Fabric meets Wedding Invitations

Fabric isn't only popular on your wedding cake as I mentioned in my past posting Fabric-designed Wedding Cakes, but it is also popular with wedding invitations!

Fabric is a super cute way to wrap or frame invites in a unique style. Mixing textures and colours creates an amazing piece of art as your invite.

Super Sleeves

The patterned fabric trends has grown to be a huge favourite in the wedding decor world, and fabric sleeves for invitations are also gaining popularity.

Back It Up

Using fabric, or a fabric pattern for your invites is also a very interesting way to add texture to your invitations and announcements. Adding a splash of colours, and a different feel will surprise your guests as they open the envelopes.

Simple Elegance
To keep it simple, but add a splash of texture, try tying and/or wrapping up invitations with some fabric.

What you need to know about Wedding Cake

Whether your wedding is formal or casual, you need to know about certain wedding cake etiquettes. The cutting of the cake represents the first thing the brid and groom do together as a couple so it has significant meaning (who knew, right?!).

Showing off the cake
The cake should be placed as the centerpiece of the reception and is an important part of the reception decor. Preferable, the cake is placed on a table of its own in a prominent location for guests to admire - most often close to the head table. It can also be placed on a buffet table or the bridal table if space is limited. Place a decorated knife on the table for the cutting ceremony. This is a great way to incorporate family tradition, so ask if your parents or grandparents have a knife that has been passed down through the family and if you could borrow it for this momentous occasion.

Cutting it up
The cake should be cut right before dessert is served/brought out. Make sure to gather the guests so everyone can watch this special part of the reception. You and your significant other cut the first 2 slices with the groom placing his right hand over hers. The slice is placed on a plate and then you feed each other a piece of cake, with the groom typically offering the cake to his bride first. The catering staff will then cut the rest of the cake in the kitchen.

Anniversary tier
Many newlyweds choose to save the top tier of their cake to be frozen until their first anniversary. A better option is to get a small cake from your baker that is separately packaged which then can be frozen. This is much less money than saving the top tier and is better packaged for freezing. Another option is for your and your partner to return to the bakery on your first anniversary for a delicious treat that would be much more fresh and tasty.

Cariad Productions will make the same cake as your wedding, or another of your choice, for your 1st anniversary as a couple for free! Contact me today to order your custom made wedding cake, bridal shower cake, grooms cake or any other excuse you have for a sweet treat - cariadproductions@gmail.com.

Fun Favours of the Bride and Groom

What defines a wedding more than the happy couple themselves?! A wedding is the joining of two people, that is why many couples select bride and groom design wedding favours. It represents the two of you on your happy day.

The range of favours available goes from subtly elegant to a touch of fun. This gives you the ability to match the favour to the theme and colours of your wedding.

The happy couple in an embrace graces the top of a bell or the side of a candle. The bells work well as an alternative to clinking glasses to make the couple kiss, and a great take home favour afterwards as well.

The couple grace the top of a bookmark or spoon rest favour as well.

For a more modern touch, the bride and groom become items that can be given as couples or separately in a wine set or as placeholders. The placeholders play a wonderful double role working for you day of, and a great take-home gift for your guests.

For a more homemade style, consider adding bride and groom cookies to your favours. Not a baker? Why not just decorate some oreos then?! Not a cookie fan? How about chocolate covered strawberries?

The bride and groom make great adornments for coaster sets and photo album favours as well.

After dinner mints or candies presented in a bride or groom box are also very cute.

These gifts bring the happy couple together in a gift that your guests will truly enjoy. You can find a design that will match your wedding theme, the choice is totally yours as always!

For more favour ideas contact Bronwyn at cariadproductions@gmail.com!

Choosing the Colour Scheme for your Wedding

One of the most exciting parts of the wedding is choosing the colour scheme. The colour often represents the personality of the bride and groom, as well as sets the theme and tone of the wedding. Some colours indicate that the wedding has a more serious tone, while others indicate the wedding is a fun and very light-hearted event.

Often times, the time of year and season will play a large part in the colour choice of the wedding. For instance, if the wedding takes place near Christmas, many brides will choose to go with a shade of red. When a bride chooses to have her wedding in the fall, she is likely to choose cool colours such as purples and dark blues. If the wedding is to take place during the spring months, many brides will choose very light pastels to coordinate with spring.

Although brides are becoming much more adventurous when choosing the colour scheme for their wedding, the current trends in wedding colours are lilacs, pale pinks, ivory, baby blue and gold. Brides are choosing colours that are both delicate and feminine.

One of the first big decisions as far as colour goes, is picking a colour for the bridesmaid dresses. Often times, this will set the stage for the rest of the wedding colours. After picking out the dress, the bridesmaids will then have their shoes dyed to match the colour of the dresses.

