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Archive for the ‘Winter’ Category

There are so many winter colors out there that look stunning when put together. Of course, there are the natural picks (white, light blue, midnight blue, burgundy, pine green) and other picks that are earth tones (brown, light green, blue) and more. So when it comes to planning your wedding colors, consider where you are having your wedding ceremony and reception. Will you be somewhere with lots of snow? Then maybe opt for the lighter colors such as light blue and white.

If your winter wedding is going to be in a ritzy location such as a glam hotel or chalet, then maybe burgundy, green, or midnight blue would be practical. Don't forget the overlooked essentials for winter weddings such as gold, platinum, and silver. These colors look great with any of the above mentioned colors and will make it really feel like the holiday season.

Images by Polyvore.com

There are other ways to incorporate the winter wedding theme into your reception and ceremony. There are so many details to a wedding that the opportunities are endless. Consider your favorite winter activities (ice skating, sledding, snowball fights, icicle hunting, snowman making) and think about incorporating those into your theme somewhere along the line.

Key details that you can incorporate fun props into include:

• Wedding favors
• Table centerpieces
• Guest book table decor
• Table confetti
• Invitations, programs, place cards, thank you cards
• Between-time lounge activities
• Special drinks (hot chocolate, hot cider) at reception
• Aisle runners
• Flower girl petals (snow flakes)
• Bridesmaid jewelry
• Groomsmen tux squares
• Gift table (instead use Santa's sleigh)

Winter Wedding Favors

Of course, wedding favors are another big part of incorporating your theme. Shown above are just a few examples of some fun ideas by Wedding Favors Unlimited. They include snowflake place card holders, snowflake candles, snowman cookies, and more. There are also glass snowflake coaster sets, snowflake bottle stoppers, snowflake bookmarks, and more.

What about winter wedding centerpieces? There are so many different ideas you can use for your centerpieces. You could use pillar candles that would look like something you might see in a church during the winter seasons. Other winter items you might enjoy are poinsettias, they are truly a winter plant and their colors look beautiful in any atmosphere. If poinsettias have too much color, try wreathes with a candle in the middle. These look adorable and bring in the pine feel from the outdoors (like Christmas trees!)

Be creative, use your imagination and let your brain take control. Before you know it, you'll have come up with all sorts of clever ideas to incorporate into your winter wedding theme!

More winter wedding ideas:

• Winter Wedding Favor Ideas
• Winter Wedding Color Ideas
• How to Create a Winter Wonderland For Your Wedding
• Silver and Blue Color Scheme: Inspiration for a Winter Wedding
• Winter Themed Bridal Party Gifts

Winter is known for it's beautiful white fields, snow covered trees, and warm crackling fires.  Having a winter wedding can incorporate items that traditionally would not be thought of for wedding decorations.

When decorating for a winter wedding, your colors might include white, purple, and blue, centerpieces might even include ice sculptures, ice like stones in clear, blue, and purple hues, or even heavy, soft fabrics such as faux furs incorporated as small table runners.  Candles of all shapes and sizes can also be used as centerpieces and are often more beautiful in winter than at any other time of year.

Pine

Pine trees are the one of the most recognizable symbols of winter.  Pine products can be brought in to incorporate winter wedding themes.  Pine boughs can be used as wall decorations, and pine scented candles, and pine potpourri packs can be used to adorn tables.  Burning pine logs in a fireplace can provide that same scent naturally, if that is a possibility at your location of choice.

You might, if this is a Christmastime wedding, even decorate an actual pine tree in typical Christmas garb.  Furthermore, mistletoe, poinsettias, and pine cones can decorate doorways and even centerpiece settings.  Stones of crystal and other clear material can be set with snowflake candle favors to give the winter wonderland effect.  Or, if you are not in a setting that provides a real fireplace, consider faux fire with flame-like strung lights.

Color and Texture

Colors that can accompany the centerpieces may include browns, maroons, velvet reds, and royal blues.  These colors bring warm feelings to their surroundings.  The faux fur mentioned before could even be used to create thrones for the bride and groom, or to ring the table cloths. Wall coverings could be almost medieval in design, with long drapery and flag like coverings.  All give the feel of warm, inviting, winter settings.

Ice sculpture

Before you look for ice sculptures, make sure the budget is there for these pieces of art.  Ice sculptures are beautiful and can certainly bring in the wow factor to any gathering, but they also tend to be quite pricey.  The nice part is that these one-time sculptures will also pick up the colors of the room and reflect them in a prism-like way, which will really add a sparkly element to the centerpiece.

