Make Green a Part of Your Wedding

We're not talking about the color green - although I once attended a green & white wedding that just looked so fresh - we're talking about having a Green mindset! A hot topic for today's bride is how to have an eco-friendly wedding without busting your budget. With that in mind, here are a few easy ways for you to save two kinds of Green!

-Use postcards as RSVP reply cards in your invitations, instead of a card that goes into an envelope. Less paper used and less money spent! And be sure to check out our past blog post on wedding invitations made from recycled materials.

-At your rehearsal dinner and wedding reception, make sure guests can put empty bottles in recyclable containers instead of in the trash.

-Make a statement by honeymooning at a solar powered resort.

-Consider having your wedding and reception at one venue. You won't have to worry about (or pay for) transportation for your wedding party, and think of the carbon emissions saved if your guests aren't driving their cars from one place to another.

Case in point: Last summer I attended the wedding of two college friends at the Metropolis Ballroom in Arlington Heights, IL. It was a gorgeous-beyond-belief wedding, and the transformation of the event space from ceremony to reception was incredible.


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-Flowers are pretty much a given in any wedding, but consider flower-free centerpieces for your reception. We did a blog post on centerpieces a while back that might help you brainstorm. I also love the idea of filling apothecary vases with colorful stones, mirror balls, or even tissue paper (which you can recycle later). And if you have to purchase centerpieces, you can sell them on e-bay or craigslist.

Do you have any other Green wedding ideas we haven't mentioned? Tell us below in the comments!

Centerpieces for Any Occasion

It’s the little things that count. For any event to be memorable, it’s the details that take an event from fun to fabulous. Centerpieces can either fade into the background or take center stage. Here are a few ideas that will show you how something little - or not so little - can go a long way.

Fall is quickly approaching - does your wedding have an elegant, natural feel? These wooden centerpieces would be a perfect finishing touch. Don’t you love the varying heights of each candleholder, and how no two are alike?


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If you want to give some personality to each table, but don’t want your dinner guests to have to look around the centerpiece in order to carry on a conversation, these low vases are perfect.


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Plus they’re customizable, how cute is that?!

Maybe you’re looking for something a little more dramatic. These captivating arrangements will wow your guests for sure.


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What’s great about them is they aren’t so huge that they’ll distract people from the event itself.

There are endless possibilities when it comes to table décor. It all depends on your personal style. No matter what you choose for a centerpiece, it's details like these that make your event truly special.

Peacock Color Palette

One of my current brides has chosen a "peacock" color palette for her wedding & reception. Given that her wedding is in October, these jewel tones (think teal, olive, deep blues) will look amazing! I wanted to share some inspiring photos for how to pull off this color palette (and use peacock feathers in a tasteful manner!).

Feathers get a bad reputation, but this gorgeous centerpiece tastefully incorporates peacock feathers (they're almost "dripping" down the side of the vase!). Also, note how well the plum fabrics work with the peacock colors...






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This bride's bouquet is so thick with color and texture - I love how the peacock feathers are peeking out from behind the arrangement. Subtle, yet very striking!




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I normally don't prefer iridescent fabrics, but with a peacock palette, it just works. I love how the teal hues tie in with the feather adornments, and also love the plum/burgundy accessories. It's hard to believe this linen is the same one that's shown in the first picture above (which looks more plum-colored) - amazing what light and angle will do to an iridescent fabric!





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All pictures are from this post on the Karen Tran Florals Blog.

Re-Cap: Centerpieces

Hello Friends!




I have posted quite a few times on the topic of centerpieces, so I thought it best to create a re-cap of each centerpiece by season. Some centerpieces, I feel, can go with multiple seasons, so I've included them twice or more, as appropriate.





Winter


Halloween Candy Topiary - there's a peppermint topiary pictured in this post! (October 2008)


Christmas Centerpieces (November 2008)


You Never Can Have Too Much Glitter! (December 2008)


Glitz on the Cheap (December 2008)





Spring


Tin Can Centerpieces (February 2009)


Garden Wedding Decor (April 2009)



Summer


Mason Jar Inspiration (February 2009)


Quick & Cheap DIY Centerpieces - love the lemons! (May 2009)






Fall


Pumpkin Carving (October 2008)


Real Wedding: Laura & Dusty (October 2008)


Halloween Candy Topiary (October 2008)


Another Fall Centerpiece Idea (October 2008)


Fall Centerpiece Idea (October 2008)





Any Season!!

Glass Bottle Floral Arrangements (October 2008)

Tin Can Centerpieces (February 2009)

Mason Jar Inspiration (February 2009)

Edible, Cost-Effective Centerpiece (March 2009)

DIY + Recycled Jar Decorations (March 2009)

My Version: DIY Centerpieces (May 2009)

Another DIY Centerpiece Idea (May 2009)


Quick & Cheap DIY Centerpieces (May 2009)

For your viewing pleasure, here is another take on Tin Can Centerpieces (via Elizabeth Anne Designs blog):

{Source: brocantegirl’s flickr}

My Version: DIY Centerpieces

I hope everyone had a lovely Memorial Day weekend! While relaxing indoors (since it was rainy most of Monday in Indy), I made a few tissue paper flowers like I mentioned I would in my last post. Here are some pictures:

I decided to go for a peach & turquoise color palette...



