Source: the knot

Unlike your wedding vendors and even your future in-laws, your bridesmaids aren’t new to the scene — they’ve always been there for you. As you’re planning your wedding, you’ll likely need their help more than ever. But remember: They’re your friends first and foremost, which means it’s a priority to make sure your relationships stay strong throughout all the wedding drama. Here’s how to make it happen.

Respect Their Responsibilities
Planning a wedding can be a full-time job, but that doesn’t mean being a bridesmaid should be too. As you’re allocating responsibilities, be respectful of each maid’s life outside the wedding — your friend who’s trying to make partner at her law firm or who’s dealing with a new baby may not have time to assist you with every little task. At the same time, you don’t want to cause discord within the wedding party if some maids feel the others aren’t pulling their weight. Try to keep a good balance, and remember, your bridesmaids don’t have to do everything: You’ve got your parents, other family members, and your fiance. Plenty of people are willing to pitch in, so take advantage of it as you need to.

Dress Them Well
If you want your maids to match, don’t just think about your dream wedding — you also have to consider their figures. If you know one of them would be uncomfortable in the dresses you envision, come up with a compromise. Not sure one dress will work for all your girls? Come up with guidelines (say, a color and length you like) and then let them choose the exact style. Trust us, even with different necklines or sashes, they’ll still look fantastic. Remember, you want each and every one of your maids to feel beautiful (and comfortable!), so your efforts in the dress department are well worth it.

Keep Them in the Black
Bridesmaids have to shell out for quite a bit over the course of the wedding: dresses, hair, shower and wedding gifts, the bachelorette party, and travel expenses. These add up and can put a pinch on even the most financially flush of maids. Take this into consideration and offer help when you can. For example, you can let them know that they shouldn’t feel pressured to give you an extravagant shower gift, or if you’re having more than one shower, tell them that you don’t expect multiple shower gifts. You can also help them track down inexpensive flights or hotel rooms.

Make Their To-Do List Manageable
Yes, part of the bridal party’s job is to be your go-to gals when you need something done. But no, that doesn’t mean you should be cracking the whip nonstop. Whenever you’re asking one of your maids to do something — whether it’s attending your gown fitting or tying a hundred miniature bows around a hundred favor boxes — stop and think: Would I do this for her? It’s a good reality check to keep your requests reasonable. The same goes on the day of the wedding: Try to come up with a game plan beforehand of who you need to do what. Then make a second mental list of who else can help — aunts, cousins, ushers, and so on. When little things do come up (which they will), you’ll be able to rely on that latter team to help you take care of details as needed rather than overextending your bridesmaids.

Give (and Receive) Graciously
You imagined a gracious afternoon tea; instead, there’s bridal shower bingo. It might be tough, but you’ve got to smile and say thank you. While you can give your bridesmaids suggestions as to what you want for the pre-wedding parties, you don’t get to actually plan them yourself. Whatever your bridesmaids come up with, they want to do their jobs and make you happy, so be appreciative. No matter what happens, always remember to thank them. This goes for your gifts to them too. While it makes sense to get your girls the same thing so there isn’t a feeling of favoritism, they might not all have the same taste. A better idea is to pick a category or something that comes in lots of styles and colors. That way, you can show that you love them all but still acknowledge each as an individual.

Be a Good Friend
Really obvious, right? But sometimes when you’re caught up in wedding-related drama, it can be hard to remember that’s there’s a world outside your wedding. You lean on your bridesmaids to make it through, but don’t forget that they’ve got their own lives too. When you meet up with one of your girls, make a point to talk about things that are not related to the wedding. Whether it’s the project she’s working on at work or the blind date she went on last weekend, she’ll appreciate the opportunity to tell you all about it, the same way she always has. Similarly, when you’re really upset — whether about the wedding or anything else — you’ll know she’ll be there for you, right now and long after the wedding’s over.

Fore more, click here.

