Weddings that are held around a holiday can be extremely festive since the celebration tone has already been set by the holiday itself.  Whichever holiday you’re planning your wedding around, you’ll want to incorporate part of that holiday’s essence, not only into the decorations and reception atmosphere, but also into the wedding ceremony.  Let your vows reflect that holiday’s spirit and meaning.

  ~  A New Year’s wedding is perfect for focusing on new beginnings.  Your vows can communicate the wonderful anticipation of what is to come; a new journey to be traveled together. 

  ~  A Valentine’s weddingis already the perfect backdrop for a romantic’s dream.  Vows can incorporate selections from any one of a thousand classic poets. 

  ~  A Thanksgiving wedding lends itself nicely to expressing the immense gratitude you feel for the gift of your spouse.  You can also extend that thankfulness to your family, friends and guests as well.

  ~  A Christmas wedding brings with it a wonderful picture of God’s blessed gift to mankind and to you as a couple.  Acknowledging your commitment to Him and to each other in your marriage reflects the absolute love and commitment which was manifested on that first Christmas day.

There’s nothing that says weddings have to be formal.  Sometimes, even as adults, it’s good to let that inner child out, and a teddy bear theme is the perfect way to do that.  For this type of theme, it’s all about the decorations. 

Let your flower girl carry her petal basket that has been adorned with a tiny teddy bear.  A bear-shaped pillow can carry your rings tied onto each paw.  Embellish your reception tables with centerpieces that feature different bears or try making several pairs of beautiful ‘bear’ fresheners to set around the reception hall.  A stuffed pair of bride and groom teddys can even keep guard at the gift table.  Teddy bear cake toppers are readily available at many online wedding shops as well as unique wedding favors to send home with your guests.  HINT:  If you can’t find bear-theme wedding favors, look for baby shower favors.  Some may even be able to be personalized with your names and your wedding date.

Ask your caterer about customizing your reception foods into teddy bear molds or arrangements.  You may even want to complete the look with a teddy bear ice sculpture. 

If you are looking for a truly unique theme, this ‘Love Bears All Things’ (1Cor. 13:7) wedding theme is a particularly sweet idea. 

One wedding theme that is gaining in popularity in 2009 is the eco-friendly theme.  Lavish centerpieces are being replaced by more simple arrangements of bark, moss, herbs and rocks.  Other eco-friendly centerpiece ideas are made from various fruits, nuts or pine cones which can be arranged in vintage tins or baskets for a nice earthy touch.

The trendy colors of green, turquoise and yellow work well into an eco-friendly theme.  Wedding favors are following this trend with plantable favors embedded with wildflower seeds or favors made from bamboo or seashells.  Even smaller versions of the centerpieces can be given as favors.

Another earth-friendly idea is wedding invitations and thank-you cards made from recycled paper.  Instead of including response cards, which use more paper and cost more in return postage, set up a wedding website where guests can log in and relay their intentions.  Using the website to give directions and area hotel information will also cut down on additional paper and postage.

Shopping for wedding favors is one of the most enjoyable jobs of planning your wedding.  There are so many wonderful items out there to choose from.  The only tricky part is deciding on when to order them. 

It’s probably best to start looking for your favors as soon as you’ve decided on a general theme, if not before.  In fact, finding the perfect wedding favor may even help you choose a theme for your wedding.  Shop online and compare prices.  Remember, as I’ve discussed in earlier blogs, ‘low price guarantees’ are not what they seem to be.  Check out shipping prices and policies, return policies, and quantity requirements.  Find out where your favors will be shipped from and the number of travel days it will take before you receive your order.  Place mock orders (without putting in your payment information) and check out the cost of shipping.  Many companies inflate shipping costs in order to make their favors appear less expensive. 

Narrow down your favor choices to 2 or 3.  You may even want to choose several favors that could work in combination with each other.  This could save you money and help avoid the whole ‘more guests than favors’ dilemma, especially if you need to reorder at the last minute and one of your favors is out of stock. 

If you’re planning on a seasonal wedding, such as a winter or fall theme wedding, order your favors as early as possible.  These type of favors tend to be more difficult to find in stock if you delay placing your order until a month or two beforehand.

Although no color scheme ever truly goes out of style for a wedding, there have been definite trends for color over the years.  Just about every color palette you can think of has had ‘its day’ in the wedding ceremony.  From pastels with the light blues and pinks to brighter, bolder colors like red, purple and forest green have all made an appearance.  Until recently the color of choice seemed to be chocolate brown along with all its complimentary shades.  This year, however, the color that is emerging as the favorite of 2009, is the color gray.

Gray may seem a little on the uninteresting side of the color wheel, but being a neutral, it lends itself beautifully to nearly every other color.  It can be combined with just about any hue you can think of, from soft pastels to more saturated, darker colors.  It creates a wonderfully elegant and chic look for any wedding.

