By Georgina Clatworthy

A – atmosphere: this is all important at a wedding, but can be more tricky at an outdoor wedding.  Try to keep your guests together in one place & stop them drifting off as the atmosphere just won’t be the same if your guests are spread out all over the place.  A good tip is to decorate just one area & keep all the food & drinks in this one place.  In my experience guests never stray too far from the bar & having the entertainment in this one space as well will quickly give your guests the message that this is the place to be!

B – BBQ: a BBQ is a great idea for an outdoor wedding reception & can be used for both the main meal & the evening buffet.  Make sure you include a selection of foods that are suitable for everyone, including vegetarians & vegans.  Serve up some refreshing salads & freshly baked speciality breads.

C – croquet: what better way to get the party started than with some games? Croquet is perfect for an elegant country house venue where you can play on the lawns.  Don’t forget the spectators too, set up some deck chairs so they can relax in comfort & watch the games!

D – dancing: set up a dance floor on the lawn by your entertainment, of if available on a patio or terrace area.  Think of how romantic it would be to strut your stuff with your new hubby in moonlight.

E – evening: when the darkness sets in light up your reception with some roman candles & other fireworks to wow your guests.  You can also get silent fireworks so you don’t wake up the neighborhood!

F – fairground: how about some fairground fun at your wedding? Hire in a carousel, helter skelter & big wheel.  You could also include some side stalls & let your guests win prizes!  Handy out wedding favors of toffee apples & candy floss!

G – green weddings: stay environmentally friendly with biodegradable confetti or real flower petals.  Arrive at the ceremony & reception in a horse drawn carriage or even walk to venue if it is local.

H – hampers: forgo the sit down formal meal & instead give out picnic hampers to your guests complete with rugs for them to sit on.  You can fill them with an assortment of tasty treats & mini bottles of drink.  Picnic hampers are a great inexpensive way of catering for your guests & if the weather is hot your guests just won’t want a large meal.

J – jam: give your guests wedding favors of jars of homemade jams & preserves.

K – keg: if you want to serve beer to your guests then serve it from kegs.  You will find kegs available in a wide range of specialist beers from breweries & the guys amongst your guests will love your forever!

L – light: as the evening draws in you will need to light your reception.  Place hurricane lamps around the area along with fairylights & lanterns.  If there are ponds at the reception venue, fill them with floating candles & place tiny tea lights around the edges.  Just remember to make sure the venue are ok with light candles!

M – music: if you have musicians playing throughout the reception, try to place them somewhere shady or provide shade for them.  Make sure they have plenty of cool drinks available too.  Volume may also be an issue at an open air venue.  You may need it to be louder than at an inside venue & you may need to think about how close your guests will need to be to hear it.

N – non-alcoholic: a good supply of non-alcoholic drinks are essential at an outdoor reception.  You will need them for children & for those who will have to drive after the party has finished.  There are of course always some guests who will not want to drink alcohol, so make sure you have a plentiful supply & choice of soft drinks available.

O – olfaction: or sense of smell! To help with creating the mood & atmosphere for the day, decorate the site with scented candles & flowers.  You could also scatter flower petals on the tables & around the area.

P – punch & Pimm’s: light refreshing drinks such as fruity punch are perfect for outdoor receptions.  Served up in jugs they are often cheaper to serve than bottles of wine or champagne.

Q – quirky: those little details can often work really well at an outdoor reception as they are not in competition with the existing decorations of an inside interior.  Be bold & let your imagination run riot!  Think about bunting, trampolines for the children & a quirky cake!

R – repellent: one of the down sides of an outdoors reception are the unwanted guests! Insects can be a real problem, as they are often attracted by the smell of food.  Help combat them with citronella candles & bottles of spray repellent.

S – seating & shade: provide your guests with plenty of seating, including deck chairs, garden chairs, bean bags, rugs or even sofas.  Try to provide plenty of shade, either from natural features such as trees or via pagodas, parasols & open sided marquees.  You could also give out fans as wedding favors.

