casual wedding dress

The typical wedding reception entertainment scheme of pretty flowers and background music is fine for some people, but all kinds of options exist to spice it up a bit and provide a celebration that everyone is sure to remember for years to come.

Before planning any of the following wedding reception entertainment ideas, please take this short bit of advice: discuss it first. These inventive ideas will hopefully bring amusement and vibrancy to your wedding reception entertainment, but it could spell tragedy if you surprise everyone (particularly your spouse) with something completely outlandish.

Build your wedding reception entertainment around a theme that suits your personalities and interests. Some specific examples could be:

For the country bumpkin in you, try a theme centered around the old west. The ol' watering hole should be a big hit. Plant some (fake) muskets and six-shooters around the area and see what kind of drama erupts.

The renaissance era gives many options for a wedding reception entertainment theme. If you have ever been to a renaissance festival, you know what fun it can be. Hazah!

In this 21st century, much of the science fiction of the past has already come to reality. This is very fortunate for the tech-savvy couple looking to design a high-tech reception centered around a sci fi theme. Laser beams and shiny, metallic things always look futuristic.

Arrrh matey! Not all pirates are from the Caribbean, but they can all throw a wild party! A big treasure chest filled with Styrofoam peanuts can hide treasures for the kids to discover.

Ancient Egypt is always an intriguing theme for any party. Design a secret hieroglyphic message for your guests to decode and win a prize. The favorite and most important symbol for your ancient Egyptian wedding reception entertainment: the Ankh.

If you really want to get the guests roaring, try this: Hire absolutely the worst band you can find in the city. Allow them to play a couple of songs before you encourage the guests to boo them from the stage. Your real band can then emerge from the crowd and "save the day" with beautiful, professional tunes. (You will still pay the sucker band for their full set, of course. They did their part.)

Instead of subdued background music between sets, hire a comedian to perform during the band's intermission. An hilarious and upbeat act will keep your guests attentive and help them catch a second wind for another round of celebration.

There is no rule book that says wedding reception entertainment must be confined to the stage. Magicians, mimes, and jugglers are a few examples of entertainers who could meander through the crowd and keep everyone on their toes. They can scope out the folks who might look bored or ignored, hopefully prying open a few smiles. Remember to ask the juggler to please forgo the flaming torches - just this once!

These are just a few wedding reception entertainment ideas to get you started. What you eventually decide to do should reflect your own tastes. But whatever you do, the key ingredient that must never be forgotten is: fun!

You have found yourself searching the wedding websites, reading article after article, browsing through magazines, but you still have not found your perfect wedding favors. You're not even sure at this point if you should give wedding favors out. You should, and here's why, plus we'll offer some simple solutions to your wedding favor dilemma.

Don't underestimate the importance of wedding favors. They are the universal symbol of gratitude that the newly married couple extends to their guests. It is one of the most traditional aspects of the wedding - dating back many, many hundreds of years - extending thanks to your guests for sharing in your special day. Think about all the weddings you have attended, how would you feel if you did not receive a little "thank you" token of appreciation? The problem is, most guests expect favors - despite what some newer wedding articles might try to make you believe.

Your favors need not be expensive to convey a simple thank you. All your favors should do is be functional - something practical that people can use. How many times have you received a thank you gift only to place it on a shelf, or worse yet, tossed it in the trash, because you just did not know what to do with it. Unfortunately, some couples put very little thought into their wedding favors. Often it seems, that wedding favors are cast aside and treated as a last minute idea - leaving the puzzled wedding guests to scratch their heads and say, "What is this?"

Don't fall into the category of silly unconventional favors! Give your guests something that serves a purpose. Why not edible wedding favors? Most people love a sweet treat, and if it can be consumed - it most likely will be used! From simple to gourmet, edibles including candy, chocolates, cookies, coffee, tea, hot cocoa, honey and mints, will satisfy the most discriminating wedding guest - and are available in price ranges to fit any bridal budget.Some tips to keep in mind when deciding on edible or candy wedding favors:

Chocolates need extra care, from shipping with ice packs during the summer months, to storage both in your home before the reception and at the catering facility for your reception. You don't want melted favors! Allergies: some people are allergic to chocolate, some people peanuts, others can't have sugar. You may want to offer two different types of favors, and have your wait staff distribute them, stating they have sugar free options available. (Also good for the low-carb dieter who may want to indulge!) Hard candies and mints make excellent choices, as they do not melt. Jellybeans are loved by both children and adults alike. With so many colors and flavors available you can even match them to your wedding colors! Don't forget about drinks as edible wedding favors. Coffee, cappuccino, tea, hot cocoa, cocktail mixes, honey - all are items which can be consumed and used. They require no refrigeration, are relatively inexpensive, can be personalized, and go wonderfully with a little edible treat! Cookies and miniature cakes - a small package of cookies (maybe even with a cookie cutter attached?) or a miniature cake they can take home - make delicious treats! Jordan almonds are a traditional and lovely token of gratitude. Whatever you decide to give as an edible wedding favor you can be sure it will not leave your guests wondering what to do with them. You wedding favors will not go to waste; they will be enjoyed! You can decorate them as you please in pretty packaging - sure to match your wedding decor. It's the idea that your gift to your guests counts the most; that you took the time to think of them. If the wedding favor you give comes from the heart, it will leave a lasting impression and memory on your guests.

