{Images from: Polka Dot Bride, Style Me Pretty, Jagger Photography, Elizabeth Anne Designs, Green Wedding Shoes}

To decorate your gorgeous setting, gather jugs and china from your family members and use them as centerpieces with fresh cut flowers. You could even bring some of your own furniture outdoors and create intricate pieces, such as gathering dresser drawers and filling them with bunches of flowers. Antique keys make great escort cards, especially when hung from an old chalkboard and vintage books help to spruce up your centerpieces. Bring out some family pictures to place on different tables, and light up the night with some twinkle lights and plenty of candles.

{Images from: 100 Layer Cake, Once Wed, Style Me Pretty, Polka Dot Bride, Style Me Pretty, Ruffled Blog, Once Wed, Ruffled Blog, Style Me Pretty, Jagger Photography, Style Me Pretty, 100 Layer Cake, Style Me Pretty, Once Wed, Style Me Pretty, Ruffled Blog}

To round out your whimsical decorations, hang some chandeliers outdoors, bring out a vintage typewriter instead of a guest book, and create your own photo booth with a sheet or even a wall of picture frames. Make your own edible wedding favors and carefully wrap them in some lovely favor packaging. Then, give your guest some sparklers to see you off on your matching vintage bikes.

{Images from: Polka Dot Bride, Style Me Pretty, 100 Layer Cake, Once Wed, Style Me Pretty, Jagger Photography, Style Me Pretty, Ruffled Blog, Polka Dot Bride, Once Wed, eLucky Me, Style Me Pretty, Once Wed, Style Me Pretty, Jagger Photography, Style Me Pretty}

For the food, encourage your guests to bring their favorite dish for a potluck style buffet. For dessert let your guests feast on a variety of sweets and treats served in pretty glass jars. Bake your own cupcakes and set out some ingredients for hot cocoa to ward off the chill.

{Images from: Once Wed, Style Me Pretty,  100 Layer Cake, Style Me Pretty, Weddingbee Pro, Style Me Pretty, Ruffled Blog, Style Me Pretty, Ruffled Blog, Style Me Pretty, Santa Barbara Chic, Ruffled Blog}

For your attire, be sure to include some personal touches, such as your favorite colorful cardigan, or a pretty headband. Have your bridesmaids come in their favorite colorful gown, and make a tutu and flower garland for your beautiful flower girl. Finally, encourage your groom to show off his own personal style by wearing his favorite pair of jeans.

{Images from: Style Me Pretty, 100 Layer Cake, Once Wed, Ruffled Blog, Once Wed, Style Me Pretty}

To set the mood, host your wedding in a Victorian mansion, a Gothic Cathedral (or castle), or even outdoors in some ruins overlooking the misty forest. Don’t forget to make your grand entrance atop a spiraling staircase and pack a few umbrellas.

{Images from: Overexposed, the English Muse, Ruffled Blog, Rock n Roll Bride, Rambling Traveler, Snippet & Ink, Weddingbee Pro, Susan Stripling}

The best part of Halloween is wearing a costume, and you can totally do so at your wedding, while still being a traditional bride. The best way to do this is by wearing a dramatic headpiece paired with a birdcage veil or you could even wear a mask and ask your guests to partake in a masquerade ball theme. For the more dramatic, have your makeup artist apply some dramatic false eyelashes or even purchase a Victorian styled colored gown for a more goth feel.

{Images from: Overexposed, Style Me Pretty, The Wedding Decorator, eLucky Me, Snippet & Ink, Gossip Rocks, Snippet & Ink, Bride Chic, Snippet & Ink, Susan Stripling}

Evoke a Halloween mood by choosing red, black, and white as your wedding colors, hang creepy chandeliers, and light plenty of candles. For your costume party, you can even deck the place with white balloons and pillars.

{Images from: Fine Stationery, Etsy, Southern Weddings Magazine, I Love Lolli Blog, Jo My Goodness}

Complement your decor with some scary cake toppers, plenty of candles, miniature ghosts as place cards or even as Halloween wedding favors, scary jack-o-lanterns and skull accents. Set up a spooky photo backdrop for a homemade photo booth and invite a tarot card reader to tell your guests fortunes. Then set off in a vintage car or black carriage.

{Images from: Etsy, Hostess Blog, Ruffled Blog, Snippet & Ink, Destination Wedding Mag, Snippet & Ink, Tiny Prints, Snippet & Ink, I Love Lolli Blog, Snippet & Ink, Susan Stripling, Tangarang Blog}

Finally, for the refreshments, you can’t go wrong with serving all kinds of treats, from individually sized servings of candy, caramel apples, elaborate cupcakes, and thick punch. For the main menu, trick your guests by hiding the fondue in pumpkins and you should of course use pumpkin in your other entrees.

{Images from: Lucky Orchid, Hostess Blog, BV Weddings, Jo My Goodness, Divine Party Concepts, Social Couture}

A fall wedding would ideally take place somewhere in the country where the changing leaves can provide the backdrop. A rustic farm or a meadow set against the mountains would make the perfect location.

{Images from: Style Me Pretty, Green Wedding Shoes, Style Me Pretty, Green Wedding Shoes}

For the perfect decorations be sure to mix a blend of flowers with other natural elements including branches, hollowed out pumpkins (and other gourds), and wheat. Light up the night with plenty of lanterns and candles and show off the natural wood of your tables with a simple runner or nothing at all. Finally, seat your guests during the ceremony atop some hay bales covered with colorful blankets.

