Beach weddings have become very popular these days due to the creative themes that you can come up with plus the ease that comes with simple and conventional decorations used in it. The environment itself offers plenty of decorations like seashells, tropical flowers, trees, rocks, and the white sand. Despite these simple and easy options, there are also plenty of things to consider when decorating for your beach wedding.

You should take note of the theme, the heat, the strength of the wind, the weather, and the sand when decorating. If the wind is too strong, some of the decors might be blown away or glasses and vases may tumble down and get broken. If there is too much heat, flower decorations might easily get dry. Of course, you need to consider the theme since your decors would depend on it.

Keep in mind the following things in decorating:

• You can use shells to decorate the aisle where the bride will walk instead of flower petals. If you are going to use flowers, make sure they are whole and that the stems are still attached to hold the flowers down.
• If the wedding is held at night, tiki torches may be used to light the place especially for Hawaiian themed weddings but be careful where you place them. Candles and small lamps could also be used to light the place and serve as table centerpieces at the same time.
• If the wedding and reception is held in the morning when there is too much sun or there is a possibility for rain, you can use colorful umbrellas or tents in the venue. Big umbrella stands and tent posts could be decorated with vines and foliage to match other decorations of the event.
• Sand sculptures are also great decors for the wedding instead of ice carving. A sand sculptor can recreate the bride and the groom or other objects of the sea like a dolphin or a treasure chest covered with sea urchins.
• If you are one of those people who love photos, you can have several pictures printed in tarpaulins and use the tarpaulins to protect your guests from the sun or protect their meal from the sand. Make sure that the photo will also blend with the theme or complement the decorations.
• A Caribbean or tropical themed beach wedding could use plenty of driftwood as decoration where you can hang shells, starfishes, and flowers. Wild orchids with different colors and birds of paradise would look great as if they are in their natural environment when on drift woods. They could also look like parts of a sunken ship where sea urchins had planted themselves on.
• For pirate themed weddings, you may use anchors, swords, cards, and empty wine bottles for decoration. You can hang these on walls of the reception or around the couple’s table. Fill the wine bottles with sand so they will be heavier and will not tumble down easily. You can design the cards to make them look like they’ve been pinned on the walls by small daggers.
• If you plan on using certain flowers for the wedding, consult with an expert as some flowers may not be available in the place or during the season. Some flowers like orchids and hibiscus are hard to find and you may need to spend extra cash in order to have them. Also consult the expert if these flowers could withstand the heat of the sun the whole day.
• There are endless varieties of center pieces to choose from depending on the theme. Common centerpieces for beach weddings include bowls filled with different colors of gems and stones, vase of fresh tropical flowers, crystal bowls with white sand and marbles, pearls and seashells, huge bowls with floating candles, or mini sand sculptures.
• Use white cloth in dining tables and as curtains as this color does not absorb much heat. This color will also make all the other decors stand out.

Aside from choosing the right decorations for your wedding, having the right ambiance is also important to make your wedding day light, stress free, and happy. Playing the right tunes could add a wonderful ambiance in your celebration. Some wonderful tunes for a beach wedding party include Caribbean music, old love songs, slow and soothing songs, and reggae beats.

For the love of ecology and life, going green is the hottest trend even in weddings. A beach wedding has this natural tone due to the setting and involvement of several natural resources like the sea, the sand, and the wind. Aside from being environmentally responsible, this wedding theme can be done effortlessly.

