Wedding Themes for the Modern Bride

Wedding Reception Theme Ideas

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Western Wedding Theme

Romantic Vintage Western Collection

Debunking the Virginal White Wedding Dress Myth

Contrary to what most people think, the traditional and virginal white wedding dress did not become a wedding tradition until Victorian times.

In 1840, Queen Victoria made a somewhat unexpected choice to wear an all white wedding dress for her marriage to Price Albert. From that point forward, white wedding dresses were indicative of glamor, high society and superior social standing. The simple truth is that most women could not afford to buy a dress in such a fanciful color - pure white - that could only be worn once. Colored dresses for wedding gowns were much more practical and common, since they could be made into other garments or reworked to be worn for everyday wear. For most brides, it was very common to wear their Sunday best dress and bonnet as a wedding ensemble, without wasting money at all on a fancy, new wedding gown.

While it is true that mainstream society has associated a white wedding dress with purity and virginal innocence, it really is an outdated notion. Many couples live together before getting married nowadays, and with a high rate of divorce there are many second marriage brides wearing formal wedding gowns, including those in pure white.

Fairytale Wedding Theme

Fairytale Dreams Collection

Winter Wedding Theme

Winter Finery Collection

Beach Wedding Theme

Seaside Allure Collection

Autumn Splendor Wedding Theme

Many couples choose to get married in the autumn season and go with a fall wedding theme. This may be because of the cool air, magnificent colors and outstanding autumn atmosphere. Both elegant and memorable, autumn theme weddings can feature a variety of unique ideas. You also have the options of selecting a wedding gown in a variety of non-white colors with either long or short sleeves - deep copper and sleek platinum are stunning colors for an autumn silk wedding gown.

It is actually easy and affordable to put together an autumn splendor theme wedding. Stick with colors in the rich brown, red, orange, bronze, and gold hues - and then balance it off with a creamy ecru or off-white. A romantic, sophisticated or rustic mood can be created using warm fall colors and draping the church or reception venue in swathes of these colors.

Bronze and copper are ideal metallic accents for fall weddings, inspiring thoughts of copper kettles, fireplace décor and frolicking in fall leaves. Fill little bronze colored containers with dried flowers or chocolate covered almonds as wedding guest favors. Decorate polished copper vases with flowers to use as table centerpieces on your reception dinner tables. Scatter real or silk leaves around your cake display table and guest book signing station. You might also want to consider a traditional harvest theme for your wedding. Instead of having the wedding in a garden, park or backyard, rent a barn or pumpkin patch, complete with hayride and hot chocolate! Decorate with fall flowers, pumpkins, hay and black-eyed Susan.

Autumn splendor wedding themes, no matter which way you go, provides you with nature's striking décor; all the breathtaking beauty you will need for your wedding day.

Calla Lily Wedding Theme

BRIDAL BEAUTY CALLA LILY COLLECTION

Breaking the Mold & Making it Your Own

Grab a cup of hot coffee and curl up in your favorite chair with a pen and pad of paper.

White wedding dress, white tablecloths, white linens, white tulle, white aisle runners, white candles, white dishes and white confetti. Get the picture? White can be terribly boring and stuffy. Since many brides are choosing to veer away from oppressive white wedding dresses, they are also becoming more adventurous and building a wedding day around a fun, romantic or meaningful theme.

Grab a cup of hot coffee and curl up in your favorite chair with a pen and pad of paper. If you sit quietly and think about your relationship with your betrothed; what you like to do together, what you both love and hate, your cultures or backgrounds - finding a wedding theme will be easy. Perhaps you met on vacation at a dude ranch so choose a western wedding theme. Maybe you both have a love for the autumn season with the changing of the leaves and the crisp air, or the wonder of the winter season because you both ski or snowboard - a seasonal theme may be right for you! If you fell in love as high school sweethearts, at your part time jobs as lifeguards at the local beach, then it is obvious that a beach wedding theme may be perfect.

Wedding themes should be an extensive of your togetherness, and a glimpse to your wedding guests of how your life moving forward in matrimony will be. It can be fun and colorful, playful and romantic or dreamy and fairytale like. Ultimately, it should be your decision - you and your engaged partner - and no one else who chooses the ideal wedding theme.