One of the highlights of having a tropical wedding are beach wedding flowers. Many tropical locations have unique colors and varieties of flowers that are only found on islands like Hawaii and the Caribbean. Even if you aren't having your beach wedding on an island, it has become relatively inexpensive to find them on the mainland as well.

The first step in picking your flowers is to know what types are available where you are getting married or know what can be imported to your location. Local styles and customs will also change depending on where you are.

Once you know what is available at your wedding location, you can plan your flower budget accordingly. Working with a florist or local wedding planner or expert can help tremendously in this area. Knowing what is available will also help with deciding on what your wedding colors will be for decorations and bridesmaid dresses. Some tropical locations have flowers and colors are unique to it which might open up different color schemes to choose from.

Listed below are five beach flower ideas to get you started:

Hawaiian Wedding Flowers

Hawaii is known for beautiful flowers, and there are several fun, colorful options for your wedding flowers. Leis are probably the best known Hawaiian tradition that can easily be added to your wedding day.

Also a Hawaiian tradition, a Haku wristband, headband or anklet is another Hawaiian tradition that you could use to sprinkle color and uniqueness to your wedding.

Orchids

These colorful flowers are very resilient and can withstand hot, tropical weather. Typical colors include white, yellow, pink, pale green and purple.

Use them alone or with other colorful flowers to create stunning bouquets. They can also be part of your ceremony and reception decorations.

Hibiscus

Typically found in red or pink, tropical hibiscus will add color and class to your wedding. Many island brides match hibiscus red with their bridesmaid's gowns and wedding accent colors.

Hibiscus can be used by themselves in bouquets or paired with other tropical flowers like orchids or lilies.

Lilies

Heat resistance is just one of the reasons that make lilies a favorite among beach brides. They are also striking beautiful when used in bouquets or by themselves as decorations.

Many brides choose bouquets of white, sometimes accented with red roses or other flowers. Other popular lily colors are pink and yellow.

Roses

Popular for any wedding, roses do very well in hot climates which make them a popular choice for beach weddings. Use bouquets of red roses, or combine them with other beach wedding flowers like lilies or bird of paradise.

As you probably already know, roses come in more colors than red. Try mixing white or yellow roses in with bright, tropical flowers.

The best way to thank your guests on your wedding day is a wedding favor. These are typically an essential part of most receptions and in some cultures they are important and guests would take offense to not receive one.

A wedding favor is a small gift that is given to each guest at the wedding reception. If you are having a rather large wedding you are probably not going to want to go out and spend a bunch of money on these favors.

Below you will find a list of ideas of homemade wedding favor ideas that are simple to make and will take very little time.

1. The first favor you could give to your guests is a champagne glass filled with chocolates. This is a very simple favor to make.

All you need is to get a champagne glass, the cheapest way is to go with the plastic glasses, and fill them with a couple of chocolates. Then then cover the glass with tulle.

The tulle should go down to the stem of the glass where you can then tie it into place with a ribbon. You can further dress the gift up with a charm or silk flower.

2. Almonds in tulle is another homemade wedding favor idea that is great. You simply need to cut small squares of tulle, no more than 6 inches by 6 inches, and then place almonds, the most popular being sugar coated almonds, into the center of the squares. All you have left to do now is tie a bow with a ribbon and you are done.

3. If you do not have a centerpiece for your wedding yet and also are in need of a wedding favor, small potted plants are the way to go. Not only will the plants make the day much more colorful, but the guests can enjoy them after the wedding, which is not possible with most centerpieces.

All you have to do to make these favors is plant small flower pots with seeds. It is best to plant the seeds so they can grow before the wedding.

These are by no means all of the homemade wedding favor ideas, but are just a few of my favorite. Regardless if you just want to leave your guests with a little piece to remember your wedding by or you are following the traditions passed down by your culture, guests will love having a memory of your day long after it is over.

Your wedding is one of the view days where you really want your individuality to stand out, so why not start with the first part of your wedding- the invitations!

There are plenty of individual and striking designs out there, and you needn't be restricted by colour or materials- so your invitation can truly reflect you and your partner, and be completely in keeping with your wedding theme.

A really nice idea is to use 3d pieces that can add texture to your invitation and are also a great way of representing your interests. For instance for a recent wedding we hosted, the invites featured a button and a shell. the groom was a keen surfer and spent all his spare time at the beach, and the bride was a seamstress, who also made button jewellery- so the combination of the 2 items was perfect.

You can also display your green credentials using your invitation too. One of the best invitations I've seen was created on recycled paper from sustainable forests, and featured interesting images and words related to them, cut out of old newspapers. This eco friendliness was carried into their wedding- with organic food and eco friendly table decorations and napkins.

A nice personal touch is having a photo of the happy couple on the invitation- and if you're not comfortable having a posed picture on there, then how about a silly one from one of your nights out together, a couple of baby snaps, or even better a mock up of the two of you together when you're old and grey.

