5 Steps to Choosing a Wedding Theme

5 Steps to Choosing a Wedding Theme

5 Steps to Choosing a Wedding Theme

Congratulations, your engaged! Planning a wedding can be both exciting and frustrating, but we’re going to help you with your first step. Choosing a wedding theme should be one of the first steps you take (choosing a date should come first). You’ll need to think about a few things in order to choose your theme: colours, season, location/ venue, decoration and restrictions.

 

Colours

Let the brainstorming start. Close your eyes and think of the perfect wedding. What colours come to mind? What sort of look do you visualize? If you like modern elements think of golds, silvers and rose golds. Or maybe your idea of the perfect wedding is at a beautiful cottage, in this case, think neutrals. The next step season may also determine your colour scheme. If you want a fall wedding, think deep oranges, reds, purples and yellows. A summer wedding may look more bright and cheerful and a spring wedding full of pastels. Winter weddings can have the cool look: blues and silvers, or a warm look: reds and golds.

In any case, when choosing your colour scheme think about these element: bridesmaid dresses, grooms men’s ties, flowers and decor. You don’t want to choose bright yellow as your main colour if your bridesmaids look terrible in yellow.

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Season

The season you choose to have your wedding will have a big impact on your theme’s colour palette. You definitely won’t be having a winter wonderland theme with pastel yellows, blues and pinks. The season may also impact the look of your wedding. Maybe you want a rustic fall themed wedding. Chances are, your wedding will be within the fall months, otherwise your theme may look out of place. If you are having a destination wedding in the winter, chances are you won’t be having a white Christmas themed wedding. You can embrace the natural colours and go for a greenery themed wedding, or add a pop of colour! No matter when you’re planning your wedding, keep the season in mind.

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Location/Venue

Think about what sort of venue you want for your wedding. Do you see a barn wedding or maybe a wedding an ultra modern hotel. This will definitely impact your theme choice. You definitely don’t want an ultra modern theme at a barn or a rustic themed wedding at a modern hotel. The theme will clash with the venue, which will look like a mistake or just thrown together. Make sure your theme and venue compliment one another. You may also want to check out this article on How to Choose a Venue in 5 Easy Steps.

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Decorations

When your fiancé and you think of how your wedding will look, what sort of decorations do you see? Do you have a favourite flower that you’d like or maybe you love rustic décor. This will all play a big part in choosing your wedding theme. Someone who like clean lines will not want a rustic wedding theme. If all you can see is flowers as the décor, you should try to make that your theme. Have your wedding in a beautiful green house or in a garden. Decoration has one of the biggest impacts on your wedding theme. Try making a list of decorations you’d love to see and then another list of decorations you’d hate to see at your wedding. This might help eliminate certain theme ideas.

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Restrictions

Now that you know what sort of wedding you envision, you need to think of any restrictions you may have. If you’re doing a destination wedding, for example, you may want to have a vague theme in mind. Try not to plan every detail, unless you have access to a wedding planner where the wedding will take place. Countries like D.R. may not have the same flowers they have in the USA or Canada, so keep that in mind. The best thing to do is research the types of flowers available in the season you are going. Choose a colour scheme based on those seasonal flowers.

If you dream of having wedding with a campfire at the end of the night, make sure your venue allows this. A cottage theme may sound perfect in theory, but if you have over 150 guests, this may not be ideal. In fact, this may no longer be an option. Make sure you check the capacity for your venue!

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6 Reasons Why Weddings Are Stressful

6 Reasons Why Weddings Are Stressful

6 Reasons Why Weddings are Stressful

 

When you first get engaged and are starting to plan your perfect day – whatever that may be to you and your s.o.– it’s really exciting, but it can also become very, very overwhelming and very stressful. Here’s a list of things that will stress you out and ways to avoid the stress.

#1. Picking the date
Picking a date seems easy enough. That is, until you really close your eyes and think of all the people you want there and if they’d be able to make on that specific day. Think about it: do you have friends from out of town, friends who are still in school, grandparents who go away for the winter (or summer). What about family members whose jobs aren’t as flexible as your own? Yeah, I know, there’s a lot to think about, a lot of reason to fell stressful.

Solution #1: call your closes friends and family, who you can’t imagine your day without. Now ask them (beforehand) if there are any days / weeks they won’t be able to make it. Then give them the date you and your s.o. were looking at.

Solution #2: if you and your s.o. picked a date and it has sentimental value to you, then make sure you give your friends and family ample warning so that they can plan around it. It is just one day after all.

