Centerpieces for Weddings Ideas

November 29, 2011 by  
Filed under Wedding Planning

In any wedding reception party, wedding centerpieces play a very important role in determining the mood of the party and it is also a reflection of the taste of the couple. Before moving on to a final plan for centerpieces for weddings, you must consider the theme of the wedding and also your budget. You can also consult a florist or a wedding planner to get some innovative ideas. But your idea must go with the theme of the wedding. But you should not worry if you have a limited budget. There are really many cheap ideas available which can really make excellent centerpieces for your weddings. In addition, you must also consider what type of surroundings you are looking for and also what size of tables you are going to use in the reception.

Depending on your budget and theme you can have a lot of ideas for centerpieces in wedding reception. You can decorate it with flowers. Though many flowers are available in the market, before choosing a flower you must see that it is available in that season and it suits your budget. Many inexpensive flowers are available in the market that may suit your budget and also the theme of the wedding.

You can also make the centerpieces with fruits. You can decorate them with colorful fruits that may look great. If you can add fruits like citrus, it has got a beautiful smell and your guests will really feel charmed. The fruits can be kept as a whole or they can be cut and decorated in pieces. The chosen proper color combination of the fruits may present a very elegant atmosphere to the wedding.

You can also decorate the tables with vegetables in the same manner. You are able to make different designs using the vegetables and create many wonderful centerpieces for your wedding. This is really an inexpensive idea, but at the same time, will add beauty to your guest tables. For this purpose, you can choose asparagus, artichoke or even green beans.

Using candles is another wonderful idea of decorating the centerpieces of weddings. Candle is such a beautiful option that it goes along with any budget or any taste. It helps to create a very romantic atmosphere, if the wedding takes place in the evening. If the wedding hall is dimly lit and if you can add some flowers to the decoration, then using candles as centerpieces for weddings will have a long lasting impact on your guests.

But you can make great centerpieces if you are planning to get married in fall. The weather is cool and you can get a lot of beautiful flowers at that time. If you are planning a beach side reception party, the centerpiece colors have to be bright and vibrant. It is really wise to use sunflowers as the focus flower and can have some carnations and golden rod to add more colors. If you decide for a Mexican theme reception food, you can add some peppers that may go well with the centerpiece design.

What’s Your Bridal Astrology Style?

November 15, 2011 by  
Filed under Wedding Planning

Every bride dreams about her wedding. Some have dreamed about their weddings since they were little girls playing with dolls. Every bride has their own distinct style – a bridal astrology style. Your astrology sign can tell you a lot about the type of wedding you’d like to have – not just what type of day the newspaper astrology column says you’re going to have. Whether you think astrology is to be believed, totally ridiculous or you’re kind of curious – we’re sure you’ll find this pretty interesting.

The Aries Bride

The Ram bride is one of the most confident brides you’ll see. Some brides get nervous or worry about flower arrangements – not your Aries bride! The Aries bride may prefer a traditional or unique setting for her wedding but one thing is for certain – it is HER day. Some might say…in the nicest possible way…that the Aries bride can be the teensiest bit er, controlling? But we’d prefer to say that she is well organized and really knows how to create the perfect wedding.

The Taurus Bride

The Bull bride loves to set the scene and atmosphere. The sign of Taurus is known for loving and collecting all types of objects and this adoration only continues with their wedding plans. Even the cocktail napkins need to be a luxurious texture and have the perfect monogram to be included in the wedding reception. A Taurus bride’s wedding is a sight to see. While a Taurus bride may delegate, don’t EVER take credit for planning or helping – this wedding was entirely the bride’s doing. The Taurus bride has a touch of possessiveness, and HER wedding was planned by her alone.

The Gemini Bride

The Twins bride is one of the most fun brides we’ve seen. Many like to call Geminis social butterflies and this is a very accurate portrayal. They have many friends and love to entertain. The biggest challenge the Gemini bride faces is being twins – of two minds – when she is planning the wedding she may have difficulty making decisions or focusing. A wedding planner or good friend who can help is so important. Everyone has a great time at a Gemini bride’s wedding – this is the wedding where everyone dances until dawn

The Cancer Bride

Nurturing, kind and caring, the Crab bride is known for her soft side. Family and friends always come #1. So planning a wedding is quite special for the Cancer bride, who will put care into every detail – not for herself but for her guests’ enjoyment. Do remember that every crab has claws – and compliment the lovely Cancer bride on her hard work. So often the Cancer bride works hard and does not get recognition, causing her to pout. No one should pout on their wedding day!

The Leo Bride

We’ll say it right from the start: the Leo bride loves to be the center of attention. But you probably know this, as Leos naturally shine as the center of attention. The Lion bride is proud and regal so you can expect a royal celebration and a feast, even if it is a small wedding. Every detail will be elegant and lovely, carefully thought out. Don’t forget to get a video of the wedding, especially for the Leo bride who will enjoy watching her special day again and again.