Flowers of the Season

If you want a way to decorate the table for your winter wedding while pleasing the guests, then you might also consider potted plants of traditional winter flowers.  The obvious choice would be poinsettias, which most frequently come in whites, reds, and pinks.  However, there are other wintery options.  For instance, white roses give the feel of winter, but also have a glamorous appeal.  There is also a flower called the star of Bethlehem, which has fragile white petals and a unique style that can provide a touch of surprise to any centerpiece.

Whatever way you choose to incorporate these elements, ultimately a winter wedding can be as beautiful, if not more so, than the more traditional summer weddings.  The textures, color palettes, and natural elements, like fire and ice, provide a feeling of romance that cannot always be achieved in the warmer months.

More Winter Wedding Advice:

• Winter Wedding Ideas
• Winter Wedding Favor Ideas
• Winter Wedding Color Ideas
• How to Create a Winter Wonderland For Your Wedding
• Winter Wedding Decorations
• Winter Wedding Invitations

You may have seen my earlier post (aqua blue box ideas) where I suggested using treasure chest boxes for a shell themed wedding favor OR a blue chest with white ribbon for a Tiffany blue color scheme or a Something Blue wedding theme.  Here are some more fun ideas for using a chest-shaped box to create one-of-a-kind favors for your wedding guests.  Start with a simple treasure chest-shaped aqua blue favor box and embellish it for your wedding theme or season.

To create the vintage look in the upper right corner of this collage, look to flapper girls of the 1920's or Victorian hats worn in the 1800's for inspiration.  This box was created using simple white feathers, ribbon, and natural floral components that can all be purchased at a local craft store.

For the splish splash beach wedding favors on the lower left corner, you can create a sand surface in any pattern you choose by artfully placing on white glue and then sprinkling it with artificial sand or brown glitter.  For the sand castle, use card stock to make a cut-out and glue it to the chest after you've sprinkled it with "sand" as well.  You can buy miniature seashell decorations at a local craft store as well.  Simply glue them on to the treasure chest with hot glue.

If you are dreaming of a white Christmas, these snowflake adorned treasure chests might be the answer.  Simply cover the lower half of the chest in white glue and sprinkle with artificial snow to create a glimmery effect.  Then add a die-cut snowflake or snowflake dazzler.  The perfect favor choice for a winter wedding!

Favor photo courtesy of the 2009 Weddingstar Catalog.

More DIY Wedding Favor Ideas:

• Quick and Easy DIY Wedding Favor Ideas
• Do It Yourself (DIY) Fall Wedding Favors
• Homemade Wedding Favors
• Discount Wedding Favor Ideas
• Affordable DIY Favor Box Ideas
• DIY Tin Pail Wedding Favor Ideas

If you've selected Valentine's Day for your nuptials, then you are likely a true romantic at heart. Injecting that romance into the ceremony and reception can be accomplished in many ways. For example, choose a romantic location for your wedding such as a local bed and breakfast, castle or even a winery. When it comes to a color scheme, red is synonymous with Valentine's Day and using it in all aspects of the wedding is a great way to infuse a bit of romance. As you can see in my inspiration board below, I like wedding dresses with red accents or red bridesmaid dresses at a minimum. A classic black tux with a modern red tie pairs perfectly with the color scheme.

Red roses are the obvious choice for Valentine's Day flowers, but there are plenty of other red flower choices if you are on a tight budget (we all know how outrageously expensive roses can be around Valentine's Day).  Be sure to use candles throughout the reception area to add some romantic ambiance.  You can also see on my inspiration board that I love the idea of a classic white and red wedding cake covered in red scrollwork....why not choose red-velvet as the cake flavor?  Creating a red or pink custom cocktail for your reception guests is a fun idea.  I love pomegranate martinis!  Finally if you want to give your guests little thank you gifts, consider small heart-shaped boxes of chocolate or white gift boxes filled with conversation hearts.  Just add a red ribbon and a personalized custom hang tag and voila!, you've got the perfect wedding favors.

Valentine's Day Wedding Inspiration Board by WeddingBlogger on Polyvore.com

Items in this set:
Timeless red and white wedding dresses
Real Weddings: A Romantic Red Wedding: Glowing Candlelight, $5.99
Wedding, Red, Bridesmaids - Photo by Bella Bridesmaid - Project...
Manassas Cakery - red scroll wedding cake - Wallpapers - Mobicious
Wedding Obsession - Your daily dose of all things wedding

Interested in having your wedding on Valentine's Day? Get more inspiration for your Valentine's Day Wedding.