Wild West - Western Wedding Themes with a Touch of the Romantic

We all love the romance of the Wild West, and the rugged beauty of the countryside.

Maybe it is the spirit of the cowboy or perhaps it is just the allure of a simpler, although much rougher era. Cowboys personify what most men want to be and what most women are looking for in a man. They are tough, loyal, courageous and determined; which might be why western theme weddings are so popular - and not just for couples that come from rural backgrounds or have a mutual interest in horseback riding or cattle rustling.

From authentic full fledged western weddings or softer, more modern romantic vintage western wedding themes; catering your reception dinner with BBQ, corn on the cob, and potato salad followed by line dancing in a decorated hayloft, western themes are what you make of them. That is the beauty of western wedding themes - you decide what makes it work.

To pull off a western wedding theme, decide if you want an genuine wild west wedding (complete with horses, chaps and cowboy hats) or if you want to just use the subtle themes of a romantic vintage wedding collection, replete with vintage guest book, flower basket, ring pillow and pen set - wrapped in elegant suede with gold and silver horse shoes to embody good luck. Also, consider shooting your wedding photography in black and white for an Old West feel.

Celtic Wedding Theme

Celtic Charm Collection

More Wedding Theme Ideas

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Butterfly Wedding Theme

Butterfly Dreams Collection

Winter Wonder Wedding Theme

Winter wedding themes reflect the unique magic of your love and the season. With snow, glittering ice and crystals, you can celebrate a wondrous time of year along as you start your married lives together.

Many couples are pleasantly surprised by the amount of money saved by planning a winter wedding. Because the season is often less busy, couples can get the wedding date they want and the price they want at catering halls and restaurants. Popular winter wedding themes include snow, pines, poinsettias, holidays and fireplaces. Wedding dress options are virtually limitless, including long sleeve, short sleeve and sleeveless. With sleeveless gowns, add a trendy cashmere wrap for warmth and good looks.

A common winter wedding theme that everyone loves is snowflakes! Greet your guests with winter wonder place cards and seasonal snowflakes on the guest book. Include a snowflake cake topper for the perfect cake cutting ceremony pictures. Miniature snow globes would make the most winter wonderland guest favors. Decorate reception dinner tables with glass snowflake votive candle holders and sprinkle tables with silver confetti to carry the theme everywhere in a very subtle yet elegant manner.

A holiday theme for your winter wedding is a great way to bring in the kids. Serve hot chocolate and give out gourmet packets of cocoa to your guests. Decorate the ceremony or reception area with Christmas trees. Give silver plated friendship ornaments to your guests as a lasting memory of your wedding for their Christmas tree when they get home. Winter wedding themes are a magnificent way to celebrate the season and start your new life together.

Wedding Theme Ideas

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Beach Wedding Theme

Beach wedding themes are popular in the summer months

Beach wedding themes are very, very popular in the summer months and for couples who are taking off to tropical destinations to tie the knot. Of course, in the middle of winter, your wedding party and guests will appreciate the escape to somewhere warm for a few days to attend your wedding. Even if your beach theme wedding is at home during the warmer summer months, a beach theme wedding means fun in the sun for everyone as they congratulate the happy couple on their eternal love.

Start by finding the ideal location and make sure it is available for weddings so you can secure arrangements for your desired date. Make arrangements for your guests in case of rain. At outdoor weddings, you can have rented tents and gazebos for shelter from rain or sun. Restaurants and yachts offer indoor and outdoor spots for your guests to relax.

Get the right accessories to get your guests in the mood for a beach theme wedding. Give out flip flops and leis for everyone to wear. Reflect your beach theme wedding in your stationary, place cards and thank you notes. Casual beach theme stationary gives your waterfront wedding an informal feel. Add a seafaring flair with embroidered seashells and starfish designs. Include a ring bearer pillow, flower girl basket, cake topper, garter set, pen set and guest book with seaside allure for a waterfront feeling from the ceremony to the reception. Shell silver place card holders or silver plated starfish shaped wine stoppers could make elegant and theme appropriate wedding favors for your guests.

With beach wedding themes, the bride and groom have more freedom with what they wear. Many beach ceremonies see the couple wearing casual linen beachwear or bathing suits. Other couples choose semi-formal wear such as a long flowing cotton or linen wedding dress in azure blue or crisp white. Formal wedding attire is generally not appropriate with beach weddings.

