The Bride’s Heart

As you’re considering some wedding reception ideas remember that you and your guest want to have some fun. The celebration is usually following the ceremony itself and with a short interlude, more often than not carries on into the evening or night time. Sometimes, for those really enjoying themselves, even to the next morning. There are many types of receptions, some formal, some more relaxed.

These days you can hold your reception at almost any venue you choose. You may opt for the local village hall, with its informal comfort and familiarity or a stately home or castle, for its elegance, romance and luxury. Your decision will be governed mainly by your personal choice and available budget which will have been taken into account at the time of planning the wedding as a whole.

Once you have decided where you would like to hold your reception, it is necessary to check out what accessories such as crockery and table clothes the venue will be using. Let’s face it; you don’t want the setting to be absolutely idyllic but the accessories to be of a lesser quality. Make sure you have a thorough look at the venue and take in all the little details, even if you have to visit more than once before committing yourself.

The layout of the room is very important. It’s a good idea for the head table to be horse-shoe shaped. This way the guests will be able to approach the bride and groom to pass on their congratulations without totally blocking the head table from the view of others.  Round tables are a good option for the remainder of the guests enabling them all to see each other and engage in conversation. The tables can be decorated in many ways; color coordinated candles, flowers or themed centerpieces, either professionally put together or made at home.

Food and drink is a main feature of the wedding reception and can come in the form of a full sit down meal, a buffet, or as an alternative maybe you could offer an hors d’oeuvres or desert only style selection of food to choose from. You can have champagne, (which is usually served during the toasting of the happy couple) or a good quality wine on the table. A non alcoholic alternative should be made available for those poor unfortunates who are carrying out the driving duties for the day. The wedding cake is usually the central attraction of the food, and this can be made of chocolate, cheesecake, sponge and traditional fruit or a mixture of all of these in separate tiers.

Of course, there is always the option of having a themed wedding reception. The theme is likely to be something that both the bride and groom hold a common interest in. For example maybe you are both into country and western. You could hold your reception in a barn house to give a rustic feel and have delicious food served from a barbecue. Give your guests the chance to really let their hair down, square dancing to a fiddler or country music band.

If the 70’s were your favorite era, find a location with a glitter ball, decorate your tables with lava lamps and consider a chocolate fondue as the centerpiece for your tables.

Perhaps you would like to go for music from the 80’s theme for your wedding reception and get them all dancing to Prince, Duran Duran, and Madonna. You can award prizes for the best dancers, be it boogying or moon walking.

When considering some of these wedding reception ideas, make sure to be able to take a quick look back over your shoulder and see your guests all thoroughly enjoying themselves as you and your groom slip quietly off to start your honeymoon.

You may have lots of wedding centerpiece ideas and such details play an important role in the wedding plan. You have listened and chosen to ignore all the jibes of "don’t do it!" from your single friends and decided that your wedding is going to be a day to remember, a day when absolutely everything has to be just perfect.

So, how do you choose the wonderful decor to adorn your wedding table? The venue holding your reception is likely to be decorated in neutral shades allowing you to compliment these with the colors you have chosen for your bridal wear and the clothes of your entourage. Once you have established your color scheme, you can then take time to make a decision about what form you would like the centerpiece to take.

Most wedding center pieces involve the romance of flowers and candles and a breathtaking idea, especially for a summer wedding, is quite simply a flower pot blooming with colorful flowers. This can be used indoors or outdoors and is suitable for an afternoon or evening reception. All you need to do here is select your favorite flowers and chosen shades.

Candles are ever popular, and can be placed in candelabra or goblets to give a simple but elegant look to your table. Or maybe you would prefer a large clear bowl of floating scented heart shaped candles, sprinkled with rose petals or gold leaf. These are excellent as not only do they make an effective centerpiece, but they are so simple to put together.

Flowers of the season can be added to the bowl, which should be placed on a color co-ordinated table runner, allowing the hues of the flowers to catch the light of the candles whilst the perfume wafts gently through. Small flower pots containing votive candles can be placed around the large bowl to nicely finish off the overall display. If flowers are not really your thing, you could use the same idea of a large bowl, but place colored stones in the bottom before setting the floating candles on the water surface.

