Personalized wedding ribbons are more useful than you realize. You might think this decorative element only holds a single purpose but it does not. It is versatile and it has many uses, some of which you probably did not imagine. Check out the many uses of personalized wedding ribbons and see for yourself why need them to prettify your wedding day.

To add flair to wedding stationery
Unleash your creative genius when making your wedding invitations. Whether you’ve chosen to go DIY or hire professional help, you can infuse your personal taste and creativity into the design to ensure that it’s as perfect as you want it to be. To add flair, finish off with satin or chiffon ribbons. Add a trinket that pertains to your wedding theme like a butterfly if you’re having a garden wedding or a pair of tiny flipflops for a gorgeous beach wedding. Coordinate all your wedding stationery. Use the same ribbon material and trinket for orders of service, menus, planners, table numbers, place cards and thank you cards.

To personalize wedding favors
If not for the wedding favors, the bride and groom will not have a special way of thanking all their guests for attending the wedding. Favors also give the couple a chance to wish their guests the best things in life—happiness, good health, fortune, wealth, and long life. Tie personalized ribbons around the favor box or use the ribbon to seal the favor bag. Whichever of the two options you prefer, expect that the favors will not only look more beautiful, they’ll also carry a unique personality.

To beautify the ceremony and reception venues
Adorn the guests’ chairs with wide ribbons and bows so that the chairs would serve as venue decoration as well. Tie long and wide lengths of ribbons to a central point in the ceiling for a stunning ceiling decoration. Be sure to coordinate the colors and materials of the ribbons that you are going to use for the venue to end up with a harmonious look for the whole wedding.

To make the wedding car more exciting
You don’t need the most expensive luxurious car in the world to arrive in style. Even a plain car stylishly dressed with ribbons can do the job. A nice and funky idea would be to arrive in a vintage car that’s all dressed up with retro colors and a retro-style “Just Married” ribbon. There are plenty of ways to add fabulous personalized ribbons to your car and this is just one of it.

To perfect the gift wrapping
Present the thank you gifts for everyone who made this event possible with a personal touch. For example, for your mom who stood by your side patiently even during those moments when you turned into a bridezilla, give her a set of jewelry placed inside a box tied with an “You’re the Best Mom” ribbon. Same can be done for the thank you gifts for the members of the wedding party and for your groom’s family. Choose ribbons with appropriate messages.

Make your wedding even more memorable by making sure that it has personal touch. Achieve this with gorgeous accents such as personalized ribbons.

When planning a wedding, a bride usually focuses all her time and energy on the catering, photography, wedding cake, bridal gown, ceremony and reception sites, wedding stationery, and unique wedding favours. But also a very important aspect of the wedding is the transportation, which you just couldn’t overlook.

Sure, coordinating the wedding transportation for the wedding may not be as fun as trying on various wedding gowns or tasting decadent cakes, but it plays a big role to the success of this event. In short, you have to do it right. To achieve that, here are all the things that you need to know when it comes to planning the wedding day fleet.

People

First, think about your personal transportation needs. You and your groom will be arriving on the ceremony venue on separate vehicles. You two will be riding the same car to the reception after the ceremony is over. Determine the logistics of the ceremony and venue as these would greatly affect your transportation needs. How far is the reception venue from the ceremony site? Are you planning a big entrance to the ceremony or reception facilities?

Next, arrange the transportation of your family and wedding party. Take a head count and figure out your vehicle needs. Consider how they will arrive the ceremony and reception. They don’t really need a big entrance but you have to ensure comfortable transportation with sufficient space for everyone.

The guests, meanwhile, would probably have their own transportation. But if not, you might want to assist them in this matter, especially if the wedding ceremony and reception are miles apart. You should also offer assistance to those who have mobility issues like the elderly or the handicapped guests. Do everything you can to make the event convenient for them.

Vehicle Type

You won’t run out of choices on vehicle type. You can go for a limo, classic car (Corvette, Porsche, or Vintage Mustang), luxury car (Rolls Royce, Bentley), or something out of the box like a horse and carriage, motorcycle, or even a skateboard! If you’re renting vehicles for your family and guests, consider the number of people that can be accommodated. Stretch limos can fit in 10 to 12 passengers, limos can sit six people, and vans can accommodate seven to 15 passengers. If you’re having a big wedding, consider renting a bus that can sit up to 60 passengers.

