Wedding Decorations: Creative Wedding Lighting Ideas

Wedding Lighting: Bring warmth with candles

Candlelight is a great way to bring magical warmth to any occasion. Place colorful votives all over the place for a welcoming glow. Also, line the aisle and vow area with well-made enclosed lanterns. Make sure to avoid low, open flames anywhere where guests may be.

We love these 68 candle centerpiece ideas from Martha Stewart Weddings.

DIY wedding ideas

How about some DIY lighting to give your wedding a custom look? For instance, monogram lighting is an interesting way to personalize your big day. Just put your names and wedding date in the lights and shine it behind the cake or head table for a beautiful backdrop. Alternatively, use uplighting to change the mood of the room and lend your reception a wow factor.

Take a look at these lighting design ideas from DIY Network.

Consider your wedding theme for lighting

Whether you are a rustic, country, or an elegant bride, make sure to choose the lighting that will complement your wedding theme. For instance for a vintage themed wedding, simple white or ivory chandeliers hung low would do the trick. Whereas, if yours is a rustic wedding, ribbons clustered together with festoon lights will help to create an atmosphere of fun and warmth.

Wedding Planning: Use the right color

Colored lighting is a great way to turn a plain venue into a beautiful, picturesque reception. But make sure to think outside your wedding palette when selecting colored lights. If you have used sage throughout the decor, stay away from green lighting or it might get too much of green. Consider colors that complement all skin tones such as soft pink or magenta.

Make lighting a part of your wedding decorations

When selecting the lighting, keep in mind that it not only contributes to the overall atmosphere, but also doubles up as a decor. For instance, a cluster of chic chandeliers apart from brightening the tables, also serve as an elegant overhang. So, there is no need to spend a lot of money on wedding flowers and other decorations when you can kill two birds with one stone!

When it comes to transforming an ordinary space into something extraordinary, illumination is everything. So, make sure to choose the right lighting that will carry out your personal style and create an unforgettable ambiance.

Well, you can consider succulents as a nice alternative to or addition beside flowers at your wedding. Those plump plants are in no way less charming or romantic than their botanical counterparts are. They work brilliantly on their own or mixed together.

Wedding Flowers: How to Feature Succulents in your Decorations

Image via: Etsy – Succulent Wedding Wreath – Succulent Salon

For more succulent wreaths visit our succulent wreath tutorials on How To Make a Burlap Wreath.com

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Different Type of Succulents to Choose From:

Succulents add just the right amount of texture to the overall look of a decoration arrangement. So, incorporating them into your wedding decorations adds a refreshing touch and uplifts the overall ambience.

If you love greenery, make wreaths of succulents, tillandsia, ferns, and passion vine to grace the doors of the church where you will be saying ‘I Do’. The wedding table can be decorated with succulent printed napkins and seating cards staked into mini succulent pots. The groom and his best man can gussy up their lapel with succulent boutonnieres.

Succulents can also be made great wedding gifts for your guests to take home. Stenciled glass jars filled with cute, tiny succulents or mini terrariums with succulents and air plants nesting in white sand will add a special touch to the ceremony.

For more succulent wedding decoration ideas, check the excellent article from Brit!

Wedding Centerpieces with Succulents

Stylish succulent arrangements have become a part of wedding trend these days and they are showing up especially in wedding centerpieces because they can be transformed into great wedding centerpieces. Tell your florist to mix up those fleshy plants with different types of flowers and plants such as lady-slipper orchids, air plants, Queen Anne’s lace, lotus pods, and moss and your wedding will be graced with gorgeous centerpieces.

Image via: Etsy – Succulent Wedding Centerpiece – Omorfigia Designs

For a rustic wedding, place the centerpieces on wood blocks and add vintage metal numbers or letters to them. Here’s The Knot photo album to spark your imagination with more succulent wedding flower ideas.

Succulent Arrangements for Wedding Flowers

Succulents are a refreshing alternative to flowers and they can be used making great bridal bouquets. You can apply the mix and match style by pairing different types of succulents with poppies, dusty miller, scabiosa, charm peonies, and ranunculus.

You can also craft bouquets entirely of succulents, which will look modern and stylish and will be perfect for an outdoor wedding. Sometimes, people get confused over how to avoid the succulent bouquet looking too casual in a black-tie wedding. Well, you can easily mix up those pudgy plants with some elegant flowers like black-and-white anemones and scabiosas and you will get the perfect bouquet for your black-tie nuptial!

Image via: Etsy – Succulent Wedding Gift – Omorfigia Designs

Succulents come in a surprising variety of colors and shades, which makes them perfect for wedding decorations. The great thing is these plants are eco-friendly and recyclable so you can take them all and plant in your garden after the wedding ceremony! Plus, they are especially great for summer weddings since, unlike wedding flowers, they are tolerant to heat.