If you consider yourself to be trendy and in touch with what’s hot in styles of the moment, you need look no further than this seasons clear wax candles. They may sound a little plain at first but when you see the beautiful colors drenched through the transparent form of the candle, the pretty scalloped shaped edgings and the heartening smell of orange citrus and grapefruit, you will agree, they lighten up any decorating theme.

If you are planning your wedding on a strict budget and do not want to incur the cost of a professionally made centerpiece, you could have a go at making your own. You never know, you may discover you have a creative flair which you were unaware of! The main thing here is to know how much time is required before the wedding to put your centerpiece together, allowing for the fact that if you use flowers, you want them to last the day out, at least, and not be drooping onto the table half way through the speeches.

Most of the wedding centerpiece ideas described above are practical in that you will be able to use the basis of the centerpiece over and over again for other special occasions or just around your home. This will serve as a reminder for years to come of just how perfect your wedding day turned out to be.

With so many gorgeous bridal hairstyles to choose from, where does one begin when it’s time to decide?

Start With Your Gown

wedding dress and veil

Trying to find your best choice of beautiful bridal hairstyles should begin with using the type and formality of your dress as a guideline. For modern gowns or outfits, choose, simple, sleek styles, loose curls are perfect for period-piece dresses, and the formal ball gown bridal dress would go well with any elegant updo.

Consider Your Hair’s Length

long curly hair

All brides, regardless of the length of hair, have a wide variety of interesting styles to choose from. Changing the part, using bangs, and either curling or straightening, along with adding decorative embellishments are all great choices for those with shorter hair.

Medium length or longer hair will of course have a few more options, such as these popular styles:

- Bun: Resembling the style often worn by ballerinas, a bun is a simple ponytail wrapped and rewrapped around itself on the top of the head.

hair bun

- Chignon: Chignons are tight knots at the back of the head near the base of the neck and consist of either a regular ponytail or braided hair.

bridal chignon

- Updo: The term updo is used to describe any type of upswept hairstyle, which also usually features loose curls of hair framing the entire face.

wedding updo with flowers

Remember Your Headpiece

The type of headpiece you are wearing for the wedding will also dictate the type of hairstyle you should choose. If you have a veil with an elaborate headpiece, make sure your hair will fit under it and not interfere with the barrettes or bobby pins needed to keep everything in place. Decorative combs are another option, as well as wearing a tiara as opposed to the traditional veil.

long wedding hair with veil

5 Quick Bridal Hairstyle Tips

1. Never color or perm your hair right before the wedding. Make any changes to your hair about a month in advance, to allow time for mishaps to be corrected, and to give time for a more natural look to set in.

2. Two weeks before the wedding, visit your bridal salon or a trusted stylist for a trim to tidy up any split ends, and to keep hair looking its best for the big day.

3. Timing is important when getting your hair done on your wedding day. If you get it styled too early, you risk having it come loose or look different than it was supposed to. Also, remember not to have your hair pulled back too tightly, with any type of style, or you’ll more than likely end up with a headache before the evening is over.

4. If you plan on styling your own hair for your wedding, always enlist the help of a friend or family member for an extra hand if needed, as well as for the benefits of a second opinion.

5. Remember, less is sometimes more, especially when it comes to the bride’s hairstyle on her wedding day. Although you probably want something special, or even a bit different, you’ll still want to look like your real self at the wedding, so choose a glamorous style, but one that also allows you to still be recognizable.

As you make your final choice from your favourite bridal hairstyles, just remember that the hairstyle worn by the bride on her wedding day should always complement the bridal gown, and never compete with, or overshadow it in any way.

Finding the most unique wedding invitation ideas is one of the very first tasks you should complete when planning for your special day. With literally thousands of styles, colors, and themes to choose from, it’s easy for brides and their grooms-to-be to feel overwhelmed by the sheer amount of options available.