In decorating a wedding though, you can’t help but have trouble with some environmental policies like gathering too much flowers and using them just for the day then throwing them away. There are also indirect harms like using a lot of paper that adds to the problem of deforestation. Here are several tips and reminders in going green with your beach wedding decorations:

• In making the invitations, thank you notes, and save-the-date cards, you can use recycled paper or other recycled materials. Lots of fancy colored papers are actually recycled. If you want to actually skip using paper, you can just send online invitations and have a few copies of the actual invitation printed for purposes like scrapbooking or for special guests.
• For eco-friendly favors that would fit your beach wedding, there are also a lot of ideas to choose from. Using bonsai plants as favors for island beach weddings is a great idea. You can also use the plants as centerpieces before giving them away to the guests. Choosing favors that are made from recycled material is also a great option for going green. Giving away of organic soap is not only economical but is also exotic and good for the body.
• When it comes to using flowers, they do not actually have to be plastic so that you can avoid cutting and throwing them away. You have the option of using potted plants so you do not have to throw the flowers after using them. For a tropical theme, you can find friends or connections that grow tropical plants in their garden like orchids attached to drift wood. You can just borrow them for the occasion. The key is to use everything natural and organic. Flowers should be grown naturally and without pesticide. If you are going to use flowers like birds of paradise or hibiscus, they can be used as wedding favors at the same time.
• If you want to minimize the use of flowers, you can alter the bouquets of the bridesmaids with a clutch bags or baskets made from straws and decorated with seashells and ribbons. You can also use small ocean rocks and seashells to adorn the aisle instead of rose petals.
• If you want your buffet table and plates to go green as well, you can look for caterers who offer menus that are completely organic. The package will automatically include an eco-friendly set-up. Often this would cost you more but it will surely improve the taste of the food and guest satisfaction. Some caterers use native plates that are covered with banana leaves instead of heavy ceramic plates. They also offer fresh coconut or pineapple juice served in their own shells or skin which fits the beach wedding theme perfectly.
• Choose neutral and soft colors like white everywhere. Tie ribbons in chairs and use clustered seashell and starfish pins to follow the theme. Use sea weeds and vines to decorate posts instead of cloth and paper. Use big ocean rocks with different shapes, seashells, and sand to decorate the altar and couple’s table so that they would stand out. Tiki torches may be used to light up the place instead of using electric light bulbs. If the reception is in an open area, huge bonfires are a big hit as it brings the guests in a circle and is somehow romantic for the newlyweds and other couples present.

The last and most important thing if you really want your beach wedding to be eco-friendly, make the cleaning a significant part of the plan. If the wedding is held in a resort and there are people to do the cleaning, make sure that they are aware of the reuse, reduce, and recycle campaign. If it is held in a private or family owned beach, ask the one who will be in-charge of the cleaning to make sure they will follow the three Rs slogan.

The eco-friendly beach wedding usually ends up costing more than the typical wedding so be sure that you are committed in helping the environment and that you are fully responsible for everything. You will not only make your union special, you will also celebrate a green day and help open the eyes of people who will be part of your event.

Funny Cake Topper

You are not like most brides. While most brides you know want to make their weddings as touching as possible, you on the other hand, want to have a fun and festive mood. This is why, when you heard about the idea of funny wedding toppers, you cannot help but get excited. You feel that this is one of the best ways to have a whimsical but special wedding celebration.

If you have not made up your mind yet as to which kind of comical cake topper to go for, this list of choices would help you come up with a decision.

Soccer Player Groom Mix and Match Cake Topper

This item can definitely be a hit to grooms who are soccer aficionados. In this cake topper, you would see the groom in his tuxedo, playing with a soccer ball on his feet and looking at its watch. This is the perfect match for the Exasperated Bride Cake Topper, wherein the bride has the extreme look of exasperation on her face. All soccer fans would be able to relate to this cake topper.

Bride ‘In-Charge’ Wearing Pants and Groom ‘Not In Charge’ Without Cake Topper

It does not have to be that your future husband is scared of you in real life for you to be able to make use of this cake topper and have a good laugh out of it. After all, this is a general joke among many couples. Most couples attending your wedding would surely find this cake topper hilarious.

Princess Bride Kissing Frog Prince Cake Topper

It is true what they say that love is a fairy tale. Make use of this adage but add a comical twist to it by choosing the cake topper wherein the princess bride is kissing the frog prince. Your handsome groom and his friends will surely have a fun time looking at this cake topper. Family and guests from both sides will also enjoy this one.

