Wedding Planning Ideas

The joining of two people in holy matrimony has been around since the dawning of humanity, but many of the customs and traditions associated with the ceremonial union of a bride and groom have evolved over time. Understanding just where certain details of a wedding, such as nuances in wedding favours or wedding table decorations, come from may provide insight into how to plan your modern wedding.

The tradition of sending wedding guests home with wedding favours after the reception comes from a European custom hundreds of years old, and it did not just apply to weddings. It is said that in the old ages of the aristocrats in France and Italy (perhaps in the sixteenth century), when customs were much more strictly enforced, guests of parties, weddings, or other celebrations were always sent home with something called a bonbonnière. This was a small favour; a box, actually, filled with something made from sugar, or “bonbons”, hence the name. Sugar was very expensive when these types of gifts were traditional, so it was a great honor to be able to give them to their guests.

Beyond the polite custom behind the wedding favours, a sentiment shared by many different cultures that applies exclusively to weddings is that the bride and groom were good luck. To thank their guests for attending the weddings, the bride and groom would send them off with small gifts (usually food, if the wedding was more modest, in the past) to share their luck.

Almonds are somewhat odd wedding favours that have appeared in the past in many different cultures. They also represented good luck to many guests in the form of five different almonds wrapped in special paper. Brides in Middle Eastern cultures would traditionally provide guests with five almonds, which represented fertility, longevity, wealth, health and happiness. Now, in other cultures, “Jordan almonds” and other favours grouped in fives represent the same things—the five wedding wishes.

Wedding favours have certainly evolved a lot from gifts of sugar cubes and almonds, and they now reflect the interests of the couple a lot more. For example, engagement pictures of the bride and groom are common, as well as personalized shot glasses, candles, special soap, matchbooks, and commemorative napkins. Wedding favours also provide a good alternative to traditional wedding table decorations, as they provide something to put on the table during the reception.

The most important point of modern wedding favours is that they involve the guests in the lives of the couples so that the guests can remember the bride and groom’s special day later on. Sending the guests home with something that involves the date of the wedding or pictures of the bride and groom are becoming more and more popular as weddings become less traditional and more personalized.

For more tips and information about wedding favours, please visit: wedding table decorations.
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One mistake many couples make when planning their wedding invitations is to pick their favorite colors or to just use a traditional white invitation when they would be more comfortable with something more expressive. This is not always a bad idea, but remember that the first things your potential guests will notice is what color your invitations are. Many important details of your wedding can be first reflected in your invitations—and color is a detail that you do not want to overlook.

White, Silver, Gold, etc.

If you want people to know that your wedding will be traditional, there is no better way to do it than through your wedding invitations. Using a typical white invitation with silver/gold letterhead or black font will be simple, but beautiful. In some ways, it says just enough and not too much.  Even though white or a cream colour are the most common shades for wedding invitations, it will not imply that you are not creative if you phrase the invitations the correct way. Instead, it will be clear that you are going for a classic invitation that should also be reflected in what will be a beautiful, traditional wedding.

Bright Colours

If you are leaning towards using bright colours in your wedding invitations, you are probably a very bold person in general, and the people going to your wedding know this before they receive your invitations, of course. Typically, if you are going to want to utilize the brighter colors in the spectrum, you may want to avoid red. Even though it is usually associated with love, it is psychologically proven to stimulate the heart and breathing. If you want your wedding to be a relaxing, romantic atmosphere, you might want to use blues or greens. Remember, bright does not have to mean imposing. Also, keep your season in mind when picking out bright colours. They may be okay for spring or summer, but if you are getting married in the middle of a blizzard, a bright green invitation may not be appropriate.

Bold Combinations

A more modern trend is moving towards bold combinations of neutral and bright colors. One that seems to be gaining a lot of ground in the past few years is a mixture of brown and teal or blue. The effect may be particularly appropriate for fall, where the brown fits the season and the teal/blue color adds the pop. If you are not sure about which colours can fit together, remember that black matches almost anything. The good thing about bold combinations is that they can combine a traditional colour like white or silver and bright colours that are more expressive.

Regardless of what colours on which you decide, your wedding invitations will reflect you—so make them expressive.

For more tips and information about wedding invitations, please visit: wedding order of service.

If you are getting married now, you have undoubtedly attended a wedding before. Before you attended that wedding, think about the wedding invitations you received in the mail prior to the actual event—did it seem classic? Trendy? Contemporary? Original? Now think about how the actual wedding matched up to your expectations. Chances are, your perception of the wedding invitations was somewhat similar to the perception of the actual wedding. Obviously, this is because wedding invitations and the ensuing wedding are both reflections of the individuals getting married and an expression of the love that has brought them together. Now that you are getting married, keep this in mind: your wedding invitations should be about you. The following questions are good guidelines to keep in mind when you start planning what will be people’s first impressions of your wedding—the invitation.

Classic or Contemporary?

Think about the other aspects of your wedding. Are you getting married in a traditional church setting or something more quirky and modern like an art gallery? Will the bride be wearing a classy white dress or something more unique? If you are trying to create a classic, fairytale wedding, your wedding invitations should match.

Personalized or General?

No matter what, the wedding invitations you pick will inevitably reflect you. But a good question to ask yourself is how much you want it to reflect you. A traditional wedding invitation may only be personalized in that it contains the information for your wedding. However, a cute alternative is to add a monogram of what your last name will be after the wedding. You can get more personalized with your wedding order of service. If your ceremony is particularly religious, it may be appropriate to pick a verse from a sacred text such as the Bible to include in your ceremony to set the tone.

‘Tis the Season?

You may love the invitations with beautiful spring lilies, but if you’re getting married in December, you may want to opt for something more season-appropriate, even if you’re sending out your wedding invitations. Besides, flowers are a little overdone when it comes to wedding invitations… try a landscape (this can be particularly beautiful in autumn), a black and white picture of the happy couple wearing season-appropriate clothing, or perhaps a snowy picture, all dependent on when the wedding will take place.

Location, Location, Location

The season rule may not hold true if you are getting married in an exotic location or on the beach. If you are getting married on the beach, it may be appropriate to include location shots in your save-the-dates, if not your actual invitations. If you are getting married in a traditional church, you can decide if your church is particularly photogenic or not. Certain Catholic cathedrals or old-style churches are beautiful, and a picture of them could be the theme of an excellently crafted invitation.

Just remember—the invitation reflects you. Though your wedding ceremony and order of service may depart from the “theme” of the wedding invitations, it is an excellent way to set the tone and feel of your special day.

For more tips and information about wedding invitations, please visit: wedding order of service.