Wedding Decorations, Wedding Accessories, and Personalized Wedding Favors

Wedding decorations bring life to the room
when added with flowers they take away the gloom.

Wedding accessories are needed they say
To have a ceremony and reception and one perfect day.

Personalized wedding favors are genuine and unique
They tell your wedding party that you think they are sweet.

Wedding decorations can be black or white
Regardless of their color, they are a very nice sight.

Wedding accessories are essential it might seem
And sometimes they may even follow a theme.

Personalized wedding favors possess love and affection
Which is what a wedding is all about, a special selection.

Wedding decorations are exciting and fun
You want your day to be grand and all full of sun!

Wedding accessories should have a bit of your taste
Cause' it's YOUR special day and you have nothing to waste.

Personalized wedding favors send your guests off with care
Like totes and picture frames and even jewelry to wear.

We hope that your wedding decorations make your day great
For wedding accessories and personalized wedding favors should never be purchased late.

The Wedding Garter; A History of Tradition

As probably the smallest and least expensive detail of your wedding accessories and wedding decorations, the wedding garter comes from a long line of historical tradition.

The wedding garter is one of the earliest wedding traditions. Garters were imbued with fertility and the bride's garter signified consummation, fulfillment, and progeny and was always fiercely sought after. Men in the wedding would rush at the bride at the end of the ceremony in order to get her garter for themselves. They would then wear it on their hats until they found a girl to give it to for good luck.

Sometimes the bride would be knocked over and trampled off from this frenzy of activity so the tradition was soon tamed. They would simply throw it to the single men at the wedding reception and it became a big honor to catch it.

It’s funny to me that this small wedding accessories among all of the other wedding decorations was of such great meaning.

Let history speak for itself. The wedding garter is an important wedding accessory. Don’t forget it at your wedding.

Keeping Flowers Withing Your Budget

The flowers at your wedding can be one of the most expensive wedding decorations in you wedding. Here are a few tips to keep the costs down:

1. If you get them from a florist then pick them up from the shop yourself and do your own planning and decorating at the church and reception area. Florist often charge a lot of money to deliver and set up.
2. If you shop around enough you can often find flowers for much cheaper at street venders or grocery stores or even Walmart. Taking a little time to find flowers and doing them yourself could save you a bundle.
3. I’ve even heard of people getting flowers from their own gardens or friends’ gardens. This may not be able to supply the flowers for ALL your wedding decorations, but may just enough for your bouquets and centerpieces.

In order to keep your costs down on your wedding decorations one of the best places to start is with your wedding flowers. It may take a little more work on your part, but it’s usually worth it in the end.

Themed Weddings

Have you ever heard a bride-to-be say, “I would really like to have a themed wedding”? My response to that simply statement is, “As opposed to what?”

If you think about it, nearly every wedding has as theme. It may not be specifically stated or defined in words, but most likely all of the wedding decorations have a common theme. It could be defined by the colors, the time of year, the culture in which the wedding accessories are comprised of, or many other factors.

The typical wedding themes for wedding decorations are: Winter theme, beach theme, summer theme, spring theme, fall theme, heart theme, blue theme, pink theme, Asian theme, traditional theme, and many many… many others.

Whatever theme you choose for your wedding decorations and wedding accessories (even if you “claim” to not have a themed wedding) make it one that is unique to your tastes and gives a feeling of beauty to you and your guests.

Do Men Hate Weddings?

I’ve heard it said that a man hates weddings. Well, if you are talking about the average American male who falls asleep in most weddings he attends and dreads dressing up and then getting dragged out on the dance floor with his girlfriend who is thinking about marriage the whole entire day and has that look in her eye that says, “I wonder if he wants to marry me,” then, YES, your are correct.

I will admit, I was one of those males.

Weddings were boring. Wedding decorations, cake toppers, and all the other little wedding accessories and details meant nothing to me. And then…. I got married.

All of a sudden these were very important things in my life. Wedding accessories actually had to be decided on. Wedding decorations were a necessity in my life. And how much my future bride liked me (I knew she would always love me, but not always like me) depended on my answers and expressive responses to the never ending question, “Honey, what do you think about _____________?”

It’s funny to me that I really did not play a big role in making the decisions for choosing wedding decorations, wedding accessories, or any real wedding related details, but for some reason I really did start to care about these things. After all, it was MY wedding too. I should care.

Well, I can definitely say that my view of wedding decorations, wedding accessories and weddings in general changed right there and forever. I still get sleepy during wedding ceremonies, and occasionally hate having to get dressed up, but there is something more meaningful about a wedding that I actually enjoy now.

To those men out there who can relate to the first paragraph of this post: Get married. If you cant do that… well, good luck sitting through your friends’ weddings. I used to feel your pain.

Unforgettable

Nearly every young woman I have met wants their wedding to be an unforgettable experience. From the wedding dress to the wedding decorations, they want everything to flow and look amazing.

Something that often gets overlooked are the personalized wedding favors. In my opinion, personalized wedding favors are second to wedding decorations and wedding accessories in regards to importance, but are still way up on the list of details that should taken care of.

