Finally my A to Z Wedding Series is complete! I had so much fun writing them all,and hearing your comments on each one!! Thank you so much for the feedback, it made the series more interesting!!
O :: Oh No! When Things Don’t Go As Planned
Which posts were your favorites?!
When I think Zebra print I think bold, sassy and sexy…not necessarily wedding appropriate! If you are having a hard time finding a way to spice up your wedding, and are an animal print type of girl, let me challenge you to consider this. I am convinced that you can create a zebra themed wedding while still keeping a classy atmosphere for your guests. Zebra print does not have to be reserved only for the bachelorette party!! This is not your typical wedding, for your non-typical bride. These cakes are just the beginning of your trendy zebra wedding.
An easy detail to introduce this pattern with is your shoes! Something that is mostly hidden, but when it peeks through, your personality will shine with your fabulous choice of shoes!!
Introduce the pattern from the beginning with your invitations. Don’t be afraid to have fun with it, adding colors such as red seen below!
Table decorations can be as simple as zebra escort cards…
Or as elaborate as full zebra linens and fun centerpieces to enhance the experience…
Add this pattern to other small details in order to help your guests see your wild side while maintaining a level of elegance throughout the wedding.
I have changed my way of thinking when it comes to animal prints being used in weddings! I want to hear what you all think about this theme … Is it appropriate at a wedding?
Sources: Epherera Blog, 888 Bridal, Paperlicious, Hostess Blog, Le Cupcake, Pink Cake Box
Everyone is ready for spring! Warm weather is right around the corner and so are vibrant yellows to help bring us out of the winter blues 
These bouquets tie in with the black using ribbons around the stems and small black roses throughout the bouquet. The black allows the yellow to stand out, not overwhelming it but adding to it.
These cakes from Josefs Vienna Bakery are yummy examples of a modern black and yellow and a softer pastel and pearls wedding cake.
All of these J. Crew dresses offer a different style but the same happy shade of yellow. Let your bridesmaids choose a style that they feel comfortable in, while keeping the material consistent. My favorite is the last dress shown that has a yellow and grey pattern. I think this year we will see a lot more brides breaking the norm, and choosing dresses that have patterns for their bridal party. Another idea would be to let your maid of honor sport the pattern dress while your bridesmaids wear the solids, allowing another way for your maid of honor to stand out!!
One detail that is not always seen by your guests, but makes your pictures look fantastic is when you are able to find fun colored shoes to help complete your style. Either of these shoes would look fantastic under your dress. If your bridesmaids are wearing black cocktail dresses, consider having them wear yellow pumps to add a pop of color.
Yellow weddings are über trendy right now! You will find a lot of inspiration boards for yellow and grey which look fabulous together and are hot colors for 2009. So many combinations can be put together with this cheerful color! It will brighten your event and hopefully bring sunshine to your wedding day
Source: Charmingly Chic, Next Exit, J. Crew, Smart Bride Blog, Josef’s Vienna Bakery
Every bride wants to look their very best on the one day they have spent a year planning for! The energy and time spent planning a wedding is exhausting. My first tip on your journey to look your very best is to keep eating! I am not saying to overeat or celebrate your engagement to the point of gaining 5+ lbs. I am suggesting to pay attention to your diet and keep a healthy one. Avoid any crash dieting, they will only leave you without any energy! You need all the fuel you can get for trying on dresses and meeting with vendors!
Since I am encouraging you to keep eating a regular diet, and I am guessing, like most brides, you still want to possibly lose a few pounds, I am highly recommending exercise!! Trust me, I know most of you avoid exercise like the plague, and hate the mere thought of having to run in place on a treadmill for over 10 minutes. The key to exercise is finding what activities you enjoy and focusing on those. First determine if you enjoy group activities such as yoga and cycling or if you prefer to work out alone on the treadmill and free weights.
Every magazine, blog or website will share a different “bridal bootcamp” to get you into shape. Pick what works best for you, don’t overdo it and remember that your fiance thinks you are beautiful both inside and out no matter what workout/diet you do.
Here are a couple of really great ways I have found that help keep track of your progress:
Wii Fit offers a range of activities from relaxing yoga, to fun balancing games, to serious strength exercise. I think one of the best opportunities is the daily body test. It gives you a consistent record of your BMI and body weight with finally giving you a Wii Fit age. Knowing that on any given day your weight will fluctuate for whatever reason, if you continue this long term you will begin to see trends. It is constant reminder of eating healthy including interesting tips on how to continually improve your health. Highlights for me are the 10 minute hula hoop (you will be surprised at the ab work that you do!) and the free run. Instead of sitting on the couch I will turn on the 30 minute free run and then switch over to my favorite TV shows and jog in the living room while watching. It beats sitting on the couch all night!
Lose It is an iPhone application that allows you to input your weight goals and then allocates how many calories a day you should eat to reach those goals at a healthy rate. You are able to put in all of the food you eat during the day and the exercise you do! The great thing about this application is in most situations you always have your phone with you. So after breakfast, lunch and dinner it is simple to quickly input the food and not have to think about it the rest of the day!
CAVEAT: You do not need to go out and buy wii fit if your wedding is in 8 months or purchase an iPhone to keep track of your calorie intake. These are ways that I have found and use that are fun and work for me. Find what you will remember to do consistently!
Here are a few articles I found on brides, dieting and exercise. Enjoy!! Do what you need to do to look and feel FABULOUS on your wedding day, but please do it in a healthy way!!
For all of you wine fanatics out there, have you considered combining your day of celebration with your love of wine? Hundreds of couples every year plan wine-themed weddings; from destination weddings in Tuscany, to simple but important details with wine bottles and corks.
Even if your plans don’t take you to Napa or Bordeaux, it is very easy to share your love of wine with your guests at the wedding. I think these save-the-date cards are modern and eye-catching & send a preview of the day!
Begin with a wine and cheese cocktail hour. Have a beautiful cheese display of your favorite varieties of cheese. Also, plan to have passed wine, I suggest choosing three reds and three whites to give guests plenty of choices.
Next, your reception decor can make guests feel as if they are in a romantic vineyard with decorations such as candles, vines, grapes and wine bottles. Focus on colors such as greens, deep purples and creams to bring out the wine feel. A fun idea for your table names would be to name each table a different variety of wine. At each table have a fun wine fact about the style of wine their table is named after.
After your engagement, start collecting all of your friends’ and family’s old wine corks! Use these for your escort cards. This will be a creative DIY idea that will continue to add to the theme of the day!
Talk with your caterer or chef about wine pairings throughout the meal. Introduce a new wine with each course that matches in flavor and enhances your guests experience! If possible, the servers could help educate everyone on the wine and why it goes well with the food being served. Your family will appreciate the gesture and love learning more about wine while they enjoy the tasty food before them.
Leave your guests with sweet (or dry) memories from your day with personalized wine bottles as favors.
Good luck in planning your romantic wine-paired evening. I wish you delicious food—and wine to complement! In conclusion:
“Wine makes every meal an occasion, every table more elegant, every day more civilized.”
— André Simon
Source: Good Things Wedding Favors, Kelly O’shiro Events, All Occasions, Magnet Street,The Knot, Simply Sparkling Events, Tuscan Wedding Site
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