Parking

It’s not just the vehicles that you need to be concerned about. You also have to consider where you’re going to put all these cars. Talk to the managers of both the reception and ceremony sites to inquire about the parking options. Some sites provide ample free parking space. Some charge a fee. Others offer specialized parking services like valet parking. If you opt for valet team, consider having two to three valet attendants for every 100 guests.

Budget

Now comes the money part. Obviously, you need to shell out money especially if you’re going to rent unique and luxurious modes of transport. Rental rates per hour can range anywhere from $40 to $75, depending on the vehicle type and quantity of passengers. Don’t forget the tips, which should be 15 to 20 percent of the total bill.

If you opt for a valet service, factor in an additional $20 to $25. Tradition calls for the bride’s family to take care of all the transportation and parking expenses except for that of the groom and best man. The groom’s family is expected to shoulder this. But nowadays, the transportation tab can be paid by any side.

Martha Stewart is a big fan of the calla lily wedding theme, especially as a wedding flower and no one does a wedding better than the Queen of Good Things. According to her, the calla lily was the flower that early Romans used to signify the passing of the winter solstice. The Romans would plant them just inside their homes, and timing the planting perfectly so that they would bloom as the winter solstice occurred, and the calla lily offered light and beauty in an otherwise dark and dreary time of year.

The larger the display of calla lilies, the wealthier the Roman home occupants were. Calla lilies were so revered by the Romans, they went so far as to decorate the edges of the blooms with gold filament.

Calla lily translates to magnificent beauty and the flowers never disappoint. Their pure white unusual blooms and the vibrant green stalks and leaves make the calla lily a perennial favorite for flower lovers the world over. Symbolic in nature, their shape is said to resemble trumpets that are singing out victory to the heavenly sky that they stretch out to. Could there be a more perfect wedding theme.

Popular with Spring and autumn splendor weddings, calla lilies are certainly perfect for a winter wonder land wedding as well – working in perfect harmony with wintery white snow, ice and crystal. A calla lily theme wedding is simply exquisite no matter what season the wedding is held, or whether it is a morning, afternoon or evening wedding ceremony.

Throughout history, artists have included the calla lily in their paintings and sculptures of the Virgin Mary and the Angel of Annunciation – with the calla lilies used to signify purity and faith. This could be a good reason why a calla lily theme wedding is very popular with Christians and others getting married in a formal cathedral ceremony.

The calla lily has also been used over time to represent youth, regeneration and innocence. Another perfectly illuminating reason why calla lily wedding themes are so popular among contemporary couples who are looking for their wedding to be a rebirth of their relationships, in a symbolic sort of way.

For centuries, the calla lily has been a treasured flower which has been celebrated and stood as the showcased theme at many weddings. In modern times, the calla lily flower has become one of the most highly sought after flowers for a bride, and one of the most popular wedding themes for couples of all age, races and religions. In the 21st century, the calla lily has begun to outshine the traditional rose as the flower of choice for the bridal bouquet.

Putting together a wedding reception timeline can be a daunting task to some brides. It doesn’t have to be. Other than checking out guidelines online, you can follow the tips enumerated below which would help you plan one that will make your reception a big success.

Determine the type of reception you want to have

Before you can even begin to put together a timeline, you must first ask yourself what kind of reception program you want to have. Do you want something traditional and include all the classic wedding reception customs? Do you prefer something unique with your funky ideas?  Are you going to have a cocktail reception, sit-down dinner or buffet? Will you be following a certain theme? All these questions will help you form a suitable reception timeline.

Know the basics to include

Whether you’re going to follow the standard reception program format or not, you must still get to know what this format is about, as you may wish to include some of its parts in your reception timeline. The standard format includes a cocktail hour, receiving line, entrance of the newlyweds and wedding party, first dance of the couple, mother/son dance and father/daughter dance, cheers and toasts (speeches from the father of the bride, maid of honor and best man), dinner, partying and dancing, cake cutting and bouquet tossing.

Deviate from the standard format

If you prefer to have a personalized wedding reception but would still want to include the basic parts mentioned above, give each a little twist. For example, instead of forming the receiving line at the early part of the evening, have it at the end. Instead of having the father of the bride make the first toast and welcome/thank you speech, why not ask the bride’s mother to do it? Bouquet tossing can be done in a different way like through a game. And it doesn’t always have to be dinner. You always have the option to have a breakfast, lunch or cocktail reception.

