The Decorations.

Good afternoon, guys and dolls! I'm really loving your outfit. You look fantastic. Also, last week's post is below this one! Check it out. :)

So a big part of the wedding reception is the decorations. Obviously the first step is to think of your wedding colors and what you like as decorations. Do you like balloons, tulle, paper flowers, fairy lights, etc? Do you want to make them yourself or buy them?

The possibilities for decorations are endless. My soon to be sister-in-law is doing beautiful things with lace, paper lanterns, tulle, and puffy paper flowers, which we are going to be working on later on tonight. She, her mom, and the rest of the bridal party are hard at work on the decorations and didn't really buy much for decorations, except for the supplies to do it themselves. I think this is a great option if you have the time and resources, unless you are not someone who really likes to do crafts (such as myself). In that case, there are lots of great decorations on the market. My favorites that are the most traditional are flowers, fairy lights, and candles. Using those three are a really nice way of keeping it simple but still very pretty and classy.

But what if you want a little more pop to your wedding? Go for brighter colors and maybe some ribbon around the chairs and along the walls. Paper lanterns are always a nice touch to every occasion. If your wedding is themed, then choose decorations to match.

At my cousin's wedding, they weren't allowed to put anything on the wall, and my brother and his fiancee are using the same venue. They're playing up the tables and hanging a lot from the ceiling, and so far I think it's going to be gorgeous. At my cousin's reception, though, they kind of back lit the room with purple lights on the floor, which looked really cool. There are so many awesome ways to incorporate lights into a wedding reception. You don't have to use just plain tea lights or taper candles. You can float them on water, hang them from the ceiling, nestle them in grass, whatever you want to do! The decorating part of the wedding might be the more fun aspect and definitely the most creative.

As for centerpieces, do something fun and pretty, but don't put so much on the table that your guests won't have anywhere to put their dinner plates. Choose the flowers you want there, and a couple of candles, and if there's still room, maybe some candy. Pick out original and unique vases that you really like. There's also no law that you have to have flowers! Make it all candy, or all candles, or whatever else. At my graduation party (or wedding) I want to have fake fireflies in jars as centerpieces with some grass around them and small flowers. Just picturing it makes me happy.

To sum up:

1. As always, keep it original, but keep it classy, too!
2. Think of ways to make the centerpieces and tables look really cool, but don't make them too busy or crowded.
3. Come up with ways to make the lighting pretty, but not harsh or too dark. 

Have a wonderful rest of your day!

The Cake!

I was so busy last week with actual wedding stuff that I did not have time to make a post. But things have quieted down, and here I am. Still, this post is going to be shorter than the other ones. Time crunches!

There are a LOT of generic wedding cakes in the world. You know the ones; white frosting, some fondant flower, and white icing to decorate. I mean, if you're into that kind of traditional stuff, then go ahead. But there are ways to do traditional while still adding a little bit of your own flare to it.

My biggest pet peeve when it comes to wedding cakes is that yes, the ones covered in fondant may look pretty, but very few people are going to want to actually chew through fondant. I think fondant is SUPER gross and should be restricted only to cake decorating. You can have a cake that looks beautiful with just icing that actually tastes good. However, if the majority of your guests like fondant and will eat cake covered in it, carry on. Just don't expect me to be happy about it.

Consider getting a cake made that's unique to you. Do you and your fiancee both love video games? Why not have a video game themed cake? More of a superhero kind of couple (like myself?) Get a couple of Batman and Catwoman cake toppers. I know a couple that had Green Arrow and Black Canary toppers on their cupcakes at their table and I thought it was pretty awesome. But really, don't have a cake that everyone has seen a hundred times before. Jazz it up with some bright colors, cute toppers, or pretty lace or ribbons. I'd also suggest not going for the basic vanilla flavor. Try chocolate, red velvet, peanut butter, marble, gingerbread, pumpkin, or whatever else you can think of. Pick one of your favorite cake flavors and go with it!

If you want to make your own cake and you are not an expert baker/cake decorator, go for something simple and pretty. There a ton of cake decorating tutorials on YouTube and everywhere else on the Internet if you want to learn how to do something more intricate. That's how one of my good friends got started with her cake decorating business, and her cakes are gorgeous. A couple of pictures of hers will be at the end, as well as a link to her Etsy site. She mostly sells decorations, but I've had her cakes and cupcakes and they are absolutely delicious.

There's also no law saying you have to have a cake. Lots of people are opting for cupcakes nowadays, as well as pie. I don't really like pie (yeah, I know. I don't like bacon, either) but I do think it's a very cute idea, especially for an autumn or winter wedding. Cupcakes, in general, are just a fantastic idea for every occasion. Keep these things in mind when you're planning your wedding. You don't have to go with the flow of tradition, but don't be quirky for the sake of it, either! Do what you like and what you think will make your special day even more special.

