Although spring and early summer are more popular times for weddings, there are many advantages to a winter wedding, especially in January. Since that month is after the winter holidays, and before what is considered the rush of the bridal “season,” you may find the venue of your choice more available and have your pick of dates and times. You also have a wonderful variety of themes to choose from that work well with a wedding taking place in this month, no matter what climate you are in.

JanuaryLight Sophisticated Palete

January Wedding Colors

A January wedding works well with many colors. Any shade of blue, silver, and white are gorgeous choices for a winter wedding in this month. Although pastel shades are largely reserved for spring weddings, several pastel shades, such as ice blue or baby blue, lavender, or dusty rose are perfect “icy” options. Rich, deep, elegant colors such as the following also work well for a January or winter wedding:

• Navy
• Midnight Blue
• Plum
• Burgundy
• Garnet
• Emerald
• Hunter Green
• Gold
• Deep Aqua/Turquoise

Khaki Pink and Sage

Black and White Weddings
Wonderfully elegant, a black and white wedding can be an excellent choice for a January wedding. Black and white can add class and drama to any wedding. To add a bit more depth to the color scheme, choose to accents of red or burgundy to go with the black and white motif; or, for a modern feel, choose pink or chartreuse accents. For another twist, couples may choose a rich chocolate or deep brown and ivory or cream.

French Black and White Classic

As is usually the case, there are all sorts of trends coming around right now. Some are for fun, funky weddings, often with a beach or getaway theme even if they aren’t actual destination weddings. Others are toned down and have a more sophisticated feel. Depending on the look you want to create with your wedding, there are trendy colors out there to help you do it.

Fun and Funky Colors

Some of the hottest new colors for 2012 weddings are, well, hot. Bright, bold, saturated tones are really in right now. Look for colors like hot pink, bright orange, and Kelly green as you’re planning your wedding. You can often balance the visual impact of these choices with deep jewel tones, such as purple, navy, and even the chocolate brown that has been and will remain popular. Of course, one of the best ways to make your colors look fun and funky is to pair up colors that don’t necessarily ‘go’ together. Try hot pink and navy or turquoise and purple for an interesting pop.

Sophisticated Colors

For brides who want a more sophisticated and elegant feel, the colors are dusty and almost a bit old-fashioned. Think dusty pear green, light tangerine, light aqua, and gold. These colors can be paired with interesting new accent colors like grey, chestnut, and beige. Colors like these tend to work well with traditional wedding colors like ivory and can add an interesting element to invitations and decorations.

Pairing Colors

One of the latest and greatest trends for wedding colors is, again, the pairing of colors you wouldn’t normally think of together. In 2009 and 2010, this took the form of chocolate brown or black paired with bright jewel tones, turquoises, and pinks. This trend of dark and light colors together won’t be going away in 2011 or 2012.

Time for a new monthly series on wedding colors by the month….. see you back here for those!!

Are you hosting a bridal shower and wondering about the do’s and don’ts in bridal shower invitation etiquette?  After scanning dozens more articles than showers I will ever attend, I’ve compiled a list of top hints on the subject.  Hope it helps!

The most important data elements to include on a bridal shower invitation are of course the date, time, location, and any special instructions such as a bridal shower theme or specific planned activity.  As many guests will likely have a GPS or access to online directions, including driving directions is not as critical as in the past.  But if you do not include them be sure to include the exact street address of the chosen shower location.

Who to invite?  Couples bridal showers are becoming quite popular.  But for a traditional female-only bridal shower, you do not need to invite every female wedding guest to the bridal shower.  Guests usually include relatives and close friends of the bride and groom, and occasionally close work colleagues.  All shower invitees should also be invited to the wedding. If there is someone close to the bride who you know won’t be able to attend, do still send her an invitation – a close friend will see this as a welcome gesture rather than a solicitation for gifts!

OK to include registry details?  Let’s face it; the point of a bridal shower is to shower the bride with gifts to start her married life. To that end, it is perfectly appropriate to include the bride’s registry information on the invitation.  I researched this point quite a bit and while a few sources preferred not to include this info, the majority agreed it was perfectly appropriate (but NOT on the wedding invitation).

When to send?  Send invitations between four and six weeks before the event, particularly if it’s during those busy summer months.  If multiple people are hosting the shower, ask guests to RSVP to a single person for easier attendance tracking.

And finally, remember to reserve an invitation for the bride herself, it will be a great keepsake for her wedding album!

Halloween is the holiday that allows us to be anything we want to be, so make you Halloween themed wedding the wedding of a lifetime. A Halloween wedding is a wedding that won’t soon be forgotten.