Cell Phone Fanatic Bride and Groom Cake Topper

In our high-tech world, cell phones have become the primary means of communication. In fact, in some countries, people are addicted to texting and playing phone games. This cake topper is a whimsical way of showing that even during a special event, the bride and groom are still busy with their phones. This cake topper is ideal for couples who are always busy and who always have loaded schedules.

Still Shopping Message and Surprised Groom Mix and Match Cake Topper

In this cake topper, the astonished groom finds a message posted on the pedestal that says, “Still Shopping.” This can be a playful way of teasing a shopaholic bride about her intense passion for this activity.

Gone Fishing Mix and Match Cake Topper

Fishing has never been this fun. This cake topper exhibits a playful couple in which the bride catches the groom with a fishing rod. It can be a funny way of saying that the bride ended up with a “good catch” because she married her groom.

Funny cake toppers take weddings to a new level. While traditional weddings are all about romance and touching moments, modern weddings today also inject a bit of humor to add more fun and enjoyment to the event.

Winter Bride

The moment is still fresh in your mind. You knew your beloved was up to something but it was not until he bent on one knee and took out a beautiful diamond ring that you finally realized that he was going to ask your hand in marriage. You were filled with all sorts of emotions at that time—you were happy, nervous, excited, and anxious all at the same time.

Of course, you said yes. After all, you have been waiting for this moment all your life. Your dream to become a winter bride has come true because your spouse-to-be has chosen the perfect season of winter to celebrate your union. You cannot be any happier.

Having dreamed of this several times, you know what being a winter bride means. It means being able to enjoy a backdrop of awesome white snow and being able to do excited and thrilling winter activities.

Aside from this, you also are aware the trends for winter weddings are constantly changing so what may be trendy when you first imagined yourself as a winter bride ten years ago may not be the trend of today. To help you with this matter, here are the latest trends in winter weddings that can contribute to the smashing success of your big day.

1. Black and White

Black and white wedding is a very popular trend for winter weddings this year. The guests and the entourage can all wear black so that the bride will stand out in a shimmering white gown. You can decorate the wedding venue with black and white embellishments for dramatic beauty and striking contrast. Moreover, the event could also be captured in black and white still photographs to complete the effect.

2. Calligraphy

Calligraphy, which refers to the use of stylized writing or creation of monogram of the couple’s initials, is becoming more and more popular especially during the winter season. This monogram can be used to mark invitations, candles, wedding favors, tableware, table napkins, and even the aisle runner. This can also be used to adorn the wedding cake through icing calligraphy.

3. The Wedding Dress

Think of a fairy tale wedding. Think of ball gowns and long gloves. These are the hot items for this year, which is definitely most suitable for the chilly season of winter. This is especially nice for winter wonderland themes or fantasy fairy tale themes. The bride can easily imagine herself as a beautiful princess bride.

4. Little Details

When it comes to winter weddings, the ideas are endless. For one, you can make use of snowflakes, icicles, mini wedding bells and crystal accents to decorate the wedding venue and add glamor to the event. You can even adorn yourself and your bridesmaids with snowflake wedding accessories. You can send in invitations that have little snowflake designed embossed. Little touches that seemed unimportant years back are certainly trendy and hot this winter season.

5. Wedding Cake

Dressing up the wedding cupcake tower with blue, silver, and white icing and decors is very trendy for winter weddings this year. Use of cupcakes in lieu of the traditional tiered wedding cake has become a popular trend not only because they are hip and unconventional but also because they are less expensive, something that we can all use during a time of financial crisis.

6. Flowers

The traditional wedding flowers for winter are red roses, amaryllis, and calla lilies. However, the fad this year tells us to experiment with fuller flowers such as hydrangeas and ranunculus. Adding mini wedding bells or crystals can make these blooms even more dashing.

Sure enough, you will spend time in preparing and planning the whole event to ensure that it will be beautiful and memorable not only for you and your partner, but also for all the people attending your big day.