 

#2. Picking the type of wedding you want

Choosing what type of wedding you want may seem simple to you, but it isn’t your wedding, it’s you and your s.o.’s wedding. Maybe you wanted a small close family and friends wedding, but your s.o. wants a huge bash. This is something you need to talk about. Once you figure out who’s coming, now you need to decide if it will be a destination wedding, an in-town wedding or an elopement.

 

 

A little Backstory

To be honest, this was the biggest thorn for my fiancé and I. We decided on a big wedding (he has many family members and close family friends). Since we already booked a venue we started planning it out. I got pretty sick a year before the “chosen wedding date”, which made simple decisions really hard. The wedding coordinator from the venue was asking for final guest lists, seating charts and more, and I broke down. Simple questions became stressful ones because we hadn’t even made an official guest list at that point.

I spoke with my s.o. and suggested going away and eloping on a beautiful mountain with just our immediate families and really close friends. He was not into the idea, but knew how incredibly stressful this wedding was becoming, so he suggested a destination wedding (in hindsight, I think it was meant as a joke at first).

I immediately fell in love with the idea and started researching. We spoke with friends and family to see what they thought and [almost] everyone was on board. No matter what, we wouldn’t be able to please everyone and are making sure that we can include family members who won’t be able to make it. By having a small wedding here, beforehand, at the courthouse (which we had to do anyhow, to make the marriage official).

 

As many friends told me: it’s your (my fiancé’s and I’s) day. You will never ever be able to please everyone, so do something you will both enjoy. Make sure you don’t go broke celebrating one day and then have a party here afterwards to include family who couldn’t make it.

Solution: speak with your s.o. write down all your wedding day wishes – how many guests, where do you see yourself getting married, do you want a romantic elopement, a big bash or something in the middle. Remember, you will have to make compromises in your marriage as it is a partnership, don’t dismiss all your s.o.’s wishes, it’s their day too!

 

 

 

#3. Deciding on a budget

This may actually belong as #1 on this list, but that depends on the person, I guess. Making a budget is hard. Talking money is always less glamorous than all your other wedding tasks, but it is something that is really important. It can decide where your wedding will take place and who will be invited.

Some things to think about: who will be paying for the wedding (you and your s.o., a parent, the parents, a little from everyone)? How much is each person contributing? Is this amount realistic? Are you and your s.o. comfortable spending this amount?

Now that you have a budget, you need to decide how much of the budget is going where. Think clothing [dress(es), suit(s), shoes, accessories], cake, venue, transportation, flowers, decorations, dj, band, photographer, rings, food, drinks, etc.. I used two great apps: wedding wire and the knot. These apps are great because they list budget items that you wouldn’t even think about!

Solution #1: speak with your s.o. and both your parents to talk budget, or decide with your s.o. if this is something you’d like to pay for yourselves. Knowing your budget before you book a venue will be less stressful in the long run because you know right away what you can afford and therefore there will be less disappointments.

Solution #2: do not go over budget! You took the time to make a budget, so stick to it. Going over budget will cause tension. If you both decide to up your budget, then go for it, but make sure it is a joint decision!

 

#4. Deciding who is going to be invited

Is your wedding going to be small? Can you only invite your best friend and close family members, or is your wedding going to be huge and you can invite all your co-workers and acquaintances? Speak with your s.o. to see who they’re planning on inviting. You may want a small wedding with only really close friends, but you don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings.

Solution #1: if your having a small wedding, tell your not-so-close friends this, so they don’t get offended, most people won’t be.

Solution #2: on the other hand, if your having a larger wedding but don’t want to invite acquaintances or co-workers, then don’t. Chances are if you think someone is just an acquaintance and you only see them at work, they won’t be expecting an invitation. Although, if you have two close friends at work and you want to include them in your day, feel free to!

 

#5. Choosing a theme

This is something people tend to do after they pick a venue – big mistake! Imagine choosing a modern museum as a venue, but you want a rustic themed wedding. The venue will be a big part of making your theme work. First, decide what sort of look or theme you and your s.o. want, including: colours, materials, textures, decorations, etc.

Solution #1: choose a theme that makes sense to you and your fiancé. For example, if you are outdoorsy people, maybe an ultra modern wedding won’t be ideal. Think of choosing a theme that is more rustic, or a greenery theme.

Solution #2: if you don’t have a theme per say, think of what you’d like at your wedding, what season, which colours, what sort of decor. These element make up a theme, you don’t need to call your theme “rustic” or “ultra modern”.