{Source: author's personal collection}

I must have bought the most delicate tissue paper ever because the layers were super-difficult to pull apart, but I think the end-result was quite lovely! I bought a multi-color tissue paper pack from JoAnn's Fabric for about $10.

Here's one big flower - I think it looks cute all by itself!



I used cheap-o glass containers (old soda bottles, juice carafes, anything I could find that was glass and wasn't cracked) from Goodwill - I love the look of non-matching vases.

It took me about 5 minutes to make each flower, so if you were thinking about doing this for your wedding, you should allocate approximately this amount of time per flower.

Another DIY Centerpiece Idea

I just saw this DIY flower arrangement idea on Country Living (I occasionally browse this website for decorating inspiration) and thought it looked so easy & simple - I had to post about it for the crafty brides!






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Imagine tissue/crepe paper flowers in your wedding colors, or if you are a sewing-fanatic, flowers cut from vintage sewing patterns (like in the picture above)! Click here for instructions (skip to the second slide in the slideshow).

I am DEFINITELY making some of these flowers for the sad, empty vases currently sitting on the mantle above my fireplace. :)

Quick & Cheap DIY Centerpieces

No advanced degree in crafting or crazy rare materials necessary for these centerpieces! You can probably find everything you need for these lovely arrangements at your local supermarket/bulk goods store... Gotta love easy & cheap!

Thanks to Real Simple for posting about these 60 Second Centerpieces (via With This Ring):



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Lemons & nuts piled together in a glass bowl would be fabulous sitting atop reception tables at a summer wedding...

Clusters of multi-height pillar candles look classic and romantic - perfect for an evening reception any time of year!

Garden Wedding Decor

I've never been much of a gardener - I'll be honest. The previous owners of my house THANKFULLY did an amazing job landscaping my yard, so I just have to make sure it doesn't get overgrown or overrun with weeds (still a challenge!). That doesn't stop me from buying cute gardening gloves & all types of tools to dig things out of the ground (at least I'm prepared!)... I have good intentions. :)

When it comes to gardens & weddings, I really love the idea of using common gardening items as decoration... especially for spring & summertime weddings

Example: Seed Packets. They make adorable table numbers. You can find flower, fruit & vegetable seed packets at your local lawn & garden store, or buy vintage seed packets on eBay or other antique shops online.



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Another example: Potted Plants. They could be used as place cards or favors...



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... and of course, as centerpieces! I just adore this color scheme + potted plant idea...



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Edible, Cost-Effective Centerpiece

And no, I'm not talking about those edible fruit bouquets! :)

I saw this picture on Style Me Pretty's blog and thought it was such a no-brainer centerpiece idea!

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Instead of flowers, make your centerpieces do triple-duty as appetizers AND beautiful table arrangements AND yummy incentives for your guests to locate their tables once they arrive at your reception.

DIY + Recycled Jar Decorations

Here is an excellent way to recycle glass jars of all shapes + sizes:

{Source; Photojojo! blog; found via Design*Sponge blog}

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Clusters of picture-filled jars as centerpieces would look so fab. You could even use small sheets of decorative paper in your wedding colors instead of pictures. Or a combination of pictures/decorative paper/poems/quotes/etc. Or use the glasses as your table numbers - just slide in a piece of paper with a number on it!

So many possibilities!

Tin Can Centerpieces

I simply adore this centerpiece arrangement:




{Source; found via The Bride's Guide}

Of course this idea is brought to you by Martha Stewart! This centerpiece collection actually doubles as guests' favors to take home at the end of the night. Double-duty and cost-effective!

If you are interested in doing this for your wedding, ask family members & friends to start saving their coffee & spice tins. To supplement the tins you find around the house & those that are donated to you, check out eBay for antique & vintage tins.

Mason Jar Inspiration

I love mason jars. They are so simple, rustic, cute & functional (not to mention: CHEAP)! If I were planning my wedding again (I know I say that way too often!), I would HAVE to find some way to use them.

Just some of the ways a mason jar can be used:

• Candle holder
• Vase
• Beverage glasses
• Hanging lanterns
• Candy bar containers
• Pen holder for your guest book/wishing well/what-have-you table

And some pictures to inspire you:

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You Can Never Have Too Much Glitter!

I bet Martha Stewart just sits around all day thinking, now what else can I cover with glitter to make it look more glamorous?? Here's something:

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Glittered nuts! Who would have thought sparkling walnuts would look so chic?!

Glitz on the Cheap

Oh, Martha, how you inspire me so...


I just saw this easy DIY project on Martha Stewart's website in a Christmas Table Settings photo gallery: Glitter-covered candles.

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Directions: Lay candles in a box, spray with adhesive, then cover with glitter. Let dry for a few hours or overnight.


