June Wedding - Go Organic

I have heard about all sorts of themes for weddings but this one seems to beat them all. You all know about how going organic has been the trend for many things these past few years. I never thought the trend would extend to weddings though! It is true, though. Some couples are now opting for an organic wedding for their June wedding. It seems to be a good idea, I have to admit. So what exactly is an organic wedding?

The main theme revolves around three concepts: recycle, re-use, and reduce. It is pretty much a wedding exalting the environment. We have to admit, with the environmental crisis that we are all facing, this is a very way to go about planning a June wedding.

As this concept is fairly new, it would be a good idea to get hold of a wedding consultant who has had some degree of experience in planning green weddings – which is actually an alternative term for organic weddings. They are basically wedding consultants who know all about the traditional ways of planning weddings with the plus of being environment conscious.

One other important consideration in planning an organic wedding is the venue. More than looking for a romantic venue, a couple wanting a green wedding should also consider other factors such as the presence of recycling containers, the use (or actually the “un-use”) of chemical pesticides for the lawn and other greenery, and the like. You can also further contribute to the conservation of the environment by arranging transport for your guests so as to cut back on fuel consumption and emissions as well. Other ideas for a venue would include places that promote the environment. Museums, botanical gardens, and eco-friendly resorts are a few options.

You should also take into consideration the materials to be used for your wedding rings, jewelry, and wedding gown. Fair trade diamonds, traditional crafts, antique jewelry are a few ideas. As for the wedding gown and the groom’s attire, you can consider local designers or dressmakers who make use of natural materials. Keeping in mind the concept of re-using, why not consider wearing your mother’s old wedding gown? If you want to take it one step further, go to eBay and find a used one (this might not be a very attractive idea for some, I know).

The fact is that there are so many ways in which you can apply the three concepts mentioned above. It is up to you and your creativity.

The Wedding Cake

One of the most important elements in any wedding is the wedding cake. Though it does not last for such a long time – especially if it is good cake – it is by no means a simple thing to set aside. The wedding cake has always been part of the western wedding. If you are planning you wedding right now, chances are that you have been putting a lot of thought into your wedding cake. And why not? It is not everyday that you get to choose a cake for such a special occasion!

Wedding cakes have been around for as long as anyone can remember. Yet if you look deeper into its origins, the modern wedding cake as we know it today is not really the same as the wedding cake in the olden times. In fact, the old wedding cakes – and I mean old – were more like sweet bread than the cakes we use for weddings today. The custom in those days was to break the “cake” over the head of the bride. It does sound nasty, doesn’t it? Yet the reason for this was to wish the bride all the blessings and happiness that she can have for the rest of her life. It is the thought that counts, after all!

Anyhow, today’s wedding cakes are far from what they used in those days – both in looks, taste, and purpose. Wedding cakes today are quite grand and are meant to be eaten by everyone. Still, the wedding cake stands to represent the commitment of the bride and groom to each other for the years to come. So in choosing your wedding cake, you have to take into consideration both the presentation and the taste as well.

It used to be that modern wedding cakes had to made as simple as possible, with vanilla as the flavor. With time, however, wedding cakes began to have a character of their own. It is not uncommon to see unique and distinctly flavored cakes in weddings today. What kind of wedding cake should you choose for your special day?

There are really no strict and fast rules for this. If you favor the traditional white wedding cake, then why not? However, if you want to follow your wedding theme, then all the better! For example, there are couples who follow a Hawaiian wedding theme. They normally incorporate the theme into the wedding cake design. Tropical fruits and flowers are incorporate into the cake. You can also choose to follow the color of your wedding. Icing is all that is needed to decorate the cake and it is easy to do.

As for the flavors, you can choose from a gamut of choices. From the plain vanilla to butter to chocolate to mocha – the choice is yours to make! You can even have the picture cakes that are in fashion these days. Have your favorite photo of the two of you “printed” on the surface of a cake. The idea is basic, really. Decide on what you want and have it done. The important thing is that you are happy with what you have decided on. Cheers!

Ideas for Wedding Favors

You have to admit it, though weddings are of course for the groom and bride – the stars of the day – the guests are also part of the consideration when planning them. Think about it, we only invite people whom we really want to be there. The first people we normally think about are members of the family, high school and college friends, colleagues who are close to us, and the like. Whoever thought of inviting someone you do not really like?

More than organizing a wedding that is meant to be memorable for both the groom and the bride, we also take into consideration the fact that we want the whole affair to be beautiful and memorable for the important people in our lives whom we have invited to bear witness to our union. One aspect of weddings that we cannot overlook is the giving away of wedding favors. I honestly cannot remember a single wedding that I have gone to wherein the couple did not give away wedding favors. Other people call these souvenirs, but however you may want to call them, the idea is the same.

Aside from the precious memories of our wedding, we want to give something to our guests that will remind them of that wonderful day. On top of this, we also want to show them our appreciation for taking part of this momentous occasion in our lives. So what are some good ideas for wedding favors?