If you really want to be unique, then why not move away from traditional paper invitations, and use something really innovative.

A simple but effective idea is to send an object that will come in useful at the reception or wedding. For instance, a pair of castanets would be perfect for a Spanish themed wedding, where flamenco would be the dance of choice at the reception.

Or how about a badge as an invite, with just the time, place and the couples names on it to add an air of mystery- perfect for a more low key wedding.

Finally, a relatively new idea, that is loved by the tech savvy, is a DVD invite, with the couple announcing the wedding (almost) face to face. just be careful with this one- as great grandpa or aunty Mabel may not take kindly to this type of invite.

Hope this has been useful, and whatever you decide to use to invite friends and family to your big day just remember to make it unique to you!

To some, music is the language of the heart; it speaks to the soul in ways that mere words cannot, it creates ambiance and can relax or invigorate the mind. Whether you are a musician or a music lover, creating a music themed wedding can be fun and exciting for both your guests and the happy couple. You may like country or you may like rock n' roll, your sweetie may play in a hard rock band or may be a violin virtuoso in a classical ensemble, but whatever you musical background is, you can make your reception come alive with both music inspired decorations, sounds and even music wedding favors.

First decide on a musical style for your wedding. A country western theme could be designed around country music, cowboy boots, haystacks and even a live country band. A classical music wedding seems very elegant, black tie and upscale. Hire a pianist for the cocktail hour and a classical ensemble for the reception. If you decide on a rock n' roll theme, you can design your wedding around a particular band or performer - or even a particular decade of rock music. Riding in on a motorcycle as newlyweds and using electric guitar place card holders would be fitting for such a theme.

Whatever style of music you decide upon, incorporate it into every aspect of your wedding. The reception can be decorated like you are viewing a band in concert, or you can incorporate the instruments themselves as decorations. Centerpieces could be designed around sheet music on stands surrounded by flowers. Tables can be names of songs instead of the usual numbers. Ice or flowers could be sculpted into music notes. The dance floor can be highlighted with lights and even fog. Your wedding cake could be designed as an instrument of your choice.

For your escort cards, there are a variety of music inspired place card holders to hold your seating assignments such as pianos, guitars, violins, brass ensembles, music notes, or music stands. For wedding favors, why not offer a personalized music CD with some of the songs which played at your reception? Or for a universal wedding favor, why not purchase CD holders? The possibilities for designing a music inspired wedding theme are endless, but you may have to think outside of the box as this is a nontraditional and highly unique wedding theme.

When planning how to decorate a wedding cake, there are several important decisions to make. You'll want to be sure you have enough cake for all the guests, so the size of the cake is an important decision and one that may affect your decorating choices as well. Then there are the obvious and fun selections of flavors and colors that might be the first thing you'll consider.

Equally important in planning how to decorate a wedding cake are the choices for the type of icing and decorations you'll use. These decisions may be based on which decorating materials you're most comfortable working with or what type of look you want to achieve. In the planning stage, you'll need to make some decisions and get at least a general idea of how the cake will be decorated.

The size of the guest list will determine the minimum size of the cake, although for larger parties the display cake can be supplemented with plain sheet cakes for serving. They're easier to cut into servings, and using them frees up some decorating time and expense so you can spend more of these resources on the display cake.

At this point in planning how to decorate a wedding cake you'll also need to decide which type of icing and decorations will be used. Buttercream icing is simple to make and use and has a great flavor. Fondant, on the other hand, looks terrific, with a sleek, professional finish, but it's a little more challenging to use. Store-bought prepared fondant can be expensive and usually doesn't taste very good. A homemade marshmallow fondant is much tastier and is inexpensive to make.

The decorations you choose may be determined by the wedding theme or formality, or even simply by your comfort level with your decorating skills and the time and budget you have to spend on the cake. For example, if you don't want the stress of assembling and transporting a tiered cake, you can get a similarly impressive look by using individual cakes on matching cake stands in various sizes and heights artfully arranged on a decorated table.

The actual decorations on the cake can be as easy as a purchased wedding cake topper and fresh flowers or simply piped icing borders, or as complicated as dozens of handmade gum paste flowers and fondant lace. If you have the time and patience, gum paste flowers can be made well ahead of time and stored, so you can take your time making lots of them for a beautifully covered floral cake. If that's too intimidating or time-consuming, try a similar design with fresh or silk flowers. Either way, these are things to decide early when planning how to decorate a wedding cake. There will be enough preparation to do as the wedding day approaches without having to worry about trying to find the perfect cake topper at the last minute.

Before any baking can begin, you'll also need to choose the flavors of the cake, icing, and filling, and find or create a recipe for each. Colors will also come into play at this step, as you decide whether to make a very traditional white cake or something more modern. The icing and decoration can have subtle touches to match the wedding color scheme, or the entire cake can be boldly matched to the wedding colors.

Planning how to decorate a wedding cake is not complicated, but it is an important step that should be considered carefully. When the wedding day arrives and your beautifully decorated cake is the focal point of your reception hall, you'll know that the time spent planning how to decorate a wedding cake was well worth it.