Fall Wedding Ideas

"No spring nor summer beauty hath such grace as I have seen in one autumnal face" - Anonymous

Autumn is a very popular wedding season! It's great, as most of your local guests will be in town back from their summer vacations, and prices go down again for most venues. Fall has some of the most vibrant and gorgeous colours to use as wedding backgrounds, or to include in your celebrations in many invigorating ways. Here are a few specific fall theme ideas:

Delicious Apples
Autumn is the ultimate season for picking apples. You can incorporate this very fulfilling event into your wedding quite easily. The simple act of adding apples into just about everything for your wedding is more than enough. Think wedding favors and decor for a minute here. You can place a plate of apples and apple slices for every table for your guests. You can also make use of apple-scented candles with candle holders shaped like apples as well. And if that's not enough, you can serve your guests apple pie, apple cider, or any other delicious apple treats. Below are apple-inspired wedding ideas: candy apple favours, apples used as place cards, apples in the center piece and apple decor on a signing table.

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Pretty Pumpkins
When autumn hits, you definitely have 2 holidays to look forward to: Halloween and Thanksgiving! For both holidays, the pumpkin is the mainstay in any household. If you plan to hold your wedding in the fall, then you can use pumpkin items for your wedding decorations and even favours. For instance, you can serve your guests boxes of pumpkin cookies, or chocolates in the shape of pumpkins. You can also use shades of yellow and orange as your wedding colours to continue the continuity. When you add dark green or chocolate brown to these colours, it actually makes the perfect combination for a pumpkin-themed wedding.

Graceful Grapes

The shades of green, purple and red are essential for a vineyard theme. There are so many things you can do with grapes, wine and vineyard themes. For starters, you can use fruit displays of grapes for each guest table. They make great centrepieces as well. As for wedding favours, you can go for wine glass charms, wine goblet card holders, and even wine stoppers. As for your decor, you can use vines to give that romantic ambiance of being in a vineyard. Even substitute the traditional signature book for empty wine bottles that you can then display around your home.

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If none of these theme ideas interest you, then you can always just work with the autumn colours that surround us. Here are a few more photos to help inspire your fall decor and colour schemes.

New Honeymoon Trends

While we would all love to jet off somewhere exotic right after we get married, it is not in all of our realities. So what do you do if this just isn't in the budget or your timeline?! First of all, the two of you need to understand that you don't have to physically leave your hometown to feel like you're away! You can have as much fun sailing on your neighbourhood boat as you would on a cruise that put you in a debt that will take 3 years to pay off. After all, this should be about having fun and celebrating your new marriage.

Explore Your Neighbourhood
If your budget it really tight, stay in town. You will be amazed how much it has to offer! Get a cty guide and find things you and your partner have never done. Look for museums you haven't seen, or a new camp site location you can spend a few days at. Some nice camping sites even have cabins for rent for a reasonable price, which adds a little bit more luxury to the honeymoon adventure. Even try going to a new restaurant to eat, it can feel like you are out of town then for sure!

From the Greater Vancouver area?! Try planning a day at Stanley Park - go to the Aquarium, take a Horse-drawn Carriage ride around the park and stroll the lovely SeaWall.

Jet Somewhere Close
If you really want to get away from your home town, you may look into taking a long weekend to go somewhere close and not too expensive. Get a destination somewhere relatively close and cheap. Your options are pretty vast with this, you can fly, ferry or drive to a location of your choice.

From the Greater Vancouver area?!

Driving: Harrison Hot Springs is gorgeous and has an assortment of camping and hotel options for your stay! Whistler is also a lovely escape that can make you feel like you are in a totally different place, with lots of great shopping, dining and year-round activities to experience.

Ferry: Victoria is a great getaway location, you can walk the streets or by the Marina, try a little shop and even visit the Butterfly Museum. Been there, done that?! What about going to the Sunshine Coast, there are lots of great recluse resorts to stay at and experience the great wilderness of our gorgeous province.

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Flying: Being so close to the US border gives us a great advantage of flying "in-country". There are often great deals flying to San Diego, Las Vegas, or other sunny US destinations out of Bellingham or Seattle.

Travel in the Off-Season
Really determined to travel to that particular dream destination? Find out when they have their off-season. Some hotels offer significantly lower prices during this time! The off-season usually is a time when the weather isn't at its best. However, you will get your trip for paying up to half the amount you would during peak-season.

So, soon-to-be-hitched people; don't let the money get to you! Your dream vacation may be just in your own backyard.

2011 Hot Gowns & Accessories

Here are some of this year's hottest bridal fashion trends...

Ballgowns

After several seasons of svelte silhouettes, the voluminous ball gowns are back! With a royal wedding this year, the traditional princess dress is poised to dethrone the curve-hugging mermaid shape that has reigned supreme in recent years.

Colour

Believe it or not, white wasn't always the norm for bridal gowns! Prior to Queen Victoria's 1840 wedding, any old colour would do. Gutsy brides will welcome the news that colour is slowly coming back. Soft shades of pink, peach and lavendar are turning up on this years' runways.