{Images from: Style Me Pretty, Project Wedding, Project 10k Wedding, Project Wedding, Style Me Pretty, Green Wedding Shoes, Style Me Pretty, Southern Weddings Magazine, Once Wed, Weddingbee Pro, Martha Stewart Weddings}

Take advantage of all the apples this season by using them as escort cards or place card holders. Give your little flower girl personalized leaves to scatter instead of rose petals, and use wooden signs to direct your guests. Finally when you’re making your getaway do so in a wagon or vintage train.

{Images from: Style Me Pretty, The Perfect Palette, Style Me Pretty, Southern Weddings Magazine, Style Me Pretty, Green Wedding Shoes, Style Me Pretty,  Beau-coup personalized fall leaves}

Greet your guests at the reception with a dessert buffet ladled with cakes, caramel apples, and other goodies. Set up baskets filled with apples and give them different kinds of nuts in individual servings. Then warm your guests up with some hot apple cider garnished with cinnamon sticks. For the food be sure to serve something hearty to help clear away the chilliness of the fall evenings and send your guests home with some personalized fall cookies as fall wedding favors.

{Images from: Style Me Pretty, Hostess Blog, The Perfect Palette, Style Me Pretty, Martha Stewart Weddings, Style Me Pretty, Beau-coup personalized brownie pops, Style Me Pretty, Beau-coup personalized fall leaf cookies}

To keep yourself warm, not to mention take some stunning glam shots, wear a (faux) fur stole in a rich brown. Dress your groomsmen in khaki suits and have your bridesmaids wear rich brown gowns. Don’t forget about your little flower girl and let her wear a wildflower wreath around her head.

{Images from: Style Me Pretty, Style Me Pretty, Chatty Brides, Style Me Pretty, Style Me Pretty}

{Images from: Style Me Pretty, Design Sponge, Southern Weddings Magazine, Once Wed, Rock n Roll Bride, Style Me Pretty, Weddingbee Pro, Green Wedding Shoes, Weddingbee Pro}

Set the table with bowls full of peaches and plenty of flowers and candles set inside hurricane glasses. Don’t forget to load your tables with plenty of rustic baskets and decorate the area with some colorful banners.

{Images from: Style Me Pretty, Once Wed, Style Me Pretty, Amorology, Style Me Pretty, Ritzybee Blog, Style Me Pretty, Once Wed, Style Me Pretty}

Of course, your picnic wedding wouldn’t be complete without the finishing touches. Send your guests home with some peach preserves as wedding favors or the ingredients to make their own peach pie. Make centerpieces out of books and tie your favors with some rustic raffia string.

{Images from: Style Me Pretty, Design Sponge, Style Me Pretty, Santa Barbara Chic, Smitten, Weddingbee Pro, Snippet & Ink, Project Wedding}

For the food, set up some drink tables with coolers and you can even use jars instead of cups. Wrap up some sandwiches in some pretty paper that matches your theme. If the weather isn’t too chilly, serve some peach sorbet paired with peach pie or simply set your wedding cake on top of a wooden stand and accent the set-up with some peaches.

{Images from: Style Me Pretty, Design Sponge, Elizabeth Anne Designs, Design Sponge, Santa Barbara Chic, Green Wedding Shoes, Ritzeebee Blog, Santa Barbara Chic, Project Wedding}

Finally, don’t forget to get yourself a flowy dress that is perfect for spinning around in a meadow. Carry a peach parasol and accent your bridal party with peach ties and peach gowns. You could even give your little flower girl a peach tutu to wear down the aisle.

{Images from: Elizabeth Anne Designs, Junebug Weddings, eLucky Me, Once Wed, Amorology, Once Wed}

{Images from: Once Wed, Stephanie Williams Photography, Green Wedding Shoes, Stephanie Williams Photography, Project Wedding, Style Me Pretty, Project Wedding, Weddingbee Pro, Once Wed, Style Me Pretty, Stephanie Williams Photography, Style Me Pretty, Stephanie Williams Photography}

While the sun is out, set up a cocktail area outside atop oak barrels to stick to the theme. Decorate your setting with plenty of colorful lanterns and lush purple flowers. You might even consider setting up a vintage bicycle with flower pots to direct guests inside and definitely nix the guest book in favor of signed wine bottles that you can later open for your future anniversaries.

{Images from: Green Wedding Shoes, Vintage Glam Blog, Green Wedding Shoes, Style Me Pretty, Project Wedding, Weddingbee Pro, Southern Weddings Magazine, Stephanie Williams Photography, Vintage Glam Blog, Style Me Pretty, Project Wedding}

For the final details, carry out the wine colored theme throughout by dressing your bridesmaids in purple or by having them carry violet bouquets. A rustic basket makes a great presentation piece for your programs or even pashminas for the chilly fall weather. Wine bottles also make great table numbers, and wine cork candles would be the perfect way to light up the night. Give your guests some wine themed wedding favors to give them a lasting memento of your big day and finally, don’t forget to decorate your cake with some grapes and to get some wine-themed ring photos!

{Images from: Style Me Pretty, Weddingbee Pro, Style Me Pretty, Green Wedding Shoes, Stephanie Williams Photography, Stephanie Williams Photography, Style Me Pretty, Project Wedding, Beau-coup wine cork candles, Style Me Pretty, Green Wedding Shoes, Southern Weddings Magazine, Green Wedding Shoes, Beau-coup wine goblet place card holders}

{Images from: Wedding Paper Divas, Brides.com, Style Me Pretty, Project Wedding, Style Me Pretty, Weddingbee Pro}

With the ocean as your backdrop, decorate your venue with conch shells, nautical flags, and boating accents like paddles, lanterns, and beach chairs.