Source: Nina Lampe

Author: Angela White

Getting married can be unbelievably expensive. With so many things to spend for like the wedding gown, catering, flowers, church, souvenirs, invitations, and so on, your savings can be depleted in no time. Even buying of wedding centerpieces can be just too costly.

It is a good thing that there are tricks you can do to save money on your wedding. One way to do that is to create your own wedding centerpieces, which is not only cheap but will also give you the opportunity to personalize the centerpieces and enable you to bond with your bridesmaids.

A floating candle centerpiece is one of the best options that you have. Not only is this exquisite and beautiful, it is also very easy to make that you would not feel any stress while engaged in this project.

To help you create wonderful floating candle centerpieces, here are the basic steps to keep in mind:

1. Choose the right candles

Since the candles are the focal point of this centerpiece, you need to choose the right kinds to display. Candles come in a wide variety of shapes, colors, and sizes and you have to choose based on your personal preference and in accordance to the theme of the wedding.

For example, if you want your wedding to exude romance, heart shaped candles is the best way to go. If you want to have a simple but elegant wedding, white round candles are ideal. Now, if the theme of your wedding is Irish, choose thick cream candles.

Aside from the appearance and style of the candle, you also have to choose good quality candles that have long burning time, no smoke film, lead-free wicks, and low soot wax.

2. Look for a bowl

The next thing that you have to look for is the bowl where you will be placing the candles. A goblet or small stemmed bowl is perfect for a single floating candle centerpiece. A wide bowl, on the other hand, is ideal for a group of small candles. You also have the option to use pedestal bowls for a three-dimensional effect of light, triangle or square bowls for a unique display, and hourglass shaped cylinders to express artistry and creativity.

3. Add special touches to your centerpiece

Decorative pieces help make the centerpiece look even more beautiful that it already is. You can embellish the centerpiece with real or silk flowers, quartz crystals, sand, marbles, colored stones, natural pebbles, seashells, or gems to add a more dramatic effect. You can even put in a few drops of food coloring to give color to the water.

4. Pick a base for the centerpiece.

Another important part of the centerpiece that many people overlook is the base. The right kind of base can finish the look of the centerpiece. You can choose from mirrors, loose flower petals, decorative plate, or a fabric.

Creating floating candle wedding centerpieces is easier than most people think. With creativity and resourcefulness, you will easily be able to make personalized floating candle centerpieces that will add classy ambience to your wedding event.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/weddings-articles/create-your-own-floating-candle-centerpieces-1210612.html

About the Author:

Angela White is a certified wedding planner in TheBridalCoach.ca wedding planning membership site and writes articles on newest wedding trends, including selecting wedding theme collections and beach weddings.

When planning the decoration of a beach wedding, you will not only be concerned with what is beautiful or with what looks good. You will have various other things in mind like the windy condition, heat, sand, and the weather, as all of these factors can have a big impact on how your beach decoration set-up turns out.

Here are some clever ways on how to decorate a beach wedding while keeping in mind the mentioned factors above.

• Use shells to mark down the aisle on the sand where the bride will walk down to the altar. Add some flowers but be sure to push the stems down on the sand to avoid having them blown away.
• If the couple chooses to hold the event at night, you can liven up the place with beautiful flaming tiki torches. See to it that these torches are located away from anything that can start a fire. You can also decorate the tables of the guests with lanterns or candles surrounded with little seashells. This is a beautiful and cost-effective way to enlighten up the area.

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• Using beach umbrella shades or covering the area with a wedding tent is definitely great idea if there is a possibility of rain during the event. With the ever-changing weather today, you can never be too sure. You surely would not want the guests soaking wet in the middle of the wedding.
• Hire a sand sculptor to recreate a sculpture of the bride or groom or any memento that relates to their love story. This can serve as the focal point of the whole beach decoration set-up.
• If it s a bit windy, you can use a huge tarp to block the direction from where the wind is coming. This will ensure that the guests will not have sand on their meals or on their eyes. Of course, you should not just get any tarp you can get your hands on. Make sure you find something that at least complements the color and style of the wedding. If possible, you can have the photo of the couple printed on the tarp so that it will serve double purpose as decoration and as a wind blocker.