The bride will also want to coordinate the flowers of the wedding with the bridesmaid dresses. It is not vital that the flowers are the same colours of the dresses, but rather that they coordinate and compliment the bridesmaids' dresses.

Most brides will choose a white wedding cake, with accent colours that coordinate with the other colours of the wedding. Icing flowers as well as real and artificial flowers can be added to the cake in order to incorporate the colours of the wedding. Other small accents can be sued to coordinate with the colour scheme.

Some brides will choose to colour coordinate their invitations with the rest of the wedding. Invitations come in a variety of styles and colours and can be found just about anywhere. The invitations are generally the first glance will get into the colour scheme of the wedding. The invitation will give guests a sneak peak of the overall tone of the wedding. Therefore, it is important to carefully consider the style and colour of the invitations.

Personalizing your big day

There is no limit to what you can do on your wedding day. Outside of the actual legal or religious requirements, how you celebrate this momentous occasion is entirely up to you! It's becoming increasingly popular for brides and grooms to look for ways to make their wedding more personalized and unique. Adding some extra flair to the bridal party's ensemble or some decorative touches that mirror your personal taste is a great way to make even the largest wedding feel intimate.

In the past, adding a monogram to wedding items, including the cake, invitations, programs and favours, was a popular way to add that personal touch. This still holds true, and will never go out of style, however there are lots of new fun trends to add a more eccentric touch...

Coloured shoes - it's so fun to see a pair of re, blue, purple, green or pink shoes peeking out from under a wedding gown. It's sure to have your guests taking a second glance, and what bride doesn't want that?!



Photo booths - these have quickly risen in popularity and it's easy to see why. Put up some fun backdrops and leave some props for your guests. You can create a photobook of your favourite to share with everyone. Many companies will let you customize the print outs, so these can act as wedding favours as well - plus you get a disc of the photos to enjoy yourself.



Mismatched bridesmaid dresses - most bridesmaids appreciate being able to pick out a dress that best suits them. Giving them some flexibility is nice and lets them look and feel their best. You can assign them a colour, fabric, or palette to choose from when finding their dress.




Homemade favours - maybe you're a great cook, or you grow fruit in your garden. Why not give a little of yourself back to yoru guests by giving them a favour of your homemade jam or a pack of freshly baked cookies?

Photo guest books and frames - rather than the standard old guest book that will get lost in a closet, why not dress is up by putting your engagement photo in a frame with extra wide matting? Let your guests sign it and you can display it in your home. One big suggestion is to mark where the frame will cover, or display the photo for signing with the frame on and no glass, this way you are sure you get to see all the signatures in full. Another wonderful coffee table topper at your home is a personalized full guest book with pictures of you and your significant other surrounded by notes and signatures from your friends and family.

So what suits you best? How do you want to remember, or want your guests to remember, your special day? The options are endless, so let your creativity soar!

Trends in Engagement Rings

Pick up any wedding magazine and you're bombarded with extravagant design ideas for rings, the difference we are seeing is the trend toward fancy and more feminine styles. Even the ever popular sheath style has added a waistline. Curves are accentuated and ruffles, pleats, and flounces are everywhere. Plain is rare this year and engagement rings are following the trend.

Solitaire
Of course, the diamond solitaire ring with the elegance and simplicity will never go out of style, but even the plain bands are going fancy with different shapes. New and different deisgns are adding excitement to the choices you have this year.

Pave Bands

You will have a wide range of choices in the setting. Pave bands (as shown below) are so popular and designers are creating incredibly beautiful rings. The pave concept is to encircle the band with tiny diamons. This is a great way to get more dazzle without spending a lot of cash as smaller diamonds cost much less. Pave bands come in lots of different styles include split, twist, double or triple.

3 Stone Band

A popular style this year is the 3 stone band, the central diamon and 2 smaller diamons are cluster in the center of the band, you may choose from plain or pave bands in the 3 stone style, shown below.

Framed

To add even more bling to the ring, many designs this year feature a "diamond frame". Smaller diamonds completely frame the central diamond, check it out...

Adding Colour

Fancy coloured diamond rings continue to grow in popularity with many celebrity brides receiving yellow diamon, brown diamond and pink diamond engagement rings. Coloured diamons are in a class all by themselves and you need to research a little differently for these gems.

Antiques

For those that are looking for something different - why not got classic with an antique-style? There are a number of ways that you can get antique wedding rings - it doesn't have to be the traditional family heirloom that is passed down through generations. In fact, you can buy heirloom quality rings from estate sales, and some professional jewelers have actual antique rings in their inventory that were taken in as trade or through jewelry auctions.