Source: The Knot

If you thought vineyard weddings were only for Napa natives or destination weddings, think again. From an 80-acre plot in Clermont, Florida, to an 1805 barn establishment in Finesville, New Jersey, to a hillside site in Somerset, Kansas, there’s a winery waiting to host your wedding in every state in the US. Check out this guide to help you plan a stunning celebration among the grapevines.

The Invitations

• Play up the vineyard’s grapes and vines by choosing a stationery suite complete with purple and white save-the-dates, invitations, and thank-you notes. Purchase a purple wax seal and add the vineyard’s official stamp to each envelope.
• For a Tuscan-inspired event, opt for rich browns and gold print for a rustic look. Include a subtle wine motif by incorporating an embossed grapevine or wine glasses at the bottom of your stationery.
• Wow guests by sending personalized wine bottles with customized labels. Put a rolled-up scroll inside an empty bottle, seal it with the vineyard’s specialty cork, and place it in a padded or hay-stuffed wooden box.

The Decor

• Vineyard Elegance: A natural choice, the wine country theme is easy to pull off with a buttery yellow and plum color palette. Wine corks with escort card inserts can lead guests to tables named after your favorite bottles of wine. Purple table linens topped with rattan chargers and khaki napkins contrast well with overflowing vases filled with a mix of grapes and plum flowers.
• Cellar Celebration: A blend of rich chocolate brown and bright orange would look great for a reception in a wine cellar. Top brown or burlap linens with weaved baskets overflowing with orange and golden flowers, sprigs of wheat, and fresh gourds. Don’t forget to set up candles around the room for a romantic glow.
• Tuscan Villa: Evoke the Italian hillside with gorgeous gold, mauve, and green linens accented with gilded chargers and gold-flecked glassware. For the centerpieces, consider potted topiaries or mixing flowers in terra cotta pots surrounded by Spanish moss. Hang vintage lanterns with slow-burning candles from the cellar’s exposed ceiling beams.

The Menu

• For a signature cocktail, serve Bellinis garnished with fresh peach chunks, or opt for rich and refreshing red wine sangria.
• Nothing goes better with wine than cheese. Ask your caterer to set up a station with big blocks of different kinds of cheese. Don’t forget signage to explain where each cheese is produced.
• When it comes to a seated meal, a wine-pairing feast is a must for a vineyard wedding. Your caterer can help you select the best wines to complement each course.

The Dessert

• Add some Italian flair with a fluffy Florentine sponge cake topped with a refreshing orange or lemon sorbet.
• Ask your cake baker to paint a grapevine motif on your cake’s tiers and top it with small bundles of gum paste grapes.
• Indulge in a four-tiered chocolate Zinfandel cake with strawberry filling covered in layers of rich chocolate fondant and fresh strawberries.

The Favors

• Thank guests with sterling silver wine stoppers.
• Attach personalized thank-you tags to bottles of fresh olive oil.
• Offer mini bottles of wine from the vineyard’s stock.

For more, click here.

Featuring the following vendors:

• Sound Connection Entertainment
• Russ De Santis Photography & Video
• Richard Music Ensemble
• Petal Beach Florists
• Ocean Tents and Party Rentals

What to expect:

• Ceremony pergola
• Intimate fire pit
• Napa Valley & Mediterranean inspired cuisine
• Exceptional service
• Natural setting

For more information, click here.

Remember, attendance is by invitation only. Call us toll-free (877) 316-1753 to request an invitation.

Laurita Winery
35 Archertown Road
(GPS users enter 85 Archertown Rd)
New Egypt, NJ 08533

Source: Jack Wright

The winery building at Laurita was built out of textile tables from New England, pieces of antique furniture, architectural accessories, paintings, light fixtures and doors from auctions, old hotels and flea markets purchased and stored by Ray Shea and his partner Randy Johnson along with their grown sons Ed Shea and Tim Johnson. The vast majority of the winery consists of old recycled building materials.