When it comes to winter wedding cakes, there are many unique and unusual wedding cake toppers that incorporate the winter wedding theme. Consider the skiing couple shown in the photo below for example. This clever cake baker used round coconut-covered cake layers to act as the "snow" for the skiing wedding couple. By tilting the final layer, it looks as though the couple is skiing down the slopes. What a cute idea!

Other options for winter wedding cake toppers include things such as snow globes, wooden or metal sleds, and even crystal winter scenes. Hand-blown crystal cake toppers and decorative snow globes are keepsakes that can be cherished by the couple for years to come.

If you are a bit more whimsical, find a cute penguin or snowman couple that could sit atop your cake....or have your baker sculpt whimsical winter characters to top your wedding cake.  Finally if the groom is a sports fan, you could consider using mix and match bride and groom cake toppers where the groom is dressed as a hockey player (like this hockey player cake topper from Wedding Favors Unlimited).  When it comes to winter wedding cakes, the possibilities are endless!

More on Cake Toppers: Wedding Cake Topper Trends

Depending on the exact month of the big day, winter wedding couples can take advantage of several color scheme or theme options. If the wedding is in December, then a wedding cake that incorporates a red and green color scheme, Christmas tree ornaments, and cake tiers that are shaped like Christmas gifts may be entirely appropriate. However my favorite winter wedding cakes usually incorporate a icy blue and/or silver color scheme along with natural organic elements such as pine cones, berries, and "snow-covered" branches (really sugar).  You can opt to add a bit of whimsy to a winter wedding cake by incorporating snowmen, penguins, or even polar bears sculpted from modeling chocolate or colored fondant. One of my favorite winter cake accents are snowflakes.  Bakers can use royal icing to pipe snowflakes directly on the cake (or sil-pat) and add a bit of sparkle by applying edible glitter or granulated sugar before the icing dries. They could also make various-sized snowflake cut-outs using fondant. You can see in the photo below, that the style of Winter wedding cakes can vary greatly.

If you love one of these ideas, why not print it out and take a photo along with you to your cake baker? See full size images by clicking on the Winter Wedding Cake link below:
1. winter wedding cake, 2. winter wonderland (2), 3. I like this cake, 4. winter wedding, 5. christmas wedding present cake veiw #1, 6. Sarah Davis Wedding Cake, 7. Sean's cake, 8. winter packages, 9. "Winter Flurry" - Dec. 6, 2008

More winter wedding ideas:

• Winter Wedding Ideas
• Winter Wedding Favor Ideas
• Winter Wedding Color Ideas
• How to Create a Winter Wonderland For Your Wedding
• Winter Wedding Decorations
• Winter Wedding Invitations

When I think winter wedding, I think "Walking in a Winter Wonderland". Icy blue, white, silver, and a snowflake motif would be key elements in my ideal winter wedding. While searching for some inspiration at Polyvore, I found some amazing reception decoration ideas that you can see in the montage of photos below. You don't have to be outside to create the feeling of a winter wonderland. The use of painted white trees uplit with blue lights along with pine trees covered in fake snow can set the scene perfectly. For tableware, I love silver chargers with white plates and then icy blue stemware. Of course, a snowflake adorned wedding cake with silvery glitter sugar is a must as well. When it comes to the wedding gown, I like a bodice with a bit of sparkle along with a faux fur stole or wrap. It also looks amazing when the bridesmaids where faux stoles around their shoulders as well. It tends to tie the entire look together. While winter isn't the most popular time of the year to get married, it does afford you many advantages over a summer wedding. You can create a winter fantasy-land that your guests won't soon forget and you can save money because you are getting married in the "off season".

Winter Wedding Inspiration Board by WeddingBlogger on Polyvore.com

Items in this set:
winter-wedding-dress.bmp (BMP Image, 540×900 pixels)
Winter Weddings | | Brides.com
Winter Wonderland - Preston Bailey's Designs - In Style Weddings
Wintry Sparkle - Winter Wonderland Sponsored by Godiva Liqueur - Stars...
Winter Wonderland Dessert Buffet
Snowflake Ornament Wedding Favors

More Winter Wedding Ideas:

• Winter Wedding Favor Ideas
• Winter Wedding Color Ideas
• Winter Wedding Ideas
• Winter Wedding Decorations
• Winter Wedding Invitations
• Winter Wedding - Choosing the Theme