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• Driftwoods are nice to place along the perimeters of the reception area. Just place them on the side so nobody will trip over them. Decorate these with shells, starfishes, and sand to create wonderful pieces of art that will wow the guests.
• Hang anchors, surfboard, or boogie boards on the walls. You can also lean them against the corners.
• If you are going to use flowers to decorate the event, consult with an expert florist first as there are some flowers that will not be able to stand the extreme heat of the sun.
• As for the centerpieces, the choices are endless. You can have lantern centerpieces, crystal bowls filled with sand, glass marbles, pearls and shells, floating candles on a wide clear water vase, or a mini sand sculpture.

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• Play some nice beach tunes. Decoration is not all about what the eyes can see but also what the ears hear. Aside from visually appealing design elements, be sure to throw in wonderful beach music to add to the nice ambiance of the place. Play some sunny Caribbean music from the Baha Men, old favorites from Beach Boys, soothing tunes from Café Del Mar, or fun reggae beat from Bob Marley.

Even though there are many factors to consider, decorating a beach wedding is not that difficult. With so many resources available around the beach that you can use as decorative elements, it will not consume much of your time or the couple’s wedding budget.

Many couples want to have a beautiful, exotic, and romantic wedding that they will remember for the rest of their lives. An exotic beach wedding is the perfect theme for this purpose. The tranquil beach scene coupled with the picturesque sky is truly a stunning backdrop for this momentous occasion. Aside from that, a beach wedding theme is also fun, modern, whimsical, and distinctive.

Some couples who want to go an extra mile beyond the usual beach wedding opt to have an exotic beach wedding ceremony. One of the most important touches to this kind of event is of course, the wedding centerpieces, which add beauty and glamor to the ambiance of the wedding reception.

Ideas for Exotic Beach Wedding Centerpieces

• Rustic beach lanterns placed on top of a clear plate filled with sand, surrounded with shells and flower petals. This is perfect especially if you are going to hold the wedding reception at night. Make sure you choose a low-wattage light bulb that will not strain the eyes of your guests.

• Candle inside a tall clear glass wrapped with a thin handmade paper. This is a cheaper alternative to the first centerpiece that will give the same effect but for a lesser cost. Do not forget to tie a blue satin ribbon around the glass to add to the visual interest of the centerpiece.

• Exotic flower arrangements that do not only look gorgeous and spectacular but smell just as wonderful. You can ask your florist to make arrangements of different kinds of exotic flowers such as orchids, bird of paradise, heliconias, protias, hibiscus, and gingers. Add tropical green foliage for a more stunning effect.

• Bamboo basket filled with sumptuous exotic and wild fruits. Tropical fruits such as mangoes, jackfruit, melon, pineapple, banana, watermelon and orange make a very colorful centerpiece. Do not forget to have someone inform the guests that these fruits are not only meant as a decoration but also as a delicious sweet treat for the guests.

• Other ideas include sand, shells, starfish, and sprawled over a piece of driftwood, floating candles on a wide clear vase placed on top of a mirror, and sand castles or various kinds of sand sculpture.

More Tips on Exotic Beach Wedding Centerpieces

• Complement the centerpiece to the overall look of the wedding.
• The centerpieces should be just the right size, not too large to intimidate the guests or too small to be noticed.
• Be wary of using live flower blooms under the strong heat of the sun. Ask your florist techniques on how to protect flowers from wilting and drying.
• Shield candle centerpieces and sand sculptures since the windy condition at the beach can put out the flames and send sand flying around your guests’ tables.