Statement Jewelry

Demure strands of pearls and diamond studes will never go out of style, but this year's best wedding accessories are big, bold and beautiful. Modern brides are choosing pieces of jewellery that express their personalities, and investing in items that can be worn again!

Rosettes

Flowers and weddings go hand in hand, so it's no surprise that bridal designers are encorporating them onto dresses in a flirty, feminine way. Where once rosettes were used solely as decorative details, they're now consuming the entire skirt with silky petals.

Black & White

This classy colour combination is everywhere in bridal fashion at the moment. Countless designers used black lace, embroidery and ribbon to add a dash of sophiciation to otherwise traditional white gowns. Shania Twain accessorized her white dress with a black sash when she wed Frederic Thiebaud on New Year's Day.

Hats

Renowned designers such as Caroline Herrera dared to be different this season by showing brides in jaunty hats instead of veils. And one can only predict that this very British trend will increase in popularity after April 29th's big wedding!

Tulle

Natalie Portman and her astonishingly beautiful Black Swan costumes by Rodarte have come from the big screen to brides! With tulle at the forefront of the fabrics for 2011, these pretty, airy and feminine gowns are being designed by all the big bridal names, from Vera Wang to Monique Lhuillier.

Mini-Dresses

For civil ceremonies, more casual or second weddings, nothing beats a short and sexy gown. This style is pretty and playful, with a subtle nod to the swining '60s. The key to pulling off this look is confidence - and a killer pair of shoes!

Lace

Thanks to a movement towards more modest gowns, this traditional fabric is also at the forefront of wedding fashion once more. Bridal designers such as Oscar de la Renta are using modern treatments and sleek silhouettes to update this heirloom fabric while maintaining its vintage charm.

Old Hollywood

These are some women who will never go out of style, and who continue to inspire - topping the list is Audrey Hepburn! It's no wonder the beloved actress has served as a muse for designers such as Romona Keveza in bringing back her classic style.

Wedding Gift Tips - the best and worst!

You'd imagine that buying the perfect gift for a wedding would be easy. Couples register for a range of items they want, and tell you exactly where to get it! But talk to couples a few years after the nuptials, and they're likely to say that the best gifts they got didn't come from their registry - they were sentimental favourites that remind them of the gift-giver each time they see it. Let's take a quick look at the good, the bad and the ugly options for gifts.

The Good
The key to a great gift is keeping it practical! Many couples regret not registering for a vacuum cleaner, and is definitely a practical and needed item.

If the couple are fresh out of school and just starting their lives together and building up their household items, it's a great idea to get them something for their new home. What about getting them a specialty item, such as poultry shears, or a tool to help them open stubborn jars and containers.

Keep the couples' interests in mind, maybe they are avid bikers? Or love to hike? Try getting them a hiking or biking book with maps in the area, consider the items you need when you are out in the wilderness (maybe some water bottles that are easy to carry or a new backpack), or if you have a bigger budget, even a new bike.

The Bad
Going off registry can be risky as well, and really depends on how well you know the couple and how open they are. So please consider the couple before venturing into some new and crazy gift idea.

Keep in mind the dietary preferences of the couple - a vegetarian couple just won't enjoy a professional meat slicer.

The (Potentially) Ugly
Making the gift personal is a great idea, however be sure to also keep it tasteful.

For a winter wedding, consider getting them some Christmas ornaments to commemorate their special occasion (and the season). The couple will enjoy placing this gently on their tree each year.

Making up a cookbook of your favourite recipes, or even some family secrets can be a great sentimental gift if you are a part of the same family, or your families are very close!

Again, if you are going off of the registry, be sure you know the couple well enough that the perfect gift isn't guesswork. If you have to ask a friend what you think the couple would like, stick to the registry!

Funny Wedding Theme Ideas

While some people take their lives very seriously, there are some who, like a delightful breath of fresh air, take even serious affairs much more lightly. Their wedding day is no exception! Here are a few funny weddnig ideas for the lighthearted.

Vows
Creative and funny extras added to your vows can inject a sense of humour into the traditional wedding. An extra promise: "I promise to make your favourite chocolate chip pancakes on Saturdays," "I promise to not ever forget that every year we have an anniversary to celebrate," "I promise to cheer for your favourite team," and "I promise to wash the dishes" all add a bit of humour and a sense of individuality to the ceremony.

Funny vows additions can reflect the theme of your wedding, recognize a favourite funny poem or story, or hint at a favourite shared hobby or interest. When infusing humour into wedding vows it's important to remember not to go overboard with humour, to be tactful with it, and to discuss any funny vow additions with the soon-to-be-spouse beforehand to avoid any uncomfortable situations.

Favours

With funny wedding favours, the bride and groom can have as much fun selecting them as their guests have receiving them. Fortune cookies make great wedding favours if they are custom made with wacky quotes and sayings, maybe your favourite jokes, or instead of "fortunes" they can have "misfortunes" instead.