T – treasure hunt: a treasure hunt would be a great way to entertain the children & adults too!  Make up your own clues & send them on little adventures around the venue.  At the end make sure there are goodie bags waiting for everyone.

U – umbrella: even the best climates can be unpredictable, so it is a good idea to keep a supply of umbrellas handy just in case!  Umbrellas would also make good sun shades for your guests.

V – voile panels: decorate your venue with colorful voiles draped over tree branches & tables.  This is a great way to add color for little expense & adds a great backdrop to your photographs.

W – weights: even the best days can still be breezy so make sure you clip down table cloths & weigh down anything very lightweight to stop them flying away.  If you are wearing a veil stop it wrapping itself around your face by pegging it to the back of your dress.

X – x-treme: intense heat can be just as bad as cold or chilly weather.  If the temperature & climate is particularly hot & humid, look into hiring air conditioning units to make it a bit more bearable.  Provide lots of ice & water for your guests to help them stay cool.

Y – you: try to get some time alone together during the day so you can just enjoy each others company away from the madding crowds!  Sneak off after dinner with a bottle of champagne.

Z – zzzzz: fresh air can be so tiresome! Provide somewhere for people to crash out especially the little ones.  Some large floor cushions & bean bags will provide a nice spot for people to grab a quick power nap when they need to.

 By Georgina Clatworthy

You may be one of those people that find public speaking easy & can reel off a speech with style, wit & timing.  Personally I am not one of those people.  I get incredibly nervous, go bright red & tend to mumble!  If you are the type of person who crumbles at the sight of a microphone or an audience of more than 2 then my best advice is to make sure you pass by the bar first on your way to the stage!  It is a natural reaction to reach for the bottle when faced with such a nerve racking task. 

So if you are one of the unlucky ones who will have to make such a presentation at a friend’s wedding or it is your wedding & you who has to make the toast, then here are a few more tips to help make the whole experience a little less nerve racking.

Who: Aside from the traditional wedding toasts of the best man, groom, bride’s father & groom’s father, anyone can make a toast to the happy couple.  Some couples will also make a toast to each other & close family & friends.  It is also the case that as the day wears on & the drink stocks begin to empty, more & more of your guests will suddenly feel the urge to raise a glass to you.  Now depending on how much they have had to drink & how well they know you, you may wish to convince them not to go through with it, but if you want some memorable moments on your wedding video, let them have their fifteen minutes of fame!

What: The best toasts are brief & sincere.  You don’t need to be in the spotlight for longer than a minute, but if you want to stay longer it is worth making a note of a few key things you wish to say, just in case your nerves get the better of you!  Always start by introducing yourself & your relationship to the bride &/or groom, but keep it brief – you don’t need to tell them your life story. Perhaps you will have a short story to tell or a personal sentiment you wish to share.  At the end share your wish for the couple’s future & pass the spotlight over to the next person.  Be humorous but not embarrassing & make sure anything you say will not cause offence.  Don’t try to put on an Oscar winning performance, just be yourself; you will come across much better. Avoid any stories which will cause embarrassment, outrage or which could cause conflict between bride & groom!  Those stories about past romances are not for wedding toasts!

When: It’s up to the bride & groom to decide at which point in the proceedings the toasts should take place.  Some couples choose to toast their close family & friends at the rehearsal dinner on the night before the wedding, whilst all other toasts will happen during the reception.  If you anticipate a lot of toasts it may be better to split them between the rehearsal dinner & the wedding reception to save time.  Traditionally, the toasts will happen after the wedding breakfast & before the cutting of the cake.  Whatever time you choose make sure everyone has a full glass of champagne ready to make each toast.

Where: If you are having a large wedding with a lot of guests I would recommend setting up a microphone for the toasts so that everyone can hear.  A stage area, central to the room is another good idea so that everyone can see who is speaking although a stage can be intimidating for some people who may be put off making a toast if you use one. Alternatively, set your tables out in way that will facilitate the person making the toast to be seen by everyone & ask them to stand to make it.