The partners’ vision was always one which extending to the “green” philosophy. From a “green” perspective, the partners have planted native species, created rain gardens, have installed solar panels and have used low-VOC paints and special insulating materials.  The commitment of both men towards the conservancy of the wonderful natural resources that are a rich inheritance of the property cannot be ignored when you visit the winery.  The whole estate is among the first pieces of land in New Jersey to become part of the Farm Preservation Program, and in the their merging of Old-World values and sensibilities with state-of-the-art technologies, Ray and Randy have brought to the rich soils and micro climate of New Egypt a magnificent winery and vineyards whose premium wines are a testament to their commitment and perseverance.

For the full story, click here.

Source: eleGALA.com

Inspire your imagination with this list of today’s top trends for wedding cakes and desserts…

Much more than a sweet finale to the reception meal, wedding cakes and desserts are a major style statement, and the trends, like all other wedding details, evolve with the times. The wedding cake presents a perfect opportunity for creative brides to play with shape, color, and embellishments. For those of you who need a little inspiration, consult this list of top trends for wedding cakes.

8 Modern Wedding Cake Trends

Back to Buttercream

Buttercream was once the traditional frosting for wedding cakes, but sleek cakes came into favor, and rolled fondant became the frosting of choice. Not anymore, thanks to advanced tools and techniques that allow buttercream to look as smooth as fondant, cakes iced in buttercream are again the norm. We love this trend, since buttercream frosting tastes better, has natural ingredients, and costs less than fondant. Now you can literally have your stylishly sleek cake – and eat it, too.

Keeping it Simple

As brides look for creative ways to meet their budgets without sacrificing style, simple cakes are making a comeback. Classic ivory fondant embellished with ribbon or flowers is a gorgeous and safe choice, but many brides are taking things to the next level with contemporary and fun “messy” icing. These cakes have gorgeous texture and a truly modern look while requiring less labor, which will help keep costs down.

Creative Toppers

While unique cake toppers like pinwheels, paper rosettes, and bird nests are adorning contemporary cakes, many couples are going back to the traditional bride and groom but with an interesting twist: completely personalized toppers that bear a likeness to the couple themselves. Etsy artist, Milk Tea offers a plethora of pre-made toppers to choose from, but will also create a completely customized mini version of you and your honey.

Square Mini-Cakes

Cupcake towers in lieu of wedding cakes have been around for awhile, but brides are making cupcakes interesting again by playing with shape and size. Brides are stacking square shaped mini-cakes (slightly larger than cupcakes) adorned with flowers or dressed as presents for a completely different take on the cupcake frenzy.

Think Pink

Pink – the perpetual hot color for weddings – had begun to fall out of favor as brides experimented with hues like yellows, grays, and even black. But soft pink is back in a big way, and brides are incorporating the blush tones throughout their wedding cake designs. Pink instantly freshens up classic white. Tone down an all-pink cake with real ivory flowers or lace details.

Cupcakes

For years, cupcakes have been replacing traditional tiered cakes and somehow, the tiny confections continue to evolve. From floral embellished towers to intricate icing and creative toppers, cupcakes always seem to both wow and please the wedding guests.

Dessert Tables

Dessert tables are an increasingly popular option that allow you to offer several different types of dessert. Pies, cupcakes, macaroons, rock candy, and M&Ms are often among the color coordinated sweets that dominate the dessert table while a single tiered cake tends to play a central roll for the traditional cake cutting. Often creatively decorated, dessert tables can become a fun, focal point of your wedding décor.

Groom’s Cake

The old Southern tradition of the groom’s cake is shedding its regional trappings and growing in popularity throughout the nation. And no, it doesn’t have to be the iconic red-velvet armadillo from Steel Magnolias. Today’s groom’s cakes, now just as elaborate as the wedding cake itself, often reflect the groom’s interest in a dramatic and whimsical expression: a deer grooms cake for an avid hunter, shaped like a race car for an diehard Nascar fan, or decked with his favorite sports team logo.

For the full article, click here.

Source: eleGALA.com

It’s your wedding day, and it’s your day to shine. Make the most of it, and start preparing a healthy bridal beauty routine now.

