Pack A Punch In Your Wedding Chairs

A guide to "dressing up" your wedding reception chairs.

Each wedding is very special to the ones starring in it. It's dreamed of as a once-in-a-lifetime celebration. So, as she plans "The Day," a bride starts checking out blogs, websites, photos, and articles, making up her mind, and then changing it, and dreaming about what it will be like.

That day, being so longed and waited for, makes us want it to be perfect, down to the smallest detail. It may be so small that only you will notice it. Truly, it is understandable as your wedding day is an expression of the inner you.  As the saying goes: "People forget what you said and what you did, but they never forget how you make them feel."

Embrace the little details because those are the ones that make a difference – your guests have attended many weddings, but it is the little details that makes yours memorable and gives it your personal touch.  Some people are detail-oriented, some are not. Even those who don't recognize that special flair, are still affected by the way the details set the mood and gives it that certain ambiance. They may not be able to put their finger on what made it seem perfect, but they will still gush about how perfect it was.

One of those little touches that you can incorporate your fashion sense in are the wedding reception chairs.  This is a great way to show your style, personalize your wedding, and make it fabulous.  There are few things you should consider when deciding the style of your chairs.

First, realize how important the chairs are.  It will be a long day for you and your loved ones,  Keep in mind your guests may be sitting on them all night long, and others will use them to rest between dances. You will want the chairs to be comfortable!

Everything besides comfort is all about your vision and dream. You can go with full chair covers, a seat cushion, or just a back cushion. You can "dress" all of them, every other one, only those for the bridal party, or just the ones for the special couple.  The options are endless!

You can go classic, put a little twist on the traditional style, or go bold and creative.

• Incorporate your wedding elements in the decor

If it's a beachy summer wedding – use the usual suspects--which by the way look adorable every time--such as airy fabric, sand, shells and star fish.

A flower-themed wedding – use flowers large and small.

Posh and very elegant – incorporate elements from your jewelry.

If your style is rustic - use organic, simple, earthy items for your chair propping.

Does your dress have ruffles on it?  Here's an idea to incorporate that style.

• Consider the seasons

In warmer weather we take some layers off, wear lighter materials, and shorter lengths. In colder months we like feeling softer fabrics, longer layers, and deeper colors.

• Outdoor or Indoor 

Some ideas are really cute and creative, and maybe the perfect fit for your wedding. However, some ideas are meant to be outdoors. The perfect example of this are these colorful fun ribbons on the photos below. The look is perfect for an outdoor wedding/party where the light breeze will play gently with the ribbons. They would look fun and festive anywhere. They are meant to magically float around which won't work indoors.  The purpose should make sense and fit the look of your venue.

• To be practical

Many styles tend to embrace the romantic theme and make a big decor impact. Remember that these chairs are going to be constantly used – pulled, sat on, rested on, walked by, leaned against...maybe even danced on.  Make sure any touch-sensitive and gentle decor material won't be ruined or make a mess. First, it won't last long, and second, it will be a waste of money. Nobody wants that!

The examples are endless and don't be scared to create something different that is all your own. I hope these tips are helpful when you are making your decision. Have a seat, (hopefully a cute one), relax, and enjoy your day!

A French Fantasy

Your guide to a French-themed wedding

Bonjour mes chers tourtereaux (Hello, my dear lovebirds),

Bastille Days were just last weekend in Milwaukee -- a wonderful celebration in a country where the feelings about the French are mixed -- some love them, some don't.  It's a matter of a personal experience, perspective and expectations, but no matter what, Paris and France in general are the symbol of romance, enjoying life and beauty.

When I think of France, the first thing I picture of course is the Eiffel Tower. Being up on the top overlooking Paris, holding your beloved one’s hand is all you need, isn’t it? Then of course I picture wine, art, cobblestone streets, gorgeous gardens, old chateaus, fashion, style, royalty, luxury, indulging food, love, romance -- things that make life beautiful. So, I was thinking what better way to make everyone feel the love in the air, enjoy the romance and have a laid-back day than to have your wedding themed with a French flair. Your wedding is about you and your loved one, but guests' entertainment matters too. And one thing you want for sure is for your wedding to be different and to be one that people WILL remember for a long time. Surprise them and enjoy their excitement. Have the presence of love not only in the air, but in every detail of your special day!