Make a detailed list of everything

Once you have decided what parts you want to include and how you want all these to be done, it’s time to create the reception timeline list. Be as specific as possible. This will help the host know what you really want to happen during your reception. You can’t expect the host or the other people involved in the reception program to read your mind.

If you want the speeches to last only a minute or so, be sure to inform the people giving them. If you don’t want to turn into a million shades of vermillion, don’t forget to tell your maid of honor or the best man that roasting you and your hubby is a no-no. (This is actually quite fun so if you’re up for it, it would be nice to have a little roasting on your big day!)

Now that you know these tips, it would be much easier for you to put together a reception timeline.

Choosing a Claddaugh wedding theme for your special day, complete with an Irish or Celtic theme is a great way to celebrate your day as well as the tradition, heritage and resiliency of Irish pride. When you consider all that those who have lived on the island have been through, from early invaders to potato famines to decades of rebellion for Irish independence, the island and its people are truly remarkable. What is equally if not more remarkable is their spirit and the symbols of that spirit that are popular centuries after they were created and adopted by the mainstream Irish culture.

The Claddaugh symbol is more than just a couple of hands grasping a heart, covered by a crown. It is a symbol of the love, loyalty and tenacity of a people who have survived and thrived all that the weather, landscape and invaders have thrown at them. Since the Claddaugh also represents that inner toughness that the Irish embody plus the ability so many of them possess to succeed regardless of the challenge, a Claddaugh wedding theme is a great metaphor for a newly married couple.

Other Irish touches that make an Irish themed wedding complete are color and blessings. Any gifts, favors or programs should have at least a muted green and crème theme that reminds guests of Irish loyalty and solidarity and inject the pride and forward looking mindsets of this very passionate heritage and people. No Irish wedding is complete without at least one complimentary shot of Irish Whiskey or non alcoholic alternative and of course, the blessing.

Here are some popular Irish sayings you can choose from to incorporate into either a formal blessing or when you want your guests to loosen up and start celebrating your good luck.

“May your heart be light and happy, May your smile be big and wide, And may your pockets always have A coin or two inside!”

“May you get all your wishes but one, So you always have something to strive for.”

“May you have all the happiness And luck that life can hold- And at the end of all your rainbows May you find a pot of gold.”

For a more formal blessing, invoke the following:

“May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind always be at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face, and rains fall soft upon your fields. And until we meet again, May God hold you in the palm of His hand.”

Themed  toasting glasses are a cherished keepsake of that happy moment. After the party is over, you can keep your flutes to toast your love every year on your anniversary. Every time you use the wedding toasting sets, you will remember your first toast as a married couple.

Hearts are a classic wedding theme chosen by many couples. Use wedding toasting flutes with hearts to show off your loving natures. Dramatic silver plated interlocking heart stems with fluted glasses are an eye-catching centerpiece at the wedding table and a gorgeous decorative addition to the newlyweds’ new home. Silver plated stacked hearts flutes are a more understated way to incorporate hearts into your special wedding toast. For the simplest expression, use engraved toasting flutes embellished wit the word “Love”. Everyone will know exactly how you feel about each other during the wedding toast when you use these flutes.

Match your  flutes to the flowers displayed at your reception. Calla lilies, roses and white tiger lilies are all featured around the stems of the glasses so you can coordinate them with your bouquets and floral arrangements. If you have a seasonal winter wedding, choose flutes with snowflakes. For a fall wedding, an autumn splendor toasting set captures the essence of the season.

Diamonds bring ‘bling’ to your wedding décor. Sparkle during your wedding toast using dazzling diamond ring wedding flutes. Add opulence to a luxurious wedding with refined etched flutes. A breathtaking accent are open heart and jewel drop open stem flutes, which are sure to become treasured keepsakes after the wedding. Colorful ribbons such as chocolate and strawberries and wedding white add a professional flair to your wedding decorations. If you’re renewing your vows, choose commemorative wedding toasting flutes to celebrate your 25th or 50th wedding anniversary.

Customized wedding flutes make the toast even more memorable for the bride and groom.

