –  Idaho Potato  Commission, Potatoes in Three Colorful Cones – Elizabeth Anne Designs, French Fries in Personalized Cone – Belle the Magazine, French Fries in Black Cone –  Lover.ly – Photo by Todd Rafalovich, Parmesan Fried, Idaho® Potatoes – Recipe – Idaho Potato Commission, Tofu Fries (using tofu instead of potatoes) Served in Porcelain Cups – Recipe – White on Rice Couple – Collage 3: Photo #2:  Gourmet Fries with Dipping Sauces – A Polished Plan, All other photos in Collage 3 are courtesy of Idaho Potato Commission, Recipes: Curried French Fry/Crabcake Charlotte , Greek Fries with Idaho Potatoes, Baked Fries with Dipping Sauces

Serve Your Guests in Shooters!

Serving party food in shooters is becoming popular for social events and wedding receptions … from hors d’oeuvres to buffet dinners. Serving in shooters can give a special elegance to any food. For example in the first collage below, the French Fries look much more appetizing than if they were in one big container. In the shooters they are “elevated”! And tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches are taken to new heights, as well.

Serving beverages in shooters is something you’ve probably seen before, but there are ideas that are new, as well. Strawberry milkshakes with a decorative straw look elegant and hot chocolate shooters with mini donuts make an original treat. The last photo in the second collage is a different twist on a shooter … using a salt-rimmed lime to serve a Margarita shot! That will be a treat that your guests will likely talk about long after the wedding day!

Desserts are perfect for being served in shooters. Sometimes a huge piece of cake is more than most people want, nowadays. But a small shooter-filled goodie can be just the right size!

Mini Burgers and Fries, Vegetable Beef Soup, Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese Sandwich, Shrimp, and Variety of Vegetables.

Strawberry Milkshake, Chocolate Milkshake and S’Mores, Hot Chocolate and Mini Donuts and Margarita Shots in Lime Shooters.

Banana Pudding, Dark Chocolate, Lemon Meringue Pie, and S’Mores.

Update 2014: I have added a new post on this subject … more ideas!

For more ideas for wedding reception food and beverage, see our Wedding Food and Beverage Pinterest Board.

Photo Credits: myrecipes.com, pizzazzerie.com, finefrostings.com, honestcooking.com, vowsandcake.tumblr.com, stylemepretty.com, robertandkathleen.com/blog, and hostessblog.com, Source for Last Photo in First Collage – Vegetable Shooters from Nieta Gates at NJ Gates Events, Chicago, IL

Milk and Cookies for Your Wedding Reception

Your wedding reception guests have been treated to a fabulous evening. The food and drinks were perfection. Now it is almost time for everyone to go home and they need a special treat before departing. So, what do you give them …. How about Milk and Cookies!

Milk and cookies are “on trend” for weddings and are perfect for the more casual weddings that are so popular. But don’t rule this treat out for more formal affairs! Milk and cookies can be an elegant wedding reception food when the milk is served in stemware or in shooter-sized glasses. And when on a silver platter served by gloved waiters, this yummy snack is taken to a new level!

The perfect comfort food, milk and cookies will send your guests on their way home with a feeling of well being and maybe they will even have sweet dreams about the beautiful bride, the handsome groom and the lovely wedding they attended!

See our Wedding Reception Food and Drink Pinterest board for lots more photos.

Instructions for adding sprinkles as shown in the photo above:
From Mixing Bowl Kids
“Using two plates, place a few tablespoons of agave nectar or honey on one and coloured sprinkles on the other. Dip the rim of the glass into the honey, allowing the excess to drip off before dipping the rim into the sprinkles. Leave the glasses upside down and allow the sprinkles to adhere before turning the cups right side up (or the sprinkles will run down the side of the glass). Make your favourite chocolate chip cookie recipe and shape some of the dough into small balls, approximately 1″ in size. Place a lollipop stick in the middle of the dough ball and press down to ensure the stick is covered by dough on all sides. Bake as per your cookie recipe. Fill the glasses with milk and rest a cookie garnish on the rim of the glass.”

Photo Credits: Audrey Magazine, Belle the Magazine, Snapari, A Thoughtful Place, Style Me Pretty, A Bloom Affair, One Charming Party

How to Use Mason Jars at Your Wedding

According to the Ball Corporation, Jason L. Mason invented and patented Mason jars in 1858. Through all these years they have been used primarily for canning and preserving food, though other uses have evolved, as well. Made of soda-lime glass their variety of sizes ranging from cup to half-gallon makes them especially versatile for DIY projects.

They have become popular in our homes as vases, planters, pencil holders, and the like. But an unexpected use of the Mason jar has become a huge trend … Mason jars in wedding decorations. The popularity of rustic and country chic weddings has likely contributed to the Mason jar’s wedding appeal.

