The use of accents such as feathers, crystals, fruit, colored water and submersible lights are popular to give your wedding or event flowers a more unique and special look. You will be seeing more colors in jewel tones and metallics as well, platinum, navy and emerald green.  Clustered arrangement of multiple vases are popular for a modern, minimalist look.  “Green” weddings are still popular and we have alot of requests for uses of moss, stones, pinecones and grass to fit out natural environments.

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Authored By Katina Isacson

Katina Isaacson is the owner and designer of Sierra Floral Designs, providing unique and fabulous wedding and event floral design for the Lake Tahoe/ Reno area.  Creative event flowers…as unique as you are!  We work with clients from all over the world who are coming to Tahoe to get married.  Visit our website at www.sierrafloraldesigns.com

We had a bit of downtime earlier today on some of our sites as our servers underwent some maintenance.

Our apologies for any inconvenience.

The “Candy Buffet”  is a HOT item for weddings and events.  Heck, everybody loves candy!  They are replacing the “Wedding Favors” as your guests will want to take candy home.  They are easy to set up too. All you need is containers, candy, scoops and a little creativity. Your guests will LOVE it.

You can spice up the table with tablecloths, table runners, flowers, and pictures. These things can be added to make your candy buffet table look FABULOUS.

Color makes a difference. Co-ordinated colors look more elegant than random selections. Add extras to the table: Fountain, fortune cookies, cookies, brownies, bowls of fruit for the healthy option, napkins, take home bags/containers.

Add something salty or sour: Yummy! Salt or sour goes with sweet. Your candy buffet doesn’t have to be all candy. Add potato chips or pretzels maybe some sour balls. Fresh fruit and cheese work great as well.

How much candy should you purchase? I wish there was a hard fast rule to this question. Some say 1/4 LB per guest, others say 1/2 LB per guest. But it’s all about the way your candy looks. Plan by how you want the display to look, not how many guests are coming. Having enough candy is crucial in making your candy buffet look good.

Take your candy buffet bags/containers that the guests will be taking home with them to your local grocery store and fill them the types of candy you will have for your event. Then weigh them. Multiply by how many guests, then you will get an idea of the pounds.

It takes approximately 95 Hershey’s Kisses to equal one pound of chocolate, and there are There are 25 Jelly Belly beans in an ounce,

“Love is SWEET !”

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Randi has been coordinating weddings since 1999.  She now gives free advise to brides and is co-owner in CandyScoopStore.com.

You might be tempted to use a family member or friend to do your wedding flowers or try to do them yourself but there are many things to consider before trying this. 

There is a lot more that goes into doing flowers than buying them, cutting them, and putting them in a vase.  A florist or designer can help you come up with a plan, and look at more affordable options to get a similar look but with less expensive flowers.  Floral designers can bring in flowers from all over the world, even when not in season.   They know what to look for and what questons to ask the wholesaler to ensure that you get what you want.  They also should have a large selection of rental containers so you do not have to buy multiple vases… especially when you want to use large scale vases for centerpieces and your  ceremony. 

You and your family are going to be busier than you think prior to the wedding.  Flowers cannot be made very far in advance and you are not going to want to be making arrangements and personal flowers the day or night before the wedding.  A floral designer can handle not only helping you design your decor but will make it and set everything up.  They can hand out personal flowers, pin on boutonnieres and corsages, and also pick up everything afterward.  This makes it much easier on you and your family. 

I can’t tell you how many Bride’s have called me and said they were going to have a famly friend do their flowers but they backed out at the last minute.  This can be very stressful.  You don’t need any more stress during this time… Hire a floral designer and know it will be perfect and you can enjoy your special day.

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Authored by Katina Isaacson
Katina is the owner and designer of Sierra Floral Designs in the Lake Tahoe and Reno Area.  Creative event flowers…as unique as you are!  Visit our website at www.sierrafloraldesigns.com

As a pastor, I am often asked by brides to help them get their point across to their new HUSBAND!. I always ask them, “do you know what he’s saying?” The answer is almost always NO! Ladies this should help you. 

1. “A!” This means yes.
2. “Baby!” This means I got caught. Please see # 10
3. Nothing I forgot what you said. I’m waiting for the Starbucks to kick in.
4. “It’s this way!” I am not stopping to ask for directions. The GPS is wrong!
5. “It was here, it must have moved!” The GPS and YOU were right, but I am too proud to tell you this. Please refer to # 10.
6. “I want to live” That means I will agree with you just to avoid an argument.
7. “Honey, I am tired of being right I just want to be happy” I am just agreeing with you for now, because your girlfriends are with to you. I’ll let you have it your way. Later when we are alone, I’ll remind you, I was right!
8. “In a minute” I will do what you ask when the commercial comes on.
9. “Piece of cake” I am calculating exactly how many commercials it will take to do what you asked. I’ll start the job when the next commercials come on.
10. “What?” This means don’t ask me for details! I have none. Please refer to #6.