The Virgo Bride

The sign of Virgo is known for being meticulous and hardworking. So the Virgo bride’s wedding will be a well oiled machine. Virgo brides can confidently manage a dozen bridesmaids and other attendants where other astrological signs would go to pieces. This is the astrological sign that can put together a wedding in three months, making it look as if it had been planned for years. The Virgo bride has no doubt been a popular bridesmaid and has experience attending weddings – experience that has done her well as a bride today.

The Libra Bride

The Libra bride is lovely, graceful and thoughtful. Everyone is charmed by a Libra bride. There is so much attention today about brides throwing temper tantrums – you’ll never see that type of behavior with a Libra bride. The biggest challenge the Libra bride faces? As the sign of the scales, the Libra often weighs every decision carefully, making it hard to make even the smallest decisions. This is another sign that would do well with a wedding planner or good friend to help plan the wedding so details don’t overwhelm the lovely Libra bride.

The Scorpio Bride

There is no bride more passionate than the Scorpio bride. Expect to attend a very romantic wedding when you go to a Scorpio’s wedding. This is a wedding that will focus on love and romance – especially the intensity of love. Some Scorpio brides show this intensity with lavish displays. Whether a lavish display of affection or large flower displays on an enormous wedding cake – you’ll smile and know it’s a Scorpio’s wedding.

The Sagittarius Bride

The fun and good humored Sagittarius is just so happy about getting married. This is a happy bride. She’s happy through all of the wedding planning – even when it gets sticky, difficult or a bit boring. The Sagittarius bride is likely to choose the destination wedding as many Sags adore travel and nothing’s more fun than taking everyone with you to some exotic location for your wedding.

The Capricorn Bride

Some think Capricorn brides are cold and calculating but they just don’t understand them. The Capricorn bride is simply very logical. Most expect brides to always be this endless puddle of romantic goo – and you aren’t going to get that from the Capricorn bride. If she whips out the calculator to decide which bridal bouquet is “best,” don’t cringe – she’s just showing her practical and savvy ways. Yes, the Capricorn bride often does care a bit about money, they’re good at making and keeping it. Many Capricorn brides have lavish weddings – but they won’t throw money around with no sense to the matter.

The Aquarius Bride

The Water Bearer bride is often unique and original. It’s the Aquarius bride you’ll see doing something that people haven’t done for a wedding before or in awhile. The Aquarius bride tends to set trends without realizing it. Some Aquarius brides may choose very traditional themes but you’ll still see sparks of the unique and original there.

The Pisces Bride

The Pisces bride is sweet and dreamy, as all Pisces fish are. This is one of the most romantic signs of the Zodiac. Pisces brides are sensitive and sometimes moody. Did we say moody? Oh don’t get upset dear, we didn’t mean it. The Pisces bride may have some challenges managing every detail. A wedding planner or good friend can be very helpful. It’s not surprising that many Pisces prefer to get married near or on the water.

Why Hire a Certified Wedding Planner

August 2, 2011 by  
Filed under Wedding Planning

You’ve made the decision to hire a wedding planner for your big event, but you’re not sure where to start looking for one.Don’t just start randomly going through the Yellow Pages, make sure you’re setting yourself up to hire a true professional to handle every detail of your wedding.

A certified wedding planner is trained to handle every aspect of your wedding planning, from helping you set a budget, ironing out the details of your ceremony, and of course planning your reception.There are a number of organizations and listings that will help point you to a certified wedding planner, and taking the time to research these sources and hiring someone specifically trained will help ensure that your wedding is all you want it to be.

Financial Planning

Whether you’re an accountant or someone who loathes handling finances, a certified wedding planner can make your wedding planning process much more streamlined with their professional training.  A certified wedding planner will have the expertise to be able to help you set up your wedding budget without creating any big surprises along the way.You’ll gain the confidence of knowing that your certified wedding planner knows the business of planning weddings inside and out, and create reasonable expectations for you regarding your budget.

Ceremonial Proceedings

If you want to create a ceremony that reflects both you and your spouse to be, a certified wedding planner will be well versed in the ceremonial proceedings of many different religions, traditions, and cultural/ethnic backgrounds.A certified wedding planner can help you find a way to seamlessly incorporate various elements of both your and your spouse’s backgrounds into one cohesive ceremony.Furthermore, if your ceremony will need to involved different religious figures they can help find the right people for you.

Reception

The most time-intensive aspect of planning your wedding is probably your reception, so having someone to work with that knows the trade of wedding receptions will really work to your advantage.A certified wedding planner will have all the necessary resources to find you the best vendors for all your reception needs.Additionally, a certified wedding planner will have the skills needed to pull together your reception in a mutually agreeable timeframe.A certified wedding planner will be familiar with caterers, etc. and can help you in the decision making process for your food, beverage and wedding cake choices.A certified wedding planner will also organize your reception planning by organizing food tasting and event preview sessions for you.

