Easy DIY Reception Centerpieces

What to do when you have spent your entire wedding budget and have not yet even called a florist? Look for affordable DIY solutions! Here are a few little cuties that we found for those of you who are budget impaired or simply don’t want tons of fluffy flower centerpieces at your reception. We especially adore the wooden one for wintery wedding themes and the awesome concept of butcher paper with giant flowers (you could go with real ones or paper) scattered in the center.

Flowers in Antique Cans Purchase simple flowers and load them up in antique cans or bottles.

Tree Trunk Centerpiece Go to a construction company to see if they have any scrap wood that you can purchase.

Desert-inspired Twine Wrapped Jars Use everything from antique bottles to the olive jar that has been sitting in your fridge for too long. Clean them out and tightly wrap them with twine (adhere with a glue gun before each “row”).

Paper Flowers in Mason Jars This will save you money, but cost you a lot of time. Be self-aware enough to know if you are the kind of person who can make a hundred paper flowers. If you are, we tip our hats to you!

40 Award Winning Professional Wedding Photography Pictures

Wild Weddings

Weddings these days are becoming more about making a statement. In which ever you look at it. A statement of displaying your love to your nearest & dearest, or a statement of showing just how lavish a couple you actually are. Regardless, weddings are all about the details and making your guests have a memorable experience...


One of the most important aspects of your wedding? Venue ! A lot of couples are taking their guests into the wild and are getting married away from it all. In the bush, tented wilderness camps, riverbanks or remote safari lodges...Kenyan weddings can be informal and relaxed barefoot on the beach or relaxing under canvas- or completely formal, with black ties and wedding gowns in the bush. 

This cocktail of formality and wilderness has become a trademark of Kenya’s romantic safari lifestyle and is easier to arrange than you think. Kenya’s many private game ranches and lodges all make ideal secluded wedding venues.  

If having your wedding out of town is not a possibility, you don't have to go as far as you think... there are plenty of "wild" aspects you can use to incorporate into your big day...

Its so hue !

Looking for inspiration to help you pick your colours? Here's how to make your favourite shades complement your style.

purple - cool colours like purple create a relaxed vibe. plus, it's very versatile. deeper shade look royal, while lighter lavenders are girly! 

paired colours : plum + mocha, violet + nickel, amethyst + poppy red, eggplant + violet, lilac + kelly green, hyrdangea + oatmeal

yellow - set the scene with this happy shade that lets you show off your softer side or the bold couple that you are ! 

paired colours: lemon + orange, daffodil + stem, butter + bluebell, honey + moss, sunshine + stone, mustard + yellow pepper

 green - fresh, natural and playful, this grassy colour can create a mood that's bright and really pops, or thats calm and elegant

paired colours: lime + emerald, celadon + butter, celery + tan, leaf + powder blue, apple green + vanilla bean, kelly green + sterling

blush - don't overlook this neutral powerhouse ! it has an organic and pure beauty that can help round out patterns and textures. 

paired colours: linen + pink, vanilla bean + lilac, ivory + key lime, peach + cocoa, blush + oatmeal, peony + caramel

blue - a classic wedding colour choice, blue never disappoints. this timeless colour can be formal in navy or casual in aqua, not to mention the every shade in between ! 

paired colours: powder blue + plum, cobalt + periwinkle, turquoise + blueberry, aqua + icicle, robin's egg + chocolate, navy + charcoal

Having a Christmas Wedding

Christmas is here...Great time when family members get together to celebrate, people go to church to celebrate this wonderful day so therefore the church is decorated to suit the occasion, Then why not have a christmas wedding?
If you've chosen to have a religious ceremony, a wedding at Christmas-time gives you the perfect opportunity to sing carols to your heart's content. Choose your favorites, and you can guarantee that your guests will sing along loudly too.
Here are some tips that will help you with planning for your Christmas Wedding:

Wedding Reception:
Think of everything you associate with Christmas and consider how you can incorporate it into wedding reception. Here are a few ideas:

• Have a Christmas tree with plenty of decorations. Favors can hang from the tree, or be placed underneath
• For favors, give crackers, tree decorations or gift bags filled with sweets
• Sprinkle tables with snowfetti or metallic confetti;
• Give each table a Christmas name (Santa, snowman, sleigh etc) or name them after reindeer (Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donna, Blitzen and Rudolph)
• Give each child a stocking filled with toys and sweets to entertain them for the day.
• Add to the party feel with sparklers, Christmas trivia and champagne bubbles
• Have Santa or snowman placecard holders.

