Wedding garland!

It seems like we focus so much on the wedding reception. But let's be honest, you and your guests will probably notice the atmosphere and asthetics of your ceremony more than your reception, when they will be dancing, eating and, well let's be honest, possibley intoxicated. It still matters, very much so. But let's not forget about the real reason for the gathering, and that's the ceremony! In light of my little pep talk, here are some neat ideas for decorating your ceremony with ribbon and garland. There are many different types of garland, but here is a starting point to get those creative juices flowing.

 Clear crystal or even plastic beading would make gorgeous garland to go from pew to pew or chair to chair at your ceremony. Use the extra to wrap around your arch or around the legs of tables you will be using for the unity candle/sand, or anything really.

          

 Found this easy craft on MarthaStewartWeddings.com (of course). Take silk flowers and simply hot glue the ends together and voila, you have summer flowers to grace your ceremony with their radiant presence!

 I came across this website http://www.1800cutgreens.com/main.html. You can order fresh green garland if you want live greenery to give your special day a whimsical, natural, fairy-tale like vibe.Wrap the greens around chairs, tables, your arch and even window sills at your ceremony.

 Favorite, favorite, favorite. Oh goodness. Check this out; it's hymnal pages, used to create this adorable garland. Perfect for a ceremony in a church, although don't limit yourself- it's perfect for all seasons and places. Classic. Timeless.Check out KristinaMarie on Etsy.

Here's a cool idea! Buy (or make) ribbon flowers. Glue thick ribbon from flower to flower and make your own, pretty, satin garland. Even try weaving some beaded garland around the ribbon.

Pretty coral confetti garland (from the same Etsy artist as mentioned above). She makes this garland in a variety of colors, but since I am using coral for my wedding, here it is. I'll probably use both her coral and teal garland.

Noticing a trend...

Glow bracelets & glow necklaces.

Am I the only one seeing these pop up at every evening wedding? It's a neat idea, and makes for some colorful photos too. I don't want my wedding to be completely copycat-ish, but I mean come on, how can I resist? They're so cheap and so fun! Get 100 glow sicks for 9 bucks at Walmart.

Cool wedding cakes, unique designs!

I love these funky, unique wedding cakes. They sport personality and pizzaz! It's simply incredible what Jacques Pasteries can create with flour, eggs, sugar and... well you know, cake ingredients. Can you believe these are actually edible? New Hampshire brides- Check out jacquespateries.com for a selection of fun cakes. Frederick Pasteries is another fabulous local pastery shop!

Highly recommend the Crowne Plaza!

I just wanted to let you all know, I highly recommend the Crowne Plaza in Nashua, NH. They have been so great to work with. They are friendly and offer an extremely reasonable price. One suggestion for you, book your wedding on a Friday (that's what I did) and get 20% off. It's made all the difference in the world for us. Like I said before, we have a $10,000 budget which is basically pennies in the wedding world. I can't wait to share pictures with you after the big day (Aug. 5, 2011) so you can see how gorgeous the day will be on such a tight budget! We have made the centerpieces ourselves (lanterns with sand, starfish, shells around a candle), printed our own invitations, found connections for our photographer and DJ to get special discounts, and now we're working on flowers! Everything is working out great.
Oh, remember my rant about the half ballroom? I was concerned that it would be too crowded if 150 people came and I was worried about the divider. One- the divider looks nothing like I pictured and it's completely fine. Two- I found out that you can use 3/4 the ballroom, which includes the entire dancefloor (HUGE dancefloor, score!), and pleeenty of room! The minimum is $7,000. Everything is working out okay and I can't wait for August 5th! Comments?

DIY Hydrangea Bouquet

The cost of flowers adds up... REAL quick.

Simple remedy? Do some of them yourself! I would not recommend doing ALL the flowers by hand, just because it may be a bit overwhelming. Anything is possible though.

My first priority is the bridal bouquet, so I know I will be paying a talented florist to craft my bouquet for me. I met with a wonderful florist, Adrianne, at Chalifours in Manchester, NH. This woman really knows flowers and weddings. She talked about the way a bouquet reflects on the bride's face and matching flowers with my eyes- things I wouldn't have thought of! She wants my bouquet to showcase my personality. Awesome. If you're local, check them out here.

But, like I said, the cost can add up quickly. You may not have the budget for everything, so let's stick to the essentials.

Your bridesmaids will need bouquets and the groomsmen will need boutonierres. You can do these yourself, though they won't be as eleborate as a florist, it's an option.

DIY Hydrangea Bouquets:

You will need: 5-7 hydrangea stems in your color of choice, floral tape, wide satin ribbon in color of your choice.

This is simple enough.

1. Gather the hydrangeas in your hand. Got it?

2. Bind the stems together with the floral tape, beginning about six inches below blooms.

3. Take your satin ribbon, wrap it around the stems, covering the tape and end with a simple bow. I would start at the bottom, because I'd like the bow to be at the top.

Found here