Weddings and flowers have long been known to be hand in hand. One of the largest parts of most budget breakdowns is indeed the flowers for the ceremony and reception. However you don’t have to use flowers and nowadays lots of brides are choosing to opt out of the typical flowery ceremony and reception. Not only does it save money but it’s one less thing to worry about and it’s also very “green” or eco-friendly as cut flowers are grown specifically for being cut flowers and that’s it. There are lots of alternatives to flowers that you can use and your wedding will still be beautiful and perfect.

Vines as a bouquet

Use vines to make a handheld bouquet for walking down the aisle. Vines are beautiful as a cascading bouquet because they show off the liveliness of the plant and naturally fall in a cascading manner making them the perfect choice for the effect. The green of the vines also looks stunning against the white dress of the bride and photographs well. There are some blooming vines you can use as well if you want a little extra color and some added flair besides the typical vine look.

Ivy for the arch

Use live ivy to cover the arch for the ceremony. You can have it grow over the arch prior to the wedding or take an existing ivy plant and hang or droop it over the entire arch. This looks great for outdoor weddings that are naturalistic as it blends in with the scenery and enhances the splendor and serene calmness of an outdoor ceremony.

Topiaries

Topiaries make great decorative items. Set in pots, small planters, even used as table decorations these magnificent plants can serve a multitude of purposes and when all is said and done you can even send them home with guests if you don’t want them all.

Landscape centrepieces

Use plants and herbs or vegetables to create a garden landscape centerpiece. You can create whatever kind of landscape piece you like so it’s fun to be a bit creative and play with your options. These can be full landscape gardens that guests can take home or ones you take home and plant in your backyard to start your own garden.

Your wedding is a momentous occasion and one that you will likely want lots of photos of to look back on and remember. There are tons of wedding photographers with different styles, ideas, and packages they offer. All of these choices can be very confusing especially when they then throw in the “extra options” and you look at the prices wondering what you can afford and what’s most important to you. Besides just basic photos there are lots of options and not all of them require a photographer. Here are some options for what you can do with photos for your wedding both to remember the day as well as add to your special day.

Photo booth

Rent a photo booth and have it at your reception for you and your guests to use. You’ll be able to take silly photos and it’s also a form of entertainment for your guests. They’ll love having a souvenir to take home. In fact you can have a strip of photos from the photo booth be their favor. You can also have it set up so guests enter the booth when they arrive, take a photo strip and place it in the guest book when they sign in so you have a photo of them from the day along with their signature and message.

Photo montage

Get photos of you and your spouse to be through the years and put together a photo montage to show at the wedding. You can start with pictures of each of you growing up and then you as a couple. Set it to music and project it on a big screen at the reception. If you have extra special footage of say the proposal or another moment you can insert this as well.

Disposable cameras

Set disposable cameras out on all the tables with a note asking guests to take pictures of the entire day. You can do this instead of a professional photographer to save some money but know that you’ll likely end up with a lot of silly, unusable photos as well. However you can also catch some fun moments a photographer might miss.

Polaroid guest book

Have someone take a Polaroid of each person as they arrive. Then tape the Polaroid in the guest book and have them sign beside it and write their message. This makes for a unique and fun guest book that is just a little out of the ordinary and helps you remember all the details of the day.

Online wedding photobook

Give everyone a card at the wedding with a website where you’ll be posting your wedding photos. Invite others to share any photos they take on the site as well. This way you can collect all the photos from the day because you never know what great photo someone else might have taken that you just have to get a print made of to put on your wall. It’s also fun for the guests because they get to relive your day as well and see all the various elements they might have missed such as your posed wedding party and couple’s photos.

Lots of people are very concerned about the environment now and have changed their lifestyles to fit a new thought process which seeks to preserve resources and promote sustainability. This “green” living has spread even into the wedding industry and couples are looking for ways to make their special day more eco-friendly. Celebrities like Alicia Silverstone have taken to the movement and proudly promote that their special day was eco-friendly. If you want to make some changes to your day to show off your style but in an environmentally friendly way here are some ideas.

Organic cotton linens

Make sure all the linens you use for the day are organic. This means the tablecloths, napkins, and any other linens you might use for decoration.

Recycled paper invitations and e-vites

Show that you love the trees and purchase recycled paper invitations. This way you know they are being reused through the recycling process. Or better yet don’t use any paper at all. Instead send out e-vites or email invitations. Sure these are less formal but you’ll help save some trees as well as money spent on the invitations themselves and postage.

Dinner from local farmers and growers

Serve a meal made of food grown and raised entirely by local farmers and ranchers. You’ll be supporting your local economy and serving delicious fresh food which your guests will really appreciate.