 

#6. Choosing a venue

This can either be a simple choice or an incredibly stressful one. Based on your theme, research different venues that will suit it. Imagine having a greenery themed wedding in a green house, like Aquatopia. What about a rustic themed wedding at a mountain side venue, like Le Belvedere, or maybe your having a destination wedding, like we are. My suggestion is to speak with a travel agent. They usually know which hotels are the best for your needs and then from their suggestions you can choose the one that seems the best suited.

Solution: make sure you know how many people are on your guest list, do your homework and (if it isn’t impossible) visit the venue before booking. Keep your budget in mind and let the wedding coordinator at your venue know.

 

 

Remember, weddings don’t have to be stressful, as long as you have great communication and understanding for what the two of you want. Keep in mind, a wedding is just one day and that the marriage is for a lifetime. Try to stay calm and relaxed. Take a weekend a month before or a month after the big day to go to a spa and relax, you deserve it!

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Have the Big Wedding or Elope?

Have the Big Wedding or Elope?

Have the Big Wedding or Elope?

Now that weddings can cost way over $100,000, more couples are opting for destination weddings and small elopements. Who can blame them? Everyone is expecting a wedding with hors d’oeurves, 5 courses, champagne, open bar, thank you gifts and more. This can get very stressful, very quickly, especially if you are on a tight budget!

Here are the pros and cons of both an at home wedding and an elopement / destination.

At Home Weddings

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Pros

The pros of having an at home wedding are: all or most of your family members will be there for your big day. This is a great idea especially if you or your future spouse have grandparents or great aunts and uncles or older family friends. The older people get the less they want to travel, in most cases. Therefore a wedding nearby will allow you to have all your close family members there. You will be able to make a decision on a photographer, bouquet choices, dj, etc. and see their work before the big day. This way you can see their work and make an informed decision.

Another pro is your choice of venue, wedding cake and décor. You can visit the venues before hand and see what really looks like a perfect place to get married.

Cons

The main con of the at home wedding is the cost of it. If you want a beautiful venue you’ll soon realize it will cost you a lot more than a pretty penny. You will really need to speak with your partner and decide on a budget and stick to it. That is the most important part, if you don’t want to be in debt for the rest of your life. Who wants to start a marriage in debt? I’m telling you stick to your budget! The first thing you should ask the venue is: capacity and price, that way, before you fall in love, you will know whether it will work or not.

Destination Weddings

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Pros

The pros of having a destination wedding are the price, the “vacation” feel and the actual location. The price of having a destination wedding can be as little at $100 for the marriage certificate / officiating. Although some resorts can be super pricy, most are very reasonable.

You will usually have to have a minimum amount of guests staying at the resort for your wedding to be the price listed. For example: at least 20 guests staying at the resort for a wedding with 35 or more invitees. Normally this won’t be a problem considering all the guests will be need to be booked at a resort, so why not yours.

Another pro, or con, depending on how you look at it, is the fact that the wedding will be virtually planned for you. You may have to have some input on colours or food options, but in reality there is next to no planning compared to an at home venue. You get to spend the whole week with your closest friends and family. My fiancé’s cousin had a destination wedding and the week we spent with friends and family was nothing less than awesome. Everyone got to know each other before the wedding and it wasn’t awkward sitting with people you didn’t know, because you knew everyone!

Cons

Now, here are the cons: most resorts have a maximum of 50 guests or less, and if your family is anything like my fiancés, then that will not be enough. If you are someone who wants all your friends and family there, this may not be the best option for you. But, if you want to have a destination wedding with a big guest list, don’t worry, there are still plenty of resorts that can accommodate you! You will just need to take some time and speak with a travel agent.

Another con is the fact that any friends who are on a tight budget won’t be able to make it either, unless you give them ample notice to save up. Friends with children or pets may not be able to make it either. If your wedding will be at an adults only resort, they’ll have to stay at another resort nearby and won’t have the luxury of spending the whole week with the wedding guests (this may be a pro or a con to them). There are family resorts though, so keep them in mind when booking your venue.

Another issue may be friends or family who teach. Unless you have a summer wedding or a holiday wedding, these friends will not be able to make it because they can’t take the time off.

You may also have grandparents and aunts / uncles who will not want to go to a destination wedding and would rather look at the photos afterwards. This can be hard, if you are a close-knit family, so this is definitely something to think about.