For more wedding ideas on Stagetecture, take a look at these wedding tips.

How to Choose Personalized Wedding Favors

Reflect your theme in wedding favors  

 Image via: Etsy- Esdemusica- Personalized Wedding Favors 

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Every aspect of your big day should blend well with your wedding theme. And favors are no exception. So for instance if yours is a music themed wedding, hand out custom CDs or mini iPods loaded with your favorite tunes. Also, while the colors do not need to be exactly the same as the theme, they should at least be complementary.

Popsugar points out a list of 45 wedding favors your guests will actually use.

Make sure your personalized wedding favors are useful

Resist the urge to put your wedding date and initials on everything. Monogramming the wedding favors can quickly transform a useful gift into something useless. For example, those who enjoy entertaining would find coasters very useful, but who would want to display them with your wedding photo? The solution? Put the personal touch on the packaging instead like boxes, bags, or, ribbons.

Image via Etsy: The Story of the Fall – wedding favors ideas

Favor ideas for wedding themes for summer

Celebrate the brightest months of the year with seasonal go-to gifts presented with a personalized touch. For instance, mini bottled cocktails or hand fans with a thank you note attached are ideal summer wedding favors. Alternatively, if you have time consider DIY options. Make sure to pick the ones that reflect your personality.

We love these easy to make wedding favor ideas from BHG.

Image via: Etsy – Clementine Weddings – Personal wedding favors

We also love these Etsy Shops for unique Wedding Favors:

Rustic Joy Soap – Wedding Favor Soaps

5 Star Succulents – Wedding Favor Succulent Boxes

Make the favors part of wedding decorations

Why not have your guests take a little bit of celebration home? Offer thank you gifts in a way that is both economical and impressive: grouped together as centerpieces. A cluster of potted plants, stamped glass candle holders, and small vases with seasonal blooms are a few interesting options to consider.

When it comes to choosing personalized wedding favors, remember more than anything it’s the thought that counts. So make sure to present something that will serve as a lasting memory of your special day.

For more wedding ideas look through our Wedding archives, here.

Essential Dos and Don’ts for Summer Weddings

Do – Wedding Tips to Consider

Wedding Reception Menu: Serve Light Food

Heat and heavy food don’t mix. Stick to the farm-to-table trend and go for a seasonal menu that includes local fresh produce and grilled entrees. Choose grilled fruit skewers and Gazpacho shooters for appetizers and tarts and fruit pies for dessert. You can also add festive touches like frozen cocktails and popsicles. Look to our food recipes category to search for recipes.

Summer Weddings: Provide Heat Relief

You and your better half may love the sun, but don’t assume all your guests do. Make sure you provide heat relief in one way or another. If your wedding is outdoors, offer some shade or portable air-conditioning systems. You can also have ushers pass out cold hand towels across the rows before the ceremony starts. Scattering decorative tubs or baskets filled with water bottles near the ceremony site is also a great idea.

Wedding Planning: Send Save-the-Dates

Most people vacation in summer especially families with school-going kids. You should therefore send save-the-dates early enough to ensure people mark their calendars early.

Don’t – Wedding Tips to Avoid

Summer Bride Tips: Overlook Sun Protection

Sunburn can give a whole new meaning to “the blushing bride.” Prior to getting dressed, apply sunscreen to areas of your body that will be exposed and tell your bridal party to do the same.

Summer brides should wear foundation and moisturizers with SPF. However, they should try them out beforehand to ensure they don’t cause allergies.

Forget to Keep your Wedding Guests Comfortable:

Arrange for citronella candles to ensure your guests aren’t disturbed by bugs as they eat or interact. Summer brings with it a lot of bugs that can get in the way of your celebrations. Talk to the person in charge of the venue in advance to ensure bugs won’t be a problem.

Summer wedding planning is fun and interesting. Keep these tips in mind and make your wedding stand out from all other summer weddings.

A winter wedding is one of the most beautiful of them all. Crisp air, falling snow, icy evenings provide a wonderful setting for your nuptials. Moreover, there are many ways to bring this beautiful season into your wedding decorations. Here are some ideas that will help you transform your wedding into a winter wonderland.

Inspiring Winter Wedding Decoration Ideas

Image via:  Pinterest

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Color palette

Color scheme is the first and the most important décor decisions you make. For winter weddings options are many, for instance, if you are considering a traditional style wedding, pure white symbolizing winter snow is a perfect choice. Accent the white with shades of reds and pinks, especially if your big day falls around the Valentine’s Day. Whereas, for a modern wedding, options like silver with blue or gold with cream would look stunning.

