DIY Romantic Wedding

Photo by OneLove Photography via Style Me Pretty

Of course your nuptials will be romantic for you and your partner no matter what, a stolen moment alone after dinner, your time with the photographer, and of course that whole ‘getting married’ part!

But how do you take your guests along for the ride, and let them feel as wrapped up in your wedding as you?

Check out our tips for upping the romance factor on your wedding day, and creating the kind of ambiance your guests will never forget…

1. All The Lights

Photo by Studio Impressions Photography via Style Me Pretty

Lighting is perhaps the one element that can transform the feel of your wedding instantly.

Whether you have a budget for lighting production, you speak to your venue about what they can offer or you simply reuse your fairy lights from Christmas, carefully considering how to best light your space, will work wonders on romancing your guests.

2. Valentine Vows

 Photo by OneLove Photography via Style Me Pretty

Your wedding ceremony sets the tone for the rest of the day, and is one of the parts where you can really guide the atmosphere.

Opting for really romantic ceremony readings, personal vows, and unique ideas like a family blessing of the rings, a hand-tying ceremony, planting a tree or lighting a unity candle, all add to the loving vibes. And get your guests involved from the start.

3. Scentscape Your Day

Photo by Paige + Blake Photography via Wedding Chicks

Scentscaping (yes, it’s a thing!) is a huge buzzword in luxury weddings, but can also be adapted on a budget for any big day. Smell is perhaps the most powerful sense for evoking emotion, but it’s often overlooked for weddings (understandably) in favour of food, music, and the look of the day.

Companies like Gemma Hopkins’, Design In Scent can create a gorgeous bespoke scent that will become the fragrance backdrop to your day. For a DIY version, think verbena candles, lavender centrepieces or freesia bouquets. A wedding that smells as good as it looks is steeped in romance!

4. Ambient Music

Photo by Benj Haisch via Style Me Pretty

Of course at some point your guests are going to want to hit the dancefloor and Shake It Off to Taylor Swift. But before that, your wedding music can go a long way to setting the feel for your day.

Choose personal, un-cliched songs, with a dreamy feel for your ceremony, cocktail hour, over dinner, and for your first dance. You can even include some slow sets throughout the evening for the couples! (Check out our Valentine’s playlist for inspiration!)

5. A Romantic Feast

Photo by Britt Chudleigh via Once Wed

Your choice of food and how you serve it can be a big help in creating a romantic atmosphere at your wedding. We’re not saying you need to woo your guests with oysters and dark chocolate – though I’m sure they wouldn’t mind!

Avoid buffets, BBQs, sliders or street food, instead try elegant shared table dishes to get conversation flowing and guests dining in a more intimate fashion.

6. Love Seats

Photo by CJ Williams Photography via Bridal Musings

As with the catering, planning your tables to create an intimate, chatty atmosphere will absolutely amp up the romance at your wedding.

There’s something really special about long dining tables, that creates a closer, familiar feel over the more formal round variety or top table set-up. Choosing a sweetheart table will also give you and your other have a chance to have your own romantic dinner for two at your wedding.

7. A Wow Venue

Photo by Cristiano Brizzi, Facibeni Fotografia via Bridal Musings

Choose a romantic wedding venue, and all the hard work is done for you!

A medieval castle, a beautiful glasshouse, a pretty garden, or an atmospheric old church; take a stunning venue, add some candles (see below) and et voila, you’ve got yourself a seriously romantic setting.

8. A Touch of Whimsy

Photo by Ashley Ludaescher Photography

Sometimes your guests might feel more like they’re witnessing your romance than feeling it for themselves. But adding an element that’s fun and sweet, will soon get them involved in your day.

We love the idea of this balloon march from one venue to the next, (with a release at the end!), you could also have a waltz lesson, an open mic for toasts or some fun games to bring your guests together and feeling the love.

9. Copious Candles

Photo by Noah Hawthorne Photography via Brides

Candles work magic in any room, even more so at a wedding. This is perhaps the most affordable way to add instant romance to your soiree.

Tealights can add the ambiance, and pillar candles in hurricanes or lanterns will look really stylish, but for full on romance, it has to be tall candelabras for a dramatic, gothic, feel.

Fireworks or Lanterns

Photo by Photography by Betty Elaine via Bridal Musings

Did you feel fireworks in your belly when you first met your other half? Why not share that feeling with your guests?

Launching sky lanterns, putting on a fireworks display, or having a sparkler sendoff adds serious sparkle to your wedding and ensures you finish your night on the most romantic note possible.

Wedding Beauty Checklist

Pantone Reveals Color of the Year for 2014: PANTONE 18-3224 Radiant Orchid

“While the 2013 color of the year, PANTONE 17-5641 Emerald, served as a symbol of growth, renewal and prosperity, Radiant Orchid reaches across the color wheel to intrigue the eye and spark the imagination,”

Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®.