{Images from: Style Me Pretty, Martha Stewart, Style Me Pretty, Elements of Style, Style Me Pretty}

No nautical wedding would be complete without sailboat accents, a life-saver, and a message in a bottle. Don’t forget to light the way for your guests with old fashioned lanterns and use seashells as place cards.

{Images from: Wedding Paper Divas, Rock n Roll Bride, Elizabeth Anne Designs, Ritzybee, Elements of Style}

Set the mood with some colored sand for the unity ceremony, a transparent map candleholder, compass place cards, and sailboat inspired invitations.

{Images from: Weddingbee Pro, Lucky Orchid, Style Me Pretty, Weddingbee Pro, Weddingbee Pro, Beau-coup sailboat place card holders, Project Wedding}

Finally dress the part with some blue wellies, striped ties for the men, seersucker suits, boat shoes, and unique bouts to finish it off.

{Images from: Style Me Pretty, Elizabeth Anne Designs, Weddingbee Pro, Victoria With Roses}

Your wedding can take place just about anywhere, including the coast, a historic mansion or hotel, a garden, movie theater, or even an old train station. Be sure to add in plenty of props like vintage books, china, postcards, and even old luggage and parasols. Vintage tins filled with flowers make great centerpieces.

{Images from: Green Wedding Shoes, Ritzybee Blog, Vintage Glam Blog, Flights of Fancy, Green Wedding Shoes, Southern Weddings Magazine, Snippet & Ink, Ritzybee Blog}

Speaking of props, no vintage wedding is complete without plenty of old family pictures. Consider asking your family to loan you some of their favorites for a cute display during your reception. A vintage book makes a great wedding invitation or even a prop for your tables. If your family has any antique jewelry be sure to flaunt it during your big day. Even your groom can get in theme by carrying an old pocket watch. For your guestbook, have guests type an entry using an old typewriter, and hand out popcorn as wedding favors in an old fashioned favor bag.

{Images from: Southern Weddings Magazine, Green Wedding Shoes, Stephanie Williams Photography, Green Wedding Shoes, 100 Layer Cake, Vintage Glam Blog}

Be sure to dress up in theme with a gown befitting the decade. You could also incorporate gloves, or a birdcage veil and feathers for a more dramatic effect. Your bridesmaids should also be dressed in theme like the 60s style bridesmaids below, and be sure to suit your groom and groomsmen in suspenders or a vest. You might even consider purchasing plenty of props like old fashioned cameras and gas pumps and have your guests pose for pictures that they can take home.

{Images from: Vintage Glam Blog, Green Wedding Shoes, Vintage Glam Blog, Once Wed, Vintage Glam Blog, Ritzybee Blog, Vintage Glam Blog, Vintage Glam Blog, Vintage Glam Blog, Snippet & Ink}

{Images from: Design Sponge, Rock n Roll Bride, Style Me Pretty, Weddingbee Pro, Once Wed, Flights of Fancy, Rock n Roll Bride}

To use the gorgeous venue to complement your event, incorporate the natural elements around you into your selection of decorations. I like the use of moss and ferns to accent some glass centerpieces. Lanterns and chandeliers are a nice contrast to the wooden accents and as I mentioned in my I Love Wood Accents blog post, they just make incredible decorations!

{Images from: Design Sponge, Southern Weddings Magazine, Sparkliatti, Green Wedding Shoes,  Style Me Pretty, Weddingbee Pro, Style Me Pretty, Style Me Pretty}

You can bring out your inner wood nymph with some fairy-like shoes and a pretty flower garland in your hair, dance the night away in some ballerina slippers and store your rings in an antique jewelry box, or channel your inner nature child by romping around barefoot and carrying a bouquet of wildflowers. For some amazing pictures, I love the look of the vintage car in the middle of the forest. It gives the pictures a timeless feel that would be impossible in a more dated setting (such as a city). The wooden swing can make for some amazing pictures as well.

{Images from: Weddingbee Pro, Southern Weddings Magazine, Sparkliatti, Flights of Fancy, Rock n Roll Bride, Rock n Roll Bride, Something Old, Something New}

Nature is not fussy, and so your food shouldn’t be either. Use buttercream frosting (as opposed to fondant) on your cake for a more natural feel and top your cake with some pretty birds, flowers, or even mushrooms! That mossy goblet is fit for a queen (or a bride) and would be the perfect chalice for your soiree. Serve your guests some mini pizzas made in a wooden oven and set your food over wooden serving dishes.

{Images from: Kiss the Groom, Southern Weddings Magazine, Green Wedding Shoes, Style Me Pretty, Weddingbee Pro, Once Wed, Style Me Pretty}

The great thing about a woodland forest wedding is that you can wear any kind of dress and look like some sort of mythical creature or on the flip side, you can have an almost authentic vintage wedding with the towering redwoods as your backdrop. You can also outfit your bridesmaids with flowery garlands for their hair and give your flower girls some fairy wings for the ultimate woodland celebration!

{Images from: Style Me Pretty, Southern Weddings Magazine, Weddingbee Pro, Green Wedding Shoes, Rock n Roll Bride, Weddingbee Pro}

For the families of little ones with life-threatening illnesses every day can be a challenge. That’s why Ronald McDonald House creates a “home-away-from-home” and supportive environment so the families can focus on their number one priority: the health of their child. Even though it costs $95 per family for one night at the RMH, the families are only charged $10 per night, and no family is ever turned away for non-payment. This is the local Stanford chapter:

Bay Area McDonalds owner-operators only contribute 6% of the operating budget, leaving generous members of the community, businesses, and foundations to provide the majority of the donations needed to run the house. Our goal is to support 7 families for one year at the Ronald McDonald House– that’s the number of years Beau-coup has been in business.

