Winter Wonderland Decor

Winter Wonderland wedding are very common around this time of year in the colder regions of the world. However, properly executing these weddings is not always as easy as it seems. Following a few simple steps will assure that your big day will be all that you hoped for.

What to wear?

Select a pure white gown perhaps with a white faux fur trim. Gold or silver beading would also look nice and reflect the light as you walk down the aisle.If the wedding dress you choose is simple and form-fitting, consider wearing a white, hooded cloak with white faux fur trim and carrying a white fur muff, rather than a bouquet.A gold or silver dress would also look stunning. Wear a gold or silver tiara instead of a headpiece and veil.Rather than black, select a white tuxedo with a gold or silver-colored vest and bow tie.Simple white gowns with gold or silver trim or beading. A straight cloak with white faux fur trim, or ones that are edged in gold or silver trim.Shimmering gold or silver dresses would also provide a lovely contrast to the bride’s pure white dress and is in keeping with this winter wonderland wedding theme.

It’s the decor that sets the proper theme setting when it comes to winter wonderland wedding ideas. Here are some suggestions to transform your reception:

• Get some large, willow branches if possible (if you can’t find these then use regular tree branches). Spray paint all the branches white. Then lightly spray paint some branches with gold glitter paint and some with silver glitter paint. Set the branches in buckets filled with sand or gravel. Cover the outside of the buckets with shimmering gold and silver-colored fabric, gathered up near the rim and secure with a length of white ribbon and a beautiful bow. String small, twinkling lights throughout the branches and place the “trees” throughout the room.
• Make or buy various sizes of white and silver snowflakes. Hang from the ceiling.
• Cover tables in a white tablecloth. Add smaller accent cloths of gold and silver. Another thing you can do is leave the white tablecloth as is and sprinkle some gold and silver confetti around the center of the table.
• For the budget-minded couple, create balloon bouquets of silver, white and gold balloons. Use white curly ribbon to tie the balloons together, leaving streamers of ribbon hanging down. Secure the bouquets to some sort of weight (such as tying it to bricks sprayed white, gold or silver or covered in cloth).

For most of your winter wedding reception centerpieces and decor, stick with a pure white and then add in a few enhancements of silver or gold.

• Buy plain wicker baskets and spray paint some baskets in white, some in gold and some in silver. Tie a large bow to the handle or glue a length of ribbon around the basked and glue a bow on one side. Fill with gold, white and silver Christmas balls. You could follow the same basic idea, except use clear glass bowls instead of baskets, so the balls show through.
• Use a small glass bowl and fill with glass beads or white gel beads. Set a several small votive or pillar candles into the bowl nestled within the beads.
• Use elegant white flowers arranged in a simple white vase. Tie gold and silver ribbons around the neck allowing the streamers to hang down. You may also wish to have the flower tips dipped in a gold and silver dye.
• Place a mirror in the center of the table and arrange 3 wine glasses of different heights on the mirror. Fill with water and float a white flower in each. Sprinkle some glitter over the mirror and arrange some votive candles underneath the glasses.

Winter Wonderland Wedding Favors:

• Purchase white Christmas balls. Using glitter paint, write your names on the balls with your wedding date. Glue a small silver or gold bow to the top. This will make a nice remembrance for your guests to hang on their own Christmas trees each year.
• Take two square pieces of gold or silver colored material and sew together, leaving a small opening at the top. Fill with potpourri and sew opening closed. Add lace, ribbon or other trim to decorate the sachet.
• Cut a circle of white tulle and fill with candies, chocolate kisses, mints or nuts. Gather the tulle up and secure with silver or gold ribbon.
• Tie two beeswax candles together with ribbon. Add a small spray of baby’s breath or a flower slipped under the ribbon.

What would a winter wonderland wedding be without an all white cake?

A Bouquet or Substitute:

• Carry a single white candle with gold and silver ribbon tied around the middle.
• Use a fur muff.
• Carry an all white bouquet with accents of gold and silver bouquet jewelry.
• Carry a single white rose with gold and silver streamers tied to the stem.

Weddings Military Style

Ceremony Location

Many military weddings take place at military chapels or on academy grounds , if you’d like to use another location, run it by your installation. Most military chapels are like other in-demand ceremony sites — you need to reserve them at least a year ahead of time, often by applying in writing to the chaplain’s office. All service academies have more than one chapel; at the Air Force Academy, for example, there are Protestant, Catholic, and Jewish chapels. To marry in a military chapel at a service academy, you must be a graduate or one of the following: a dependent of a graduate; an officer or enlisted person assigned to the academy complex, or his or her dependents; or a faculty or staff member, active or retired, or his or her dependents.There will probably be no charge for the use of the chapel, but a donation to the chapel fund will be expected. Rules for decorating military chapels vary across the country, but all flowers, candelabra, and other decor are arranged by the Chapel Altar Guild and are the same for all weddings. Some chapels and churches do not furnish decorations; the couple plans them themselves.