Pros to Having a Wedding Program

*If you are having a ceremony that incorporates a lot of religious or cultural traditions (such as Catholic, Jewish, Hindu, etc) that many of your guests may not be familiar with, having a program that outlines the ceremony, lets guests know when to stand, kneel, respond back to readings, etc is super helpful for allowing guests to follow along and not feel awkwardly out of place or embarrassed that they aren’t familiar with a certain aspect of your ceremony.  Your Catholic ceremony may seem common sense to you, but to someone who has never stepped foot in a liturgical church, it can be pretty foreign.

*Wedding programs allow you to honor your bridal party and other attendants by showing off their names and wedding roles in print.

*The programs can also multitask stylishly.  If your reception venue is at a different location than your ceremony site, directions and a map can be included on one of the pages for the guests who inevitably forget to bring the original reception card from the wedding invitation.

*Wedding programs give your guests something to do with their hands during the ceremony.  Granted, this should not be your top concern, but there is definitely a psychological plus to having something to hold or fidget with, especially with the emotion and sometimes nervous energy that can accompany weddings.

Cons to Having a Wedding Program

*The cost can be significantly higher than your wedding invitations depending on what you need to include and how many pages that information will take up.  This may be an area that you can skip and funnel those dollars into another portion of your budget.

*While some of your guests will keep the wedding programs for all of eternity (come on now, I know I am not the only one who does this), many will get tossed by the end of the night.  Weddings can produce a great deal of waste, and if your ceremony is straightforward and doesn’t require guest participation or unfamiliar elements, you may opt to offer them a welcome glass of Prosecco as they take their seats instead.

Tips for Having a Wedding Program

*Include all pertinent information your guests should know: ceremony outline, when they should respond to a reading, specific practices regarding communion or other religious rites (is it open to everybody? just church members? etc), when they should stand, sit, kneel, and so on and so forth.

*Plan for one program per couple and one per single guest.  This will help stretch your budget a bit, reduce waste, and most people don’t mind sharing.  Be sure to let your hostesses or ushers know about these numbers so that they don’t hand one to everybody and run out towards the end.

*Have your wedding coordinator set a program on the seats of family members who may be included in the processional, such as mothers, grandmothers, other honored guests, etc before the ceremony begins.  This ensures that they have the program for the ceremony, but they don’t have to worry about carrying it and it isn’t visible in any photos of them coming down the aisle.

Are you including a ceremony program in your wedding?  Why or why not?

Rustic Colors and Favors

• Rustic or country colors are deep reds, burnt orange, yellow, browns, beige and greens. Include wedding theme colors in the reception decorations and even wedding favors. Wrap gingham ribbon in orange and yellow or red and beige around clear cube favor boxes filled with candy, or around cardboard boxes filled with flavored popcorn.

Reception Setting Ideas

• A rustic reception should be at places that have the old, country atmosphere. Some of these places can be old boat houses, fishing or hunting lodges, ski resort lodges, rustic barns, horse ranches or vineyards. TheLittleNell.com in Aspen, Colorado, features breathtaking views of the Rocky Mountains, at an elevation of 11,212 feet. After the ceremony, you can host a rustic wedding reception at the Aspen Mountain Club, where pine wood paneling, warm stone fireplaces, antique Austrian tables and hand-woven needlepoint rugs provide a country and cozy setting.

Wedding Cake Ideas

• A rustic wedding cake can feature country details such as maple leaves instead of flowers. The wedding cake can be the traditional butter cream filling and fondant icing, but the leaves can be in red, green, and orange in fall colors to mimic falling maple leaves. Add tan and red berry details on the bottom and throughout the cake, inspired by primitive country home decor. For a cake topper, use a dark red, primitive star instead of a monogram. The cake topper can be edible or a distressed metal piece.

Sunflowers

• Sunflowers are common in rustic weddings, because they are rich in color and reflect the landscape. They can be used to decorate both the ceremony and reception. For reception tables, place them in clear glass vases or large Mason jars with a deep red ribbon around the top of the jars. You can add other flowers in with them, such as black-eyed Susans.

Fall Leaves

• Like sunflowers, fall leaves are a versatile decoration that can be used for both the ceremony and reception. Consider mixing small autumn leaves with flower petals in the flower girl’s basket. For a reception centerpiece, fill a shallow crystal platter with autumn leaves, and add gold and red candles as a finishing touch. If you’re concerned about the leaves catching on fire, consider using silk leaves instead of real ones. If the venue will not allow the use of lit candles, consider investing in flame-less candles, available at most retailers.