Here are some important questions to ask yourself before trying to decide on the absolute best wedding invitations, as well as a few special ideas to consider.

How many guests are invited, and is the day going to be a formal, or informal event?

Besides the matter of budget constraints, the number of guests also should be considered when trying to come up with different wedding invitation ideas. For those smaller, more intimate gatherings, handcrafted, or invitations done with calligraphy are perfect for setting the right tone. Larger weddings should be announced with invitations that are elegant and representative of this type of more extravagant affair.

Is there a particular theme for the wedding?

You will naturally want to have the wedding invitations follow along with the general theme of the wedding. The invitations set the entire tone of the day and give guests not only the pertinent bits of information they’ll need, such as where and when, but also what to expect in terms of formality, how to dress, whether or not children are allowed, and what type of food or entertainment will be available.

What time of year will the wedding take place?

Besides the obvious themes that match the four different seasons, choose your color choices wisely. Light colors and pastels should be reserved for nuptials taking place in the warmer months during spring or summer, and darker, or deeper shades are better for winter or fall.

Create One-of-a-Kind Invitations

Using your home printer, it’s possible to create your own, one-of-a-kind wedding invitations that are sure to be memorable, as well as extremely affordable. Besides the boxed kits that come with everything you need, you can also craft your own using quality paper and ink.

Be Different

Instead of the traditional, flat invitation sent in a regular envelope, consider sending your invites in the form of scroll invitations that are mailed to guests rolled up in long tubes. This style is perfect for the renaissance, Victorian, or medieval themed wedding.

More and more couples are forgoing the usual white or ecru colored invitation, complete with the inner envelope and tissue paper, and instead choosing invites in varying shapes, sizes and colors to reflect their personalities, or the theme of the wedding.

Postage Ideas

In addition to personalized stamps that are legal United States postage where the bride and groom can actually have their own picture printed right onto the stamp, usually their engagement photo, there are a wide variety of other stamps to choose from, depending on the time of year. Winter wedding invitations wouldn’t be complete without the snowflake or similar type of winter scene, and invitations sent in the fall should have vibrantly colored autumn flowers.

Patriotic couples marrying in July will have plenty red, white, and blue stamps to choose from, as well as those exchanging vows near other holidays, such as Valentine’s Day or St. Patrick’s Day. Spring and summer wedding invitations will look best with stamps featuring pastel or colorful flowers.

I am sure you can come up with some more personal wedding invitation ideas when you think about the things that have a special meaning to the bride and groom. This could be related to hobbies, a special location with a romantic meaning for the couple or even a favorite art form.

When I was planning my wedding on a rather limited budget myself, I knew the first thing I had to accomplish was finding cheap bridesmaid dresses that were beautiful, but that also wouldn’t require any of my attendants to take out a loan. Two of the young women in the wedding were college students at the time, so I had to make sure they would be able to afford their dresses along with all the other responsibilities that often come along with being a bridesmaid.

During an event as special as someone’s wedding, every bridesmaid wants to look their absolute best. After all, many eyes will be on the entire wedding party, and everyone will be posing for more than a few pictures throughout the day. Besides the matter of appearances, keeping your budget in mind is also an important factor to consider.

But how can you find a dress that’s not only inexpensive, but also well made, and of course, beautiful? Well, it all really depends on if you know where to look or not.

If many of the prices in the bridal magazines make you cringe, it’s still helpful to look over the popular styles, see what colors appeal to you the most, and get a few ideas to jumpstart your search. Speaking of searches, the internet is an invaluable resource for finding countless styles of dresses, and also for speeding up the process of bargain shopping. Instead of driving from store to store, simply surf from one site to the next, keeping a list of those that catch your eye.

An often overlooked fact in the world of bridal attire is – if a dress is marked or labeled as being a bridesmaid’s dress , it’s going to be more expensive than a similarly made dress that’s not marked as such. Never forget there are many gorgeous cocktail dresses, evening gowns, and prom gowns that all would make perfect bridesmaid gowns. Besides the usual bridal shops and boutiques, there are numerous department stores and internet retailers that carry these types of dresses at reasonable prices.