Choosing An Officiant

If you marry in a military chapel, the chaplain will perform your ceremony, and when you reserve the chapel you’ll arrange a meeting. A few sessions of pre-wedding counseling may also be required. If you’d like your civilian clergy person to co-officiate, talk to both officiants early about the possibility. Chaplains are commissioned officers and are paid by the service they represent; you do not need to pay them a fee.

The Arch Of Sabers

After the ceremony the newlyweds walk through an arch of sabers, which are curved swords with only one edge. Actual swords are used in a Naval wedding. The arch is not mandatory, but it’s definitely a memorable part of a military ceremony. On most bases, at least one chapel or an honor guard usually has sabers available for wedding ceremonies. Another possible source is the local ROTC unit. The arch is usually formed outside of the church or chapel; traditionally, a sword should never be unsheathed inside a religious sanctuary. Only commissioned officers can carry sabers or swords and participate in this ceremony. (The Marine Corps is the exception, with NCO’s also authorized to carry them.) Often the military groomsmen participate, but other officers (guests, perhaps) may be designated to help create the arch. Usually 6-8 officers are included. Officers have been known to detour from tradition, announcing the couple or lowering the final two sabers to block the couple’s way and demand that they kiss! A Marine Corps tradition, often adopted by the Air Force, is for the last saber bearer to “tap” the bride with his saber and say, “Welcome to the Air Force, Ma’am.”

The Reception

Military receptions at academies or bases are often held at officers’ or enlisted clubs on the installation, or you can have a traditional hotel or restaurant reception. Military guests are traditionally shown to their seats in order of rank. You might play  regimental music, including the theme song of the bride’s and/or groom’s branch of service. Decorations could include American flags and/or the standards of your unit(s) in addition to flowers.

The highlight of a military reception comes when the bride and groom cut the cake using a saber , one belonging to the groom if he owns one. The groom presents it to the bride and she cuts a slice of the wedding cake with the groom’s right hand resting over hers.

Personalized Napkins

Personalized wedding napkins for every part of your wedding including cocktail napkins, cake napkins, dinner napkins, and guest towels. Wedding napkins personalized with a design, photo, or monogram and the bride and grooms names and wedding date will create a wonderful accent to your wedding reception decor. Personalized napkins, made of premium paper with the look and feel of more expensive cloth napkins, make unique favors as keepsakes that can be added to scrapbooks or memory albums as a reminder of your special day.

Custom printed wedding napkins can be personalized with many creative options including designs, single and multi-letter monogram styles, block and script letter styles, and ink or foil imprint colors to express your thoughts and feelings to your guests on your wedding day. With a broad range of popular colors available, you will find napkin colors that are the perfect compliment your wedding decor. For everything from cocktail hour to cake serving, paper napkins are available in a variety of sizes to accommodate every function of your wedding reception.

Guestbook alternatives

Sometimes a traditional guest book is not the best way for your guests to express their well wishes for your marriage. Brides like to receive advice and happy wishes from their guests as they enter into the reception venue. After all, they are more fun to keep and look back on if your guests wrote them with love and out of pure joy.

 

Substituting a photo book for your guest book will allow your guests to take wacky pictures to send you well wishes. It’ll give you a great memory to look back on.

This guest book alternative is great for any vintage-style themed wedding. Having your guests write you well wishes on a typewriter is classic. However, you have to think of another creative way to store these listings.

This idea is great for those having beach inspired weddings. Your guests will write their well wishes on rocks or seashells and you will collect them and keep them is a beautiful vase. You can choose to decorate a special room in your new home together with this timeless item.

This idea , though a great alternative, has seen a great run in many weddings so it’s not so unique anymore. However, it is still a very beautiful alternative to the pen and paper.

A poster board guest book is a great way for your guests to tell you how they feel. Just like the wish rock vase you can choose to frame your poster board and decorate a room in your new home with it.

Just like these ideas can spark inspiration for a bride many other things can as well. As long as what you choice fits the theme of your wedding, you and guests will enjoy helping you remember your big day.

ENJOY!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Winter Wedding Ideas

Planning a winter wedding does not mean that you have to go with an over-used christmas or holiday season theme. You can find a simple way to incorporate the season into your wedding day without suffocating your guests with holiday season.

Cocktail Hour

Incorporating the season into cocktail hour is super easy, offering up some warmth as your guests arrive to the reception location is always great. You can do this by offering hot chocolate and warm apple cider or even special adult beverages that will surely keep your guests warm.

The Cake

Winter cakes can sometimes become uniform, but the bigger your bakers imagination the better the cake. Your baker can make a winter wonderland on your cake by using plenty of different elements to reflect any desired image.

The Favors

Your wedding favors give your guests a little piece of your big day to take home so make it good. Winter treats are always good but don’t limit yourself to food. Also try things like winter essentials that allow your guests to enjoy the winter season, try warm booties or luxurious bath salts.

The overall Decor

And of course if your just so in love with winter that you cant help but to immerse yourself and your guests into everything that is winter, then so be it. But please be sure to do it tastefully. Your guests will appreciate a beautiful winter wonderland if and when it is done right.

Incorporating the winter into your big day isn’t hard at all with a little effort and class you can pull it off.

ENJOY!!!