Twinkle Lights

• Tents and barns are logical venues for rustic weddings. Dress the location up with white twinkle lights around the edges of the rafters, or drape them from the ceiling of the tent.

Harvest Garlands

• Use harvest garlands to decorate a rustic wedding. These can be made from artificial vegetables and gourds, or you can make them yourself using real ones. If specific areas will be roped off during the ceremony, such as the ends of the aisles, consider using a harvest garland instead of rope or ribbon.

Bales of Hay

• If you want an extremely rustic country wedding, incorporate bales of hay into both the ceremony and reception. You might place two bales at the end of the aisle where the wedding ceremony will take place, or set them next to the buffet tables during the reception.

Colored Aisle Runner

• Although aisle runners are traditionally white, you can use an earth-toned color for a rustic wedding. Consider a deep red or yellow runner for the ceremony to reflect both the theme and the landscape.

It Pays To Think Green

In our increasingly eco-conscious society, waste management and resource conservation are topics of much concern. And one concerned person can make quite a difference. Whether you’re organizing a social event, planning a wedding or just selecting materials for use in your own projects, it can pay to “think green” and consider using recycled paper.

Why Buy Recycled Paper?

Well, recycled paper production offers many environmental advantages over “virgin” (nonrecycled) production:

• Conserves resources, energy, and landfill space (Approximately 35% of solid waste sent to landfills consists of paper!)
• Protects and preserves forests and ecosystems
• Produces less pollution
• Reduces the use of toxic chemicals

Comparable Performance To Non-Recycled Papers

In addition to the environmental benefits, recycled papers have many of the same perks as their virgin counterparts.

• Comparable performance in printers and copiers
• Often indistinguishable from non-recycled stock in color, weight, and tone.
• Many lines of recycled paper are acid-free (a measure of their longevity) just like virgin papers
• Can also be Process Chlorine Free (PCF), which simply means that the paper was not exposed to any forms of chlorine while being made — thereby preventing the release of harmful toxins that can occur during the paper bleaching process.

PC100 – The Greenest Paper Of Them All

Fortunately, LCI Paper offers several lines of partially and fully-recycled paper stock to match any project needs our customers may have. The “greenest” of these is our PC100 card stock and envelope line manufactured by Monadnock Paper Mills, located in Bennington, NH. PC100 paper contains 100% post-consumer recycled fibers — this means that it’s constructed only of fibers that otherwise, would have ended up as solid waste.

• PC100 paper is extremely bright and clean
• Manufactured using only natural, renewable sources of energy such as wind and water power
• PC100 paper is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), an independent accreditation association whose goal is to ensure that responsible land use and resource conservation practices are strictly followed. The FSC seal of approval ensures that the product you’re purchasing adheres to their strict environmental regulations.

1) Location
Make sure that wherever you host your wedding, that it’s somewhere that is accented by the natural beauty of the season. A quiet Victorian style church surrounded by trees in their fall colors makes for some incredibly brilliant wedding photo opportunities. Mountain settings are simply stunning if you can get your location reserved before that other bride does!

2) Set the Tone
It’s good to plan ahead and make your guests aware of your fall themed wedding in advance. This may help to steer them in their choice of fashion accessories such as maple leaf broaches or autumn color handkerchiefs. Set the pace by sending our leaf save the date cards or wedding invitations with a fall or autumn feel to them. There are tons of wedding invitations places online including Get Married’s shop which carries some nice unique wedding invitations that you won’t find anywhere else.

3) Fall decorations
It’s also important to make sure that your guests can enjoy the seasonal colors whether they are inside or out by decorating the tables with centerpieces that use colorful leaves, straw, dried flowers, and pumpkin colors. Keeping within the brown and yellow spectrum of colors will be eye catching. Small details like using a Leaf Guestbook or maple leaf place card holders make very dramatic statements. Handmade tablecloths and doilies also give a small town feel that adds a nice touch.

4) Fall wedding favors
Give your guests fall wedding favors that will help them to remember the occasion. They may not remember details, but when they get to take home fall themed wedding favors like copper leaf bottle stoppers, place card holders, or simply any of the many ideas that are available out there, you give them a point of reference to remember the occasion. If leaves or pumpkin type gifts aren’t your style, at least try and manage to stick to your color palette.

5) Dress Color
In some people’s eyes, the only potential downside to a fall wedding is the dress color. An off white wedding dress is normally a safer bet with fall weddings. primarily because a bright white dress can clash with your fall motif. Be sure to stick to the color coordination since you are the focal point of the day. If you’ve inherited a white dress or refuse to walk down the aisle in anything but white, it won’t ruin the day, but it’s that attention to detail that will set the bar. Also ensure that the wedding party and especially bridesmaid dresses will help to support your color choices.