Finding the Right Wedding DJ

July 21, 2011 by  
Filed under Music & Dancing, Wedding Planning

Wedding DJ

You’ve already auditioned your brother’s rock band, and you know that Metallica covers are not what you had in mind for your wedding reception.  You’ve decided to hire a DJ, but don’t know where to start.  Just remember these simple rules and you’ll have a DJ that spins gold.

Interview before you book him or her

Don’t take it from your cousin’s boyfriend’s sister’s fiancé that Joe DJ is the best DJ around.  Interview Joe DJ first to make sure it’s a good fit.  Remember that this day is all about you, so if Joe DJ has his “wedding formula’ and refuses to deviate from that, he’s probably not the DJ for you.  Not only will you want to get a feel for the DJ’s commitment to your reception, but you’ll also want to check out their operation.  Here are a few things to remember: Read more

Managing the DJ at your wedding

June 11, 2011 by  
Filed under Music & Dancing

For most engaged couples, the wedding reception is a time to kick back, enjoy yourselves and celebrate with your family and friends. And nothing sets the stage for good times better than excellent music. This makes the selection of the right DJ critical, because they can make or break your reception.

After you hire your DJ, there are a few things regarding the DJ you should keep in mind as you move forward toward your big day and make plans for the musical portion of your evening.

1. Make your expectations of the DJ clear – If you want the DJ to be your emcee and announce the wedding party as well as play a more vocal role in the evening, you need to let your DJ know about this ahead of time. This also means providing him with a list of the wedding party as well as how to pronounce all the names. In addition, if there are any special dances or announcements he/she needs to make, let them know when all this needs to occur.

2. Plan your playlist ahead of time – Most DJs take pride in selecting the playlist based on your musical preferences, and this is perfectly fine. But if you have any special requests or must-play songs, you need to let the DJ know ahead of time. Some DJs use DJ event management software with which you can pick out particular songs from their music library, so if this is an option you should take advantage of it.

3. Map out the dance floor setup – This requires working with both your DJ and your venue to determine where the dance area will be set up and where the DJs equipment will be placed. DJs are very particular about their equipment and know exactly where speakers should be placed in order to get the best sound quality, so you should consider having them visit the venue to determine ahead of time the music logistics. Again, DJs with DJ event management software may have tools so you can collaborate in planning the setup with them.

4. Check in with your DJ a few days ahead of the event – You should do this with every vendor, but definitely confirm with your DJ a few days ahead about the time and place to make sure you are all on the same page. This can avoid any last-minute no-shows or lateness.

5. Put a friend in charge of assisting the DJ – Again, you should do this with all your big vendors, but the DJ has lots to set up and organize, so you should put a friend or family member in charge of checking with the DJ to make sure they are all set and if they need any help. Any good DJ should be fine, but it’s always best to have someone there in case of emergency (because you probably won’t have time to deal with it).

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Tip on Choosing a Wedding Reception Hall

wedding-reception-hallPlanning a wedding and all that goes into it can cause a lot of stress and anxiety. If you want a traditional wedding you can still keep it simple and less stressful. The key to planning any type of wedding is to be organized. The more people involved in the decisions the more chaotic it will be.

The wedding reception is usually one of the most memorable parts of the wedding.  This is why it’s important that the location and atmosphere of your reception reflect your personality and style.  In deciding on picking a reception place you need to consider how large a reception it’s going to be and your budget restrictions.

Wedding receptions can be held almost anywhere, including hotels, country clubs, and historic buildings with banquet halls.  There are also the options of private gardens, restaurants or some type of outdoor space.  Words of caution, if you are planning something outdoors make sure you check out the weather for that time of year. You should also have a plan in case it does rain. You can be creative with where you have your reception.

Getting the place for your wedding reception is one of the first things you should do after you have set the date. Many places are booked up to a year in advance.  You should always shop around.  The time of year and the place you choose could affect the price dramatically.  You can look for reception halls in your phonebook or search on the Internet for wedding reception halls.  This way you can find out information such as, how large a place is and how many people it will hold. You can look at menu listings and pricing information.

This way you can make a list of ones that you are considering and cross off others that are either too small are not in your budget. Once you’ve narrowed down your list, you can call and set up a time to visit the different places. Make sure that you bring along  a notebook to write down all the information so you can refer to your notes later.

While you are look at the reception halls you can ask about the availability of the place during your wedding date.  When you think you have found the right place make sure you consider whether it is within your  price range. You should be certain that the price you are quoted includes the dinner for the number people you estimate.  Make sure you consider whether the wedding reception hall will adequately fit the number of guests you will be having.

Other information to find out is whether the reception hall requires you to work with their kitchen or with only certain caterers. Make sure you ask if the wedding reception hall charges for the room as well as the food.  There can be many hidden costs so make sure you ask lots of questions such as is there a cake cutting charge.  You also want to ask about any restrictions on how you can decorate the wedding reception hall.

When you have narrowed it down and have found the perfect one; you should book it immediately. Wedding reception halls are often booked more than a year in advance and you will want to make sure it will be available on your wedding day.  You will now be able to have the wedding of your dreams plus you’ll have a wonderful reception.

Photo by klaxon