We’d like to make a difference in the lives of sick children and their families– people who are already going through so much. You can get involved by making a donation or by helping spread the word. A tweet, Facebook post, or blog can make a difference. You can also check out our secure webpage for more information: http://www.firstgiving.com/beaucoup – all contributions are 100% tax deductible.

Thanks so much in advance! We truly are grateful for your support. To find out more about Beau-coup’s charitable giving you can check out our Corporate Responsibility page.

For the gown, tulle should be the fabric of choice to lend the appearance of the bride wearing a tutu. A corseted ballgown would be perfect for the occasion and especially if the gown is a petite tea-length creation. If a full-on tutu is a bit too much for you, you can always opt for a graceful boat necked gown with a low back and a hint of tulle peeking out from under your gown.

{Images from: The English Muse, The English Muse, Banquet Events, The English Muse, Rock n Roll Bride, Rock n Roll Bride, The English Muse, Cup of Jo, Weddingbee Pro, Victoria with Roses}

Accessorize your gown with some ballet-inspired flats or even lace-up pointe shoes like these fabulous blue ones or these studded flats. The shoes are beautiful and oh so comfortable for waltzing the night away.

{Images from: Rock n Roll Bride, Classic Bride, Bonadrag, Black Eiffel, Cup of Jo}

Outfit your bridesmaids in low backed gowns with a boat neck, preferably in pale colors. Your littlest attendants will be delighted to play the part of a ballerina, so be sure to get them a tutu and tiara to match your own.

{Images from: Cup of Jo, Weddingbee Pro, Santa Barbara Wedding Chic, Classic Bride}

If the weather permits, wear a wrap-around sweater to keep the chill at bay. Wear a tiara to look like the Sugarplum fairy herself, or accessorize a loose bun with tendrils with a dainty flower or feather-inspired headpiece a la swan lake.

{Images from: The English Muse, Rock n Roll Bride, Perfect Bound, Classic Bride, Elizabeth Anne Designs}

To really get in the mood, use lace touches in your decorations and ring pillow and host a tea party reception. Use delicate pink flowers and name your tables with framed images of ballerinas from iconic ballets. Don’t forget to play classic songs from those same iconic ballets during the ceremony and cocktail hour.

{Images from: Style Me Pretty, Banquet Events, Cup of Jo, The Finer Things}

Finally, to live out your ballerina dreams, hold the reception at a lovely European castle, a woodland forest, or an elegant venue like an opera-house, theater, or even city hall! Don’t forget to make your getaway in style with a vintage car.

{Images from: Rock n Roll Bride, Classic Bride, Flights of Fancy, Classic Bride, The English Muse, Banquet Events, The English Muse}

Let’s start with the setting. The perfect summer wedding will make the most of the lingering heat and take place outdoors. Consider having your soiree at a carnival (or simply rent a carousel), a gorgeous meadow for a summer picnic theme, or a lovely beach or poolside affair.

{Images from: Overexposed, Rock ‘n Roll Bride, Rock ‘n Roll Bride, 100 Layer Cake, Samuel Lippke Photography, Rock ‘n Roll Bride}

Your wedding decorations should also be light and summery. For this theme, you should go with colors that are reminiscent of the sunrise– light pinks and oranges, with a touch of red. I love the arch overlooking the green expanse of lawn and the cross. Even the sand used for the unity sand ceremony can be incorporated into the decor.

{Images from: Southern Weddings Magazine, Southern Weddings Magazine, 100 Layer Cake, Flights of Fancy, 100 Layer Cake, Once Wed}

Create a festive mood by hanging flag banners, poms, or lanterns strung up by colorful ribbons from the surrounding trees or rafters. Don’t forget about the evening decor by stringing up some hanging twinkle lights as well.

{Images from: Once Wed, Style Me Pretty, Style Me Pretty, Samuel Lippke Photography}

Get creative with your place cards and escort cards. Use some cork place card holders or add a tag to a pinwheel for a playful touch. Chalkboard spray can be your best friend as witnessed by these adorable mini chalkboard table names. Finally, give your guests some pre-sorted confetti or rose petals within cute favor bags.

{Images from: Southern Weddings Magazine, Flights of Fancy, Style Me Pretty}

For the entertainment, lug a vintage piano out to the yard and hire a live musician to keep you dancing til all hours of the night! During the day, play some lawn games like croquet and set up some board games like chess or checkers for some good old fashioned summer fun.

{Images from: Style Me Pretty, Southern Weddings Magazine}

A summer wedding calls for a signature cocktail– preferably something fruity and refreshing, as well as plenty of fresh fruit, ice cream, and a light appetizer like cheese and crackers.

{Images from: Style Me Pretty, Southern Weddings Magazine, Southern Weddings Magazine, Style Me Pretty, 100 Layer Cake, Style Me Pretty}

Give your guests some parasols to block the heat and don’t forget to use some yourself– they make a great prop for wedding pictures!

{Images from: Style Me Pretty, Rock ‘n Roll Bride}

Flowers are in. let your hair down and pin a dainty flower on your hair (or your gown!). Don’t forget to carry some balloons to match your color scheme!

{Images from: Style Me Pretty, Style Me Pretty, Style Me Pretty, Vintage Glam Blog}

Your dress is one of the most important parts of the day, so be sure to stay cool with a lightweight gown that allows your back to breathe! You might also consider getting a cute embellishment like a giant bow, and finally, be sure to get some strappy sandals to match the summer atmosphere!

{Images from: Style Me Pretty, Boutwell Studio, Once Wed}

Which one do you prefer? I personally don’t really like any of them with the exception of Lela Rose’s or Monique Lhullier’s sketche (the first two), but I did envision something a bit more romantic and Jane Austen-ish without the super conservative Victorian lines for Bella like these lovelies in Brides.com.