6) Food
Your fall wedding menu should highlight food of the autumn season with selections like pumpkin pie, pecan pie, squash, zucchini, and apple cider with cinnamon sticks. Don’t forget your vegetarian guests as well. Likewise your wedding cake should also have fall colors and decorations incorporated into layers or decorations. Placing the cake on a light brown or dust yellow tablecloth surrounded by leafs would be a great eye catcher.

7) Everyone knows
Out of all of the great fall wedding tips that are available out there, be sure that you keep the color coordination on the top of everyone’s mind. Let your wedding planner know your plans so that they can inform all of the right people and monitor the situation for you. The caterer needs to know that you want your menu seasonal so that they can plan accordingly. It’s just very important that everyone is aware of your autumn motif to make sure that they don’t add something to the mix to clash with your flow and feel of fall.

8) Lighting
Make sure that whoever is in charge of decorating, that they keep the lighting subdued and not bright white. All of your colors can get washed away in bright white light. Keep lighting off-white or yellow to keep the ambiance flowing even in the air. If the DJ will be supplying lighting as well, be sure that they know of your color plans so that their “disco lights” don’t ruin everything you worked so hard to create. But more importantly, be sure to let your wedding photographer know about the yellow lighting since yellow plays havoc on white balance. It’s best they know as far in advance as possible.

The Setting for Your Summer Wedding

Summer weddings are ripe for an outdoor setting such as a beach, a garden, or a beautiful yard. Take advantage of the long days with an afternoon wedding, or highlight the glorious sunsets by saying your vows as the sun goes down behind you. Use fresh fruits and vegetables to decorate — perhaps including clementines and cumquats in your flower arrangements, or simply filling a large vase with bright yellow lemons. Bring light to an evening wedding with torches and strings of lanterns in the trees. An extra-summery idea is to use gingham tablecloths with a few sunflowers in metal watering cans as centerpieces.

Summer Wedding Dresses and Attire for the Bridal Party

The bride who marries in the warmth of May, June, July or August is a lucky one; over 75% of dresses that you’ll find are sleeveless and/or strapless, making them perfect for the season. Look for light fabrics such as organdy, linen, chiffon, crepe, georgette, and other light weight silk, so as to not add too much bulk.

Yellow and White Summer Wedding

At a beach wedding, look for an easy and elegant slip dress such as Carolyn Bissette wore when she married John F. Kennedy Jr. in Hyannisport. The bridal party can all go barefoot, and the men can wear dress shirts with slacks, or linen suits. For a garden wedding, ; consider big straw hats, either for just you or for all the bridesmaids. You might choose brightly colored dresses or short floral cocktail dresses for the bridesmaids to really evoke the season. The men in the bridal party can go for the classic navy blazer with khaki slacks, or beautiful suits. For a more formal affair, there’s no reason not to choose morning suits or tuxedos (depending on whether it’s an evening or daytime wedding) but give a nod to the season by replacing the black tuxedo jacket with a natty white dinner jacket.

Of course, for all the women in the bridal party (and some of the men!), you must think about what heat, humidity and moisture will do to your hair. Most importantly, don’t try to fight your hair in the summer: straight hair will get straighter and limper, and wavy hair will get wavier and frizzier. Updos by a professional who will design a long-lasting style are one of your best bets. A crown of flowers, or a single large flower tucked into your hair will look summery and beautiful.

Summer Wedding

Food for Your Summer Wedding

Celebrate the bounty of the season by filling your menu with fresh fruits such as watermelon, and berries, and fresh vegetables such as corn. Between courses, or as an additional dessert, offer refreshing granitas and sorbets. An elegant summer wedding menu could include a bevy of fresh seafood, including lobster and oysters. For a more casual affair, consider a backyard barbecue, or traditional picnic food including potato salad.

Wedding Favors

Send your guests home with a taste of the season: in August, a fresh pear, or earlier in the summer, a ripe peach. For a beach wedding, you might consider giving out perfect sand dollars, seashells, or beach-themed candles. Summer weddings are is also perfect for seeds or small pots of flowers as favors. If it will be warm or extra sunny, give out beautiful wooden fans or paper parasols to use during the ceremony and then take home.

