WEDDING INSPIRATION: Hunger Games

With spring weddings just around the corner, I thought that this article by Rachel of MagnetStreet Weddings would be great to share.  The original article can be found here.


Hunger Games Wedding Inspiration and Ideas

The fans are hungry and ready for their next helping! The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, the highly anticipated sequel to 2011′s The Hunger Games, premieres today nationwide. In celebration of its release, today’s blog post features three fun ways to weave this dystopian story into your wedding stationery, fashion, and decor. Feast your eyes on the loveliness below.  

Bow and Arrows
Katniss Everdeen, the heroine of the book and film series, is a skilled archeress whose bow-hunting skills come into play quite often throughout the series. Since bow and arrows also hint at love–and Cupid’s arrow—this theme would be a lovely addition to your wedding day. There’s so many fun ways to aim at this theme:

• Arrows “shooting” into your wedding cake 
• Inscriptions on your wedding bands 
• Bow and arrows hung from the ceiling or as table displays 

To keep the look light and romantic, you could try a softer color scheme with gilded touches, as illustrated on the inspiration board below. Our Love Arrows stationery suite offers an airy palette that complements this theme very well.   

Photo Credits: Bow & Arrow by Natalie Spencer Photography via Ruffled, Save the Date by MagnetStreet, Cake by Justin Marantz via Hostess with the Mostess, Bouquet by Natalie Barrett Photography via Bows and Arrows, Ring via Etsy  

Enchanted Forest
The annual Hunger Games takes place inside a giant arena—a sprawling landscape filled with dense forests, rolling meadows, grassy fields and rushing streams. This woodland panorama lends itself nicely to a rustic, outdoorsy wedding theme.
There’s a bounty of beauty and nature to explore for this theme:

• Owl/bird feather boutonnieres
• Twigs, berries, and pine needles
• Botanical, organic hairpieces
• Rustic wedding cake or dessert

You could even kick-off your woodsy wedding theme with a tree-laden Save the Date, such as the one pictured below, or another nature-inspired Save the Date design.

 Photo Credits: Save the Date by MagnetStreet, Tablescape by Ashley Photographer via Green Wedding Shoes, Headpiece from Etsy, photo by Caroline Tran, Cake by Courtney Clarke via Wedding Chicks, Feather boutonnieres by Stacy Jacobsen via Green Wedding Shoes                                         

  



Fiery Fashion
If you saw the first film, then you’ll probably remember one of the more striking scenes: Katniss and Peeta, riding into the arena on a chariot, their outfits bursting in flames (literally).  Fire remains a strong theme throughout the series, as evidenced in the name of the sequel Catching Fire.

Why not heat up your wedding day with some fiery fashion and decor? A simmering palette of reds, oranges, and yellows can ignite this theme, as shown on the inspiration board below. From ombre patterning to roast-your-own s’mores (how fun is that?), there’s a lot of fun ways to turn the heat up on this theme.

Our stationery suite Whispering Feathers stationery suite takes on a fiery twist when personalized in warm red/orange hues, as pictured below.

Photo Credits: Cake via Maggie Austin Cake, Wedding Invitation by MagnetStreet, S’mores by Jessica Bennett Photography via Grey Likes Weddings, Rattan lights via Etsy

Photo Credits: Cake via Maggie Austin Cake, Wedding Invitation by MagnetStreet, S’mores by Jessica Bennett Photography via Grey Likes Weddings, Rattan lights via Etsy

- See more at: http://www.magnetstreet.com/wedding-blog/hunger-games-wedding#sthash.iZEKXkR4.dpuf

Photo Credits: Cake via Maggie Austin Cake, Wedding Invitation by MagnetStreet, S’mores by Jessica Bennett Photography via Grey Likes Weddings, Rattan lights via Etsy

- See more at: http://www.magnetstreet.com/wedding-blog/hunger-games-wedding#sthash.iZEKXkR4.dpuf

Indian Inspired Fall Wedding Colors

Everyone has their favorite season, and mine just so happens to be autumn a.k.a Fall.  Growing up on the East Coast, you get to experience the change of seasons something that I miss now living in Southern California.  The beauty of the orange, browns and golds that nature provides in inspirational to me.