Some people think that wedding centerpieces are just among the other small details in a wedding but what they do not know is that the wrong kind of centerpiece can ruin the beauty of the event. With the creative ideas and practical tips mentioned above, you will surely have beautiful wedding centerpieces to help make this event a memorable one.

One of the most popular wedding favors during any season or in any country are candles. These are vastly popular as they are easily accessible, widely varied in design, style and color, suit all four seasons of the year and visually appealing. The increased interest in aromatherapy, and alternative relaxation techniques have also contributed to the popularity of candle keepsakes, especially scented ones. They are also considered romantic gifts during weddings.

- Religious themes. Keepsakes with a theme that is religious often carry crosses on them. Other equally religious signs like the upside down cross or spellings of religious words or name like “Allah” or “Jesus” can also be endeavored.

- Romantic themes. Some candles are designed with romance in mind. These would carry heart shapes on them which are either carved into their waxy surface or imprinted on them. Other romantic designs are candles that are shaped into wedding gowns or have the word “L-O-V-E” spelt out on them. They are also often white, ivory or silver in color or in any one solid color as candles with only one color are deemed more romantic than those that are not.

- Humorous themes. Other candles are meant to put a smile on your face and lighten the occasion. These are normally more brightly colored and the color chosen would be less somber ones like neon green, bright red or multicolored. They would also be made into humorous shapes like the frog prince, ice-cream sundae, coffee cup, teapot or even Cupid.

- Royalty themes. These are candle wedding favors that are shaped to look like carriages, crowns or tiaras. Often, candle favors like these are silver, ivory or richly colored with gold or silver flecks on them to look equally luxurious.

- Zodiac or personality themes. Candle tokens that carry the zodiac or personality themes are often color-coded to showcase the difference between each time of personality or zodiac. A more tranquil and airy personality like Aries, for instance, would most probably be candle favors that are lavender in color and scent. Other ways of color coding your candles to each personality would be to follow the color of each zodiac’s birthstone. Capricorn birthstone – turquoise – for instance, could be the color for the candle favor. These often come as tea light candles which have an appropriate scent.

- Votives are extremely popular as candle favor casings as they match their designs perfectly in both color and design. Votives also help to cut down on the cost of actually ordering your candles in a specific shape – ordering heart-shaped candles, for example, may cost more than having normal round candles in a votive with a heart shape design on its outside. Votives can be made of ceramic or glass (clear or frosted). Frosted glass seems to be more popular as they give the illusion of being more expensive than they really are. For added beauty, these votives can be decorated with colored rhinestones or crystals with some glitter for some shimmer effect.

- Gift box sets are also popular for candle keepsakes that need to be given out in pairs. These box sets can be made into shapes that fit the wedding theme like coffee cups, soap holders, lanterns, bamboo huts or cake stands (with the candle as the cake). Just like the votive, these also cut down on your need to order specially designed candle wedding favors while allowing your guests to keep their box sets for their own candle of preference.

- Conventional candle holders are another way of encasing the candle favors. To enhance their look, the holders can be made of glass or high quality plastic. To fit your wedding theme, you can have these holders molded to specific shapes like teapots, sea shells, sailboats, heart shapes, beach pails, toasting flute or any other object that fits.

The size of candle wedding favors varies from event to event. How big or small the candle table gift is should be determined by its design and intended use. Is it supposed to be a tea light candle or a centerpiece candle? Tea light candles are naturally small and light while centerpiece candles are larger and short. Do remember as well that candle wedding favors, particularly scented ones, also tend to be more decorative than practical items – most are used as air fresheners in bathrooms and wardrobes and almost never lit.

This how-to video by Angela Fiebelkorn will help you to understand your flower needs and to get expert advice. It’s part of the 20 free wedding planning series.

There are several wedding flower types you should know before making a buying decision. Also, always remember that your flower expert for your perfect wedding might just be the people who run your local flower shop.

http://www.thebridalcoach.ca/videos – Wedding Colour Schemes explained by the Wedding Expert. This is part of a free wedding planning video series about questions that brides most frequently ask.