“An invitation to innovation, Radiant Orchid encourages expanded creativity and originality, which is increasingly valued in today’s society.”

6 FOODS THAT WILL MAKE YOU GLOW ON YOUR WEDDING DAY

Beautiful, glowing skin is always your best beauty accessory, whether you're walking down the red carpet or through your local farmer's market. But if there's one person who needs her skin to appear healthy and radiant, it's the bride walking down the aisle.

Although the beauty and cosmetic markets are crowded with products that promise to deliver flawless skin, true health starts with your own body. Instead of depriving your body of nutrients—as many brides do by going on crazy fad diets before they walk down the aisle—nourish your body with the right, natural foods. Add these colorful, skin-friendly foods to your diet about six weeks before your big day to bring out your natural inner glow.

1. Blueberries
Think of these little berries as your secret weapon against dull skin. Blueberries (and other members of the berry family) are ripe with antioxidants and Vitamin C, which brighten your skin, even out its tone, and fight off the free radicals that cause signs of aging. A handful or two of blueberries each day will make sure you look just as invigorated as you're feeling when you walk down the aisle.

2. Eggs
If you've done at-home face masks, you know that eggs are a typical ingredient, and for good reason: This breakfast staple is an easy way to infuse vibrancy into your skin tone. That's thanks to Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), the member of the B Vitamin family most responsible for your skin's glow. And here's an added bonus for beyond your wedding day: When you eat eggs and other Riboflavin-rich foods, you'll also clear up rosacea and ward off major skin diseases.

3. Mangoes
No one wants washed out skin, especially on a day as memorable as his or her wedding. If you're prone to a pale, colorless look, stock up on mangoes. This superfruit is packed with carotenoids, pigments that improve the color of your skin and give you that picturesque rosy complexion.

4. Cottage Cheese
If your skin is short on vibrancy, it may be because it's also short on moisture. When you see people with glowing, bright skin, you're often witnessing a byproduct of proper moisturizing. To prevent your skin from becoming dry and dull, add a serving of cottage cheese to your plate a few days per week. This dairy product is filled with selenium, which will infuse moisture and color into your skin.

5. Dried Apricots
Is your uneven, pasty or pale skintone making you dread your wedding day photos? Here's a quick fix: Dried apricots. Packed with iron, these snacks will even out your skin tone, putting you a step closer to the flawless, luminous complexion of your dreams.

6. Salmon
By now, you've probably heard doctors and nutritionists singing the praises of omega-3 fatty acids. This is one case where the truth lives up to the hype! Salmon and other foods full of omega-3 fatty acids act like natural lubricants for your skin, warding off the dullness, inflammation and redness that would make you feel less than your best as you walk down the aisle. Adding a few ounces of salmon to your plate each week will ensure your inner glow shines through when you tie the knot.

When it comes to your skin, you really are what you eat. Add these colorful superfoods to your plate a month or two before your big day to ensure you're glowing as much on the outside as you are on the inside.

Huffington Post contributor Robert Applebaum is a board certified skincare expert with a practice based in Beverly Hills, CA

—Robert Applebaum, Huffington Post Weddings

Belted Out

Our Spring 2013 collection was accompanied by a plethora of belts, delicate flower embellishments to sparkling rhinestone belts. Personalize your dress with one of our interchangeable belts! Will you choose an ornate floral belt or a glamorous rhinestone embellished belt ?

DIY: S'mores Kits

After the bride and groom make their happy departure, let the guests mingle and roast marshmallows. If your venue does not have firepits, you could also use little gas camp stoves on every table.

Materials:

1. Hershey's Chocolate Bars
2. Graham Crackers
3. Marshmallows
4. Wire Hangers
5. Cellophane Bags in 3 Sizes
6. Adhesive Paper and Cardstock
7. Labels and Instructions design (downloadable pdfs right here and here.)
8. Kraft Box with Lid 4.75" x 6" x 2.5"
9. Tissue
10. Ribbon
11. Scissors
12. Wire Cutter

STEP 1: Remove the marshmallows, chocolate and graham crackers from their original packaging and put them in cellophane bags. Here we put six graham cracker squares in a 4" x 6" bag, Three chocolate squares in a 5" x  3" bag, and about 10 marshmallows in a 5.5" x 8" bag.

STEP 2: With the wire cutters, cut off the head of the hanger and then bend the hanger in fourths so it fits the length of the box. Secure it with ribbon.

STEP 3: Print out the labels on adhesive paper and instructions on cardstock and cut them out. Fold up the instructions.

STEP 4: Lining the box with a piece of tissue, assemble the marshmallows, crackers, chocolate, instructions and hanger in the box.

STEP 5: Adhere the label to the box lid and voila! A S'mores Kit!