Use Pine

When decorating your wedding site, make use of lot of pines. It’s cheap, easy to get and smells wonderful. While pine looks great by itself on church alters, you can always combine it with winter flowers such as lilies, amaryllis, and poinsettias for centerpieces and other decorations. Other greenery options to consider are mistletoe and holly branches.

Image via: Pinterest

Snow

No winter wedding can be complete without the effect of the falling snow. You can easily do this by hanging and laying white tulle around the room to transform it into a winter wonderland. Combine LED lights with tulle to enhance the beauty of the venue and create an illusion of falling snowflakes.

Image via: Pinterest

Candles

While candles look great at anytime of the year, they are perfect for winter wedding decorations. Not only do they help to bring warm and cozy feeling to your celebration, they also help to set a romantic ambiance. Place pillar candles of different heights in the center of the table to create a warming centerpiece. Alternately, in a glass bowl put floating candles with cranberries and place them at each table setting for vibrant effect. Overall, winter wedding decorations don’t have to be expensive. Just pick your favorite elements of the season and incorporate them into every aspect of your wedding to make it truly magical. For more wedding ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

Today we continue Stagetecture’s feature ‘Olioboard Inspiration‘. Last week you enjoyed – ‘Wimbledon’s Tennis Inspired Interiors ‘ from Sam Holloway and this week I bring you a summer backyard wedding inspiration. Natalie Hawkes is a member of the Facebook Olioboard Fan Room and I asked her to inspire us with a backyard wedding scene. Summer is the perfect time to bring nature and outdoor weddings together!

If you’re interested in being featured see details here: How to be featured on Stagetecture’s Olioboard Inspiration‘ series.

Hosting a wedding reception can be difficult so why not take the stress out of the planning by hosting your special day in your backyard. You could create a beautiful outdoor setting with any size garden.

Start by creating a central walk path that could be planked by large rocks, bushes, varies flowers and plants… at the end of the path add a trellis as your focal point for the perfect spot for vows to be exchanged, this item can easily be acquired at any local home improvement store. Generously decorate your trellis by draping it with ribbons and beaded swags in your color theme, and add real and artificial plants such as roses and vines that can be intertwined within the frame. Surround the focal point with live plants in urns displayed at different heights to create drama.

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Color ideas for a summer wedding

In this design board the color theme is that of red, green and gold. The green is displayed through the grass and creeping ivy along the back wall. The red is showcased in the beautiful rosé bushes planted in urns on both sides of the garden creating balance and symmetry. The gold and other rustic colors are displayed in quirky characteristics around the garden area, such as a small water feature made from a barrel and antique water pump.

Personalizing with creative outdoor decor

Personalized matching watering cans with the bride and grooms name on it can be displayed to signify the couple’s love of gardening, and tie into the color theme. A wall plaque and beautifully handmade bird house can be providing homely feel whilst some words of wisdom are left to those needing gardening advice. A small row of fairy lights enhance the backdrop as dusk closes in on the intimate setting.

Wrought iron chairs with red seating cushions are the perfect seats to watch a young couple take their vows. They can also be folded away once the dancing begins.

I began studying Interior Design in the summer of 2012. Interior Design has always been one of my passions. Having undertaken projects in my mine and family members homes I was finally going to study it and gain a qualification. My other love is fashion; I spend a lot of time sourcing ideas and items on the web.  After playing around with collages combining fashion and interiors I was encouraged by a friend to combine the two and came up with my own brand called “Fashion Meets Interior”.    I have clients select an item of clothing, a color, and room, then source their outfit and design a room with the use of Olioboard . You can view me at Facebook . You can see my Olioboards  and follow me on Twitter @interiorfash .

When engaged couples are confronted with the task of planning a wedding, they are challenged with a whirlwind of details to coordinate. However, before they buy the aisle runners, wedding favors, bridesmaid dresses and, for many, before they even pick the venue, couples select their color palette that will later guide all decisions. However, if it is you that is currently in this situation, you might be overwhelmed by the numerous color options at your fingertips and may be questioning where to even begin. The season in which you are holding your event can lend itself for inspiration, especially if your nuptials will be outside.

Additionally, keep an eye out for various color combinations in your surrounding world that catch your eye. One aspect that should be factored into your color selection is which hues flatter you. Being that it is your big day, consider whether your blond hair will look too akin to the yellow backdrop or whether the pastel backgrounds will make your skin looked washed out in photos. It is essential that you are aware of how your chosen theme will influence your guests, as colors have the ability to enliven or pacify, rouse deep thought or stimulate social interaction and, if used improperly, even nauseate. Your color palette can be your greatest asset when making your dream wedding a reality.

Image via: Ann Cummings

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Warm Colors: Yellows, reds and oranges are more eye-catching than cooler pigments. They have the ability to energize and stir up emotions, which is why these pigments lead to increased hunger and impulsive decisions.