By Georgina Clatworthy

When it comes to putting together your wedding theme, your choice of location for your wedding reception is an integral part.

As your wedding theme will be mostly played out at your reception you will want to use the same ideas as you have expressed in your wedding stationery & your ceremony.  Your reception should be a fun place to be, free from all the formalities of the ceremony, so you should aim to make the reception as comfortable & as welcoming as possible.

To create a unique wedding reception you need to think outside of the box & search for an unusual & creative location.  If you want to wow your guests then the local town hall probably won’t do it, no matter how much effort you go to with the decorations.  Finding a unique location will help unleash your inner creativity & help you to produce a reception that is totally your own design.

However, there are some essential details that you have to consider when it comes to planning your reception, no matter where you host it.

1. Weather / Environment - is the wedding reception inside or out?

2. Setup - If it is a non-traditional location then think about the following:

Power supply?

Parking?

Distance? Will your guests be prepared to drive there?

3. Cleanup, setup - A traditional wedding venue will have a system for cleaning up in place.  Make sure you enquire about this when you book, if they don’t have any system in place, then you will need to make arrangements for it to be done.

4. Theme - Will the location fit with your chosen theme? You don’t have to have a theme of course, but having one does help you to design the whole feel of your wedding.

5. Wow Value - If the wow factor is important, will this location give it? If you are not sure, then take some friends back with you for another visit & gauge their opinion.

Truly Unique Wedding Reception Locations

Cleared corn fields. For a rural, country or rustic theme this would be ideal.  Imagine it set out with a marquee, dance floor & a country & western band.

Sports Venues. If you or your partner have a favorite sport why not hold your reception at a sports ground? Look at golf, football or baseball grounds. 

High Rise Roof. Hold your wedding on the top of a skyscraper for an exhilarating & memorable party.  It maybe pricy & any guests with a fear of heights may be reluctant to attend!

Your choice of venue doesn’t have to be so unusual it will cost you a fortune to hire or worse still you will probably never find it.  There are plenty of more common venues that can have just the right blend of uniqueness & wow that you are looking for.  Try gardens, museums, beaches, lakes & mountains, farms, barns & vineyards.

By Georgina Clatworthy

As a small girl you probably dreamed of your perfect wedding.  Maybe you kept a scrapbook & planned every little detail, right down to the last one.  Eventually that day arrives & it is the most important day of your life so far.  So it is natural to want to capture every moment in some way & create memories that will last forever.

At most weddings you will find a guest book, simply a landscape book with blank pages in which your guests can write personal messages to you both.  Along with your wedding photographs & video, they make a lovely memento of your day.  But did you know of other alternatives to the traditional wedding guest book?  Read on to find out.

1. The Instant Guest Book – An instant guest book is a combination of a photo album & guest book in one. The idea centers around taking Polaroid photos of your guests, inserting them into a guest book & letting your guests write a message alongside. You could also hire a photo booth, which is becoming a popular trend with weddings at the moment.

An instant guest book is great fun & gives you an instant snapshot of your day.  If you don’t want to hire a photo booth, ask your photographer if they could take Polaroid snaps for you, or ask a member of the wedding party to do it for you.  The great thing about an instant guest book is that it can be worked for all your special occasions – from your engagement party, to your first born’s christening.

2. The Wish Bowl – This is a great idea & will cost you next to nothing to set up.  The idea revolves around asking your guests to write their wedding wishes on slips of paper & then place them in a large decorative bowl that you have provided.  If you would like something more formal or want to keep the wishes secret, then provide mini envelopes for guests to slip the paper into first.  Match the paper to your wedding colors or theme.  After the wedding, you can sit in delight as you open each one & read what your guests have written, then slip them in to an album or scrapbook.