In other news, Milla Jovovich got married to director Paul Anderson on Saturday! The ceremony was held in the backyard of their Spanish style home in Beverly Hills and included white and red floral decor. The entertainment for the 100 plus guests including Patrick Dempsey consisted of a Spanish guitarist and singer during the cocktail hour and Cuban musicians during the reception.

Millions of female hearts are breaking across the nation because John Krasinski of the Office is officially off the market. He and actress Emily Blunt who have been dating since November of last year have confirmed that they are engaged.

A Rock & Roll couple can come in many forms. Although, it’s definitely a plus when the bride and/ or groom get up onstage to entertain the crowd. If you’re a couple who’s into music, but can’t carry a tune to save your life, a personalized CD can be the perfect way to share your love of music with your guests. It’s also a great wedding favor and makes for awesome ring shots!

I’m loving this piano staircase– pianos can rock too– and this picture shows that you can incorporate your love of music into all aspects of your special day, down to the staircase. For a touch of drama, that bride’s eyes are out of this world!

Colored Gowns are all the rage in rock and roll weddings. You can do so many different things with it, like getting a dress that’s all one color other than white, or you can do a bit of peekaboo colored tulle under your skirt.

Creative hairpieces or hair art can also help you show off your edgier or more creative side. Birdcage veils are chic and also allow you to pair them with anything from a funky hat to a dramatic hairpiece. Grooms (or brides) can also rock the mohawk (or fauxhawk!) with colored hair.

Some brides choose to express their creativity by their footwear. Slip on some rockin’ combat boots, Vans or Converses, or simply a leopard print liner can be perfect for the big day.

You can also show off your love of skateboards or motorcycles and wheel away from the ceremony in style!

The bridesmaids can be the ultimate accessory– whether you go 50s style or dramatic black and red, it’s all rock.

Finally, flaunt those tattoos– even if grandma disapproves– there’s no reason why you can’t wear a traditional wedding dress and show off your body art.

Alyssa Milano got married on Saturday to David Bugliari in New Jersey. Check out her beautiful Vera Wang gown below! She carried a bouquet of lilies of the valley and the couple wed under a wrought iron gazebo decorated with willow, calla lilies and roses. Guests, including Bradley Cooper, were directed to the cocktail area by wooden signs. Hay bales served as tables and later dinner was served “family style on rustic farmhouse tables in a tent with wood flooring and wrought iron chandeliers. Event planner Colin Cowie created just the right atmosphere for the family-oriented couple.”

Aaron Buerge’s Wedding

We have some more details on Aaron Buerge’s wedding to Angye McIntosh! Their decorations consisted of pink and green table settings and other decorative accents, as well as a four-tier cake that was made to resemble wrapped gifts. Their altar was made from four columns draped with white curtains. The small ceremony consisted of 75 guests and was catered by the restaurant in which Buerge is a partner.

Jason Schwartzman’s Wedding

Jason Schwartzman tied the knot with clothing designer Brady Cunningham last month in a small ceremony in the San Fernando Valley.

The Time Traveler’s Wife

I just watched the movie this weekend and highly recommend it. The love story is different, yet timeless all at once. I haven’t read the book, so I can’t comment on how they differ, but do yourself a favor and watch this movie, if for no other reason than to get some great inspiration from the wedding scene. Rachel McAdams makes a stunning bride in her Lee Ann Belter gown. Does anybody else want to watch this movie?

I love beach weddings. I think they’re gorgeous and laid back at the same time. Maybe I’m biased because Mexico is like a second home to me, but beach weddings in a foreign country– particularly Latin America also tend to infuse a celebratory spirit into your guests that keeps them partying long after they should and also gets everyone into vacation mode. The other great thing is that the landscapes themselves are so stunning that you really don’t need much to decorate your affair.

On the flipside, there’s a European wedding. Ah Europe. I love European countries. They’re so romantic, and these images definitely bring me back to my childhood fairytale fantasies (oh who am I kidding, I still have fairytale fantasies)! The castles, the mist settling on the mountains, not to mention the gorgeous cobblestone streets, the vineyards, and the old churches, Europe indeed is a wedding dream.

{Images from Destination Weddings Magazine}

So now that I have definitely given you some food for thought, where would you get married, given the choice?

Also, check out Beau-coup’s travel themed wedding favors for your destination wedding, including luggage tags, city guides, and personalized tote bags that make perfect welcome bags.

Cheech Marin and his longtime girlfriend Natasha Rubin got married this weekend in his Malibu home! The pair said their I dos during a sunset beach ceremony. The reception was decorated with various natural elements like dark wood tables, white linens and sea-glass-colored linens. The pair also incorporated Natasha’s Russian heritage by hosting a pre-wedding cocktail reception as well as Cheech’s latin heritage by handing out limited edition prints of an original painting by Patssi Valdez for party favors.

David Miller from Opera group Il Divo got married on Saturday in new York City to fellow singer and actress Sarah Joy Kabanuck. The ceremony was held in an old townhouse decorated in the spirit of La Bohème, “paying tribute to where they first met six years ago while performing opposite each other in Baz Luhrman’s Broadway production of the famous Puccini opera.” Miller composed an original piece of music to which was used for his bride’s entrance. After the ceremony, there were dinner stations in three different opera-themed rooms that included: The Madame Butterfly room featuring sushi from Nobu; the La Traviata room with French cuisine; and the La Bohème room, with Italian fare. The couple wanted to pay tribute to the fact that penguins mate for life and so they used chocolate penguins for wedding favors and even hid some in the cake design.