A personalized wedding favor says "You are an important part of my life" ten times better than a normal gift card wedding favor or a simply card or candies. When you take the time and money to give someone a personalized wedding favor with their name engraved on the side, you are telling them that they are super special. For this they will remember you wedding for a life time.

The same goes for you wedding decorations and wedding accessories. When you personalize them, people remember you wedding much longer.

Put time and thought into your wedding decorations, wedding accessories, and personalized wedding favors. Don't let your wedding slip away from your guest's memories.

Feelings

Close your eyes for a couple of seconds... Think about the different weddings that you have been to and the "feel" of each one of them. What is it about those weddings that give them different feels?

Wedding Decorations. Wedding Accessories. And the Personalized Wedding Favors you take away from them.

When you are in a chapel watching the bride come down the aisle, you FEEL the whole experience. Emotions are running crazy. The groom is so nervous and the father of the bride is about to lose "it" because he is "losing" his beloved daughter.

The emotions of the moment are crazy, but it's the wedding decorations that give you a feeling that you hardly even notice. Wedding decorations bring a bit of life to the room. They are the unnoticed gems. Every bride wants their wedding to be talked about amongst their friends as a beautiful and unforgettable experience. The chances of that happening are much higher if the feeling in the room is made up of beautiful wedding decorations and wedding accessories. It also helps when the wedding party goes home with cherish personalized wedding favors.

So give your wedding a good feeling. Get wedding decorations and wedding accessories that are just right for you.

The Flower Girl: An embarrassing moment as a child

I remember when I was a flower girl in my sister's wedding. I wasn't very old, but I remember feeling like a little princess. I remember the beautiful wedding decorations and the sound of the music filling the air. I was so honored to be a part of her wedding and to put flower petals down the isle to elegant music in preparation for her arrival.

My instructions were simple: place a few petals down with each step and just make sure not to put them all in the same spot. I understood.

Finally, the time came for my big moment in the spotlight. I started walking down the isle. I knew that everyone was watching me and I felt so important and pretty. But then all of the sudden it happened. The basket broke and all of the petals fell in one spot. I only had one important job to do and I failed! I ran down the isle with tears streaming down my face and fell into my mothers lap to escape my embarrassment.

While it is now a family joke and something to be laughed at, I remember being so disappointed. The lesson I then learned at my wedding was to make sure that I had purchased a quality flower girl basket for the precious little girl that was so thrilled to be walking down the isle feeling like a princess.

In fact, I wanted to make sure that ALL of my wedding decorations and wedding accessories were of just the right quality for a smooth-flowing, beautiful wedding!

Hope your wedding is filled with fun memories and all the wedding decorations and wedding accessories come together smoothly for you!

Your Wedding Party... Favors are Important.

Because your wedding is a time of celebration, you want all of your closest friends and family to be a part of it. You get to pick bridesmaids and groomsmen that have supported you and will be there for you on you special day as well as hopefully in your future. To show them how grateful you are to have them in your life, much less your wedding, you need a special gift.

Instead of the usually gift cards or box of chocolates, why not go above and beyond what they expect. After all, you already took the time to find the perfect wedding decorations and wedding accessories, the least you could do for the special people in your life is give them something of value and thought. When you personalize a gift with someone's name or a special comment engraved on the side, you are showing them your love them without even opening your mouth.

For the women, some fun things are personalized jewelry, or jewelry to match their bridesmaid dresses, picture frames/albums, travel bags or coolers, personalized cosmetic bags, spa gifts, or personalized keepsake jewelry boxes.

For the men, personalized golf towels, pocket knives, sport watches, duffle bags, bottle opener wallets and money clips, coasters, etc. make special and practical gifts every guy is sure to love.

Just make sure you do not leave these gifts to the last minute. You want to give your wedding party a gift that shows them you really do care and are glad that they are standing up there to support you.

MLH

Old, New, Borrowed, Blue

As I mentioned in my earlier post, there are a lot of details in a wedding. From the wedding decorations like wedding cake toppers and unity candles to wedding accessories like garters and personalized wedding favors; Your details will add up fast!

Not to put one more thing on you plate before you get married, but here is another fun little detail that should be given a little thought:

"Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and a silver sixpence in her shoe."

Many sources say the this phrase dates back to the Victorian era and is definitely English. However, many brides still know this phrase and consider it good luck to have something old, new, borrowed, and blue. But what does it all mean?

"Something old" symbolizes continuity with the bride's family and with her past. "Something new" means an optimistic hope for their new life ahead."Something borrowed" is usually an item from the brides family or a close friend who is happily married. That person's good fortune is then supposed to be carried over into the new brides marriage."Something blue" represents love, modesty, and fidelity, dating all the way back to ancient Rome. The Virgin Mary has been long dressed in blue represents purity. "Silver sixpence in her shoe" is meant to represent wealth and financial security. These days a dime or a copper penny is sometimes substituted.

Brides have often worn things like old crocheted handkerchiefs, borrowed pearls, blue garters, new panties, new wedding accessories, etc.

Have a wedding filled with "good luck"! Remember, every detail of your wedding is special: from your wedding decorations, and personalized wedding favors to the small wedding accessories like garters, wedding cake toppers, and unity candles.