3. The Wish Tree – This is similar to the wish bowl, however, your guests will pin or peg their wishes to a ‘tree’ instead of placing them in a bowl.  Set this up with some tall branches in a large vase or planter, you can make it as decorative or a simple as you like.  Provide pegs, clips or pins so your guests can attach their wishes.  Try some branches of twisted willow, silver birch or even metal branches.  A variation on this is a washing line complete with pegs & I have seen decorative screens which have fret work or are made in metal scrollwork, used to the same effect.  A wishing tree is a great addition to your reception decorations & won’t cost you much to put together.

4. The Signature Platter – These have been about for a few years now & are growing in popularity.  The idea is to have a large (or several small) plain china plates, provide your guests with special markers & they can write their messages directly onto the plate.  You can choose to have one large plate or place a small one on each table.  After the wedding you simply fire the plate in your oven at home.  A variation on this is to provide your guests with glass markers & ask them to write on to the champagne or wine bottles served at the wedding.

5. The Framed Signature Mat – Similar in nature to the signature plate.  A signature mat is a large, mounted photograph of the couple taken before the wedding.  It is displayed during the reception & guests can write messages on the picture surround.  After the wedding it is framed for the couple to hang in their home, they can also replace the ‘before’ photograph with one from the wedding day.

6. The Typewriter Guest Book – This is a Martha Stewart creation & is a great alternative to a traditional wedding guest book.  Look out for an old fashioned typewriter, try charity shops, flea markets or Ebay – just make sure it works first!  At the reception, set it out on a table of its own & load it with long sheets of paper.  The idea is that your guests can then come & type their good luck messages to you.  Afterwards you can frame it or simply roll it up, scroll like, & tie with some ribbon.

And Saving Lots of Money in the Process

By Georgina Clatworthy

When it comes to planning the wedding reception, it pays to know exactly what your budget is.  The good news is that no matter what the size of your budget, large or small, there is a perfect reception venue available for everyone.

As a guide, your wedding budget should allocate 30% of the total to your reception.  Where costs can really start to mount is in the smaller details such as decorations, rentals & outside catering.  Here are some hints & tips to help you cut the cost of your reception food & drink, as well how to throw your reception on tight budget.

Renting a Hall

If you choose to rent a hall or large room for your reception, then there are several things that you will need to take in to account beforehand.  For example there is the cost of hiring the room, using their servers (many will have them include in the price & may not be negotiable), then there is the cost of decorations, flowers, food & beverages.

With hiring a hall there are several things that you will have to pay for, such as decorations & beverage. But some hall venues will give you a range of options to pick & choose as you like. 

Your choice of hall type will also have an impact on your budget.  For example a grand banqueting hall will typically cost more than a community hall.  Another consideration is if your budget is small to start with, then renting a hall could leave you with more effort & fewer options than booking a package with a different style of venue.

Here are some tips about renting a hall & keeping your costs down.

1.  Halls should only be considered if you have 50 or more guests on your list.

2.  Choose between an open bar or a cash bar for your reception, when renting a hall.  An good alternative is to provide beer yourselves & have a cash bar for those want a mixed drink.

3.  Choose a hall you can decorate yourselves.

4. If you need servers, then choose a hall that has them included in the price or one that will let you bring your own.

5. Make sure your choice of hall will cater to your needs & budget.

6. Avoid extra costs for catering & hire a hall that will let you supply your own food.

7. Save money on your catering with finger foods, vegetable & fruit trays.  This will also cater to the vegetarians among your guests.  

8. A casual style buffet reception will be cheaper than a formal sit down meal.  

9. Have a cash bar as an alternative to giving a wedding gift. It is a great way to accommodate your guests & will save you money on the hall hire.  

10. Choose a midweek wedding date as weekend dates are always more expensive.

11. Good rates can be had for winter time weddings.  

12. Pay by cash & negotiate a deal on the price for doing so.  Most venues will have to pay a charge to accept payments by credit cards so they are more likely to agree.  

13. You can save on your catering costs by holding the reception in the daytime & offer just canapés or snacks, rather than a formal evening meal.