With today’s busy lifestyles, women often fail to make time for their personal health and well-being. Throw planning a wedding into the mix, and we have even less time. But a time crunch is no excuse to let your health and beauty routine slide. Avoid pre-wedding burnout and maintain optimal health and beauty when you incorporate these personal wellness components into your busy lifestyle.

Pre-Wedding Exercise Routine

Finding time to exercise can seem easier said than done when your day is full of wedding planning tasks. Don’t get bogged down by this excuse – for it’s just that: an excuse. Anyone can squeeze 20 minutes of vigorous activity into their day – yes, you! Even if it’s just some lunges in your bedroom in the morning or a brisk walk during your lunch hour, make exercise a priority in your life – akin to showering or eating. It simply must be done.

If these words don’t motivate you, or you find yourself in a workout rut, consider a personal trainer. A trainer may seem indulgent at a time when you’re hoarding pennies to pay for those high-end invitations you’ve set your sights on, but it will be money well spent. A trainer will develop an exercise routine especially for you and will work with you to ensure you train safely and obtain results. Although trainers can be pricey, most will teach you routines that you can do alone. Pop for five or six sessions, then take the lessons learned on your own.

Pre-Wedding Skin-Care Routine

Beautiful skin is not achieved overnight. If you are feeling less than radiant, do something about it now. Assess your beauty products; make sure you are using quality skin products that are right for your skin type. Book an appointment for a facial and consult your cosmetologist for advice and tips to get your skin in shape for the wedding. If your budget and calendar can afford it, try to get a facial at least every quarter leading up to your wedding.

Pre-Wedding Nutrition

Yes, we’ve all heard it a million times…groan. But you simply cannot expect to look and feel fabulous if you don’t properly nourish your body. It’s time to evaluate your eating habits. Diet is not the key word here. “Diet” alludes to restriction and deprivation. You don’t necessarily need to deprive yourself to lead a healthy lifestyle.

Just be aware of what you eat, and try to include as many healthy foods in your diet as you can. Read up on various foods and what nutrients they provide, but don’t force yourself to eat things you don’t like just because they are healthy. There should be enough healthy foods that you like that you can include in your daily diet.

Above all else, don’t go hungry! Hunger slows your metabolism and leads to unhealthy binges later. Banning specific food groups or food items is unnecessary; just try not to allow your calorie intake for the day exceed 2,000 (standard for a normally active woman). It’s as simple as that. So don’t fret if you indulge in a morning doughnut; just try to eat a healthy balance for the rest of the day.

For the full article, click here.

Source: Snippet & Ink

Mood: charming elegance
Palette: seashell pink and white

The Idea:  Food is one of the biggest places to save in a wedding budget, which is why these inspiration boards have largely focused on alternatives to traditional sit-down dinners. Today’s board presents the idea of cocktails and hors d’oeuvres as an elegant way to make nice with your wallet.

The Paper:  Though I think formal invitations are appropriate and appreciated, digital save-the-dates are perfectly acceptable and a great way to save money. Paperless Post offers a number of charming designs, some of which are even free (their pricing system seems unnecessarily confusing to me, but bottom line is: they have attractive, customizable options at affordable rates).

The Fashion:  “Bridal alternative” is basically a term for a white dress that doesn’t cost as much as most wedding gowns, and lots of department stores carry them. All I know is, it’s a great option if you’re willing to think outside the box when it comes to traditional wedding wear, like with this adorable Kate Spade dress for $468. Bella Bridesmaid is another great place to look for less expensive bridal gowns. This gives you a little wiggle room for fun accessories like a chic foldover clutch from Claire Vivier for $156 (that you can definitely use again!).

The Decor:  Candles are a beautiful way to light a room, and they can be significantly cheaper than flowers. If your venue allows, decorate the room with glass candleholders from CB2 for a modern look – the one pictured here is only $20, and can double as a gift for your bridal party.