To wrap up:

1. Don't do something boring and forgettable for your cake.
2. Think of things that you and your fiancee both like and try to find a way to incorporate them into your cake, or any other aspect of your wedding.
3. Be careful and think it over carefully if you want to make your own cake for your wedding. It will be a lot of work if you have a large guest list.
4. Consider other options instead of a cake - some people don't even like cake. Try pie, cupcakes, cookies, brownies, etc.

Pictures!

                                          Tami's cakes! Link to her Etsy shop:  http://www.etsy.com/shop/SugarArtByTami?page=1

Have a fabulous day!

THE VENUE. (For whose parents are paying.)

Picture the scene for me, guys and dolls.


You get engaged to the love of your life. You are overjoyed and the first people you tell are your parents. All of you celebrate and cry and laugh and you are in a state of complete bliss. A couple of weeks pass. Your mother begins to question you on your plans: your dress, your venue of choice, the theme, the guest list, the food. A sinking sensation weighs you down.


Quickly you run to the computer and look at your checking account. More sinking. You click to your savings account. The sinking just keeps on going. You'd dreamed of a grandiose wedding since you were just a  child, and now you clearly don't have the funds. What are you going to do? This is awful, oh God oh no what am I going to do we're going to town hall aren't we yes that's right we're going to town hall this is not my Cinderella wedding AEIRAAIWEAFJNjndasw.


Dad comes over after watching your mild mental breakdown, pats you on the shoulder, and says,


"Don't worry, honey, we've been saving up for this for a few years. We have $6,000 put away, and Jimmy's parents also have some money saved up. We've got this!"


You feel relief. The bliss returns. $6,000 and then some seems like plenty to have a beautiful wedding. I mean, you're not going to be in a palace or anything, but it's still a good chunk of change. You hurriedly thank your parents and call Jimmy. The two of you get down to the business of planning. Things seem to be going swimmingly as you shop for decorations. Then you start looking at halls, dresses, suits/tuxes, and catering. Jimmy goes home, confident that everything will go smoothly. You, on the other hand, stay up until four in the morning, drinking several mug fulls of coffee, and carry on the idea of a Cinderella wedding.


You find a gorgeous, huge reception hall to hold all of your many friends that's nestled in a quiet location, beside a lake. It comes with catering! And a bar! Peacocks strut about outside and wouldn't it look lovely with a string quartet at the left side, beside the window overlooking that lake? And hey, they can almost guarantee a double rainbow over the lake. You add up the cost: a whopping $10,000. Far over your budget. And...jeez. Drinks are expensive and you really want an open bar. Would it be rude to restrict your friends to one drink each? One cheap drink each? You bookmark the site anyway, and now would be the time to please STOP.


You do not stop. You tell mom and dad, and they stare at you with some slight disgust. They gently try to tell you that it's not doable, but they will happily help you find a reception venue that's just as nice. Being a new Bridezilla, you grit your teeth, ball up your fists, and get ready for a tantrum the likes of which have not been seen since you were six years old. You stomp to the computer and show your parents. They don't even think the hall is pretty enough! They say it's tacky and that the floor looks too slippery! What's going on? This is craziness.


You put your hands on your hips and point out all of the good parts of it. They remain unconvinced. You throw your hands in the air and wail, "BUT THE PEACOCKS!" Still unconvinced. They persist in saying it's tacky and definitely not worth the money and honey, if you want to see peacocks, we can take you to the zoo...


I think what bothers me most about this situation is that your parents are PAYING FOR EVERYTHING. If they are paying, you adhere strictly to their budget, and you also take into account their opinion on the things they're buying. Ultimately, if you really love the dress, the venue, etc, and it's in the price range, then the chances are that your parents will say okay. If not, you have to listen to them because they cannot conjure money out of the air and please do not make them get a second mortgage for their house. PLEASE. DO. NOT. I know people who have done that and it's insanity.


To sum up this post:

1. Be grateful your parents are paying for this shindig. They love you and only want the best for you. I mean, they could have taken the money and gone to Aruba instead.
2. Do not try to make them pay for things that just aren't in the budget.
3. I'm sorry. Peacocks are not in most people's budgets.
4. Think of people beautiful places in your area and go to look at halls. Don't judge a place based on its outward appearance. (Deep, huh?) Check them out in person. You WILL find something lovely and also in the budget.
5. Listen to your parents' opinions. They definitely matter.
6. If you CAN pay for your wedding, awesome. Go nuts, go crazy. It's your money. But it'd still be nice to take into account what mom and dad have to say.

I'll see you guys next Monday! <3 Have a great week.