The Cake:

In order to emphasize your Christmas Wedding Cake, you should have the cake table decorated as well. It is important to make sure the ornaments blend harmoniously and do not overburden the cake.

Having each tier look like an individually wrapped package is a popular look that is perfect for a Christmas Wedding.

The Bride's Dress:

A Christmas wedding dress needn’t be that different from any other kind. Wear the one that flatters you most, and top it off with a long red velvet cape. Or embrace the trend of color in wedding dresses by adding a beautiful red silk sash to the waist of your gown. You could also seek a dress with lots of sparkly beads and sequins to evoke the snowiness of the season. 

Invitations:

You’ll want to reflect the season and your theme, but you won’t want it to look like a holiday card. The solution? Forgo a folded card, opting for the traditional thick white card, with a border and engraved or thermo-graphed text. You can highlight the Christmas wedding theme in the border with white snowflakes or an elegant holly trim.
Since people make plans for the holidays early, and often have many parties and events to attend at this time of year, you’ll want to send your invitations a little bit early – about 12 weeks before the event. You might also consider “save the date” cards in addition to the invitations, which will ensure that those most important to you will be able to attend.
Flowers & Decor:

Since flowers can be more expensive at this time of year, think creatively. A mirrored platter with pillar candles and sprigs of holly is both elegant and romantic. Buy ornaments in bulk and create centerpieces of bowls or vases of ornaments. For a simple but elegant look, put pots of poinsettia with a ribbon trim in the center of each table. Fake snow used to be tacky, but there are now very good products available. Set candles or small flower arrangements in the middle of snow. And for my favorite touch, use fake snow instead of an aisle runner really make your Christmas wedding a winter wonderland.

Choosing a good hairstyle on your Wedding Day.

Your big day is approaching and everything is planned. One thing you may need to put more time into is deciding how to wear your hair. This can either compliment or take away from your beauty on the most special day of your life. The first step in deciding on a wedding hairstyle is finding the right stylist, someone who is open to your ideas and familiar with your personal style. Start looking for a stylist at least four months before your wedding.

Make an appointment with a hairdresser recommended by your family and friends, or with your own hairdresser. It is better to bring pictures of the dress, headpiece and the hairstyles that you would like to try. Also, discuss with the hairdresser what will b the appropriate color, texture and the style.

Make sure that you have enough time to prepare your hair. Usually, you may need about six weeks before the wedding to make minor changes to your hair. If you will be changing your hairstyle, hair color, or length, you may need up to six months.

Choose a style that compliments your face. Those with oval faces have the least worries. With an oval face, just beware of bangs and having too much hair in your face. With a round face, go for volume and height. This will help lengthen your face. For square faces, either layered, romantic and wispy, or up and heightened. Those with heart-shaped faces can go with a sweep of hair across the brow in whatever style they choose.

If you are thinking of having your hair permed or relaxed, ask the hairstylist if he or she thinks this will not damage your hair. Damaged hair will not look good and will be difficult to style. If you wanted to try this, make sure that you still have enough time to experiment and to undo it if it doesn't look good.

If you are thinking of dyeing your hair, consider if the color will compliment your skin color and the color of your eyes. It is better to ask the help and suggestions of a professional for this. When dyeing, use a temporary dye first.

Your hairstyle should go well with the cut of your gown. Make a Match.A bride's hair should complement her gown, not compete with it. The formality of your outfit is key and should dictate the direction you go with your hair. Style your hair with your dress in mind. If you are wearing a strapless ball gown, you may want some wisps, or curls of hair falling onto your naked shoulders for a dramatic effect. Also, if you have a long flowing veil, it will look best on long and flowing hair. If you have a simple gown, choose an uncomplicated hairstyle. Choose a hairstyle that will be comfortable and will not be difficult to maintain since you will have a lot of things to take care of on the wedding day. Coordinate with the style of the wedding. Formal weddings will require formal hair like an updo. If you are looking at fairy tale weddings, think of a tiara or jeweled hair accessories. With a luxurious French twist, a bun or short hair, a tiara will give you the fairytale look you want

 

If you have short hair, you may add highlights to enhance the richness. You may also have hair treatments or try products that will add shine. You can also try a multi-textured look. Flowers also look good on short hair.