I think a centerpiece consisting of 4-5 various heighth glitter-covered pillar candles would be so chic and simple. Candlelight makes everyone's complexion look better and adds a tough of romance to the atmosphere. What's not to love about candlelight?! The glitter adds a little glam to an otherwise super-simple centerpiece.


You can buy pillar candles in bulk from sites like Candles 4 Less, Candles Just Online (huge sale on unscented pillars right now!), and Quick Candles. Glitter and spray adhesive/craft glue can be bought at just about any craft store for relatively low prices.


NOTE: Always opt for unscented candles. Not only could scented candles bother some of your guests' noses, but scented candles muddle the yummy smells of the food you serve and could even affect how the food tastes. PLUS, unscented candles are generally cheaper than scented.

Christmas Centerpieces

Now that Thanksgiving is a day behind us, I've allowed myself to start focusing on Christmas decorations & wedding ideas! As always, Better Homes & Gardens' website is overflowing with great ideas, so I thought I'd share:

Glass + ornaments = easy, cost-effective & elegant! I love these mini-ornaments (below)! You could use an array of glassware that you already own (or buy the glasses in bulk), and place a few of these ornament arrangements on each table at your reception.

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Quite similar to another post of mine regarding Fall decorations... here are some lovely glass cloches encasing an array of ornaments (below). I really like how full the cloches are and how each one rests on top of an antique-y silver tray. Again, these would make great reception centerpieces.

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Using grass as an integral part of reception decor has been a trend this year, but mostly with Spring & Summer weddings. Here (below), ornaments are nestled between blades of grass ~ just think how cute this would be as an escort card arrangement! Just write guest names & table numbers on cardstock and attach to the top of each ornament. The ornaments could even be favors for your guests to take home!

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I love the simple look of clear candlesticks with plain matte ornaments resting on top (below). Using glitter glue or glitter paint, you could write the letters of your new last name on the ornaments and place them on candlesticks of varying heighths. This would be a smart arrangement for a guest book table, or spread out along a long head table.

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Glass Bottle Floral Arrangements

I was just admiring a "Real Wedding" posted over on Lyndsey Hamilton's blog and thought I'd share a centerpiece idea:

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I love the idea of using multiple vases in various heighths and widths as the centerpiece for each table. Mason jars have to be one of my most favorite things in the world and they come in so many shapes and sizes!!

Pumpkin Carving

TR and I have decided to do some pumpkin carving this week and I found some adorable designs over on Southern Living's website:

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I really like the bottom pumpkin with the floral design and also the fall leaves pumpkin. TR is probably going for a really scary design, so I'll have to put my sweet pumpkins on the other side of the porch. :)

I also really love the look of painted pumpkins for centerpieces or Thanksgiving decor (picture below). Although I think we can all slap some paint on a pumpkin without detailed instructions, Martha Stewart offers video directions for making these gorgeous glitter gourds:

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I might just have to make both kinds of pumpkin decorations!

Real Wedding: Ashley & Chris

As promised, here are some professional pics from Ashley & Chris' October 11th wedding... openField Photography took some amazing photos and were nice enough to create this handy collage! :) Thanks so much! To view all of the Ashley & Chris' wedding pics, here's a link to openField's blog post.

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Again, I should put a disclaimer here: I didn't come up with these wedding designs. These were all Ashley & Chris' creations - I just made sure everything was set up appropriately, kinda like a day-of wedding coordinator would do. It was so much fun to be a guest at their wedding!


Another disclaimer: I still need to post pics of their candy bar ~ it was so perfect! In fact, Ashley's candy bar was so cool, I told her she would have to be my "candy bar consultant" if my brides choose to have one! :)

Real Wedding: Laura & Dusty

10/18/2008

Although I was not in attendance at this wedding, I just had to share some pictures of a do-it-yourself fall wedding. My friend/bridesmaid Elizabeth's sister was married last weekend and from what Elizabeth tells me, the entire day was a labor of love for Laura. How sweet! Thanks to Elizabeth & Laura for letting me post their pictures!

For Laura's centerpieces, they used two variations on the pumpkin theme:

A hollowed-out pumpkin with gorgeous floral arrangement inside...



And a hollowed-out pumpkin with a hurricane & pillar candle inside (the cornucopias hanging from the front of the table were for the bridesmaids' bouquets!)...



How creative and season-appropriate! Congrats to Laura & Dusty on their marriage!

Halloween Candy Topiary

Oh how I love Martha Stewart... How does she (i.e. her team of idea people) think of such interesting & fun ideas?!

Martha just posted a craft tutorial for how to make Halloween Candy Topiaries and I am totally inspired. I really want to make one or two for my door step so as to make my neighbors jealous of my creativity. ;)

{Picture Source + tutorial!}

I decided to search Martha's website for more topiary ideas and found this:

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Peppermint candy topiaries! Not to be limited to peppermint candies, I think ANY candy topiary in your wedding colors would make an excellent addition to a candy bar (a la Ashley & Chris), or as a super-sweet centerpiece.