Most couples that choose antique rings are conservative by nature and want a more traditional wedding. Of course, the quality of antique wedding rings are usually better than many found today. Stones were selected for higher perfection and metals were heavier by carat weight. Antique wedding rings can be a wise alternative to contemporary ring choices, and you can also make an investment that will appreciate if you are purchasing a real antique that has some rarity by the nature of the design and the quality of the stones.

Customize

Professional jewelers can design any kind of ring you want with any kind of metal or stones.

If you opt to have antique replica rings made, you will need to have some idea of the styles and stones you are looking for. A professional jeweler can give you ideas, and they can offer an array of metals, stones and settings that duplicate some of the qualitites of antique wedding rings.

You have a lot of choices for that perfect ring. So, enjoy the process as you plan the future with your bride-to-be.

What to do about your "do" on your wedding day

Your wedding is the one day you NEED your hair to look absolutely fabulous! It is important to have a bridal hairstyle done by an experienced hairstylist for the best results. Here are just a few things to consider...

1. Choose a Natural Bridal Hairstyle - don't go too crazy, choose something that compliments your natural hair type. While it is possible to get straight hair curly or vis versa, it is important to think about what will happen in the event of a bad hair day. Choosing a style which is suitable for your natural hair is ideal.

2. Up or Down - when trying to decide between an updo or downdo, it's best to think about what looks best on you. A popular bridal hairstyle trends is to wear half of the hair up, and the rest of it down. Experiment with up and down styles to see what looks best on you.

3. Weather - if the ceremony is going to be on a beach, there may be a lot of breeze, which could be troublesome if the hair is loose. If you are planning to get married during a humid time of the year, considering whether or not frizz will be a problem. An indoor ceremony may allow for more hairstyle options.

4. Accessories - think about the other accessories you are wearing that day. A tiara may not be the best option for a downdo hairstyle. Dangly chandelier earrings are more visible with your hair up. A flower worn on one side may look best when your hair is worn completely down or completely up.

5. Colour - consider what hair colour will be the most appropriate option for you. Many spring and summer brides opt to lighten their hair with highlights. There are also some brides who make the decision to avoid colour their hair, to ensure that the photographs feature an authentic colour for years to come. The right choice is ultimately up to you, but it is yet another consideration to make.


These are just a few wedding hairstyle tips that you should be thinking about .The most important thins if for you to choose a hairstyle that you like! With the services of an experienced hairstylist, almost any style can look beautfiul for your special day.

Romantic Destination Weddings for Eloping

Elopement is an honoured romantic tradition - running away together to get married. Historically, people eloped in order to avoid the objections of family to their marrying - which may still be true today for some, however there are more reasons now than there have been in the past. Avoiding the fuss of a big wedding, avoiding having a day that's more for your family than for yourself, many of those who are marrying for a second time have already had the big white wedding, and are looking for a smaller option.

Elopement is a great way to spend all of your wedding budget on yourselves, rather than on the big wedding and food and little details. You can run away to get married in a romantic spot, and then just stay there for your honeymoon too.

What's the first place you think of when someone mentions "eloping"?! LAS VEGAS! You can definitely hit up the strip to elope at any time, but there are many more options for you to choose from. If you plan well, you can elope to just about any destination.

The key is preparation: make sure you understand how to get a marriage licence where you're headed, and pre-arrange for an officiant to marry you in a palce of your choosing.

Here are just a few great ideas...

Hawaii
Don't go to Oahu if you're getting married; instead, opt for Maui or Kauai, both islands are much more lightly populared and enjoyable for newlyweds. There are incredible beaches, wonderful waterfalls, and lush green jungles to explore. You'll also find a large number of bed-and-breakfasts, so you're assured a relaxing, uncrowded honeymoon.

Carolina Coast
Increasingly popular as a wedding destination, it is also growing in popularity for elopements too. You may find marrying on the beach of one of the barrier islands, or in front of one of the antebellum homes in Charleston, is your ideal wedding. In addition, you'll find that prices are reasonable there, making for a very cost-efective yet romantic honeymoon!

Key West, Florida
As far south as you can get on the US mainland, Key West is absolutely stunning. The Caribbbean influences here have led to a very laid-back population, and your options include getting married on a boat, and then cruising around the keys for a while.


Cape Cod, Massachusetts
For those of us who watch the Bachelorette, this season showed a gorgeous beach even on a rainy day in Cape Cod! It's not tropical, but it has a charm of its own. With sail boats moving in and out, a choice of sandy or rock beach, and convenient access to cities, historial locations, and charming bed-and-breakfasts, you'll find that this haven makes for a remarkable runaway wedding.