They make the perfect holder for wedding reception beverages. Choosing a colorful beverage and adding a coordinating straw makes for a tempting drink. They are especially useful for holding flowers for general décor, centerpieces and pew markers. For an evening wedding, you can create amazing ambience by using Mason jars to hold candles. Stringing and hanging them creates a magical scene. And your dinner and buffet tables will glow when filled with candles in Mason jars.

If you like the idea of using Mason jars in your wedding décor but need step-by-step instructions, here are three links that may be helpful. There is a tutorial on how to paint Mason jars and wire them to hang, as well as other creative projects for your wedding and for your home: Tatertots and Jello, HomeDIT, and Oh Lovely Day. Instructions for making the doily candles shown in the last collage can be found at Crafts by Amanda.

We have three Pinterest boards for Mason jars, too: Mason Jars for Wedding Decor, Mason Jars – Beverages, Mason Jars – Food.

I hope the photo collages below will inspire you to consider Mason jars for your own wedding décor.

Photo Credits: Etsy, Etsy-Treasure Again, blowoutparty.com, Crafts by Amanda, chickabug.com, iloveswmag.com, charlottegeary.com, and projectwedding.com

How to Make Tissue Paper Pom-Poms

Tissue paper Pom-Poms add a festive flair to a wedding and reception. They are very easy to make and at a cost of under $5, you will get a lot of bang for your buck.

If you want to make decorative pom-poms, I’ve put together detailed instructions for you below.

I have found that they turn out looking great, even if you don’t do a perfect job of folding, cutting, etc.

Before you begin, you’ll need the following supplies:
1.  Sharp scissors to trim the ends of the pom-pom
2.  Cable ties, pipe cleaners,  floral wire or monofilament fishing line to secure the center of your “accordion stack”.
3.  Monofilament fishing line if you are going to hang your pom-pom
Cable ties, floral wire, and monofilament fishing line can be purchased online at places like Amazon or at a craft store.

Start with tissue paper approximately 20″ x 30″. The package
used in the instructions has 10 sheets and it makes a nice, full pom-pom.
It is from Exclusively Weddings, item #107-1710.

There are two ways to approach this project. One way is to open the stack all the way and start folding at the shorter side. Or the other choice is to leave one fold in the stack of tissues (as shown below) and start folding at the folded side, which is the approach shown here.

Starting at the folded side, fold the tissue in an accordion fold with each fold about one-and a half to 2 inches wide. The photo below is of a finished accordion stack.

The next step is to secure the folded tissue in the center of the accordion stack. Use a pipe cleaner, floral wire. monofilament fishing line or a cable tie. A cable tie was used below. If you are going to hang your pom-pom, go ahead now and attach the monofilament line to whatever you used to secure the center. Monofilament fishing line works well because it is somewhat invisible. Just tie the length you want to the cable tie. If you want to hang your pom-poms with something decorative, you can use ribbon.

After securing the tissue, trim each end, with scissors, in to a rounded shape or pointed shape, as shown below. Then start separating the first piece of tissue and pulling it away from the folded portion and continue doing this with all the pieces. The next three photos below show this step in process.

After all pieces have been pulled out, you can now adjust and fluff the pieces to get it “perfect”.

Voilà!  The finished Pom-Pom!

In this photo the pom-pom on the right was made following these instructions. The one on the left was made with the tissue paper opened out entirely. The one on the right is a little bit smaller and is shaped a ittle more like a flower.

See our blog post for lots of pictures and info about pom-poms and our Wedding Lanterns and Pom-Poms Pinterest Board, as well.

In case you want to print out the instructions, here are the instructions in an abbreviated format. 

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask in our Comments section. I’ll be glad to help you!

Pom-Poms for Festive Wedding Décor

If you want to add an instant festive air and lots of pizzazz to your wedding ceremony and reception, do it with pom-poms! Pom-Poms are a simple DIY project made from tissue paper and they are very easy and inexpensive to make.

There are many ways that pom-poms can be added to a wedding décor. The photos below will give you some inspiration, as well as our Wedding Lanterns and Pom-Poms Pinterest Board.

Pom-Poms make inexpensive and colorful aisle markers.

Pom-Poms and lanterns add a riot of color to the ceiling.

Pom-Poms easily showcase your signature color. There is no question that green is the color of the day!

Any space can become more festive with the addition of pom-poms.

A lovely outdoor setting is enhanced with cascading pom-poms.

Pom-pom garlands with twinkling lights add lots of ambience.

A small pom-pom adds style and color to a table setting.

The “getaway car” can be decorated with pom-poms, too!

How to Make Pom-Poms: Instructions for making pom-poms can be found on our blog post.
Tissue paper for making poms is available at Exclusively Weddings.