The vibrant tones, yet the subtle undertones make for a majestic display. Needless to say, when I came across this Indian inspired board over at Save The Date Events, I had to share.

Looking for some inspiration for your 2014 fall wedding? You may have just found your answer!

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Visit www.BlessingsAllAround.com  for ceremony options.

NEW WEDDING TREND: MORNING AFTER AND BOUDOIR PHOTOS

PHOTO CREDIT: MICHELLE JONNE

Looking for a way to add a little more spice to your wedding festivities? Join the growing number of newlyweds who are steaming up their pre and post nuptials with sexy photo shoots. Give him a revealing photo of you nicely framed, and accentuating your positives, or how about showcasing the newlywed glow in a photo shoot set the day after the deal has been sealed.

Morning after and Boudoir photos are quickly becoming the hottest new wedding trend. These photo shoots give the couples a “time out” from all the stressful events of wedding planning, and captures memories not often reflected in the ordinary wedding album.

PHOTO CREDIT: MELISSA SQUIRES

Boudoir photos have been gaining popularity since 2009. The term boudoir means bedroom in French, hence these photos are often taken in ladies bedroom, dressing room or other intimate space. Boudoir photos tend to accentuate your positives and little to no clothing is worn.

Typically given as a pre-marital gift to your future husband, a boudoir photo captures you in an intimate light for his eyes only.

This is a gift that keeps on giving as he can look at it and be reminded just why he married you. Studios that shoot boudoir sessions can be found in every urban city and can run you $150 - $450.

Morning after photos consist of the freshly married couple in sexy, intimate poses together. Michelle Jonne, a New Jersey based photographer came up with the idea and said she was inspired by ad campaigns by Emporio Armani featuring David and Victoria Beckham.

The photos are meant to capture the glow of the early stages of marriage. The shoots are scheduled one day to a couple of weeks after the wedding and can take place in the couple’s home or even the hotel room where the honeymoon took place. Many couples frame the favorite and place it over there bed, others choose to post the pictures on Face Book, or to create a private photo album to be shared between them.

PHOTO CREDIT: MICHELLE JONNE

The average cost for morning after shoot is around $650. It’s still a growing trend and has taken a strong hold on the east coast. However, we are slowly seeing other studios in the west take up these sexy sessions. Any good photographer should be easily able to capture the essence of you and your husband’s love. The key is finding someone that can make you guys comfortable and snap those priceless moments.

There has been a little opposition to the photos on recent blogs, with people accusing couples of being “vain” and seeking attention. Some have even gone so far to label it as porn! I believe like any other photo session, you are seizing a moment in time, that you are documenting the history of your love story.

What do you think, are the racy photos too much? Let us know what you think in the comments section.

2012 Wedding Trends : D.I.Y. Weddings

BY SOCIAL BUTTERFLY

Who says planning a wedding has to be expensive? Eliminating third party vendors in wedding planning is quickly becoming a new trend. 

DIY weddings are a hot trend in 2012, partly because they are low in cost. Planning the wedding and hand making most of the decorations leaves room in the budget for - a more luxurious honeymoon, a new home down payment or a new car. There are cons to a DIY wedding however. 

By doing everything yourself you may get overwhelmed. This can be dealt with by enlisting dedicated friends as well as your fiance, to help out with the craft projects. The key is creating a timeline and a checklist, to keep you on track. Try to have most things on your checklist done two weeks before the wedding. This will reduce your stress the day of the wedding.

Sound like an idea you can work with?  Let’s get started!

INVITATIONS

There are many pre–made invitations on the market yet sometimes it is hard to find to match your theme or unique color scheme. Creating your own invitations allow you the freedom to their many wedding invitations kits that start around $20 per pack that allow you to self print your information. 

                       

There are also sites such as ETSY or kaboodle that offer handmade invitations at affordable prices.