There are few important elements which represent France :

• Architecture - Eiffel Tower, Triumphal Arch, old chateaus
• Drinks – Wine, cognac, coffee
•  Food - Bread, pastry, poultry, cheese
• Art – music, paintings, performances
•  Fashion

To have your wedding or any other celebration French themed, you should have most of these elements incorporated in the event – from the clothing through decor, food and entertainment, invitations and favors. 

Before you start planning your French-themed wedding, you must first consider what type of wedding you’d like. Once you decide which era you want to concentrate on, planning will be much easier. Here are a few tips to bring Paris to your wedding door. No matter which style will fit your personality the most, the little details and finishing touches will define your choice.

Here are the general styles :

Royal / Marie Antoinette 

   Country / Pastoral 

                       

Vintage 

Modern

The styles overlap each other and a lot of the same details and ornaments could be found in more than one era. One things is certain and you can use this as a guideline - the further you go back in the days, the more ornaments, fabrics and layers, and the heavier the design becomes.

The Color Scheme

The color scheme for any of the styles would be muted colors such as ivory, mocha, and latte, and pale colors like pink or light blue. The forms for the Marie Antoinette "Royal" Style would be soft and curvy with a lot of extra details, as well as for the Country and Vintage style just a little simplified. The forms and lines appropriate for the Modern wedding would be a lot more clear and simple.

Decorative symbols

There are few symbols of France which can't be mistaken. You can incorporate the symbol you've picked in the whole event styling – from invitations, to table numbers and wedding favors:

• The fleur-de-lis (stylized lily or iris) symbolizes the divine kingdom of France.
• The Eiffel Tower and the Triumphal Arch are the most most recognizable landmarks of France. You can use miniature Eiffel Towers as a centerpieces or  have an illuminated Eiffel Tower ice sculpture.
• A cat on a roof and roosters are fun little accents perfect for your Vintage or Country French Themed wedding style.
• Paris is known as the City of Lights – installation of lighting, miniature lights or candles around the reception location will improve the mood of the evening.

     

Venue

A French-inspired wedding has to have the necessary romantic visual cues, which the right venue can deliver.  A local wine producer may offer their grounds for outdoor wedding ceremonies, or even indoor ceremonies in the cellar. 

If you are looking for a location in the city, a perfect place for that would be any romantic indoor or outdoor venue with a nice garden or overlooking water (lake, river or ocean). That could be transformed easily into a French setting using artistic cues such as the colors from famous French paintings. For instance, look at the hues of Monet, and borrow some of those colors for your bouquet, and your floral selections for your ceremony site.

Decor

Having paintings (oil, watercolors, pastel or pencil), classic to abstract, photographs or vintage postcards of sites in Paris would be a great accent.

Clothing

Feathers and lace are a "trade mark" of  France and tastefully incorporated into your wedding decor (dress, hairstyle or even bouquet) they will give it an authentic French flair.  They would be good for the Royal, Vintage or Modern style.

The layers of lace on a wedding gown can portray the opulence of Marie Antoinette for a French wedding theme of that particular period. This style means you will have plenty of everything – fabric, layers, creases, bows, ornaments, flowers – the more the better. The era shows splendor in any detail.

As I said above, the closer you get to the present day, the simpler the styles become.  A perfect finishing touch to all of the looks will be a feather fan!

Table set

Depending on the era you've picked, the options for table sets are few :

• Modern – very elegant and simple china, silver- and glassware.
• Vintage – slightly curvy forms and ornaments, „bistro“ style
• Country / Pastoral – floral patterned tablecloth and china, "bistro" style
• Royal - gold or silver cutlery; glassware and china with gold or silver ornaments. Very heavy flowered patterned china is your another option here too.  
• For your table numbers you can use French cities' names, different cheeses, kings and queens.

Beverages and Food

Wine and coffee are two staples of a French menu, as is delicious food.

Champagne and wine should be served as both are French-inspired. You can have a wine and cheese stations at your cocktail hour.  A wonderful and very traditional French starter also is the pate, which could be served on a cracker or baguette. Choose a wine that says something about and your spouse, and one that has a romantic flavor. Offer your guests a beautiful deep red or sweet white, or provide your guests with both options.

Your interpretation of a French cuisine doesn't have to be expensive or overdone, but should include some key ingredients of French cuisine. Creating your menu, consider that the different regions of France have varying cuisine – form seafood to  duck and rabbits, sausage and cabbage, from traditional bisque to fresh salads, fondue and bread.