Credits: Jenny Cookies, Elizabeth Anne Designs, Southern Weddings,
Nola West, Craftgossip.com, idocrafts.com

THE Purple Cake – Revisited

We’ve had so much “buzz” about February’s “Purple Cake” post that we wanted to do an update for you. The original post can be found here: The Wedding Cake That Went Viral on Pinterest. BTW, the cake’s Pinterest photo now has over 21,000 repins!

Also, we now have two Pinterest Boards for cakes: Colorful Wedding Cakes and White Wedding Cakes  …. over 460 luscious wedding cakes to help you choose your own special confection.

As mentioned in the February post, the popular purple/black cake was created by Jen Kwapinski of Jen’s Cakes in San Jose, CA. She kindly provided more details about the cake:
Design Name:  “Mod Damask”
Number of People Served: Approximately 100
Icing:  Butter Cream
Butterflies: Fondant
Trim: Satin Black Ribbon
Scrollwork: Hand Piped
Flavors: Top – Double Chocolate Kahlua Cake w/ Chocolate Mousse filling
Middle – Double Chocolate Kahlua cake w/ Chocolate Mousse filling
Bottom – Banana Cake w/ Bavarian Cream Filling

The wedding photographer was Ken Kato and he has graciously provided additional photos for inspiration and ideas. These new photos show the overall wedding décor and how perfectly the cake and décor complement each other.

A New Twist on the Father-Daughter Wedding Dance

The Father-Daughter Wedding Dance has long been a part of wedding tradition. According to WedJ.com, the top 10 most popular father-daughter songs, compiled from actual requests are The Way you Look Tonight, My Girl, What a wonderful World, When you Say Nothing at All, How Sweet It Is, Unforgettable, My Wish, Tiny Dancer and Because You Loved Me.

I hate to be negative, but that turn on the dance floor by the father and his “little girl” can sometimes come across as a bit cheesy or sappy. Even though it often elicits sentimental tears from relatives and friends, it probably has been long overdue for some freshening up!

Well ….  lo and behold, it has happened!

Yes, there is a new trend in the father-daughter dance … it has gone from sappy to sensational … from wooden to wonderful … from affected to fun … well, you get the picture! Here’s how it goes: The dance starts off as they typically do with a slow dance to a sentimental tune; however, within a minute in to their dance, the music and dancing stops abruptly … the music goes from ballroom to something with a beat … and the fun begins!

A choreographed routine to such tunes as The Twist, YMCA, and Stayin’ Alive, brings out the fun-loving nature of both father and daughter! The best part is seeing the big hug between father and daughter at the end as they express their joy at their accomplishment. That embrace always makes me teary-eyed! Working on a dance routine together and then being so proud of themselves after presenting it, brings a father and daughter closer in ways a simple ballroom routine just can’t do!

P.S. Don’t tell the groom about it. Let it be a surprise for him, too!

Here are four videos of father-daughter wedding dances to give you some ideas of how to create your own:

http://vimeo.com/31617052

Rustic Wedding – Is This Style For You?

For the bride and groom who just cannot picture themselves having a formal wedding or even a semi-formal affair, the Rustic Wedding, also called Country Chic, is an option that might fit perfectly.

There are several ways to give a wedding the natural, rustic feel but the choice of venue is most important and will set the tone for the entire event. It would be somewhat futile to try to pull off a rustic wedding/reception inside a grand ballroom,  even if the decorations were considered rustic. But lots of other venues will work just fine. Once you have the location chosen, the fun part is choosing  the decorations and accessories.

Elements of design that help make the wedding rustic include the, bride’s and attendants’ bouquets, aisle markers, ceremony chairs, wedding cake, buffet tables, centerpieces, menu, glassware, tableware, dining tables and chairs, flowers, and table decorations. Each of these elements plays a role in making the wedding rustic.

Rustic weddings often include pom poms, lanterns, twinkling lights, and wildflowers. In addition, the Mason jar is an item that is perfect for rustic weddings. This handy little jar has a myriad of uses including holding such varied items as beverages, flowers and votive candles.

Even though the rustic wedding may be somewhat more casual than other wedding styles, it still offers many opportunities for it to be beautifully created. I have chosen some photos from our Pinterest Rustic Wedding Board, to give you some ideas of how to make your own rustic wedding spectacular! Check out our Pinterest Boards for lots of photos to inspire you!

Photos: theweddingtribune.com, jennycookies.com, bristolweddingnews.co.uk,
rubyju.typepad.com, theperfectpalette.com, iloveswmag.com, projectwedding.com, lovelylittledetails.com, brides.com, lisaleonardonline.com
Country Chic Collage:  Jamie Delaine, iStockphoto, Pinterest, Creative Reveries, Spotlight, Elizabeth Lloyd Photographer, Petite Reve Chocolates, MyKreations