DIY: S'mores Kits - Project Wedding

2012 Wedding Trends: Metallic Gold

Metallic gold is showing up everywhere this year, from high-fashion to home decor and especially in weddings. Metallic gold is one of the most glamorous and elegant colors you can add to your wedding to make it an event to remember! This dazzling metallic isn’t just for traditional or formal weddings — it also works perfectly to add a feel of romance to vintage inspired weddings, and an unexpected flare to modern and contemporary weddings.


2012 wedding trends: metallic gold | Letterpress wedding invitation inspiration | Bella Figura

25 Tips How to look Fabulous in Your Wedding Photos

25 Tips from the people who know best – the photographers.

1. Be Yourself. Don’t try to look or be anything other than yourself. If you are self-conscious about a certain thing and it manifests itself physically, it will ultimately come through in the photography … Be your best self and you can ensure that the photos will indeed portray you as your best self.

2. Relax. Were often our worst critics when it comes to pictures. Remember that you want to be seen the way others see you too. While you want flattering photos, you want to make sure that it still looks like you in the pictures.

3. Laugh! It’s flattering on everyone.

4. Think about the moment. Capturing the romance of the day, the emotion, excitement & intimacy is what it’s all about. Don’t look at your photographer, look at your new spouse and savour it all. Your photographs will be amazing & true.

5. Forget the camera is there and try your best to be playful and warm.

6. Have an engagement session. This is so valuable for client and photographer. The clients have an opportunity to relax and be in front of the camera and the photographer can get to know his or her clients. By the time I am at the wedding we are friends and this makes everyone more relaxed!

Get the Look

7. Practice in the mirror! Study your face and figure out the best smile (or maybe you like your serious face better) and angle for you.

8. Be comfortable. For engagement and portrait shoots, wear clothing that is flattering, but comfortable too! If your 6 inch stilettos are hurting your feet, it will show in your face!

9. Keep makeup and eyelashes normal and classic.

10. Mind the lens. Try to not allow one part of your body to be closer to the lens because it will make that part appear larger than the rest of your body.

11. Get in position. To make your neck look more elongated, drop your shoulders and raise your chin. Imagine that you are being pulled by a string from the top of your head.

12. Be prepared. If you are prone to have flyaway’s or random frizzies in your hair, have a toothbrush with hairspray on standby! One squirt and swoop will tame most frizzies and help your hair look super smooth for pictures.

13. Have white chalk handy. White chalk hides stains on wedding gowns. If you are worried about grass stains, general dirt or in case there is a spill on your wedding day, make sure to have some on hand! It works in a jiffy and no one will know but you!

14. Dab. If you are planning on getting married in the summer and want outdoor photos, oil dabbing strips are a MUST HAVE! Make sure the groom has a hanky too. Sweaty photos are not pretty!

Strike a pose

15. Not head on. To look thinner, keep your shoulder to the camera and avoid facing the camera straight on. Hide behind the groom a bit or tuck into his armpit to slim yourself down.

16. Don’t look down. To avoid a double chin, have the photographer shoot from above the eye/face level. Tilt the head a bit sideways to hide the chin and have the photographer avoid shooting from the side. (I also remove as much of the double chin as possible in editing with Photoshop.)

17. Hand on hip. Every girl feels insecure about her bare arms in a strapless dress. The remedy? Instead of the arm laying flat against the torso and making it look wider, simply toss the hand on the hip. It will make the arm much more toned looking.

18. Angle yourself. Balance your weight on your back foot and cross the other foot in front of the other in a T fashion. Pop a hip towards the camera but at an angle. This is universally appealing and slimming, especially when

combined with hands on the hips.

19. Natural light is your friend! Getting ready in a room with windows makes for great pictures. Not only is the light beautiful, it is also flattering and makes your skin look amazing. Opening the shades whenever you can will add a lot to the pictures in any situation.

20. Make sure your reception is well-lit. The best wedding receptions seen in magazines have lighting covering the dance floor and on the cakes and table arrangements. Consider hiring a lighting company to light your reception or ask the venue/band/DJ to light your reception for you. The pictures will be amazing and you won’t regret it!

21. Don’t let it get TOO dark during dancing. DJs and bands love a dark dance floor to entice people to get loose. Photographers, of course, want this too and want to get fun dance shots of the crowd, but we need a little light to focus on people. Ask the venue ahead of time not to turn off the lights entirely. Also, during your first dance, have spotlights! Will and Lauren Aves, Aves Photographic Design

22. Use spotlights. If you are planning a candlelight ceremony, be sure to have a spotlight shining on the area where you will be saying your vows.

23. Prevent the squinty look. If the sun is really bright, close your eyes and ask your photographer to let you know when s/he is going to take the picture. Open them when s/he tells you and that will eliminate the ’squinty’ look. This also works if you typically wear glasses and do not want to wear them for portraits.

24. Love yourself. After photographing hundreds of brides I can tell you that every single bride is beautiful on this day, regardless if they consider themselves plain, overweight etc. The transformation is always astounding. Accept it, believe it and be confident the camera will see it.

25. Be happy. Happiness is beauty!