My own wedding was in the middle of October, and I chose a deep, garnet red as the color for my bridesmaid’s dresses, which were beautifully offset by my creamy colored gown with its gold roses delicately brocaded throughout. They looked very elegant in their modest bridesmaid dresses.

What everyone didn’t know was that my gown and two other bridesmaid’s dresses were actually prom dresses that we bought early in June when prom season was just ending. All three gowns were purchased at a department store for a mere fraction of the regular cost, and I can’t count the number of guests who asked if my dress was custom made just for me! They had no idea where these discount bridesmaid dresses came from.

Another revelation I thought of during my search for the perfect but cheap bridesmaid dresses was that each of the bridesmaids didn’t necessarily have to match one another, as long as the color of the dress was the same. This opened up a world of possibilities since I wasn’t limited to one particular style. In fact, the other two dresses I chose for my attendants were basically the same, but one had a different type of sleeve, and they were of varying lengths. Since no two bridesmaids are built exactly the same, why should their dresses be?

Being asked by the bride-to-be to stand along side her at the wedding is quite a special honor. Choosing the bridesmaid hairstyles is at least as important as finding the right dresses and shoes, the coordinating accessories, jewelry, and makeup.

elegant bridesmaid updo

Bridesmaid Hairstyles for Short Hair

As you would imagine, the shorter the hair, the easier and quicker it is to style. Even though hair is short, many different styles are still possible, such as curling, straightening, changing the part, or how the bangs are parted, or even put in updos for hair that’s at least three inches or so. Also, add small, matching accessories, but be sure not to have too many so that they take away from the actual hairstyle itself.

Bridesmaid Hairstyles for Medium Length Hair

two bridesmaids

Much like longer hair, medium length hair can be styled in a variety of ways. Using a large barreled curling iron or medium to large hot rollers, curl the hair to get big, tumbling curls that look soft and natural. The hair can also be pulled up toward the back of the head, while loose ringlets that are also curled can be used to daintily frame the face.

Bridesmaid Hairstyles for Long Hair

Curly hair never goes out of style, and with longer hair, the options for creating interesting hairdos are endless. Curly hair can also be left to cascade down over the shoulders, pulled into an updo, or gathered at the nape of the neck.

bridesmaid updo hairstyle

For long, straight hair, consider a chignon or French knot complemented by sparkling hair clips, barrettes, flowers, or matching headpieces for all the bridesmaids. Using a flat iron or straightening iron on hair that’s already straight will just make it look extra shiny and smooth, and also help to keep any unruly strands under control.

natural curly hair updo

All types of bridesmaid hairstyles should be finished with a hairspray that provides plenty of control, but one that isn’t heavy or tacky, weighing down the hair, and ultimately, ruining the style.

bridesmaid with long hair

5 Helpful Hints to Remember

1. If you’re the bride, although you should give direction and offer suggestions as to what you would like in regards to your bridesmaid’s hairstyles, just remember that after all, it is their hair and your maids should at least have a say about how they would like to have it styled.
2. If you’re a bridesmaid, do try to be objective about the styles the bride has suggested. Remember, it is her big day, and after that, you’re free to style your hair any way you wish! Of course, you should still make your opinion known, but be willing to compromise if need be.
3. If every bridesmaid has a different length or type of hair, the styles don’t necessarily have to be exactly the same, as long as they’re all tied in together with coordinating accessories. Even something as simple as the same colored ribbon or flower, or solitary barrette is enough to cause an air of continuity.
4. Less is always more. See that the headpieces or hair accessories do not overshadow the actual hairstyles. Besides, the more barrettes, bobby pins, and hair clips that are used, the better the chances are that at least a few of the women are going to have trouble keeping everything in place.
5. Because there are so many spectacular types of hairdos to choose from, you’ll want to make sure none of them outshine the bride on her special day. Bridesmaid hairstyles should indeed be elegant, but always complementary to the bride’s.

curly wedding hairstyle

photo credit: Gare and Kitty