Butterfly Kisses Wedding Theme

Butterfly wedding themes are especially popular when the wedding is held outdoors; such as a botanical garden, lavish lawns or your parents backyard.

Butterflies evoke feelings of relaxed summer days, breezy fields of wildflowers and the whisper of wonderful times to come. When you think about it, it's no wonder that butterfly wedding themes are so trendy. For a bride that wants to take a theme all the way, a butterfly tiara crown and handkerchief could be added to her wedding ensemble or bridesmaids could have butterflies in their hair, tucked in their flower bouquets, or hanging gingerly from a corsage.

At the wedding ceremony, there are many tasteful ways to include your butterfly theme in accessories for the nuptials. Available in a multitude of soft pastel colors, butterfly collection wedding decor items are readily available; including flower girl baskets, ring bearer pillows, keepsake and toss garters for the bride, traditional guest books, and elegant satin wrapped pen sets.

Butterfly kisses at the ceremony are achievable by giving your guests real, live butterflies to release at the ceremony. This is a spectacular way to celebrate as a group, right after the wedding vows are exchanged. Keep in mind that butterflies need to be released at certain times of the day (they don't fly after dark) and the temperature needs to be warm but not overly hot they are finicky creatures but for a butterfly theme wedding, well worth the trouble!

A butterfly wedding theme is one of the few themes where you can incorporate other themes, such as a color theme or seasonal theme and still work perfectly.

Happily Ever After Fairy Tale Wedding Theme

Are you ready to live happily ever after...

Since you have found your Prince Charming, your wedding day is set and you are well on your way to living happily ever after, a fairy tale wedding theme may be just right for you. A fairy theme wedding is one of the few wedding themes that really must use a great deal of white to make it work well. This would include white everywhere from the wedding dress and church décor, to the floral arrangements and table settings at the wedding reception. However, feel free to use another single color as an accent - velvet red, royal blue, or emerald green all work well. Even the floral arrangement can be all white, and combined with baby's breath and greenery, will look lovely in a tall glass cylinder vase or single flower bud vase.

Aside from white, use lots of crystal, sterling and plated gleaming silver and cut glass. These are all elements, like a guest book that has "Happily Ever After" embroidered on the front that will help you pull off the perfect fairy tale wedding day. If you look hard enough, there are companies out there that rent stagecoaches for the final touch on a fairy tale wedding. Choosing the right décor and accessories for your fairy tale theme wedding, from silver place card holders and Cinderella wedding carriage candle, to a classic silver plated cake serving set and fairy tale dreams castle cake toppers will make your wedding story end happily ever after ...

Pulling it all Together with Class and Elegance

Covering some of the more popular wedding themes over the past few years...

This article cannot cover all wedding themes - it would take an entire collection of books to do so! The purpose was to cover some of the more popular over the past few years. Other couples choose more subtle wedding themes such as Asian, Celtic, Irish or Jewish to honor their culture and heritage. Some modern couples base their wedding theme on a specific color such as black and white, green, orange, red, gold or silver. Essentially, you should decide on a wedding theme that will make you happy and that best reflects the couple getting married.

The key to any wedding theme is setting the stage in just the right way. Wedding decorations, accents, accessories and the overall mood of the venue location should work together to set the stage for entire event. The goal should be to create and maintain a mood that personifies the interests and personalities of the bride and groom, but is not so pervasive as to become intrusive or overpower the bride especially.

Theme weddings are becoming increasingly more popular and are the perfect way to inject your wedding day with that unique stamp - your personal touch. Keep in mind that no matter how eccentric or outrageous the wedding theme, it doesn't mean it will be tasteless or gaudy (so don't let your mother-in-law talk you out of it!).

With proper planning, any wedding theme can be pulled off with grace and elegance. By mixing subtlety and class, the theme ambiance can be set while not dominating the entire event. By focusing on long term mutual interests, you can create for guests a window into the lives of the bride and groom as well as an event that will be remembered with fondness.

Wedding themes add character and panache to your once in a lifetime wedding day. Go ahead - honor your culture or heritage, build your wedding around a sport or hobby; or celebrate a common interest and add elegance, style and atmosphere that you and your wedding guests will remember forever.