Light with soy candles

Soy candles are longer lasting and cleaner in the burning process than regular candles. Plus candlelight is eco-friendly because it doesn’t require any energy to light a space. Using soy candles to light the tables is green as well as romantic and very appropriate for weddings.

Plants as centerpieces

Use potted planted or vegetables and herbs as centerpieces. Send these home with guests or take them home and plant in your own garden to start you own supply. These can be reused and

Favors

Skip the favors and donate to charity instead. Let your guests know that you did this so they aren’t expecting a favor as many folks do. Use recycled paper to inform them of this and have the DJ make an announcement so everyone is aware of what is going on and what charity the couple decided to donate to.

Fashion goes through numerous trends. Some are seasonal or yearly and determined mostly by the runway shows of high end designers in New York City and Europe. Other trends cover the span of a decade or era such as bell bottom pants for the hippie era and flapper dresses during the roaring twenties. Wedding attire has caught on to this and has yearly trends as well which tend to somewhat reflect the styles and cuts of the designer runways looks. However that’s not all that follows the trends, jewellery too goes through trends only they are publicized and promoted less and the time span of the trend changes less frequently. Wedding rings are the most common form of wedding related jewelry and a very important symbol of a marriage. Wedding rings have undergone some changes lately and brought out a whole new style trend for the new millennium.

Titanium

It’s extremely durable and looks stunning making more men turn to titanium rings. This metal can cut through diamonds and doesn’t scratch which is very appealing to anyone who uses their hands a lot and worries that their ring may eventually become so badly worn it looks cheap or is destroyed. Plus it’s not all that expensive, in fact it’s priced less than many gold or silver variations so you don’t have to spend a fortune to get great quality. There are less designs and fancy settings but this one is strong and if you’re going for quality or durability over flash this might be a good choice for you.

Women’s single band

Traditionally, a woman has an engagement ring and a wedding band. However lots more brides nowadays are opting to lose one and go with the single band look just like men. Usually the single ring is very unique, the type that would be difficult to match with a second band however it can really be anything. This is a great way to save some money if you’re feeling a crunch on your wallet. Just think, you can always get another ring later down the road for an anniversary if you really want one.

Coloured stones

Instead of classic white diamonds lots of couple are choosing birthstones and unique colored diamonds to grace their fingers as a way of expressing their personal style. There are all sorts of gemstones that can be used instead of diamonds. It’s a matter of personal preference and since you’ll be wearing the ring for a long time it should be something you really like.

Custom designs

Lots of couple are designing their own rings, some by themselves and others as a couple. These custom rings are truly one of a kind and will make your friends jealous that your significant other was so thoughtful.

One of the latest trends in recent years is the at home wedding. These were once quite popular and very much the norm as they are cost effective, personal and very easy to host. The comeback of the at home wedding is probably in response to a weakening economy and turn against commercialism as weddings have become such a huge industry built up on “things” that many people are very against the whole concept of a “wedding” but still want to get “married.” There is absolutely nothing wrong with either concept, it’s a matter of personal preference as well as budget. Here are some things to consider when planning an at home wedding.

Size

The size of your home or the home and property of a relative will largely determine the size of your guest list. If the house doesn’t have a fairly sizable backyard it’s unlikely you’ll be able to accommodate one hundred people however if you have a good acre of land or more you may be able to do so. Be realistic with the space you have and plan accordingly. You might consider having the ceremony inside as well if you don’t plan on inviting too many guests.

Style

If the wedding is held at your home then you already have some style set in place, your style as a couple (if you live together before marriage). Decide on how you can decorate the space to accommodate your style and keep the house in tact. Since it’s your home or that of someone close to you it’s especially important everything remains well kept as it’s unacceptable for furniture to be ruined or things stapled in the walls which you might be able to get away with at another venue. Figure out how you can decorate ahead of time without harming the existing space and in such a way that clean up is minimal.

Food

Are you going to cook all the food (or family members) or have the event catered? There are advantages and disadvantages to each so you have to decide what works for you. If you and your family cook the food you can likely save a good deal of money as you’ll be able to control what you spend based on what’s served and where it’s purchased. However you’ll also have the burden of getting all that food made as well as everything else done and prepared for your big day. It can be a lot of stress if you’re ill prepared or your planning falls through. Catering can ease the stress of having to deal with food however it is more expensive. But if there’s a special restaurant you love this can also be very personal and just the thing you need to make the party that much better.

Set Up and Clean Up

The advantage is you can take as long as you would like to set everything up if it’s at your home. That means you can begin hanging decorations and arranging tables long before the actual day if you so choose. You can also take your time cleaning up but remember, you do have to clean up and it will be you (and your helpers) doing the work not some hired employees at a venue.