The Flowers:  When Ryan and I had our civil ceremony at City Hall the day before our church wedding, my cousin’s partner brought me a beautiful bunch of white tulips to carry that she had picked up at the grocery store that morning. If a professionally designed bouquet isn’t a priority for you, opting for whatever’s in season (and available at your local market) and tying it together yourself is one way to help out your budget (this is especially true if you have lots of bridesmaid who will also be carrying flowers). Let pocket squares take the place of boutonnieres, and double as groomsmen gifts – you can find some for under $20, or if you’re the crafty type, you can make them yourself with a favorite fabric.

The Food:  As with a dessert reception, as long as your guests know what to expect, and the reception is held in between meal times, it’s perfectly okay to serve passed hors d’oeuvres instead of a full meal. Small bites are also a way to include more expensive ingredients that might be cost prohibitive in an entree, such as scallops or truffles. If your caterer and/or venue allows you to BYOB, find out if you’ll be able to return unopened bottles to the store – why pay for what people don’t drink!

Other Details:  As I’ve said before, I’m a big fan of easy DIY projects. The drink stirrers in this board are made by simply folding a piece of washi tape over a wooden skewer to create a cute little flag. Easy peasy! Make enough to adorn all drinks, or just a signature cocktail.

Click here for the full article and links to all of these great items.

Source: eleGala.com

So you’re not a froofy-floral-arrangement girl – that doesn’t mean you can’t still have unique wedding decorations that wow.

Think outside the proverbial wedding-flower box with this list of blossom-free wedding decoration ideas:

Creative Ideas for Wedding Décor

Frame It

Use interesting and ornate frames throughout your wedding décor. They can be found inexpensively at flea markets and spray painted to match your wedding colors. Or you can purchase a pre-painted bundle of frames from an Etsy shop, like The Shabby Shak.

Play with Paper

Add some color with fun paper poms from BHLDN. The poms looks amazing when strung high in the tent or hung all together among twinkle lights. Colorful pinwheels are fun and playful, while paper crane garland can be a beautiful and unexpected addition to your décor.

Fun with Fabric

Simple strips of patterned or floral fabrics can be used to tie things together, while simple ribbons can jazz up any space or tablescape, like in this shoot on Ruffled. In addition, DIY fabric pennant flags that match your color scheme are super fun to hang throughout your venue or tent.

The Food Pyramid

Fill cylindrical glass vases with fruits and vegetables reflecting your colors. Lemons and limes have been done, so try for a unique, more contemporary look with texture-rich earthy vegetables like asparagus, cabbage, or artichokes. If citrus suits your color scheme and you’re using flowers, slice the lemons or limes and place them in the jar surrounding the stems.

A Library Look

Stacks of books intricately piled can work in a number of different ways. For sophisticates, choose antique leather-bounds and vintage classics. For a more fun approach, use books with bright spines and kitschy titles. Or, tie it to your wedding location – if beach-side, go with maritime classics like Moby Dick and The Old Man and the Sea.

Au Natural

Consult Mother Nature for inspiration, and bring the outdoors in. Natural objects like leaves, pinecones, and even twigs can add an organic aesthetic to your reception décor. Place them in rustic containers, or dip them in a gold or silver paint and scatter amongst pillar candles. This idea will nicely complement a fall wedding theme.

Cover It

Glass cloches and pedestals can take a tablescape from average to amazing. Place small potted plants under the glass covers or top the pedestal with colorful fruit and place the cover over the delicious cluster. Our favorite? Go green with the mossy terrarium look by filling jars, pedestals, and cloches with lush, live moss and lichen.

Click here to read the full article.

Source: eleGALA.com

These unique and modern ideas for wedding flowers and decorations are sure to inspire your own creations.

Your wedding flowers offer ample opportunity to stretch your creative muscles and add a bit of originality to your wedding day, so don’t be afraid to design a floral scheme that bucks tradition. This list of our favorite ideas for bridal bouquets, centerpieces, colors, and other decorations is a great place to start designing a memorable decor scheme.