Remember, if you are planning a destination wedding, give your guests ample time to save up, find baby-sitters, pet sitters and time to decide if they would like to or are able to come to your wedding or not.

Elopement

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Pros

Pros: absolutely no planning, other than booking a flight and hotel, if you are going somewhere far that is. No worrying about who you should and shouldn’t invite. Just take off alone and enjoy your wedding for what it really should be about: you and your future spouse. Remember, just because you are eloping, doesn’t mean you have to go to vegas, think romantic mountain top, or forest!

Cons

Cons: People will be upset you didn’t invite them, family especially. If you are going to elope and you are close with your family, please, please, please tell your parents and siblings at least. You don’t want family drama because you were thoughtless. If you really don’t want them there then take the time to explain to them why. Believe me, they will feel a lot less resentful if you at least include them in the decision and know you at least told them. There’s nothing worse then telling your parents after the fact and them giving you the eye for even a day!

Your wedding won’t be documented in photos. This may seem like no big deal – but in 20 years when your children are asking what your wedding looked like, it may be sad not being able to share that with them. At least if you have a friend with you, you could ask them to document it for you. I’m sure they’d be more than willing to. If you are having a planned elopement, there is no one to stop you from hiring a photographer either, just remember to do so in advance.

 

So now that you have everything in mind, be sure to set your wedding budget and figure out which option will be the best for you and your fiancé! Remember you can find all options for every budget. An at home wedding doesn’t have to cost a fortune. There are many venues and food options including catering and even making your own food!

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How to Choose a Venue in 5 Easy Steps

How to Choose a Venue in 5 Easy Steps

How to Choose a Venue in 5 Easy Steps

A venue is probably one of the most important choices when it comes to wedding planning, after of course the person you will marry and your wedding party options. Yes, I did put the venue in before the dress! Okay, now you think I am either a) absolutely crazy, or b) a dress hater. Let me tell you, even though I may be a little bit of a, I have been picking dresses since before I knew what a boyfriend was!

I’ll explain to you exactly why the venue comes first: It’s easier to find a dress that goes with a venue, than a venue that goes with a dress.

Preparation

Which brings me to Step ONE: Decide on what type of venue you would like: Modern, Classic, Rustic, Chic, Beach or Medieval. Or maybe you want a mix of two. For example, Rustic-chic, you may want rustic accents but the overall look to be super chic.

The next step, Step TWO, will be to make a preliminary and secondary guest list. Preliminary being your guest list, secondary meaning your guest list after both your parents and the groom/bride-to-be’s parents have went through it and made adjustments. Of course, you will have to go through the secondary list again to decide if you really want your work acquaintance to come or not. This will really narrow down where you can tie the knot. If you have 300 invites and the maximum capacity is 150, you’ll either have to cut your list in half or find a new venue. If you were looking to have a destination wedding, you may have to cut your guest list again.

Research

Step THREE: Go on to The Knot, Wedding Bells, Minted and other wedding websites to search for venue options. Keep in mind these sites won’t have every single option on their website. If you know of an area that you’d love to get married in, take your car and drive around to look for options, or contact the city’s community centre to ask for venue options. This will open your mind to venues you may never have thought possible.

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Step FOUR: Visit the venues in person. Some times the rooms / halls in the venue will look gorgeous on the website, but will look terrible in person, or vise-versa. The venue we chose for our wedding wasn’t our first choice until we went there and saw it in person. It turned out to be the perfect location, inside and out!
Make sure you take notes and photos. Remember to write down any questions you may have, including: menu options, maximum capacity, ceremony site options, kid menu options (if your wedding is kid-friendly), dj set up, dance floor (do they have one and if so, what size). You’ll also want to be sure to ask them what is included in the price and if they offer wedding planner services. Some hotels offer full wedding planner services and others offer nothing but the venue site.

Make a decision

Step FIVE: Look at all your notes/ emails and photos. Try to list the pros and cons of each venue with your groom / bride-to-be. Maybe you have a tight budget and the most important part is that the wedding is on or under budget, or maybe the atmosphere is the most important aspect of the wedding. Make sure to keep all the previous steps in mind: theme of wedding, guest list / capacity, your venue options and remember the visit to each venue, what you loved and hated.

Good luck with your venue picks ladies and gents!

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7 Amazing Venues for Small Guest Lists

7 Amazing Venues for Small Guest Lists

7 Amazing Venues for Small Guest Lists

This first venue is a tiny little church. Your guests can comfortably sit outside, while you get married on the front deck. This adorably shabby chic venue will make all your guest feel the love. It is so small that you can probably bring this little church anywhere you want!