Sweden’s own Princess Madeleine has just announced her engagement. She plans to marry Jonas Bergstrom, a lawyer. Her wedding date has not been decided yet, but older sister, Princess Victoria– next in line to the throne announced her own engagements and upcoming marriage in February of this year. Congratulations to the couple!

This is the quote with which I ended my vows to Faye. It best sums up how I feel about what happened to my life when she waltzed (or butterfly-flapped) into it. As I introduced the quote during the ceremony, I said confidently, “this is a quote by Emerson Waldo.” At which point everyone (or what seemed like everyone) laughed. There is no such person, of course. Three weeks later, I still have no idea how this man got into my printed pages (or how everyone at my wedding knew who Ralph Waldo Emerson was). But it didn’t matter. All of the little things that went wrong during our wedding weekend got thoroughly eclipsed by the absolute wonder and amazement I felt at the fact that it all – often miraculously – came together. It was the best weekend of my life and by far the best wedding I have ever been the groom in. I had all of my favorite people in one place supporting me, and I was standing there with the woman who liked me enough to want to spend the rest of her life with me, and, man… it is so hard to sum up into words. So I’ll draw a picture.

Did that help? No? Okay, then. Instead of trying to capture the entire experience, I am going to go through some of the unanswered questions and fears from my earlier blog episodes and tell you how they turned out.

Episode 1: Ask her out. I swear. Just do it. And if she says “no,” take a deep breath and ask her out again. I am not suggesting that you stalk her – please respect the restraining order – but be bold. She really might be the one. Early, spontaneous road trips are great, because you begin showing The Real You a whole lot quicker if you are spending 24 hours a day together.

Episode 2: Going with the family heirloom was the perfect choice of a ring for us. It fit in the budget (only had to pay for the resizing!) and Faye continues to get compliments on it every day. But only go with the ring if you actually like it. You are going to have to look at it everyday and it would be a shame if you found yourself suddenly suggesting your fiancé wear fancy gloves during the summer.

Episode 3: While I think my logic for asking Faye to marry me before speaking to her parents was sound… looking back, I definitely would have told Faye’s parents my intentions before I asked her. I think it would have been special for them and Faye wouldn’t have minded.

Episode 4: While keeping parts of our engagement story private was Faye’s original request of me, I have found that I am happy to keep parts of our rest of our lives together private as well. As a writer, this is obviously sometimes a challenge for me. But I find that sharing a secret memory with Faye keeps it in that magical place forever. (Faye and I sometimes rob banks for a living, but I would never reveal that to you.)

Episode 5: We held the wedding ceremony in Faye’s backyard. It was perfection. I can’t imagine having it anywhere else. We spent a lot of time worrying about the weather and fretting over the need for tents. It rained for about two weeks leading up to the wedding, and then it stopped Thursday night and didn’t rain again until the moment the reception ended. Here is a video I made of myself while driving in the rain on the Wednesday before the wedding. I like it because somehow, in spite of my worries and stress, I made up my mind to stay positive about the weather – even though I was driving through a hail storm and my iPhone app kept insisting that it wouldn’t let up for a month. If that isn’t progress for me, I don’t know what is! (Kids, don’t try this at home.)

Episode 6: All of Faye’s maniacal binder-making and magazine-clipping was worth it. Almost every little piece – every dream and conversation we had – somehow came to life on our wedding weekend. I am convinced that Faye can do anything now. She could solve our country’s health care problems with two binders and some late night googling.

Episode 7: Budgets aren’t real if you keep raising them. We came up with a number and then we watched it compound because we lost our ever-loving minds trying to make the party match our vision. It felt unavoidable. Nope – don’t let anyone tell you that a DIY is the inexpensive route. It was a huge financial and emotional undertaking and we will be paying for it for some time to come. And I am here to tell you that it was all worth it. That is how I am feeling at this moment. We threw a huge, and from what I gather, kick-ass party for ourselves and our friends and family – one we will remember for the rest of our lives. How do you really put a price tag on that? (In other news, please send $1 to Beau-coup.com ATTN Eric. No reason.)

Episode 7.5: Our honeymoon was amazing. We did a two part-er. To fulfill our need for pure relaxation, we spent our first four nights at a resort called Kamalame Cay, which is a small private island off the coast of Andros in the Bahamas. We had our own beachfront cottage with doors that opened on all sides, allowing the Caribbean air to wash over us whether we were inside or out. We even had our own golf cart to travel across the three miles of natural beauty. We played Boggle and drank rum drinks by the pool and then had massages on a pier in the middle of the ocean.

For honeymoon part two, we fed our inner adventurers by going to a small “eco-resort” in Port Antonio, Jamaica, called Kanopi House. It was a hidden gem, and sleeping under a mosquito net in our cabin in the middle of a rainforest was an experience we will never forget. We swam in the nearby Blue Lagoon and kayaked to Monkey Island (no monkeys, to my dismay, but a great opportunity to pretend that you are stranded on a deserted island). My personal highlights were rafting down a river through the Blue Mountains, being driven over treacherous mountain roads by the Mickey the best driver on the entire planet, eating a birthday cake baked for Faye by chef Elaine, and hanging out with the house manager Carla and her two lovely boys “Beenie Man” and “Bunty” (named after competing Jamaican reggae DJs). They all made us feel at home from the moment we got there.

Best of all, I actually turned my phone off and never checked email the entire time we were away. I still feel a sense of relaxation I have never truly felt before. I am going to try to hang on to this feeling for as long as possible.

Episode 8: This whole process has taught me not to be as afraid of the phone. I even got to the point where I was able to deal with vendors without a Faye-made questionnaire. I talked to caterers and liquor store owners and cannoli stuffers and was shocked to find them all to be pleasant and not at all out to humiliate me in public.