Dream Big. Live it up at your wedding!

-M L H

Details, Details, Details...

Getting married is something that we all hope only happens once for us. Because of that, it is a very special day. It is a celebratory time of our lives when we commit to our fiancé for better or for worse till death do us part. It is witnessed by our closest friends and family and is a day remembered by all.

For some the ceremony is the most significant part, but for many the reception is the part of the wedding day that is the most remembered. Either way, wedding decorations will add a special touch to this memorable day.

Decorations tell the guest much about the personalities of the bride and groom as well as their backgrounds and the future they hope to share together.

The little details of wedding planning can be the most stressful. I remember thinking that things were under control. We had picked the wedding party, the church, the location for the reception, the colors, the dress… but then all of the little details crept up on me. What am I going to do for a garter? Do I have something old, new, borrowed and blue? What glasses are we going to use for toasting at the reception? What color pillow do I want our ring bearer to carry? Will I be able to find a flower girl basket to match? I figured out what kind of cake I want, but I don't have a topper!

Luckily I found websites that were very helpful in securing all of the little details for the wedding decorations and accessories. I even found a wedding planning guide to help me think about the details that I might have missed.

Take if from a girl who has been there, done that: Do your research and don't leave out the details. Start planning now so that when the day really comes you'll be able to simply ENJOY!

M L H

Choosing your guests

Believe it or not, choosing wedding guests is a big dilemma for most engaged couples. Between family, friends, colleagues, and even business acquaintances, your list can fill up fast. So how do you decide who should be invited and who does not make the cut.

Here are several rules of thumb that you can use to determine you list. First off, you need to determine whether or not you want to have large, medium, or a small wedding. This is relative to what you consider large and small, but my view is anything above 400 guests is large, and anything below 100 guests is small. A medium wedding is often the most popular. In a medium size wedding your budget for wedding decorations, wedding accessories, and personalized wedding favors is often very affordable. After you have a set goal in mind, start to compile your list by writing it down and putting people into two different categories:

1. Must
2. Maybe

Easy enough. You know that pretty much all (close) family members are in the "must" category. You also will probably want to put all close friends in the must category. But if there are any hesitations at all in the "must" category then move them on down to the "maybe" pile.

After listing as many people as you can think of grab a highlighter and a pen. Examine the names in the "maybe" category and ask these few questions about each one. If the majority of the answers point towards not inviting them, then, without hesitation- cross them out. But, if not, then highlight them and add them to the invitation list.

1. Will you see this person again soon?
2. Will this person be extremely offended for not getting invited?
3. Do you have enough room for this person?
4. If you invite this person, will several other people expect to be invited as well?
5. Will YOU regret not inviting this person?

Your invitation list is not the beginning or end of the world as we know it, but since it involves people who are care about you, it is definitely something to give a lot of thought. In fact, your whole wedding planning is not something to take lightly. From your wedding decorations to your honeymoon, your wedding is one of the greatest times of your life.

Don't settle. Plan. Enjoy.

-G R H

9 out of 10 People Claim to be a Wedding Photographer

Does it drive you crazy as much as it drives me bonkers? I cannot stand it when everyone and their brother says that they can shoot your wedding for you.

You Tell your friend, Joe, "We're looking for a wedding photographer, do you know anyone?" Joe replies, "yeah, my brother's roomate's friend from highschool takes excellent pictures of cool nature stuff.... and to be honest, I'm not to bad myself. It would certainly save you a lot of money." You agree to Joe's suggestion, end of saving 100's of dollars, but when the pictures come back from the wedding.... oops!

Photography, especially at weddings, takes skill, leadership, a good eye, and focus (not to mention a little experience, but I gues you gotta start somewhere). I was talking to a friend of mine about this yesterday. He is wanting to start his own photography business, but he knows that he has the skill and know-how to be a professional. I agree with him. I've seen some of his stuff and he definitely has "the eye" for it- something I, however, was not gifted with. Buying a new expensive Nikon or Olympus camera does not automatically give you an eye for taking good pictures. Trust me, I know.

My friend and I agreed that the photography market is becoming more saturated with mediocre photographers because people are trying to save a few pennies. Now, I'm all about saving a few pennies here and there in life, but when it comes to a wedding- that's one thing in life you want to do a little splurging on. I mean, it only comes around once a life time (God willing).

People complain about professional photography being way too expensive for only a half day of work. Well, let me put this into perspective for you. You've already spent good money on your, wedding decorations, personalized wedding favors for you wedding party, and other wedding accessories, why leave out one of the most important elements? The wedding photographer. After all, you wedding decorations and wedding accessories make your wedding special and personalized, but your wedding photos will help remind you of that perfect day for many years to come.

And not only is it a good investment for the future, but a professional photographer will spend many hours editing and screening his pictures before he show them to you. Average Joe with the new expensive camera will copy and paste them to a cd and give them for you to pick through.

Dont settle for mediocre photography. Find a professional who can bring the leadership needed in order to keep the family pictures moving smoothly, who has the skill to get unique quality pictures, and who takes the time to bring you the pictures that will last a lifetime.

-Griff Hanning