Coffee is another French beverage, which can be served heated, over ice, and served at the cocktail hour and throughout the wedding feast.

Pastry and dessert. A wonderful final touch would be if you follow the theme of your wedding invitation to your wedding cake (damask, toile, fleur de lis or Eiffel Tower designs). Also consider serving petits fours – miniature desserts such as cakes, cookies, baked meringues, macaroons and puff pastry.

Entertainment

A string quartet, a piano and a harp player or an opera singer performing mostly well-known arias would be perfect for Marie Antoinette "Royal“ or Modern style.  The Vintage or Country Styles can't go without accordion! This is the sound of France! Have you heard Jazz Accordion? Check this out, it's so cool!  Another symbol of France is the French mime. She or he can entertain the crowd during the cocktail hour or/and after the dinner. Those are going to be fun pictures to look at later.

Wedding Favors

The French theme can be conveyed in significant details. When choosing wedding favors for a particular style, it is important to choose a design that is representative of the theme. Fleur de Lis or Eiffel Tower wedding favors can show your guests the inspiration of your important day. As a special remembrance to be left at the seat of each of your guests of your wedding, you can provide bookmarks, key chains, bottle openers, votive candle holders, soap or even candy tins with a Fleur de Lis or Eiffel Tower design.

Good luck and let me know how it turned out! 

Branded To The Bone

It wasn’t that long ago that weddings meant a church, a white dress and your uncle doing the funky chicken on the dance floor. Thankfully for everyone, times have changed and couples – more than ever before – are incorporating deeply personal special touches into their big day that reflect their personality, culture, style, and private traditions.

As a planner, these unique touches make me really excited!  Personalization today can be so much more than picking wedding colors. I’m noticing that brides are personalizing everything from monogrammed cake toppers and ice sculptures, to personalized dress hangers.  It is all about making sure everything is customized to their wedding day.

I recently went to a wedding where the bride and groom took wedding branding to a whole new level. They created their own logo for their event which was on everything including the save the date magnets, address labels, party favors and the invitation. (See the emblem in the lower left hand corner.)  Take some inspiration from them, and think about how you might make your day even more personalized.  There are plenty of resources online that can help you customize your invitations. Check out Broadway Paper if you want the more "do it yourself" project, or Coqui Design will give you the full service treatment!

This wedding couple also started off their wedding plans with some ink!  They got matching tattoos to symbolize their origins, life together and mythology. Their minister just happened to be their tattoo artist as well.  Unfortunately, I can't refer you to a great tattoo artist since that is not part of my specialty, but if you’re not ready for a tattoo, many cultures have special traditions you can borrow from too. Have some fun and trust me, everyone will love something different and they’ll remember it for years to come!  

Mr. and Mrs. also created handcrafted, personalized necklaces with their names and wedding dates carved into bone. So unique to their style and vibe that they wanted for their wedding! On the right are the happy couple flaunting their matching neck pieces.  Tatafu Langi out of Hawaii can customize the perfect piece for you.

Why not add a special drink to the menu? This couple offered their guests a Mango Mojito (which I tried multiple times just to make sure it was up to par) to solidify their theme! A little Tabu malted beverage would have fit right in as well for that little taste of Tahitian flair! Not to mention it matches their new tattoos!

Guests were greeted at the door with favor boxes that contained hair adornments for the ladies.  Beautiful orchids were worn by all the women to make them feel as if they were on the Islands!  The bride wore a stunning headpiece for her reception that complimented the affair and her heritage so well.

  

Next up on the list was the entertainment!  The event was at modern, loft-style warehouse that embodied large garage doors, that when opened, there was an amazement of fire throwers, fire dancers, and hula dancers!  Pyrotechniq out of Chicago travels anywhere and has an assortment of theatrical art performances to choose from.

 The bride even performed a special dance for her groom that was so beautiful, intimate, and romantic.

Whether you've decided to have your initials in lights on the dance floor, hand out handkerchiefs with your wedding date on them, or even have your own personalized Mr. & Mrs. hangers for your special day attire, it's all about making your wedding day unique.  Go crazy and "brand it to the bone"!  Of course, for the traditional couple, guests still love the funky chicken too. You can’t go wrong either way!