Play with Shape

Arrangements with a just-picked, unstructured look are replacing the tightly bound bouquet and centerpiece shapes of previous seasons. Ensure a modern, not messy, look by choosing the right flowers. Hearty blooms like roses, orchids, and amaranthus work well in looser arrangements because of the sleek shape of the individual blooms. Seeded eucalyptus will add texture without looking messy. Also consider incorporating non-floral elements like feathers, wheat, berries, and crystals to add interest and depth.

Think Pink

Believe it or not, pink is back. From bright, honeysuckle, and coral shades to classic, sophisticated blush tones, we can expect to see both in the 2011 wedding color palette. Many brides are daring to think beyond basic hot pink by incorporating the softer shades into their floral schemes with garden roses, peonies, and even mini-carnations, which offer great texture. Avoid chocolate brown (so last year!), and instead pair your brighter coral pink with tangerine and lemon yellow, while warm grays and gentle golds will complement the softer, rosey, champagne pink.

Look Beyond the Vase

Options abound beyond the basic floral vase for holding your flowers. Consider instead mixing and matching clusters of unique containers like old bottles, mason jars, vintage tins, pitchers, or milk glass to add interest and reflect your wedding theme. Some ideas: Fill watering cans with wild flowers for a garden fete, or cluster old apothecary jars with just one or two blooms in each each.

Lighten Up

Candles, always a popular choice for centerpieces, are becoming even more popular as a budget and eco-friendly enhancement to traditional floral centerpieces. Ample candlelight lends the day a romantic, organic feel, while the natural resource saves electricity and drapes the setting with an intimate glow. A large cluster of votives in the center of the table will set things aglow. Using long, rectangular tables? Fill the entire center of the table with votives, in rows, pressed tight together.

Go Green

Going green is easy when it comes to wedding flowers. Consult Mother Nature for inspiration and bring the outdoors in. Natural objects like stones, antlers, even twigs can add an organic aesthetic to your reception décor. Place in rustic containers or place amongst pillar candles for added ambiance.

Make It Personal

Further seeking to personalize their weddings, brides are using their wedding flowers to call out specific interests by incorporating unique items into bouquets and centerpieces and creating a conversation piece for guests. For instance: Bookworms can use use intricately piled leather-bound books in place of floral centerpieces, and wine lovers can use wine bottles and decanters as centerpiece holders.

Tie it Together

The hand-tied bouquet continues its reign as the most popular bouquet style as brides opt for a tailored and natural look to their wedding flowers. A fresh bunch of flowers gathered and wrapped in a wide satin ribbon or lace presents the look of simple elegance, but brides wishing to up the glam of this otherwise simple look can embellish the bouquet with brooches, pins, and crystal picks.

A Single Bloom

Using a single type of bloom is a simple, elegant, and interesting approach. The texture of one type of flower can make for incredible, consistent texture. Peonies, garden roses, ranunculus, and mums are a timeless choice for this technique, while mini-carnations and dahlias are unexpected but fun. Tulips and daffodils are stunning in spring, and lisianthus looks amazing alone because of the multiple blooms and buds on each stem.

Lose the Corsage

Modern brides are forgoing corsages and instead having the moms carry nosegays down the aisle. Besides the fact that corsages tend to conjure up memories of proms gone bad, there’s practical reason for this trend because it saves the dress – often made from fragile fabric – from pulling and tearing from the weight of the corsage.

Click here for the full article.

Source: project wedding

Don’t let the stunning details of your wedding break the bank. Get these elegant centerpieces without spending a fortune. (expert advice)

No doubt that in planning your wedding, you’ve spent a bundle on a sumptuous feast, a great band, and the honeymoon of your dreams. And though you want your wedding photos to look like those in magazines, you’re probably also looking for ways to save money without sacrificing good taste (and without anyone noticing). Is that even possible? Absolutely! Spend your money where it counts most (like on your gown!). The savings will come in handy when you put together your own simple yet elegant centerpieces.

The best centerpieces are those that draw the eye to the beauty of the entire table. When arranging your table displays, remember that size matters! Your centerpiece shouldn’t be too obvious or overpower the place settings. Think of it as putting together an outfit. For the best results, everything on your table should complement everything else. (Tip: Decorate using an odd number of items.)