Having a hall wedding reception needn’t cost you the earth, particularly if you pull some of the tricks I have mentioned.  Also consider holding your reception outdoors.  Some may think that an indoors reception is more elegant than an outdoors one, but this needn’t be the case & an outdoor event can be more fun & cost you less.

By Georgina Clatworthy

Almost there, you’ve got your guts, your containers, some killer filler & a snappy wrapper.  Time for the finishing touches.

The Underlayments

It doesn’t sound very wedding like, but more like a Victorian reference to underwear.  But in terms of your centerpieces it refers to something which will go under your arrangements & will give them even more wow.  Check these out for some ideas.

• contrasting table runners
• doilies
• reflective mirror tiles
• criss-crossed satin ribbons
• hosta leaves
• sheet moss
• “stone” runners, cut into squares
• bamboo rolling mats or soba trays

Surrounds

For some added sophistication enhance your centerpieces with some pretty surrounds.  Basically this means adding fresh rose petals or tea lights around the centerpiece to showcase it further. 

Traditional surrounds include flower petals, glass nuggets or gems & tea lights.  For a different look arrange your centerpieces in a line down the table & infill with mounds of petals or lines of tea-lights.  This works best with long banquet style tables, but you can achieve a similar effect if you follow the shape of your tables.  For a round table, arrange heaps of petals or tea-lights in a circle around your centerpiece (leave a gap between the two for added effect) & likewise for square or rectangular tables.  Popular surround choices are listed below.

• vase gems
• rose petals
• round votive holders
• beach glass
• seashells
• teacups (as votive holders)
• loose dendrobium orchids
• river stones
• square votive holders
• glass ornaments
• miniature gourds (plain or hollowed to hold votive candles)
• polished black river stones

And Now, Over to You

So, there you have it.  The complete (well almost) guide to building your own wedding centerpieces.  Hopefully this has helped you to come up with some great ideas & has inspired you to build your own centerpieces.  Have a go, you may surprise yourself with your creativity!

By Georgina Clatworthy

Now you have sorted out the guts of your wedding centerpieces, it is time to decide on what to put them in.

The Containers

When it comes to containers, there is a wide choice available to you.  Be creative & think outside of the box, particularly if want something different or quirky.  Stick with plain & simple for a modern, contemporary look or choose something elegant & luxurious for a traditional & stately feel.  Here is a list of some of the most popular choices.

• bubble bowls (“fish bowls”), ivy bowls, hurricane lamps
• footed pedestal bowls, urns
• silver mint julep cups
• eiffel (tower) or trumpet vases
• mason jars
• photo cubes
• gift boxes, hat boxes
• wooden crates
• clear glass cylinders
• square vases, square bowls
• oversized martini or wine glasses

The Treatments

This is the important part.  You have your guts, you have your containers, now how do you marry the two together?  The way in which you do this will say as much about your style as your choice of guts in the first place.  Again, here are some popular treatments for you to pick from.

• flowers, nosegays
• flowers, wired to topiaries
• flowers, paveed
• de-stemmed single flower heads floating in water: gerbers, roses, peonies
• blooms arranged into pomanders or spheres
• maple or oak leaves, roses, orchids, gerbers: submerged entirely in water (aka “drowning rose”)
• callas, bear grass, sword grass: submerged & twirled in bubble glass
• roses, orchids, gerbers: submerged plus underwater lighting
• vegetables (gourds, succulents): submerged

Killer Container Fillers

You may have noticed from your initial research, that some designers will add extra elements to the containers themselves.  You will probably have seen glass vases lined with wheat grass or perhaps a layer of pretty crystal stones.  Water it would seem is not sufficient & you have to add an extra bit of wow with some killer filler!  Take a look at these for inspiration.