If the color gray still leaves you a little flat, you may prefer something a little more eye-catching like silver.  This sparkly version of gray really adds the sophistication that many brides are looking for and it can still be partnered with most every color.  The beauty of silver is that is also works great as a solo color, incorporating only the white of the bride’s wedding gown.

One of today’s most popular wedding trends seems to be the vintage wedding.  Period fabrics like antique lace, tulle and chiffon are quickly becoming the preferred wedding gown materials.  Victorian-style scroll-work is incorporated into wedding cake decorations and wedding favors.  There’s an increased demand for vintage cake toppers, wedding invitations, and decoration ideas.  Couples are booking sites such as historic American hotels, elegant ballrooms, or old Victorian-style homes to hold their wedding ceremonies in. 

Creating a vintage atmosphere for your wedding and reception can be challenging, but there are many resources online and in libraries that can be invaluable.  The first thing to do is to choose a time era you want to work within and then keep that focus throughout the planning of your wedding.  Incorporate the music, foods, colors and styles of that period.  Whether you’re dreaming of a garden wedding at an old southern plantation, or a Hollywood era wedding at a restored theatre, you’ll want to do your research.  Remember the secret to creating a successful theme wedding of any kind is found in the details. 

Are you looking for something just a little different for your wedding cake topper?  Then be sure to check into getting a customized wedding cake topper that is truly personalized.  These unique cake toppers not only incorporate yours and your groom’s heads, but they can also wear identical bridal gowns and tuxedos.  You can even go so far as to have the cake top couple depicting a favorite pastime, hobby, or activity.  This feature can fit very well into any theme wedding.  For example, your beach theme wedding cake can be topped with a couple wearing bathing suits or a hula skirt.  Musical weddings can feature a cake topper like the one pictured.

These personalized cake toppers can be pricey, so be sure to shop around.  Check out testimonials, ask how long your topper will take to be created, inquire about return policies or shipping insurance. 

The best part about these toppers is that their usefulness does not end with the wedding day.  These beautiful sculptures are really works of art which you’ll want to display for years to come.   

When planning the total look for your wedding day, don’t forget the toes.  The toes are just as important in your wedding make-up as your fingernails or hair.  Even if you’re not planning on wearing open-toed shoes at the wedding, your husband will see them on your honeymoon.  And beautiful feet can very alluring!

If you do want to ’show a little toe’ during the ceremony, you may want to consider toe nail designs.  Although it does take some talent to be able to hand-paint these intricate designs, I’ve found that the toes are definitely easier to do myself than the fingernails.  So, if cash is a problem, give the ‘DIY’ approach to your feet.  You can match your toenails with your fingernails, or you can give them a totally different look.

Wedding themescan easily work into your designs as well as your wedding colors.  Snowflakes, poinsettias or wreaths fit well with Christmas & winter theme weddings.  If you have metallic colors in your wedding palette, try gold or silver glitter to really give your feet some sparkle.  You can even glue on some tiny rhinestones to add an elegant touch.

There is no denying that manicures and pedicures have become a billion dollar industry.  No mall, shopping center, or outdoor strip mall is complete without at least one nail salon.  Even if you’re not into fancy nail art, you should consider making an appointment at one of these salons in preparation for your wedding day.

The services offered can range from the basics to an all out nail design to fit your wedding theme.  My daughters got me into the ‘nail art’ thing after they were married, but they all wish they had known about it beforehand. 

Nail art is a simple way of expressing yourself, plus it has the added benefit of enhancing any theme your choose.  The hand-drawn designs can include butterflies or flowers for your spring & garden theme wedding, seashells or fish for your beach theme wedding, wild geometric patterns for a more contemporary theme, or even white with black bows trimmed in gold or silver glitter for your elegant evening wedding. 

Wedding themes are a wonderful way to express yourself on your special day, but don’t just stop with the wedding.  Theme honeymoons can be great too.  Not to mention a lot of fun!

One of the more popular themes for honeymoons is the fairy tale theme.  Check with travel agents or do a search online for hotels that have fairy tale theme rooms.  Since these rooms were developed with honeymoons in mind, many hotels offer packages that can range from moderate to high in price, depending on what’s included.  If the hotel you find is fairly close by, ask if they offer tours of their fantasy suites. 

Theme rooms typically have unique shaped beds, as well one-of-a-kind shaped jacuzzis.  My husband and I once toured a fantasy suite hotel and we were amazed at what was available.  We were especially impressed with the enchanted carriage bed and the glass slipper shaped whirlpool tub for two!  These rooms can book up fairly quickly during the typical wedding months, so be sure to make your reservations well in advance.