There are lots of great things about having an at home wedding that make it well worth the time and energy to plan. Whatever you decide you should just make sure it makes you happy and will be what you want to look back on and smile about years from now.

The actual exchange of vows is the most important and special part of the wedding. It’s a moment you’ll remember forever and the section that usually makes the couple as well as guests cry. There are lots of versions of the traditional vows that you can choose to use. However you can also write your own vows, this can become quiet popular in recent years. Since this is such an important moment in you life though there is a lot of pressure on making sure the vows are perfect and you really say what you mean. Follow these tips and the process of writing your vows will be far less stressful and a lot more fun.

Start early

Don’t wait until the last minute, the night before, to write your vows. Start a couple weeks ahead of time so you can concentrate, come back to them and really make sure you say what you mean. This is the most important speech you’ll ever give so you want to make sure it’s perfect.

Keep it simple

Don’t try to be too fancy or elaborate with what you write. If you’re not a poet then don’t try to be one, this probably isn’t the right time to start in case your efforts fail miserably. Simple and from the heart will mean much more to your beloved then something contrived.

Write down some key points

Jot down the main points you want to express in your speech. These can be ideas, emotions, memories you’ve had or special inside jokes only the two of you know and understand. Writing these down will help you remember what you want to say and how to focus those thoughts.

Look to the future

Think about looking back on your wedding day years from now and watching the video again. What do you hope to hear? You want it to be something that stands true over time. You want to feel the same way about your spouse as you did on your wedding day, or love them even more.

Say it out loud

As you work on your vows say the words out loud. It helps to hear what they actually sound like and make change your formation of those words during the process.

Selecting your wedding colours is part of the process of planning a wedding. Although it seems like a small factor it is actually quite important as many other aspects of the wedding depend upon colour choices. From your table settings to your flowers and bridesmaid dresses, colour is important. However many brides don’t realize the implications of certain colour choices or what combinations do and don’t work. This will help guide you in selecting the perfect colour palette for your big day.

Think seasonal
Winter weddings tend to have a winter landscape of colours; blues, whites, silver, and so on. Or green and red because of Christmas. These are colours that are easy to find during this time of year. It’s a lot more difficult to find things in pink, orange or teal. So think about the season of your wedding. The more “in season” your colours are the easier it will be to locate items. These will also be much more inexpensive. Out of season items may require you to special order them and pay more for even the simplest of things. Try to stick to in season colors or just out of season colors that may be found on clearance to ease your preparations.

Pair your selections
After you’ve narrowed your selections down to a few hold them up to one another and see how they look with each other. Hold them up against clothing, flowers, linens and other wedding items to get a feel for how it would all appear and whether or not it works for you. Take several days to consider your options so you can let it sink in and be sure you’re making the right choice for your dream wedding.

Style and tone
Consider the style and tone of the wedding. If you’re having a black tie affair you’ll probably want to forgo the pastels and think bolder, darker tones. If the wedding is a Mardi Gras party then gold, purple, and green are your friends not peach and cream. Work with your overall concept to ensure it all makes sense.

Time of day
Very few morning weddings show off bright red and very few night weddings go for pastel greens. Think about how the colour is associated with the time of day by many people. You want it all to flow together, not stand out and seem odd.

Flowers are one of the most expensive parts of a wedding besides the reception food and photography. Depending on the flowers you choose, how large the bouquets and arrangements are as well as some other factors you could spend hundreds to thousands of dollars on something that while beautiful, while die within a few days. One way to cut down your expenses is to do your own flowers. Putting together bouquets, arrangements and boutonnieres is relatively simple. It doesn’t take a lot of skill, time and best of all, money. Here’s how to make a lovely boutonniere that will look great on all your groomsmen, groom and honorary family members.

1. Select your main flower
Choose a flower (or two) that is strong and will hold up over the course of over a day. Roses are the most popular choice but Lilies and Stephanotis work well also.

2. Get some filler
Baby’s breath and leaves with stems work great for filler. You want to create a fullness to your boutonniere so you always have a filler in the background of the main flower to make it stick out and stand apart from the attire.

3. Arrange flowers
Arrange your main flower(s) and filler. You want the filler to stick up at least ½” higher than the main flower. While holding the arrangement in place cut all the stems the same length, about one inch of stem from the base of the flower.

4. Secure in place
Tape the stems with green floral tape. Hold the tape in one place and wrap it all the way around the stems completely covering them.

5. Accessorize
Add a piece of ribbon and tie it in a bow around the wrapped stems. Secure it directly under the base of the flowers. If you wish to add more embellishments such as other ribbons or rhinestones you can do so as well.

6. Pin on
Simply store the boutonniere wrapped in a damp cloth in the fridge until you’re ready to use it then pin on to the outfit with a straight pin.