Summer Wedding Flowers

You can’t go wrong with an abundance of flowers at a summer wedding. There are so many varieties in season, you may have a tough time narrowing your choices down! Fill the scene with bright and cheerful flowers such as roses, sunflowers, red and yellow calla lilies, dahlias, gerber daisies, cosmos, mums, and zinnias. Bright purple dendrobium orchids are much less expensive during the summer months, so you can feel like a queen without the budget of one.

An alternative idea is an airy summer look with mostly white and light colored flowers such as roses, stephanotis, white phlox, elegant white calla lilies, huge and fragrant casa blanca lilies, hydrangea, snowball mums, and daisies (also known as Shasta daisies).

Picking wedding flowers in season can save you a bunch of money. Sure, growers are now able to fly almost anything in from the other side of the world, but you’ll pay a premium for that. Here is a US guide to what flowers are generally in season to help you get started. Talk specifically to your florist or grower about what is available.

This chart can also help you decide when to get married. If you want huge amounts of different pink flowers, fall might not be the best time for you to get married. On the other hand, if adore zinnias and dahlias, perhaps you should have a fall wedding.

Be sure to scroll down and see wedding flowers that are available year-round.

Spring Wedding Flowers in Season

Anemone * Blue, red, pink, white * Jan-May and Aug-Dec.
Bells of Ireland * Green * January-October
Boronia * Pink * April-May
Casa Blanca Lily * White * January-October
Daffodil * Yellow * January-Early May
Delphinium * White, Blue * April- October
Hyacinth * Purple, Pink or White
Lilacs * Violet or White
Narcissus * White
Peony * Pink or White * Late Spring – Early Summer
Ranunculus * white, pink, red, orange and yellow * February-May
Star Gazer Lily * Pink and White * January-October
Sweetpea * white, pink, red/coral, and lavender/purple * December-May
Tulip * Many colors, including white, pink, yellow, red, and purple * December-April
Waxflower * pinky purple and white

Summer Wedding Flowers in Season

Alstromeria * orange, pink, yellow and cream, other colors
Bells of Ireland * Green * January-October
Chrysanthemum * White, Yellow, Orange, Pink, other colors
English Lavender * Purple
Forget-me-not * Blue
Freesia * White, Yellow, Pink, Blue, Purple
Gerbera Daisy * Pink, Yellow, Orange, Red, White
Hydrangea * White, Blue, Purple, Pink
Iris * Purple, Blue, White
Larkspur * White, Purple, Blue, Pink
Liatris * Pinkish Purple
Lily, asiatic * White, Pink, Yellow, Orange
Lily, oriental * White, Pink
Lisianthus * Purple, White, Pink
Matsumoto Asters * Pink, Purple
Monte Casino Asters * White, Purple
Queen Anne’s Lace * White
Snapdragons * Pink, Yellow, Orange, White, Other Colors
Solidaster * Yellow
Statice * Purple
Stephanotis * White
Stock * White, Other Colors
Sunflower * Yellow
Tuberose * White
Yarrow * White, Pink, Yellow
Zinnia * Red, Orange, Pink

Fall Wedding Flowers

Aster * White, Pink
Chrysanthemum * White, Yellow, Orange, Pink, other colors
Dahlia * Many Colors
Marigold * Yellow, Orange, Red
Statice * Purple
Zinnia * Red, orange, pink *
Dried Leaves

Winter Wedding Flowers

Amaryllis * Red, White
Anemone * Blue, red, pink, white * Jan-May and Aug-Dec.
Bells of Ireland * Green * January-October
Camellias * White, Pink
Casa Blanca Lily * White * January-October
Cosmos * Pink, White, Brown, Other Colors
Daffodil * Yellow * January-Early May
Forget-me-nots * Blue
Holly * Green with Red Berries
Jasmine * White
Narcissus * White, Yellow
Poinsettia * Red, White
Ranunculus * white, pink, red, orange and yellow * February-May
Star Gazer Lily * Pink and White * January-October
Star of Bethlehem * White
Sweetpea * white, pink, red/coral, and lavender/purple * December-May
Tulip * Many colors, including white, pink, yellow, red, and purple * December-April
Waxflower * Pink, White

Wedding Flowers Available Year-Round

Baby’s Breath * White
Bachelor’s Button * White, Pink, Red or Blue
Calla Lily * White is widely available, other colors, available as well, particularly in mini size
Carnations * Many Colors
Delphinium * Blue, White, Purple
Eucalyptus * Blue, Silver
Gardenia * White
Gladiolus * Many Colors
Heather * Pink
Lily of the Valley * White and Pink
Orchid * Pink, White, Purple, Other Colors
Protea * Pink
Rose * Many Colors ***February at a premium
Scabiosa * Purple, White