Pastors Tom Roxanna Burgos are the authors of Wedding’s 101- How to officiate a guide for new Pastors, Ministers and Notaries in California. They are also the Founders and Senior Pastors of Calistoga Christian Center Church the first multi-cultural church in the Napa Valley.

All proceeds from Celebrity and Traditional Wedding go directly to fund Backpacks and Christmas Toys for children of migrant workers. So consider their advice. Many celebrities and Brides do!

Skin and Makeup Musts

• Book your make up trial so you know exactly how you will look on you wedding day. Trial as many colours as you need to be confident you love the final effect. Photograph the result so you can look back and reassure yourself that you are extremely happy. 
• Book an appointment with your beautician for 1 week before the wedding day for any waxing and facials you may need.
• Book a manicure and pedicure for a few days before your wedding day.
• Be very careful to cleanse, tone and moisturise for the week prior to the wedding.
• Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day for the week prior to flush toxins out of your body and to hydrate your skin. 
• Moisturise you face lightly on the morning of the wedding before the Make Up Artist arrives.
• Do not put any make up on- including cover stick… The Make Up Artist will do that all for you.
• Try and have as much sleep in the week prior to the wedding to look and feel bright and refreshed and eliminate bags under your eyes and dark circles.
• If you usually use Visine/eye drops pop some in before the Make Up Artist arrives to give your eyes a clear fresh feel.

Hair Musts

• Book a hair trial and try to make this for a day that you are going somewhere special like someone else’s wedding, your hen’s night, a ball or Christmas party. Make sure the final style is perfect and photograph the ‘do’. 
• Book in and have your colour and a trim done a week before the wedding. Try not to make any drastic changes to either the colour or the style that you might regret on the day and that may change the way your wedding hairstyle looks.
• Wash and blowdry your hair the night before the wedding day. Make sure it is completely dry before the Hair Stylist arrives on the wedding morning.

Setting the Stage

• On the day prior to the wedding lay out your beauty items for the wedding day so that you can find them easily… these include your tiara/hair crystals, your veil (hanging if possible), your deodorant, your perfume, your jewelry, face moisturiser, eye drops.
• Make sure you have food prepared for the wedding day. You will need to eat a decent breakfast and then have platters of light, nutritious finger food to graze on throughout the day. This is extremely important. You will be faint and nauseous if you do not eat. See my wedding day menu for ideas of light and fun platters that are easy to prepare and that will give you the energy to get you through till your reception. 
• Set up an area with either a large dining table or 2 small tables for the Hair and Make Up Artists. The Make Up Artist will need a large window to face her bride for natural light if possible. The Hairdresser will need a power point nearby and good overhead lighting.
• Have a lovely candle lit bubble bath and then go to bed as early as you can for some beauty sleep.
• Wake and enjoy every single moment of your special day. Make sure you get lots of preparation photos of yourself and your bridesmaids to look back and giggle over after the day.

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I have been doing wedding hair now for 16 years and have accumulated this information over time and prepared it for you all because often it is the little things that end up being done at the last minute and make your wedding preparations so much more stressful- I hand it out to my brides and I also have it under Bride’s corner on my website so you can print it off. I hope this helps to make the Hair and Make Up section of your special day run smoothly and stress free!

Making up a guest list can often times be quite stressful.  Here are a few tips that may help to make that job easier.

Decide on a budget.  Knowing how much you can spend and how much the caterer will charge per person will determine the number of people that you’re able to invite.  It is perfectly proper to invite some guests to the wedding without inviting them to the reception.  You’ll need to order separate reception cards and include these cards only in the invitations of those who are invited to the reception.  Omit this card from those who are not invited to the reception.

Split the guest list 50/50.  Unless one of you has far fewer relatives and friends, it usually works best to allow the bride’s family to make up half of the guest list and the groom’s family to do the same.

Although you are never required to invite children, you should always be sure to include the ’significant other’ of any guest that is invited.  It is not required to invite ‘dates’ for single guests.

If you need to cut down on the number of people you invite, try omitting children.  This is accomplished by simply not putting the childrens’ names on the invitation.  But make your ‘no children’ policy known to those who may be asked, such as your parents, attendants, etc.  You can also omit business associates or coworkers from your guest list unless they are very good friends.  Distant relatives are another omission possibility.

If you are receiving many regrets from your first mailing of invitations, it is perfectly acceptable to do a second mailing.  Be sure you are giving your invited guests ample time to respond.

The reception is when your wedding favors will be handed out to your guests.  Be sure you have ordered enough to give to everyone who has been invited to attend this part of your special day.  It is not required to give wedding favors to those who have not been invited to the reception.

 
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Authored By Diane Thompson

Diane Thompson is the owner of Wedding Favor Reflections, a website which offers the complete line of Kate Aspen wedding favors for your special day.