Yellow:

The color of the sun, we obviously associate this color with cheerfulness and happiness. It is also the hue that most stimulates mental activity and increases the amount of serotonin produced. It makes us feel energized, optimistic and have an increased metabolism. However, with all of the benefits of yellow, it should not be used in excess as too much of it came come across as overwhelming and tire the eye (and has childish connotations as well). Furthermore, lacking the emotional interaction of red, yellow in great amounts has the potential to come across as self-centered and can cause agitation.

Red:

The color of raw emotion, strength, romance and danger, red is undoubtedly the boldest of all pigments. If yellow is the color that engages the viewer mentally, then red invigorates the heart (literally) as it quickens the pace and raises blood pressure. The viewer becomes ready for action, so it is wise to use this color in small quantities; it can be effectively used to make particular details become the center of attention, making it prime for bridal bouquets, boutonnieres, or decorative embellishments on the wedding cake. To use red on a grander scale, darken it to masculine shades to communicate deep romance; reversely, tint it with white to create shades of pink, adding femininity to be a color that placates anger and suggests playful innocence.

Image via: Weddings Romantique

Orange:

Combining red’s fervor with yellow’s brightness, orange is perhaps the most outgoing of all colors, giving it the gift of spurring conversations and creativity. If yellow is the color of the brain and red controls the heart, then orange speaks to the gut, as it causes viewers to behave on intuition. However, because of its strength (and lack of universal appeal), it should be used conservatively or be diluted; like red, darkening it adds masculinity while tinting provides feminine undertones.

Cool Colors: Blues and many shades of green and purple are considered “cooler colors” and have the ability to calm and decrease appetite.

Blue:

The color of the ocean and sky, blue is the most popular color among people. It soothes both the body and the mind, and it lowers heart rate and blood pressure. It is the hue that we trust the most and perceive as the most consistent and stable. However, with its lack of energy, it can make the viewer feel sleepy or depressed; when using it in your wedding, consider a brighter shade, or pairing it with lighter or warmer colors.

Image via: The Knot

Green:

Harmonizing blue’s loyalty and yellow’s cheerfulness, green is the color that makes us feel the safest and soothes the eye. Found all throughout nature, we also associate this color with life, freshness, health and endurance. As the hue that is being trumpeted as the color of 2013, it is ideal for couples who want a relaxed, calm wedding; to insert some energy into your palette, consider pairing it with a warmer color like peach.

Purple:

A color of paradoxes that is rarely found in the natural world, purple combines the excitement of purple with the inflection of blue to become the hue of imagination and spirituality. Both regal and forward-thinking, it is ideal for brides who want to add a modernity or whimsicalness to their ceremony. A cooler, introspective color, it can incite sluggishness and depressive emotions if bluish shades are used in large amounts.

Neutral: Though colors like white, black and gray are often considered color, what makes them distinctive is that they are without color and don’t fall on the traditional color wheel. They can be used to lighten and darken other hues, as well as to create sharp contrasts.

White:

Made up of all wavelengths of light, white is associated with cleanness, goodness perfection and, let’s not forget, virginal purity. Devoid of pigment, it can also be seen as bland and detached. Besides being worn by the bride, it is best used to make spaces look larger and make juxtaposed colors distinctive.

Black:

With entirely no light, black is associated with night, power, mourning and secrecy. However, this popular color in the fashion world is emphasized for its slimming capabilities, sleekness and ability to be both bold and mysterious. In wedding décor, black is best used to add touches of drama or chicness to an aesthetic, best for events that are striving to add contemporary flair.

Image via: The Knot

Gray:

A blend of black and white, gray is extremely versatile but is generally seen as poised, unwavering and absent of emotion. Therefore, it is often used to balance the properties of other hues (for example, it softens crimsons and animates mints).

Brown:

Brown is created through a number of different methods that involve combining all three primary colors. Because it is associated with earthiness, we have come to relate it to assuredness, comfort and familiarity. However, it is often thought of as dull, dirty and emotionless. Like gray, it is best used when paired with other colors to help mute their characteristics (pink paired with chocolate is a trendy grouping).

It is advised that couples pick one color that is to be the focal point of the event and around which the other hues can be chosen. If you choose to have more than three colors in your affair, you run the risk of the aesthetic coming across as haphazard and chaotic, which is why it is important to select a venue that matches your palette or vice versa. While traditional color combinations will provide plenty of ideas, embrace the challenge of forging your own path by playing with the endless possibilities; you never know what brilliant visual you’ll stumble upon. Ultimately, it is important to find colors that make you happy, so don’t be afraid to bend the rules to best represent the love the two of you share as a couple.

For more wedding ideas on Stagetecture, click here.