Episode 9: The members of my wedding party were rock stars. They arrived full of positive energy and were ready to do anything to help make the weekend perfect. A few of my close friends that I wasn’t able to include as groomsmen also were there for me the entire time and became instrumental in helping things go smoothly throughout the weekend. Amazing.

Episode 10: My new motto for anyone planning a DIY wedding is “D is for Delegate!!!” It helps if you have people in your life named Sarah, Gabrielle, Richie, Patricia, Evan, Holly, Mom, Dad, or Heather who happen to be either a graphic designer and DJ, beekeeper and honeymaker, videographer, courageous neighbor-officiant, photographer and audio producer, flower arranger, table-constructor, or ribbon-and-stamp whiz. Really the list of people who made it all possible is unbelievably long and we couldn’t have done it without each and every one of them.

Episode 11: Faye’s dress was more beautiful than I could have ever dreamed of. She looked like an Italian supermodel bride. I don’t know how she could have ever been concerned. But of course she believes there were imperfections, and wants me to pass on this lesson: “don’t be afraid to insist on what you want from whoever is helping you with hair, makeup, accessories, etc. This is not the time to bite your tongue for the sake of your relationship with your hairdresser.”

Episode 12: We ended up with exactly 150 guests. We didn’t invite any kids, which was hard, but no one made us feel badly about it. I personally loved having a great big wedding. (In other news, please send $5 to Beau-coup.com Attn Eric.)

Episode 13: The matrix worked! While it was complicated having people drive to multiple sites over the wedding weekend, holding the ceremony in the backyard and the reception at a cool loft gave the night a unique flair. We basically got both of best worlds.

Episode 14: Opening gifts is F-U-N! At first, opening cards with money in them made me uncomfortable. I found myself wondering if the person giving the money could afford it. I mentioned this to my sister, who gave me money even though she has a mortgage and two toddlers to feed. She told me that giving us money “made me happy, and I wouldn’t have given it if it was going to kill me, so stop whining and enjoy it. Besides, how is giving cash more expensive then a gift?” I’m taking her word for it. The cash really has come in handy – particularly on the honeymoon. Meanwhile – is it bizarre that I begin to salivate whenever I see a Crate & Barrel box at my door?

Episode 15: The seating chart we used was a lifesaver and everyone seemed cool about where they were seated. Of course, something else I learned from this whole process is that no one will ever tell you if they were unhappy at your wedding – so don’t stress TOO much about such things.

I want to leave you with a few other things I discovered that might help you on your wedding planning adventures.

1.  Get a suite and host a party in your room after you reception. This was a huge highlight for us. Sure, we sacrificed the whole riding off into the sunset thing, but we are going to have the rest of our lives to spend together. How many times would we have all of our favorite people in one room again?

2.  Everything you are stressed about going wrong probably won’t. And everything you are not worried about just might. So, by the transitive property, worrying is useless.

3.  When you are forced to choose between chatting with every single person at your reception, or dancing your ass off, dance. I am serious. This way, you are going to regret not talking to some people, which will happen regardless, but you are never going to regret having danced with them.

Finally…don’t wait to become a finished product to get married. You will never be “there.” You will never be perfect. You may never feel perfectly happy with yourself and where you are in life. You will always just be you. So go out there and find someone who you like. Someone who likes your you-ness, who you can put up with on a road trip. Then agree to grow together.

That was what Faye and I promised to each other in our vows. To grow, to change, to be happy and sad. And to do it together.

And that is a promise I know I can keep.

Thanks for reading.

I got a preview…and I can tell you, it’s worth the read.  If you haven’t been following the series, now is a great time to catch up!  Visit the episode guide to take the journey with us.

Then check back tomorrow morning at 8AM, PST for Eric’s final post!!

Set the scene with some hanging lanterns to serve as your arch. Set your chairs amidst the lush grass. Create an aisle runner out of burlap and hand paint tribal signs to really get into the African spirit.

Have your ring bearer bring your rings in a handmade wooden bowl accented with a sprig of flowers. Exchange wooden or copper wedding bands to really go the traditional route. Welcome your guests to the ceremony with a handmade guest book created by tying two pieces of bark with porcupine quills and a ribbon. For your place cards, cover a shot glass with a piece of burlap, and attach a piece of torn paper with a porcupine quill.

Set your table with a bright table runner and make your centerpieces out of pyramids of fruit within tribal bowls. Tie your napkins with wooden beads. Use brightly colored dishes in African patterns and make sure to hang plenty of lanterns, as well as use mudcloth-covered chairs. Decorate your cake with beads and let your guests freshen their hands in a wooden bowl filled with lemon water and accented with flowers and lemon slices.

Provide some entertainment for your guests with traditional African dancers. Make your getaway in a rustic Land Rover, which is also perfect for transporting guests to your reception.

{Images from Brides.com}

As a bonus, I found this great wedding on Once Wed. The bridesmaids all wore cowboy boots and the ceremony took place beneath a gnarled tree reminiscent of the African plains.

{Once Wed}

Music for Ceremony
submitted by Elaine

When looking for music for the ceremony I was shocked at the costs!  I wanted “live music”.  Some nice string music.  I researched and it was going to cost me at least $500 for a 3 piece string quartet to play for an hour.  Crazy!  So I contacted my local university and spoke to the program director for the music department.  I asked him to pass the word to seniors only that I need a cellist, violinist, and either a harp player or a flute player.  I offered them $50 each.  A savings of $350.  Use your local college students!  They are hungry for money and willing to work hard.