Here are some great ideas for glamorous, low-cost table decorations. Before making your decision, consider the style of your reception, the time of day or night, the season, and the mood you wish to set.

Theme Wedding

If your wedding has a theme, it can be lots of fun to use items associated with it for your centerpiece. For example, if you are getting married at the beach, you can fill a big, round fishbowl halfway with sand and beautiful shells. If your reception is close to the winter holidays, you may like a big, white bowl filled with silver and/or gold ornaments. And if your wedding is on New Year’s Eve, a container of sparkly wands, pinwheels, noisemakers, and festive blowouts will allow your guests to ring in your new life and the New Year when the time is right!

Sentimental Savvy

For a personal touch (and to make your folks cry), think nostalgia! Choose two medium-sized silver or gold picture frames for each table. Put a picture of you when you were a child in one and a picture of your new husband as a child in the other. Next, set up the frames facing away from one another, and then behind the frames and around the bottom, place greens, sparkly garlands, loose ribbon, or a topiary to hide the backs of the frames and to complete this sweet ensemble. You may also arrange 3-5 frames in a cluster and then fill them with your favorite family photos. This will encourage your guests to mingle as they walk around to view all the pictures!

Edible Centerpieces

Here’s a choice that will also tease your guests and make them drool! Fill a clear decanter with assorted candies or chocolates wrapped in silver or gold (or your favorite colored) paper. As the night progresses, your guests will enjoy the design and can snack on this centerpiece as temptation becomes too much to bear!

Another new choice in centerpieces is cupcakes! Simply use a small cake tier, place it in the center of the table, and fill each level with cupcakes topped with your choice of white or colored frosting and sprinkled with sparkling sugar. Maybe the baker in your family will offer to make them as a wedding gift to you. This simple and delicious idea will be a big hit with your guests. I mean, who doesn’t like cupcakes?!

The Natural Look

In keeping with a more natural or “green” scheme, wildflowers are a great choice. Simply gather bunches of dried flowers and various stems and leaves, and then hang them over the edges of wide baskets or arrange them in odd-shaped jars, old water pitchers, or kettles. To add some shimmer, try spraying silver or gold spray paint on some of the branches or leaves (or pinecones, if in season).

Citrus is also a nice organic choice. Just fill a large, clear bowl with one type of fruit (usually lemons, limes, or oranges) and coordinate your place cards, china, or glassware in the same color as your fruit selection. To add a little more detail to this clever choice, wrap each lemon, lime, or orange with the same color ribbon, tying a small, tight bow on each.

You can also arrange a single fruit choice in tall, square, or cylindrical clear glass vases. For an extra boost, insert some long-stemmed greens or flowers in the center.

Another way of displaying your fruit choice is by slicing it up!  Fill tall, clear vases with lots of quarter-inch slices of lemons or limes, add water, and you’re done! This look can be changed up by using shorter vases and topping off each with a fresh flower. This option not only looks sophisticated, but it gives off a great aroma!

Fresh-Cut Flowers

Although a little more expensive, the simplest and most elegant décor usually involves fresh-cut flowers. The best thing about flowers is that there are so many types, sizes, and colors, and there are just as many ways to display your favorite ones. For example, you may choose yellow roses for your spring wedding, lilies for a black-and-white evening affair, or daisies for a relaxed afternoon soiree.

A single red rose standing alone in a tall, clear vase surrounded by a handful of rose petals around the base is the statement of the uncomplicated and sophisticated bride. Change the rose to a gardenia for a less formal look, or replace the vases with old, water-filled champagne bottles to add antique charm.

For a more creative and romantic look, circle 5-10 flowered teacups and saucers in the center of your table. Then fill each teacup with water and add your choice of flower to sit on top. In the center of the grouping, simply add a small vase full of the same flower, and fin! A great way to get your family more involved (if you dare) is to ask aunts, cousins, and grandparents to lend you their china teacups. The variety of patterns will provide much to talk about!

For the full article, click here.