If you are getting married in the month of December, then chances are that you are considering a Christmas theme with a red and white color scheme.   Planning a Christmas inspired wedding can be great fun....plus you can save tons of money since it is considered "off-season" by most wedding retailers and venues.  Personally when I envision a December wedding, I think red and white with hints of green like pine branches covered in pine cones.  And I love the idea of the bride arriving in a horse drawn sleigh (or a horse drawn carriage if you get married where there isn't much snow).  If you get married in a church, chances are that they will have the place decorated for Christmas with a tree and nativity scene.  For reception decoration, use white Christmas lights to add some sparkle.  I love the idea of using glass ornaments in the centerpieces and you can even give them to guests as wedding favors to take home at the end of the event.  For flowers, red roses are a traditional choice, but I also love the idea of using white/ivory and red poinsettias throughout the ceremony and reception areas.  Here are some inspiring photos that I found at Polyvore along with the resources where you can find the items.  Enjoy and have a Merry Christmas!

Christmas Wedding Inspiration Board by WeddingBlogger on Polyvore.com

Items in this set:
(Bridal Originals) Wedding Dress LD3DD :: Christmas Wedding Dress ::..., $180
Timeless red and white wedding dresses
Photos of Winter Wedding Flowers and Centerpieces
Real Weddings: Winter: Heidi & Michael in Indianapolis, IN from The...
Christmas Wedding Cake - Vox
Hot Cocoa Wedding Favors

More Winter Wedding Inspiration:

• Winter Wedding Ideas
• Winter Wedding Favor Ideas
• Winter Wedding Color Ideas

So you're having a winter wedding? Give your wedding cake a seasonal flair with some of these tips and be sure to use the photos below for inspiration.  They were some of my favorite Christmas Wedding Cakes that I found on Flickr.

When it comes to selecting a flavor for your wedding cake, try something different that ties in with the season.  A spice cake with rich caramel frosting or a delectable red velvet cake with buttercream frosting are great choices for the Christmas season.  If you do decide to go with white, you could consider adding a layer of raspberry, strawberry, or even cranberry preserves inside the cake.

The cake icing/fondant color and floral decor should coordinate with your wedding.  In this post, I've focused on a red, green, and white color scheme (see a post later in the week for a icy blue wedding cake inspiration).  Gum paste poinsettia flowers that cascade down the cake layers are a lovely choice for a Christmas wedding.  Or red sugarberries along with modeling chocolate or sugar holly leaves can also look fantastic.  For more casual weddings, consider gift box-shaped cakes that are decorated to look like presents beneath the Christmas tree.

Finally, you can also decorate the cake table with winter greenery such as red berry covered branches, pine branches, and pine cones for a stunning presentation of your beautiful wedding cake.

Cake Photo Resources:
1.The wedding cake, 2. christmas wedding present cake veiw #1, 3. Christmas Wedding, 4. Christmas cake, 5. Tier - with Giant Cupcake on top ~totcupcakes.com~, 6. Holiday, 7. Ivory and Gold Wedding Cake, 8. Christmas birthday, 9. CHRISTMAS WEDDING CAKE

More Winter Wedding Help:

• Winter Wedding #TuesdayShoesday
• Winter Wedding Inspiration
• Winter Wedding Flower & Centerpiece Suggestions
• Winter Wedding Cake Toppers
• Winter Wedding Cakes
• Winter Wedding Inspiration Board

Sweep your guests up and carry them away to a Winter Wonderland with some of these inspiring ideas. My favorite winter wedding color scheme is simple - white, silver and ice blue. This simple and elegant color scheme can easily be carried through to all aspects of your wedding. In my winter wonderland inspiration board, I found some of my favorite wedding accessories, venues, and attire that I wanted to share with you today. Enjoy!

Image Resources:
Row 1 Left - Winter Wonderland Wedding Reception from The Knot
Row 1 Middle - Winter Wonderland Garter with icy blue square-cut rhinestone from Wedding Favors Unlimited
Row 1 Right - Silver Snowflake Bookmark Favor with blue and white package that can be personalized
Row 2 Left - Winter Theme Wedding Receptioninside the state street building in Boston, Massachusettes
Row 2 Center - Silver & White Reception Decorfrom Flickr
Row 2 Right - Winter Wedding at Donovan Pavilion in Vail, Colorado
Row 3 Left - Blue & Silver Snowflake Invitations from Invitations By Dawn
Row 3 Center - Winter Wedding Cakes from Wedding Flowers & Reception Ideas
Row 3 Right - Winter Wedding Gown by Alfred Angelo

More Winter Wedding Ideas:

• Winter Wedding Cake Toppers
• Winter Wedding Cakes
• Winter Wedding Inspiration Board
• Winter Wonderland Wedding Inspiration Board
• Getting Married in the Winter?