Cabo, Baja California
Close to the US, this is a perfect elopement location. You'll find remarkable geography, great snorkeling and kayaking, and a friendly population who are used to working with tourists. If you elope to Cabo, you may want to get married on paper at your local courthouse and just have the ceremony in Mexico - really makes it simpler for legal reasons.

There are TONS of other great places to elope: Niagara Falls, New Orleans, Tahiti, Ireland, Greece - and many couples even choose to come here to Vancouver! What do the two of you love? Think about tha before choosing where to elope to.

Bouquet Styles for your Wedding Day Flowers

Your wedding decorations should not only reflect the tone and style of your event, but also of the couple being wed. Flowers are often a large part of adding romance, beauty, and a little attitude to the atmosphere.

Many couples aren't sure where to being when it comes to chooing floral designs, so understanding the different types of arrangements is a good start for selecting your style. Knowing this also helps the florist to create arrangements that are sure to please you - yet again, decreasing your stress level.

Contemporary

Best for those who prefer the minimalist, sleek, chic look. Sometimes referred to as an "architectural" flower style, this look is often made up of flowers with a strong structure, such as calla lilies, tulips, and orchids.

In a bouquet, this arrangement is usually paired with simple greens, such as bear or snake grass, with the stem of the bouquet hand-tied.

For decoration, architectural arrangements should be kept simple, with no more than a few floom of our type of flowers in each vase.

When working contemporary flowers into the budget it is important to know the cost of this style is often higher than a traditional bouquet. Tall vases, square vases, and unusual shapes are more costly to rent or buy than standard vases. As well, sturdy-stemmed flowers such as calla lilies can cost more than $5 per bloom.

Garden-style

Using flowers that are readily in season and prolific is one of the easiest and least expensive ways to create a fresh bouquet for your special day. In garden style wedding flowers, florists use a variety of flowers to create a look that appears as though they were just plucked from the soil that day.

Roses, poppies, hydrangeas, and daises are popular in garden wedding bouquets. They come in a variety of sizes and colours, making a visually interesting and appealing arrangment. Wrapped in ribbon or hand-tied with twine, garden-style wedding bouquets can be used in both formal and casual wedding events.

Romantic

While flowers themselves are romantic, the most common and traditional romance flowers are roses. Romantic arrangements are most commonly based around the colour scheme of pink, cream, white and blush.

This style looks best when placed in more dramatic locations at the reception. Tall, silver urns or low glass bowls both make ideal containers for displaying romantic wedding flowers.

Beyond understanding what type of wedding flowers appeal to you and your partner, it is also important to consider the overall look and feel of the wedding. Contemporary wedding arrangements, for example, will look out of place at a casual backyard wedding. An experienced florist will help the couple find flowers that are not only beautiful, but representative of the entire event.

Mini Cakes - Even Better Than Cupcakes

Cupcakes have been the latest trend in wedding cakes and really changed the landscape of desserts. Even more elegant now is the mini cake!

A miniature version of a grand wedding cake, mini cakes can be created to look and taste just like the real deal, or they can be created in different flavours with different fillings and in an assortment of complementing colours to follow your wedding theme. Mini cakes also come in a variety of sizes each of which are able to hold their own as an individual wedding accesory.

As Favours
If using your mini cakes as wedding favours, you can do so in numerous ways...display the mini cakes alongside a full matching version for individuals to sample after dinner....place them each individually on guests' places...wrap them in a box or cellophane for guests to take home at the end of the evening.

If you're still looking to have a larger main cake, along with decorative minis, then consider slicing the cake and boxing it up as favours for your guests for sampling later on.

Maintaining Traditions
Some couples choose to skip the full-sized cake entirely in lieu of an assortment of mini cakes displayed on a tier cake stand similar to the trend seen with cupcakes. You can still do the ceremonial cutting of the cake using one of the smaller cakes, and still have one to take home for your 1st anniversary.

Cake Toppers
Don't worry, these can still work! The cake topper can be balanced on top of a circle of mini cakes, or resting to the side of a cake on one of the tier levels or cake stands.

As Centerpieces
Instead of flowers and decor, consider doing mini cakes for each table, it serves as a gorgeous centerpiece throughout the evening, and a great late-night snack. They look fabulous amongst smaller flowers or with candles. Remember to have cake knives on hand for each table to cut into their cake after dinner.


When used as decor, a centerpiece, a favour and your wedding cake, the mini wedding cakes are more than worth the added expense they may run. Depending on the number of tables and guests, this may even end up saving you money.

However you choose to use them, mini cakes are a great elegant alternative to the common cupcake that have taken over the wedding cake world.