Joke novelties including exploding cigarettes, whoopee cushions, spicy chewing gum, etc. are also favourite humourous wedding favours. When choosing funny wedding favours, you should match the favour to the theme of the wedding, or to the personality of the guest, or relate them to well-known funny incidents between you and your partner.

Cakes

Wedding cakes for humour-filled weddings can be decorated to depict a favourite hobby, or sport team, or bone of contention (ie. a cake shaped like 2 giant TV remote controls). Silly wedding cakes should be decorate with funny cake toppers to complete the look. A funny wedding cake decorated to depict the groom's favourite hobby, fishing, might be topped with a fishing bride reeling him in. Or a cake decorated in the colours of a favourite sports team might have a cheering bride and groom, decked out in their team's fan gear, as its topper.

Themes

Some fun-loving couples dress in costumes on their wedding day and the rest fo the theme (decorations, colours, favours, cake, etc.) follows suit. Some favourite wedding day costumes/themes include: clowns, masquerade ball, famous people, movie characters, storybook characters, Halloween, Superheroes, mimes, cowboys, fairy tales, and famous love stories (Romeo and Juliet, Gone with the Wind, etc.).

Although marriage is a serious commitment, it should be approached with an imtact sense of humour. What better way to start a life of ups and downs together than to begin a marriage on a silly, fun-loving note? A funny wedding theme might be just right.

Veil for Summer Weddings

Summer weddings are very popular, and usually have gorgeous weather - but that lovely sun comes with lots of heat as well. No bride wants to look flushed in their wedding photos or have to fan themselves to stay cool during the reception. While the location of your wedding and your dress may be effected by the warm weather, you may be surprised how well the right veil can help your flawless wedding look remain perfect.

Shoulder Length
If you are a summer bride sporting a strapless gown, a short wedding veil can perfectly accompany your ensemble. Most short veils are elegantly cut above or around the shoulders. This design can not only provide you with a classic look that accentuates your shoulders and chest area, but the short veil can actually help to decrease perspiration created from lack of air flow.








Fingertip

Fingertip wedding veils are amongst the most popular veils for summer brides. The fingertip veil consists of layers of fabric that strategically extend down to where your fingertips end, drawing the eye to your hip area. Fingertip veils not only help to accentuate your body by providing you with the illusion of a longer, dove-like neck, but they can also coordinate with almost any type of wedding gown.


Elbow Length
Similar to the fingertip veil is the elbow length, another popular summer selection. The beautiful layers of fabric that create this veil are slightly pulled in order to highlight the contours of your face. While this veil works to accentuate your body in all the right placess, it only extends down to your elbows demanding attention at your waist. Many brides who plan on wearing their hair in a goregous up-do will choose the elbow length to finish off their look.

Cathedral Veil

For the summer bride that wants to wear a longer and more traditional veil, the Cathedral extends beautifully to the floor. Cathedral wedding veils are meant to be worn with floor length weddign gowns. Most experts believe that this veil looks the best when paired with a dress that dons a train as well. Cathedral wedding veils can either be solely behind your back, or can be combined with a blusher veil for an extremely traditional look. A blusher veil usually hides the bride's face during the wedding ceremony, and is removed at the end right before the reception. Cathedral veils are known for highlighting your beautiful dress.

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Custom Veils

Although short, fingertip, elbow and cathedral wedding veils are the most popular designs for summer weddings, they are not your only options. A summer bride can also turn to customization to provide them with a unique veil for their special day.

When creating a wedding veil, it is important to choose a style that really speaks to you, as well as the type of wedding you have planned. While some brides choose a veil that portrays simplicity and classic elegance, others stride for a veil that speaks creativity and unique style with added embellishments such as crystals, pearls or beading.

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Floral Design

For summer weddings, veil options come in a variety of different patterns such as the ever-popular floral design. When choosing veils that don a bold pattern, such as the floral motif, it is important to make sure that the design compliments your wedding gown instead of overshadowing it. The general rule is that your wedding gown is the center of attention and every other details merely helsp accentuate its' beauty.

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Lace

Lace is very popular, and very common, fabric used on many gorgeous veil designs for decards! Adding lace to your veil is a great way to maintain the elegant and traditional look of a beautiful and classic bride. Lacey wedding veils are usually best accompanied by breathtaking pearl jewelry.

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Trimmed

When creating or purchasing a wedding veil for a summer wedding, it is essential to consider the trim of your veil. In past years, wedding veils and trims have been various shades of white and off-white. However, newer trends have allowed for an explosion of colours to be subtly incorporated into your veil. Adding colour to the trim can work extremely well for any summer wedding dress, and can coordinate with your overall wedding colour scheme. With the new trend of colour-accented gowns, your entire ensemble can be beautifully accented in your favourite colour.

Blusher

Like the look of a blusher? Then just wear that alone! This allows you to still maintain the classic look, without doning the whole veil as well. Just a hint of elegance and tradition in a new stylish way.

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Thanks to newer trends in wedding veils, there is no longer one style that fits all. You can easily find the wedding veil that is perfect for your summer wedding by highlighting all of your best assets. The perfect wedding veil will also help make you feel like the most beautiful bride in the worlD1