Rolecosplay: wedding ideas

Showing posts with label wedding ideas. Show all posts

With more and more couples planning Halloween nuptials, we thought a black and coral wedding color palette would be a fun take on the traditional orange and black color scheme. Choosing softer shades of orange that fall in the coral family helps keep your palette elegant and romantic, while providing a sweet contrast to the stark black. We love the look of a coral cake, a black tuxedo with coral boutonniere, a signature pumpkin cocktail, and a stunning bouquet of coral and black.

images by Bradley James Photography , MaiCamera Photography , A Fist Full of Bolts , and Spindle Photography

For more fall wedding color inspiration, check out our burgundy and gold wedding color palette .

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Amidst the flurry of sparkling diamonds and champagne that ultimately follows the engagement, it’s easy to lose sight of what the wedding day is really all about – the wedding ceremony. Whether you decide to have a traditional ceremony or to throw the rule book out the window altogether, the following elements are essential to achieving the one-of-a-kind wedding ceremony that you will remember forever, and your guests will as well.

Photo by Daniele Del Castillo

“The Talk”
Give yourself a break from the cake tastings and tux fittings long enough to sit down with your fiancé and have an honest discussion about what marriage means to you, and how you want to express that through your ceremony. Talking about the marriage, not the wedding, is a wonderful way to deepen the connection between you and your partner as you navigate the demands of planning a wedding.

Photo by Richard Israel

Setting the Mood
Set the tone for the rest of your wedding day by choosing the perfect backdrop for your ceremony. What kind of mood do you wish to evoke during your vows, an atmosphere that’s grand and opulent, or romantic and intimate? How about a place with sentimental value, like the church your parents were married in or the beach where you went for a walk on your first date?

Once you’ve settled on the perfect location, consider the following elements: seating arrangements, lighting and decor. Not many couples consider alternate seating arrangements for their guests, but you can greatly improve sightlines and bring your guests closer by arranging the chairs in a semicircle or even a full circle around you. You can also consider an unconventional ceremony location, like the incredible amphitheater below or a stage. When choosing your ceremony lighting decor, don’t hesitate to keep it simple. Believe it or not, something as simple as adding flickering candlelight can completely change the feeling of the ceremony. Remember, the ceremony is all about you and the commitment you are making to stand by your partner for the decades to come. Save the elaborate decor for your celebration to follow!

Photo by A Brit & A Blonde

Finding Your Voice
Whether you choose to follow a traditional wedding ceremony structure or to make it all your own, one of the easiest ways to distinguish your ceremony from others is by selecting passages and readings that deeply reflect your individual views, either spiritual or secular, on what makes a strong marriage and partnership. These days it is also quite common for couples to exchange personalized vows, but if you have always dreamed of saying the traditional vows, do both! This is a great way to infuse your personalities into the ceremony. Or, if you’re nervous at the thought of speaking in front of so many people, ask your musicians to play a song while you quietly exchange your promises for only you and your spouse to hear. Many couples also ask a friend or close family member to officiate. If this is something that interests you, visit the Universal Life Church Monastery to become legally ordained in the US.

Photo by Elaine Palladino

Celebrating and Creating Tradition
Oftentimes in a wedding ceremony, there is a symbolic ritual that represents two lives becoming one, the most common of which is the unity candle. There are alternatives to this traditional concept, such as the “blessing of the hands,” where the couple places their hands in each other’s and the officiant reads a passage reminding the couple that with these hands they will build a life, hold their family together and love and support each other until their hands are wrinkled and aged. There are many different versions of this ritual that can be either spiritual or secular, and all are incredibly moving. We always love a fresh take on a traditional idea, so to put a spin on the unity candle tradition, give each guest a candle to hold during your ceremony. Invite your musicians to play while you have your guests pass the flame from person to person, and then use the same flame to light your unity candle. This is a beautiful way to honor all the people present who have helped you become the people you are today.

Photo by Jinda Photography

Music
There is nothing in the world that speaks to the soul like music does. Our advice here is brief, but just as important: choose songs that have a special place in your heart and in your life. Walk down the aisle to the same song your mother did, ask a close friend or family member to perform during the ceremony, or play your grandfather’s favorite song to honor his memory. All we can say is, be sure to choose music that speaks to you and also reflects the overall tone and mood of your ceremony.

Photo by Elizabeth Messina

The Written Word
An element that is often overlooked, the ceremony programs present the perfect opportunity to add a little something extra to your day. Your program can include so much more than just the names of your bridal party. If your ceremony has special traditions that your guests may not have seen before, include a little background information for them. Most importantly however, include special dedications and express your appreciation for all those who have supported you throughout the years.

Photo by Ely Brothers

The Exit
There’s nothing quite like that moment when you’re presented to your friends and family as an officially married couple, and you get to walk back up the aisle to the cheers of your loved ones. Make it even more fun and add a little flair to your recessional with with these ideas for your wedding grand exit send off !

Photo by Thierry Joubert of Pretty Days

Looking for more Wedding Planning 101 advice? Here’s all you need to get started !