One very important consideration would be your wedding theme. You probably have put a lot of effort and time into deciding what your wedding theme should be. As such, it would be silly not to keep with the theme when choosing your wedding favors. In fact, it would be outright illogical. Keeping to your theme with the wedding favors is something like icing on the cake – it just makes things better.

So what can you pick out for wedding favors? There are countless little trinkets that you can give away. My opinion, though, would be to choose something that your guests can use in the future. Though it would be easy to give away any little trinket, it would mean so much more if they are useful as well.

You can never go wrong with candleholders. Almost every household makes use of them. Why not pick out candleholders that go with your wedding theme? You can have your names engraved or printed on them. That way, you can rest assured that you are not giving away an item that will merely collect dust on the shelves. Another good idea would be picture frames. People will never run out of pictures to display. This option also gives you a lot of versatility regarding the design, shape, and color. It will make the task of keeping with your theme easier. How about symbolic suncatchers? These things are quite useful for decorations and are always in style. You also have a lot of options which you can choose from so as to match your theme.

Remember, when picking out wedding favors, bear two things in mind: practicality and your wedding theme. That way, you can never go wrong.

The Color Codes for Wedding Themes

A lot of people may not notice it, but couples would usually follow a certain wedding theme through colors. A lot of the color schemes would normally be patterned to colors like lavender, pink, peach, yellow, blue or green. The theme to be picked out depends largely on what the couple would believe in like tradition and culture. While many would not find this necessary, it is really something important for couples who want to make their wedding rituals colorful and memorable as well.

Wedding themes would usually be picked out by the bride with the consent of the groom in the end. It is customary and only normal that women are more passionate and particular about their wedding themes since they are usually exposed and do the research on how to make such an event in their lives a treasured moment. The color schematics cover the flower arrangements, entourage designs and of course the wedding giveaways that are passed on during the reception proceedings.

It has been a common sight that color themes would usually create the proper ambiance and complement that weddings would usually project. The selection of colors would usually have meanings. These would stem from ancestral and superstitious beliefs that include good luck charms and happy marriages. It would all depend on the level of belief that sides, bride and groom, and their families would normally advice.

Ill-prepared weddings may not have time to go over the necessary preparations, making it something secondary since the main purpose is simply to tie the knot. While implementing colored themes in weddings is not really a requirement, it is a sign of unity and for some who believe in superstitions, a sign of well-preparedness in journeying towards a new life as husband and wife.

But the standard practice in weddings, whether it is big or a small gathering, really follow a certain them to make the occasion unique and different from the standard wedding events that people would get to experience through friends and colleagues. Couples would normally resort to trying to improve or outdo the weddings that they see, mixing ideas and trying to conceptualize something unique for their own wedding to be different and extravagant.

Besides, weddings are usually held once in a lifetime for couples who want to be officially married. Preparations and the like are tedious but after some years, they will always go back to memory lane and look at how exotic and memorable their exchange of vows truly was.

Victorian Themed Weddings

Themes can help make a wedding fun. It is also a useful tool for coordinating the look of your wedding. Having a theme can help you choose more easily among all the options available for creating your perfect wedding.

One way to choose a theme is to select a time period. You can do this off the top of your head. You can select it based on something you saw, maybe a movie or a TV show. You can even choose a period because of a favorite song or composer.

The Victorian era for example has inspired many weddings. The gowns of the period were very flattering to the figure. The tight bodice allows all assembled to appreciate the fine figure of the bride while her legs are hidden beneath the long skirt. Ladies who love fripperies will love this period since dresses from this age abound in flounces, ruffles, layers, ribbons and fringes. There is even a bustle to the back of the dress or a hump depending on which portion of the era you choose. You can choose to have a dome shape or a bell shape, have hoops or without. There are many options to choose from since fashion was very much inspired in this era. The full and trailing skirt was difficult to maneuver even then. The trick was to place small loops to be slipped over the fingers or wrist to help the lady easily adjust the excess material.

The hairstyle to match would be composed of lavish twisted plaits and curls or ringlets that are drawn back from the face but cascading at the back. Others opted to have a chignon high up on the head. These styles bring out the beauty of one’s face and the length of one’s neck. It is best to have a beautiful set of earrings and necklace to go with this style.

Don’t forget to have the groom and his men attired in matching Victorian outfits. Your fiance will be happy to note that Victorian suits aren’t too different from what they are used to. The jackets are just fit more closely to the body and shorter with an inner vest over a long sleeved shirt. Colors were usually dark - black or gray.

You might want to have a horse drawn carriage transport you to and from the ceremony. It adds a touch of history that our modern cars just don’t have.

Glassware was much loved during the Victorian period. You may want to take this into account when hunting for wedding favors. Decanters, perfume bottles, and glass trinkets were very popular then. You may want to choose something similar like a glass swan.

Since you are dressed in high style, you’ll probably want to have a sit down dinner instead of a buffet. Make sure that you get a good caterer who knows how to properly pace the servings. Victorian gatherings were elegant affairs full of beauty. You may want to serve some tea as well, just to complete the theme.

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