If you have a long hair, it is suggested that you wear your hair up for an elegant look and to minimize the need for maintaining it, since you will be busy the whole day.

  

If you have short locks, There are some seriously sexy and glam looks for short-haired brides. The mini barrette look is a sweet option for a twenty something bride; use gel to slick the front of your hair down, fastening one or two barrettes in strategic places. Tousle the hair on the back of your head for a wild contrast. An elasticized, fine-toothed headband is another simple-but-chic look. Just pull one through your hair and -- voila -- the pixie look.

If you have long locks, If you decide to wear your hair up, there are many wonderful 'dos you can do. Scour fashion magazines, consult with your hairdresser, and ask friends for help with trying styles out.

Petals, barrettes, buns or wigs -- whatever you decide, find something that suits you and the overall style of your dress and the wedding.

Visit, and re-visit, the stylist. Just like when planning for the perfect cake and the perfect dress, leave yourself time for planning the perfect hair. Have your stylist try different looks on you, so you can see the final result in the mirror. Bring all of your hair accessories with you to each trial run. This means any clips, tiaras, or veils that you will be wearing.

Message to the Groom!

Finally the time has come for you to get an engagement ring for the woman of your life. If things go right, you'll only be buying one engagement ring in your lifetime. With your lack of experience, how are you going to make sure you find one that your sweetheart likes but is still a wise purchase? The following steps will help you find the perfect engagement ring:

Determine Your Budget: Always remember that the amount is not tied to how much you spend on a ring. You should figure out how much you can afford to spend before you step foot in a store. 


Choose a Stone: Choose the diamond separately. It helps if you know what shape your sweetheart wants i.e round, pear, marquis, etc. The most classic shape is a round solitaire.  


Choose the Setting:  After you've got your stone, then comes the setting. You could go for simple with a solitaire setting, or you could add filigree, extra side stones, and other details. You can choose gold, white or rose gold, platinum, or even titanium.

Maximize Your Budget: If your intended is always talking about huge diamond engagement rings, but two months of your salary wouldn't buy a Big Mac, you're going to have to stretch the budget. Ask for a stone with more surface area – it won't sparkle as much but it will look bigger. Ask for stones that are slightly less than the next carat (0.8 instead of 1 or 1.9 instead of 2) – the almost indiscernible difference can add up to big savings. Instead of a diamond solitaire engagement ring, consider a less expensive center gemstone (such as tourmaline, blue topaz, sapphire) flanked by two small diamonds. Choose white gold instead of platinum. And consider an antique engagement ring.


Get a Buddy: Don't go into a jewelry store alone. They're scary places full of way too many choices. If you can, bring your sweetheart's best friend or mom along to help you choose. But if you're worried they'll spill the beans, bring a trusted buddy of yours. Make sure they have taste, or you'll be trying to propose with a ring pop. Also, assuming they like the person you're buying it for, this is a great moment to bond with your parents and get their advice. Think About Bringing Your Sweetheart With You. You'll lose the element of surprise, but you'll be sure that she likes her engagement ring. More and more couples are doing it this way.


Get a Quality Jeweler: Ask for recommendations from friends and family. Before you buy, find out what the return policy is so that you can exchange it if you didn't do your homework properly.


Pay Attention: Is it going to be gold or platinum? Modern or traditional? Flashy or understated? Look at the jewelry your sweetheart wears on a daily basis. If it's all silver with intricate designs then look for a platinum engagement ring with intricate designs. If it's just a few heavy gold pieces, well, then go in that direction.

Plan Ahead: You may not be able to just walk out of a jewelry store with a ring. Not only will you need to save up for it, but depending on what you order it could take a couple weeks for them to set the stone, do any engraving, or even custom design your ring. So if you want to propose on a certain date, make sure you start working on the ring early.