Attending a friend’s wedding but not sure what you’re going to wear? For some people, this can be a source of anxiety. Nobody wants to be over- or under-dressed for an occasion as important as a wedding. This is especially true if the person getting married is someone you really care about like your best friend or your favorite classmate in college. Before you get all stressed out, this simple guide on formal wedding attire will give you a good idea on what you should wear and how to look dashing while wearing it.

White Tie

The first thing you do is of course to look at the wedding invitation. What does it say? If it says that white tie is required, then you must know that your ensemble should compose of a formal white shirt, white vest and tie, a tailcoat, and black opera pumps. In case you’re not aware, black opera pumps are shoes that do not have any laces. Female guests, on the other hand, should don a formal floor-length evening gown. The color choice is yours but as much as possible stay away from white so you don’t steal the thunder from the bride.

Black Tie

Now for a black-tie event, common sense will tell you that you have to leave your white tie at home. For men, the standard choices are black tuxedo and evening jacket. Matching trousers are a must. Black tie, black vest or cummerbund, and suspenders are also necessary. Conservative black suit in lieu of the tux is acceptable. Women have two options: dressy cocktail dress and formal floor-length gown. Again, any color is good except for white.

Black Tie Optional

A wedding can also be something that’s called a black tie optional event. It’s just like a black tie event, only a little bit more flexible. For one, you can wear what you’re wearing if you’re going to a black tie wedding. But you have the freedom to go more casual by wearing a dark suit, white shirt, and conservative tie. The word, “optional” is often used to denote that the tux is not required or probably not recommended. For ladies, apart from the cocktail dress and floor-length formal gown, another item is added to their roster, which is formal dressy separates.

Creative Black Tie

Since many couples have caught on the hype of having a unique wedding, you’ll see the creative black tie attire more and more often. By creative, you get a sense that being playful is allowed in this kind of wedding event. If you’re going to wear the traditional tuxedo, you can spice it up a bit with a colorful tie or shirt. Anything goes for the girls. Wear an elegant floor-length formal gown, an eye-catching cocktail dress, or take it a notch higher with creative accessories—the choice is yours. After all, the couple wants you to go creative.

Additional Tips for the Ladies

As mentioned earlier, wearing white is a major no-no. Why wear white when there are hundreds of other colors out there? Even if the bride is walking the down the aisle in a colored wedding gown, you should still stay away from white. Also, black and sequined dresses are not a good idea if the wedding is at daytime. Sexy clothing is never appropriate. Plunging necklines, see-through fabrics, and backless dresses don’t belong in weddings. You can only wear opera-length gloves if you’re wearing sleeveless or strapless gowns. Be sure to take off your gloves when you eat or drink.

More Tips for the Gentlemen

If the event calls for formal attire, don’t try to get creative with the tuxedo. Always be safe and go with the black tux, white shirt, and black bow tie combination. You can only play it up if creative black tie is required. If the wedding is after 6 p.m. the safest option is a dark suit. If the event is to be held in the morning, don’t wear a tux.

Now that you know what you can for a formal wedding event, the next thing you must do is to wear this with confidence. Even if you’re sporting a designer suit if you don’t believe that you look good in it, your efforts will be futile.

Wedding guest books bring your day to life long after the reception is over. When the party ends, often the bride and groom can’t remember all the details of the day. When you look over the wedding guest book together, you know what everyone was thinking and feeling during your special day.

Source: MyDreamWedding.ca

While you try to talk to everyone attending your wedding, it becomes impossible. A wedding guest book gives everyone attending your wedding a chance to say something to you even if you don’t get to linger at his or her table during the reception. The sentiments shared in your wedding guest book make it the first cherished family heirloom to bring to your new home.

Bring Your Day to Life

In most wedding guest books, guests write their name, telephone number, address and a statement to the happy couple. If you want more detail in your guest book, let your guests know in the invitations. Request your guest bring photos and memorabilia to include in your wedding guest book so it become an account of both your lives to add more meaning. The basic information provided in your wedding guest book can be used to write your thank-you cards and create a complete address book for your home together.

It is important to get your guests to notice the wedding guest book so they actually sign it. Set up a special table dedicated to the guest book with a fancy matching pen for the guests to use when they sign it. You can even pass the guest book around the reception to ensure everyone signs.

Match your wedding guests books to the theme of your big day or coordinate them with your new home. Make sure the guest book has enough pages and room for all your guests to write something.