Creating your own invitations allows you to mix and match bringing your own uniqueness to not only your invitations but your place cards as well!

THE VENUE

The DIY wedding  has endless choices as far as venues. Many communities in the U.S have beautiful parks where you could have a garden style setting usually for minimal fees. What about one of your relatives lavish back yards! It will be your imagination that sets the ambiance, which is critical to any themed wedding. Decorating the space with your handmade ornaments will set the mood just right. Try using paper to create various designs, such as butterflies, dragonflies or birds, or use lighting such as candles and lanterns, also you can use an array of local grown, in season flowers to give your venue that magical flair you always dreamed of. The venue itself could be all the decoration you need as in this picture below.

  

DRESSES

Having you and your bridesmaids dresses handmade is authentic and budget friendly. If you happen to be good at sewing and cutting patterns you have just added more pennies to the piggy bank. Or maybe you aunt or grandmother could make the dresses, how many women today can say that their sweet grandmother made their wedding gown? If dress design is not your strong suit (its definitely not mine) check out WEDDING DRESS CREATOR,  a site that allows you to design your dress then print it out or save to a flash drive to take with you to a seamstress of your choice.You will love this site, the graphics are great, and it's free. What do you think about my creation?'

FLOWERS

The Internet will be your best friend when planning your DIY nuptials. This holds especially true when it comes to planning the floral aspects of your wedding. Websites on how to organize a bouquet to wholesale flower vendors can all be found using the World Wide Web. Many wholesalers will send you samples so that you may begin experimenting with your centerpieces, and bouquets. Ideally your wedding flowers will be delivered two days before your wedding so your time in which you have to prepare all your floral arrangements will be short. Using the sample flowers will hopefully set your floral decor in stone, so when the actual wedding flowers arrive you could use photos to arrange the pieces. Also you can experiment which tend to be inexpensive and could give you a general since of where you are going. DIY floral arrangements can be as beautiful as your imagination and adds more pizazz than the traditional rose bouquet.

FOOD

How many times have we had dry chicken or cold vegetables at wedding? The DIY wedding food gives you the chance to show off you and your family's cooking style. Preparing the food yourself can be tasking, however, it will all be worth it when you see your guest mouth watering and the compliments coming in. Having a summer wedding on a beautiful patio or back yard? This sound like a perfect opportunity for a barbecue! Even with a traditional sit down dinner you can elect simple and delectable entrees to woo the crowd. The main thing is satisfying your guest who took time out their schedule and probably has not eaten in hours. Out of all the areas you will put your hard work into to make your special day sparkle, what everybody remembers the most was how good the food and cocktails were!

CAKE

Among the top trends in previous years that continue this year is the cupcake wedding cake! This works perfectly for the DIY wedding planner. Depending on the size of your wedding party you may have to make anywhere from 100-500 cupcakes! There is so much flexibility when choosing cupcakes, from colors, to design, to flavor, you can mix and match your cupcakes. Having a cupcake display also alleviates someone having to cut each guest a piece of cake and for some reason people tend to eat their whole cupcake versus a slice. There are so many decorating ideas for the wedding cupcake on the market, one of my favorites are the decorative gift boxes that allow your guest to travel home with their cupcake safely in tow. Cupcake tiers are readily available at your local bakery or online. Cupcake are generally easier to transport than traditional wedding cakes, which will alleviate another headache of your cake looking slightly titled.

Overall the process of planning a DIY wedding can be stressful, the key is time management. You should start by writing a checklist. There are many DIY wedding planners on the market to keep you organized. I suggest you purchase one immediately. Then, you can develop your time line and put your plan into action. DIY weddings work best when you have two or three dedicated people to help you get things done. So choose your bridesmaids wisely, good luck!

TOP 5 WEDDING THEMES FOR 2012

BY SOCIALBUTTERFLY

                                                

It’s that time of the year again!  As the sun warms with its golden rays and the flowers begin to bloom, everything in nature is reborn. It is during this time that love is in the air. It is also the time that wedding invitations begin to grace our mailboxes, with their beautiful designs and colors. As we decide who our dates will be or what outfits we are going to wear,   many brides are still tackling the intricacies of wedding planning.