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The second venue is a rustic castle-looking room with a lot to love. The wood beams add rustic charm and the white chairs and drapery adds chicness. The chandeliers scream castle, which will make this spot feel even more romantic. The white chairs clean up the room and add a modern flair, which is a beautiful contrast to the old stonewalls.

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The third venue is a beautiful tiny clean church in gorgeous Mykonos. The white colour add to the beachy, destination feel, and it’s tiny charm will make your small guest list seem big. This is the perfect place for an intimate wedding abroad.

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The fourth venue is on a mountain top, with a beautiful stone patio. This is a beautiful spot for an outdoor intimate ceremony, where the only noise you’ll hear are the wild animals and the wind. The patio is large enough to hold family and close friends, human and otherwise.

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The fifth venue is an amazing forest with tall pine trees and strung lights. This is a great place for a private intimate wedding. Just make sure the lights are solar powered — or that you brought a really long extension cord! My suggestion: this would be perfect for a fall wedding or early spring wedding, otherwise you’ll have to worry about your guests freezing in the winter, or getting eaten my mosquitoes in the summer.

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The sixth venue is another tiny church, this time in Fayetteville, Arkansas. This church is whimsical with all the greenery on and around the church. If you have less than 50 people coming to your wedding, this could be a great option for you. A retired engineer created this church, and it is called St. Catherine’s at Bell Gabel Chapel. Take a look.

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We are now at the seventh venue. Of course we could not do this list without the classic destination wedding on a beach at sunset, with tiki candles. This is the dream beach wedding. A romantic aisle with tropical flower petals, torches lighting the way, and an arch right by the sea, I’m not sure it can get anymore romantic than this.

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7 Amazing Winter Wedding Venues

7 Amazing Winter Wedding Venues

7 Amazing Winter Wedding Venues

Winter weddings can be romantic, rustic, chic and absolutely gorgeous. The best way to have a beautiful winter wedding is by choosing the right venue. Here are a list of 7 amazing winter wedding venues. Take a look!

 

Winter Wedding on the Mountain

This first wedding venue is perfect for a winter elopement or even a large wedding. What an amazing view of the mountains. Just remember to remind your guests to dress warmly or have a basket full of warm blankets at the entrance with a sign that invites guest to take one. You definitely don’t want your guest to freeze just for some great ceremony photos.

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Winter Wedding in a Lodge-style Venue

The second venue is beautiful, warm wooden lodge-type venue. The candle chandeliers add so much romance to a venue, having the ceremony at sunset will definitely add to the romance factor. With a venue this beautiful, you don’t need to many decorations, the green archway and the seating decor is the perfect amount of wedding glam.

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Another Beautiful Winter Wedding on a Mountain

This third winter wedding location is another mountain top ceremony. Since this ceremony is entirely outdoors, you don’t need any decorations, unless you will be getting married after or during sunset. Think candle light or fairy lights! Again, remind your guests to dress extremely warm (and hope for a warm day!) and try to make the ceremony quick and on-time. There’s nothing worse than shivering guests even before you get there.

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Romantic Winter Wedding

The forth venue is a very romantic, warm and inviting space. The candle lit venue and fire place will make the perfect place to pour your heart out to your future spouse. The lanterns and ferry lights finish this place off as a perfect winter wedding venue for the rustic bride(s) and / or groom(s).

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Neutral Greenery Wedding

Venue five is a neutral romantic space for the boho, modern bride(s) and/or groom(s). The painted brick walls, modern lighting and neutral greenery make this venue awesomely modern and romantic. The tall vases with pillar candles add to the romance and the flower petals that line the aisle are the perfect finishing touch.

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Romantic, Rustic and Chic

Venue six is a way to bring the outdoors in, on a cold winter’s day. The small pine trees at the end of the aisle and the large glass window is a perfect way to incorporate nature into a winter wedding. The natural-coloured chairs and greenery around the tall vases are the perfect touch. The two chic chandeliers add some warmth, as well as the white tulle that canopies the ceiling. Gorgeous!

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Winter Wonderland

This last venue is a magical, indoor winter wonderland. If you love winter, but don’t want your guests to be freezing cold, this is an awesome alternative. The gorgeous winter tree wall paper will make your guest feel like they are in the middle of the forest without loosing the feeling in their toes! If you are looking for the perfect indoor look for your winter wedding ceremony, look no further!

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