For a spring wedding, a butterfly dreams traditional guest book captures the thoughts of your guests to metamorphoses them into memories. At a fall wedding, you can grab your guests’ attention by displaying an autumn splendor guest book on a table decorated with colorful silk leaves.

Military couples can show off their service to the country with a discerning camouflage guest book. The camouflage design is sure to inspire thoughtful comments from all your guests. Decorate your country wedding with a romantic vintage western guest book on a rustic table. At a traditional wedding, use an elegant guest book such as a platinum design guest book or a sweet art book. These luxurious wedding guest books will be eye-catching heirlooms on the coffee table at your newlywed nest.

The sky is the limit when you unleash your imagination and creativity and go for the unique and unusual wedding favours that would be remembered by all. Wedding favours are gifts that are carefully selected and hand-picked by the couples that thoroughly depict their own personality and how they expect the guests to remember their special occasion.

The tradition of giving away favours is a means for the newly-wed couples to express their earnest gratitude to the all the guests for attending and being part of the wonderful, unforgettable occasion. Most importantly, wedding favours must be able to represent and reflect the exclusivity of your wedding celebration. Thus, the favour itself must be unique and distinctive. Perhaps the best way to achieve this is by personalizing your favours. Personalized and unique wedding favours acts as a meaningful keepsake of a beautiful wedding to remember.

Each and every wedding is unique and exclusive in its own way and so does all the details related to it, including the keepsakes. Unique wedding favours are gifts that are carefully selected and hand-picked by the couples that thoroughly depict their own personality and how they expect the guests to remember their special occasion. These can be as classy and costly as they can be, or they can be hand-made and inexpensive. The ideal wedding party favour does not depend on the cost alone, but how creative and exceptional they are. Whether you choose to go with traditional or modern favours, at the end of the day, it is still the thought that really counts. Distinctive and unique wedding favours will definitely put a smile on each and every guest’s face!

How To Pick Your Very Own Unique Favors

The sky is the limit when you unleash your imagination and creativity and go for unique and unusual table gifts that would be remembered by all. When making your pick, you may want to consider setting up several criteria in order to narrow down your choices. Try to do some research on what’s hot and what’s not in the current trend. Bridal books and magazines offer numerous exciting and instant ideas for unique and sometimes unusual souvenirs of myriad designs and forms. Wedding favours can either consist of edible items and foodstuff, decorative souvenirs or various practical items that can later be used and utilized by the guests who receive them.

It is a common practice nowadays that couples will personalize their wedding favours according to the theme of the wedding party, colour scheme, venue and time of the year when the event takes place. For instance, you may opt for mini photo frames or placecard holders with seashell design if you are having a beach wedding. A beautiful sandalwood fan can be given to the ladies during summer weddings while miniature decorated stockings or home-made gingerbread cookies can be associated with Christmas weddings. You might also consider your budget. It is important to keep in mind that wedding favours do not necessarily have to be expensive.

Wide Selections of Unique Table Decorations

You might be surprised of the countless selections of unique wedding favours you can find in the current market, especially when you browse through the thousands of bridal websites on the internet. You can even choose to purchase them online. Some of the vendors also provide services such as printing and engraving should you choose to personalize your favours.

Chocolates, candies, mints, home-made cookies, tea and coffee sachets, sugar-coated almonds and dried fruits are some of the examples of common favours, but some couples on the other hand, opt for queer and odd items to be given away as favors for their wedding. These include plant and flower seeds, place card holders, key chains, bookmarks, refrigerator magnets, stainless-steel peelers, bottle stoppers, personalized shot glasses, pocket-size mirrors, and even items like engraved polished stones, manicure sets, engraved miniature beer mug and champagne flute, mini lanterns, pocket-size calculators, coasters, measuring tape, luggage tags, ice-cream scoop, cookie cutters, pizza cutters and kitchen timer.

Each and every beautiful and unique wedding favours deserve a lovely packaging. These items can be given unwrapped or beautifully packed in wedding favour boxes that come in different shapes, color and sizes. These wedding favour boxes can be purchased from any bridal supplies stores. They can then be decorated with soft netting, shiny satin ribbons, laces, miniature dried flowers arrangements, strands of assorted beadings or even embellished with pearls, crystals and small rhinestones. Last but not least, make sure to attach your wedding favour with a personalized thank you note or a short poem printed on a card which also includes the names of the bride and groom and the date or even venue of the wedding.