Today marks the launch of the “Everything Green Wedding Book“.  Being big supporters of green weddings we were very excited to learn about the launch of this book.  It is filled with lots of great tips on how to plan an elegant, affordable, earth-friendly wedding.

The book highlights how to:

• Make eco-minded, socially responsible purchases
• Choose a stunning environmentally friendly location
• Create or choose beautiful invitations printed on recycled or tree-free paper
• Hone your eco-fashion sense
• Enjoy a caterer of the organic kind
• Find the right romantic green honeymoon retreat
• Incorporate green living into your married life

The author, Wenona Napolitano, is a freelance writer, poet and mother of three. She writes everything from articles to web content. She is a trained bridal consultant and floral designer that specializes in weddings. One of her passions is helping brides-to-be plan weddings on a budget.

The Everything Green wedding book offers the following 10 reasons for having a green wedding:

1. Your big day can have a big impact on the environment; an eco-friendly green wedding can reduce that damaging footprint.
2. For those of you who are already living a green lifestyle it is natural to plan a wedding that expresses your personal beliefs.
3. You want to share your eco-friendly beliefs with your family and friends.
4. You can make a statement and raise awareness about environmental issues by having a fabulously green celebration.
5. You want everyone to know that you love the planet and you are willing to do your part to protect it, plus you’ve been dying to check out that organic gourmet caterer you’ve heard so much about.
6. Having a green wedding is a great way to support charitable causes.
7. Enviro-conscious weddings support retailers and providers of organic, sustainable, and recycled products and services.
8. You love shopping at thrift stores, yard sales, and consignment shops and a green wedding gives you the perfect opportunity to go treasure hunting.
9. You want to showcase your creative side by having a green theme wedding; naturally green, recycled retro, or vintage glamour…take your pick, you are only as limited as your imagination.
10. From simply green to eco-extravagant you can show everyone that you can have the wedding of your dreams while being green.

We are VERY excited with our newest feature: the ability to create your own custom theme for your wedding website.  We’ve had so many requests for particular themes that we weren’t able to keep up.  To fix that, we’ve created a theme builder which will allow you to build exactly the theme you want for your wedding website.  You can use your own images or choose from our library of images. You can also select the fonts and colors so that you can create exactly the look and feel you want.

Most of our current themes can be built with theme builder, so that gives you some idea about what is possible.  That is only the beginning though.

So how do you start?

Check out our how-to article to see how to build your own custom theme.

How do I use it?

Anyone can build a custom theme as described in the link above.  Applying it to your website will require that you have a premium website.  This lets you test it out so that you can build the theme you want, and see exactly how it will look before making the decision to upgrade.

We have some custom options for free sites too!

You can already change the font style and color of ‘Text’ and ‘Photo and Text’ elements on your wedding website.  Along side the new custom theme feature we’re making it easier for you to set the font and color for your whole website in one place.  At the top of the Theme Tab you will now see a link that says ‘Edit Font For… ‘ which will let you set the font, color, and bold/italic for all the elements (including the element titles) on your website!  You can still overwrite the colors of individual Text elements as well.  You can learn more about it here.

Since this feature is new, we definitely want to hear your feedback on it!

Recent trends I’ve noticed in weddings include: Keeping it simple, keeping costs down, and keeping more personal time for the couple. I am seeing more and more couples wanting to do simple, small wedding ceremonies with less fanfare and then having a special reception with special people at a later date.

One such couple is finishing up their education degrees in college.  At their wedding they had just me, their minster, a photographer and witnesses for their wedding ceremony. They said they wanted it simple, with fewer hassles and less expense. That way they had more time with each other (They weren’t worn out from the events leading up to the wedding and enjoyed the time they had together more.) When they returned home, they and their families, had a reception for friends and family. 

One couple got married on the beach of a resort, another in a park’s gardens, another in a gazebo, and another in a park’s reception hall. One couple got married in a hot air balloon and yet another on a pontoon boat. For some, Mom’s back yard works well, or the lodge meeting room. Many just have a few close friends and family present.

The trend I’ve been seeing is toward smaller weddings, in a place meaningful just for the couple, with less expense. Then investing time later for friends and family at a separate reception. It’s about having fun, enjoying each other, saving time, and less hassle, with a unique elegance.  By staying small, the special nature of your location is only limited by your imagination.

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About The Author:  Dale Shumaker: My foremost desire is to help people achieve the happiness they ought to have. My life experiences have taught me that everyone must determine what happiness is for them. I will see that your dreams for your wedding, the most wonderful day in your life, are accomplished. With a special talent to make everyone feel relaxed, comfortable while having fun, I will help you organize what you do in a way that you and your guests will have just a magnificent time. That’s why I like being part of Canalope Weddings… we find out what you want and make sure every detail you want is carried out. It is my delight to make this The Most Enchanting experience of your life… that you will reminisce forever. “May God’s richest blessings forever be with you!”  Can-A-Lope Wedding Officiants, Traveling Wedding Ministers can truly make the wedding wonders of their dreams come true.