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Ladies and gents, whether you’re the person who has planned a hundred perfect parties, or the one who has never hosted more than 3 people for dinner, understanding the ins and outs of wedding planning can feel like a daunting task, we know. So to shine a little light on one important (and very fun) part of wedding planning, we asked talented invitation designer Heidi Jimenez from Zenadia Design to walk us through her company’s process for creating custom wedding invitations for a client. Great stuff from a true expert! Read on!

From Heidi: To most couples out there, the world of custom invitations is somewhat of a mystery. Why do they cost so much? Why does it take so long? Fear not, your questions are about to be answered. I am so thrilled to be able to share with you the process behind creating a custom invitation at Zenadia Design. Here we’ll highlight one of our recent couples, Lauren and James, for whom we created a highly customized and very personal invitation. As you will see, the custom process takes time and effort, but the end result is something truly spectacular, that fits each individual couple to a tee.

Our first step to creating a creating a custom invitation is to schedule an initial consultation, either in person, via the phone or video conference. During this meeting, we want to get to know you, and hear all about the plans for your big day. I always sit with pen in hand taking notes on anything and everything I might find helpful later in the design process. Sometimes I will even start sketching out ideas as we’re chatting. Pictures of the fashion, flowers, and any inspirational images you are using for the big day are always welcome.

At my first meeting with Lauren and James, I learned they wanted to have a traditional, vintage city-style wedding. Their color palette was a neutral scheme of navy, gold and blush so as not to compete with the interior of the Taj. James had proposed to Lauren in a vineyard in France, which I loved, and they also loved to travel together.

Once the initial consultation is over, we’ll develop estimates for you based on what we chatted about for your wedding invitations. After we agree upon the estimate and design route we’re going to take, a contract and deposit will be needed to secure the time in our schedule, and to initiate the design phase.

The second step to creating a custom invitation is the design portion. I always like to create an inspiration board for each couple I am working with to help me in the design process, and also help them visually see where I am coming from with the designs. Since Lauren and James wanted a vintage style wedding that reflected the feel of Boston, I went with a mood board of vintage images, as well as moody blues and soft pinks.

At this time, we start to develop designs, created from scratch specifically for you. In Lauren and James’ case, there were several key elements I wanted to incorporate into their design to make it 100% their own.

#1 They love to travel, and James proposed to Lauren in a vineyard in France.

#2 They met in college, and this particular school was very special to them.

#3 They wanted a vintage style wedding with a city vibe.

#4 Lauren loves lace, and wanted that incorporated somehow into the invitation.

At Zenadia Design, we design up to 4 different options for you. Upon receiving the designs, you can combine any elements from any of the designs presented to make one design all your own. It’s a creative collaborative process that can take time, but is well worth it in the end. After we work to create the perfect invitation suite you will receive a proof of the selected design, which will need to be signed off to initiate the production phase of the process. The entire design process can take up to 2 months, depending on how many revisions you require.

The third, and final step to creating a custom invitation is the printing and production process. We do all our production in-house, allowing us to oversee production and deliver you with a perfectly crafted work of art. We custom make all our pocket folders and invitations from scratch, which gives you unlimited options, as well as a one of a kind piece. Production takes generally 3-6 weeks, depending on the complexity of your order, if you are ordering addressing services, etc. Once the invitations are completed, we can either mail them directly to you, or we can mail them directly to your guests.

For Lauren and James, their final invitation was a combination of several design elements from all of their designs. Their final invitation featured a custom logo, complete with their initials, wedding date, grape vines (for their engagement in a French vineyard) and the clock tower from their alma mater, with the time set to 4:30, when they were scheduled to be married. Inside the invitation we incorporated lace, and Lauren and James chose to use the drawing of the church where they were to be married, instead of the entire Boston street scape.

After the invitation designs are completed, we can start in on all the additional items for your wedding day to create a cohesive, well-branded look. You might consider table numbers, programs, menus, seating and place cards, thank you cards or cocktail napkins. Time frames for the entire custom process really depend on exactly what it is you are ordering. For save the dates and invitations, I’m working with couples 12-8 months before their wedding date. That said, as soon as you book your venue, book your stationer! The invitation process can take anywhere from 3-4 months too, and you send invitations out roughly 2 months before the wedding (although I’m seeing a 3 month mailing date more often than not now). That means you need to be working with your designer on invitations 5-7 months before your wedding. As I said, it’s a process that takes time, which also explains why custom costs more than ordering out of a book.

There, now don’t you feel more educated in the world of custom invitations? The process of planning a wedding can be stressful, but finding your wedding invitations doesn’t have to be.

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Image Credits for Initial Consult Board:
Left Column: Chad Michael Peters , Person and Killian Photography
Right Column: Brian Phillips Photography , Taj Boston , Leah Haydock for Pink Orchid Weddings , Oyster

Image Credits for Mood Board:
Top Row: Champagne , Boston @ Night , Blue Chair and Wall
Middle Row: Vintage Map , Source Unknown, Vintage Girl
Bottom Row: Vintage Lady , Blue Drawers , Earrings

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Thanks so much for sharing your expertise, Heidi! This is great information for anyone planning a wedding!