The traditional wedding season in the U.S. starts in April and usually wraps up by the end of October. If you are getting married this year, you are either well into the planning stages or clueless as the day is long, as to what direction you would like your wedding to go in. It all begins with a theme. Setting your theme gives you the foundation in which to build on. Once set, you can choose your colors, venue, flowers, and dresses accordingly., Your end goal -- every single aspect of your wedding was threaded together to fit your chosen theme.

BLESSINGS ALL AROUND www.blessingsallaround will show you what new and exciting ideas are available for this year’s bride, no matter if you’re an old fashioned kind of girl or a Martha Stewart protégé. Join us weekly as we present different themes and feature the items that go into making each of them come together. We will discuss everything from dress styles to venues which are critical for bringing your theme to life.

So make sure you join us over the next few weeks as we cover the following 5 trendiest wedding themes of wedding season 2012.

1.     GREEN WEDDINGS

2.     VICTORIAN STYLE WEDDINGS                                     

3.     DIY (DO IT YOURSELF)  

4.     COLORED THEMED WEDDINGS

5.     RUSTIC/VINTAGE STYLE WEDDINGS 

Always The Bridesmaid, Never the Bride

BY SOCIALBUTTERFLY

How exciting, one of your best girlfriends has just called to share the exciting news that she is newly engaged and wants to enlist you as one of her lovely bridesmaids! You’re ecstatic for her, but can help thinking, "When is it going to be my turn?” 

Many women know this feeling all too well. She shares
in the joy of yet another friend, relative, or co-workers pending nuptials, with no hope insight for herself.  Then comes the agony, I mean the ecstasy, of following her all around town as she plans for her big day. You will be constantly bombarded with e-mails and texts messages, about food tastings, and dress fittings so on and so forth.

 It doesn’t have to be all bad. Remember, when life hands you lemons -  make lemonade! Here are 5 tips to help you get through this process a little smoother and with some joy.

1. Look At It As Preparation For Your Big Day - No matter how it feels right now, your day will come. Use this time to make mental notes or create a journal of the things you experience in preparing for the current bride-to-be wedding, to guide you when creating your own. You can use this time to discover various, venues, food, and themes you may or may not like. Having this information at the start of your own wedding planning could save you time and money.
2. Free Lunch Dates - Sometimes since your friend will feel guilty about consuming your weekends and free time, she will tempt you with a free lunch or perhaps a drink or two. This will satisfy most women I know, turning a "maybe" into "what time should I meet you" in five seconds flat.
3. It's All About Attitude - What goes around comes around, as the old saying goes. Nobody wants to be around a sour puss, so perk up! Be genuinely excited for the bride to-be., Get involved. Encourage her, laugh with her, be honest with her. One day it will be your turn and if you have Negative Nancy in your bridal party, your girl’s day out wedding planning can quickly become doomsday! Just think how you would feel if it was your wedding. Not a great feeling huh? So smile, and be merry remember attitudes are contagious so let yours is delightful and gracious.
4. Create Memories - When it's all said and done, do you want to look back and have regretted wasting an opportunity to create memories? We are a sum total of our experiences, so let's make some good ones while we can. When you look back on this wedding planning experience, you will realize that you have never laughed so hard or cried so many tears of happiness and joy. Like seeing the bride cry as she realizes she has found the perfect dress, or calming her down just before the ceremony as only you could. These experiences will bond the two of you for life, deepening the friendship you share. After all, it's why she chose you for this in the first place. 
5.   You May Meet Mr. Right - A wedding brings family, friends, and co-workers together. It is a chance for everyone to mingle and for those who have not previously met, to get together... After all, you will be looking spectacular in your new dress, great hair and flawless make-up. When you look good, you feel good. So use that positive energy! Remember, you determine your own happiness.

This could be the best of times or the worst of times depending on your attitude. If you still can't find it in yourself to be joyful and participate, then its better you decline.