• gel beads
• vase gems, clear
• vase gems, bright striking colors
• vase gems with underwater lighting
• cranberries, kumquats, cherries, frozen green peas (can take water)
• coffee beans, candy corn, dried indian corn, popcorn, dried peas, lentils (keep dry)
• colored water, underwater lighting
• citrus fruit, arranged cut side out
• block of floral foam wrapped in sword grass or hosta leaves (placed in square jars)

Snappy Container Wrappers

If you find yourself staring at your beautiful wedding centerpieces & wondering what is missing, then it could be that the addition of a simple wrapper is all that is required.

You are perhaps looking at your glass containers & thinking they look too bare, but add in a piece of pretty satin ribbon, tied around the vase & knotted in place, & Voila! Perfection is reached!  Here are some other ideas for snappy container wrappers.

• ivy
• raffia
• multilayered satin ribbons
• berry sprays/garlands
• bark strips
• marabou feather boas
• bear grass
• bear grass threaded with crystals

Next: Read The Building Blocks of Fabulous Centerpieces Part 3.

By Georgina Clatworthy

Choosing suitable centerpieces for your tables can be one of the toughest choices for your wedding.  Some brides will empower their florists with a free rein to come up with something for them, equipping them with a few ideas about style & color.  For others, they will want to design their own or will use whatever their venue has to offer.

It is actually fairly easy to design & build your own centerpieces, that is, once you have decided on the look & feel of them!  One thing is certain though, your centerpieces, whatever form they take, should provide a talking point for your guests & be something they will admire.

It can seem an overwhelming task, especially if you have visited numerous online photo galleries or ploughed through plenty of bridal magazines for inspiration.  One thing you may have noticed though during your research, is that the trend at the moment is for simple & stylish arrangements.  This trend definitely works in your favor & armed with your wedding theme, style or colors you should find it easy to come up with some designs.

Bring together some pictures of your favorite arrangements from the pictures you have seen.  Remember to keep your wedding style, theme & colors in mind.  Choose between traditional & contemporary arrangements & in no time you will have dreamt up your perfect centerpieces.

Just to confuse you a bit further though, consider that not all centerpieces will have all of these elements.  Trying to combine them all could leave you with a monstrous arrangement which will be talked about for years to come & for all the wrong reasons.  For most centerpieces, you will only need to combine a few elements to create something stunning & stylish – remember less is more.  Take a read through the following tips & make sure you continue with parts 2 & 3, in no time you will be up & running & on your way to centerpiece stardom!

The Guts

Basically, the guts refers to the main focus of your arrangements, what you will build the from.  You can go for elements that are traditional & stately or cool & contemporary.  The following list refers to the most popular things that brides use in their wedding centerpiece creations.

• pillar candles
• floating tealights
• candelabras
• roses, gerbers, hydrangeas, callas
• black magic roses, orchids
• flowers plus interwoven bear grass
• hypericum berries
• flowered branches, curly twigs
• green ranunculous, brown or green roses, green mums, gomphrenia, proteas
• small citrus fruits wrapped in contrasting satin ribbons
• ferns
• large variegated leaves, curled into clear cylinders
• wheat grass
• medium gauge copper wire, curled and spiraled
• tall curly willow or flowered branches pushing vertically above floral arrangements
• peacock feathers (a collar for roses, hydrangeas)
• white ostrich feathers (typically in Eiffel vases)
• traditional white blooms dyed startling colors (acid green, aqua blue)
• tropical exotic flowers, reeds, bamboo
• lotus pods, artichokes, kale “roses”

Thematic Guts

Thematic guts refer to unusual or specialized pieces used or added to arrangements.  They are usually a reference to a wedding theme or style, or just something different to the usual flower & candle arrangements.

• candy bouquets (oversized lollipops, chocolate long-stemmed roses)
• cookie towers
• individual cakes
• tiered favor box “cakes”
• terra cotta pots, painted or natural
• wine bottles
• sand castles
• flower-filled conch shells
• pumpkins, gourds
• galvanized pails, watering cans
• birds nests, birdhouses

Next: Read The Building Blocks of Fabulous Centerpieces Part 2.

By Georgina Clatworthy

If you are searching for a color palette that is romantic, classic, sweet & dignified, you should look to a combination of pale pink & champagne.  This gorgeous palette is the perfect combination for a spring wedding. 

Champagne is a natural color & echoes times past when fabrics & linens were woven by hand from natural fibers. The color is also closely associated with romance.  It is the perfect partner for pale pink & the two combine together for a beautifully coordinated look with a minimum of effort.

This combination captures the essence of the season effortlessly & will remind you of blossom flowers, early morning light & the new colors of spring. 

Getting the Look

A combination of pink & champagne is not just about echoes of spring, but also evoke a sense of romance, of French chic & antique lace.  Compliment this with a vintage styled gown, enhanced with beautiful lace & covered button closures to the back.  Choose a gown in champagne, ivory or blush pink, or dress your bridesmaids in these colors. 

For your flowers choose pink & cream roses, peonies, ranunculus & cream hydrangeas, in hand-tied bouquets & pretty arrangements. Cover your tables with cream damask table covers but keep the look soft & less formal with effervescent floral table centers.

Choose white fondant icing for your wedding cake & echo the lace work on your gown with ivory or cream scrollwork.  Top with an arrangement of spring blooms, & display on a silver cake stand.

If you wanted to add a third accent color, choose chartreuse green.  Small doses of this in the form of green roses or scattered orchid flowers will break up what can otherwise become an overly sedate scheme.

Designing a Place in Time

This scheme relies upon recreating the look of spring gardens from time gone by.  Choose cottage flowers & create a sense of romance with classic table décor such as crystal glasses, gold or beaded rimmed chargers, elegant linens & even gold chivari chairs.

Choose a menu that brings together the best flavors of the season – lamb, new potatoes & baby vegetables, lemon tarts & miniature cupcakes iced in pink & champagne with a hint of green.

This scheme also lends itself to a tea party or garden party menu.  Serve up tiny sandwiches, petit fours, salads & mini-quiches.  All should be washed down with fine champagne or a crisp white wine.

By Georgina Clatworthy

A black & white color scheme for a wedding is nothing new & has been a firm favorite amongst brides for many years, only occasionally dipping out of favor.  But recently the scheme has come back with a vengeance, & is once again a popular choice for today’s brides.

However, I am not talking about plain & boring black & white.  Today’s scheme’s are far more textural & involve sophisticated prints, clever combinations & eye-catching designs.  Black & white schemes at today’s weddings are the height of elegance & sophistication & which provide a feast for the senses.

Creative bride’s are thinking outside the box with this choice of colors & have learnt to combine a splash of color to great effect.  Plain fabrics are out & instead brides are choosing pinstripes, damask or baroque prints for their linens.  Splashes of red or yellow brighten the look, & deep red or purple give a more gothic feel. 

A Star is Born: How Black & White Hit the Big Time

Some color combinations are timeless classics.  Black & white is one of these.  For some years now chocolate brown has been the color of choice, but the Art Deco feel of black & white has always had appeal & has never strayed out of fashion. 

Many brides are opting for a clean modern look rather than the frilly affairs of old.  Vintage has been a craze within fashion & interiors for a number of years now & that look & feel of retro style has spilled over into weddings too.  40’s glamour is a big hit & brides everywhere are achieving it with a classic combination of black & white.

Sultry Sirens & Classic Cars: A Fantasy 40s Wedding

A black & white scheme does lean very much towards old Hollywood & the golden years of 40’s film making.  Sultry is the key word & the advice is to keep the look pure, avoiding accents except for shimmer & classic red.  Metallic’s work really well & you can add a splash of color with arrangements of classic red roses.

When it comes to wedding attire choose elegant silk gowns, gloves, jewels & cocktail dresses with crinoline skirts.  Have your men wearing white dinner suits & black bow ties, for a Casablanca look, or even choose sharp pinstripe suits.  And, when it comes to transportation it has to be vintage cars.