You can read more great tips and advice on www.resourcefulbrides.com.

The big news this week is that Mark Wahlberg finally tied the knot with his long-time love Rhea Durham! The two got married in a traditional Catholic Church ceremony in Los Angeles and were accompanied by their three children and about 12 of their closest friends and family. The church was decorated with candles, as well as pink and light purple roses.

Here are some more pictures from the event. Look at all the media surrounding the couple! They look really happy though, congratulations to the pair!

Other Celebrity Weddings

Also married this week was 24’s Mary-Lynn Rajskub. The actress married personal trainer, Matthew Rolph at the Planet Hollywood hotel in Las Vegas. The bride was accompanied down the aisle by the couple’s one year old son to Elvis’ song “A Little Less Conversation.” They later celebrated at Koi restaurant.

I mentioned last week that Ali Larter had gotten married to Hayes MacArthur. Well, this week, we finally get to see some photos from their big day!The two are positively glowing with happiness. Many congratulations to the couple!

Celebrity Engagements

Fans of the hit HBO series True Blood will be sad to learn that Stephen Moyer (aka the vampire Bill Compton) and his lady love, both onscreen and offscreen Anna Paquin (aka Sookie Stackhouse) are off the market. The couple, who announced their relationship in February announced their engagement this week.

Also engaged is My Name is Earl actress Jaime Pressly to entertainment lawyer Simran Singh!

After all the excitement with the Bachelorette last season, the 2nd season Bachelor Aaron Buerge, whose on-screen love fizzled, announced his engagement to Angye McIntosh.

Images from: The Beauty File

Long veils or gowns look great in the breeze, but sometimes all it takes is a pop of color to make you really stand out. I love the look of bright earrings paired against a white dress or a colorful scarf on a groom.

Images from: Style Me Pretty, Sedona Bride, 100 Layer Cake, Jagger Photography

Keep your guests cool by setting up various colorful tents for your ceremony. You can have your guests sit on mats on the floor or pillows. You can also set up some tables and string lights above for a party under the stars. If you’d rather host your soiree indoors, decorate the venue with plenty of hanging fabrics and Moroccan style lanterns. Don’t forget to have some Persian rugs to set up a lush lounge scene.

Images from: Hip Hostess, Junebug Weddings, Sedona Bride, Sedona Bride, Style Me Pretty, Green Wedding Shoes, Southern Weddings Magazine

Line your aisle with rustic lanterns and set up a colorful runner for you to walk over. Set up a rustic wooden table with your wedding favors and light various candles around it. Give your guests mini buri fans and parasols to beat the desert heat. Don’t forget to set up custom water bottles in buckets and have plenty of shawls and flip flops to keep your guests comfortable all night. To mix up your decor a bit, consider incorporating some colorful shawls under your centerpieces and don’t forget to mix your flowers with some cacti and other desert plants.

Images from: The Wedding Decorator, Ritzybee, Southern Weddings Magazine, 100 Layer Cake

Finally, don’t forget to provide your guests with entertainment via steel drums and plenty of fire to keep the night at bay. You might even consider setting up table torches on individual tables to keep guests warm at night.

Images from: Style Me Pretty, Snippet & Ink

This week’s celebrity wedding news has been completely dominated by news of Bachelorette Jillian Harris’ engagement to Ed Swiderski. After a whirlwind romance on the show, that came with several ups and downs including Ed leaving after week 5 because of his job and later coming back confessing that he couldn’t stop thinking of her, it came down to the final two suitors, Ed and Kiptyn. The suitors had their final dates with Jillian before the final rose ceremony.

Even though Kiptyn declared his love for her, she ended up rejecting him before being surprised by Reid– the third runner up, whom she had dumped because she didn’t think he felt strongly enough for her. Reid told her he loved her, said he thought the other two weren’t right for her, and dropped to his knee to propose. A stunned Jillian had to rethink her options, but finally decided that she had made the right choice with Ed all along and rejected Reid as well.

When Ed finally showed up, he said, “You may not know how much you impacted me, changed me as a man and helped me re-prioritize my life. You make me smile when I look in your eyes.” He paused waiting to hear if he was indeed her pick and when Jillian told him he was the one by saying, “There’s no doubt in my mind that I’m madly in love with you,” he got down on one knee and said ““I want to be with you forever. I want to have a family with you. I want you to give me a hard time when we’re 80 years old. Jillian, will you marry me?”” while presenting her with a stunning Neil Lane engagement ring. She replied, “Absolutely!” then the two kissed and piggybacked off into the sunset.

The two plan on getting married sometime within the next 12 months and Jillian is moving to Canada to live with Ed in Chicago. Many congratulations to these two!

Finally, in case you weren’t aware, Beau-coup is having an end of summer sale this week! So be sure to purchase some party decorations and favors before it ends on Monday!

Roses are perfect for summer. They’re in season and they look fabulous when their petals are used in massive amounts. How beautiful is this rose petal mosaic below or the patterns on the aisle that look opulent, but use only a fraction of the petals. Rose petals also look great in pools or fountains especially when paired with a bright tent to keep your guests out of the heat.

{Images from: Style Me Pretty, Rock n Roll Bride, Banquet Events}

Rose petals can also be scattered on your tables around your centerpieces, but if you want something cleaner, set a single flower on each place setting. Bright colors also lend themselves to using more exotic flowers, so pair orchids and lilies with your roses for a tropical feel.

I love these arches. They make the bride look like she’s entering a secret garden. The hanging vases of flowers make clean and elegant aisle decorations too.

A bright summer wedding calls for lots of flowers, so give your littlest attendants their own bouquets and you can even use fluffy flowers like carnations or peonies as a base for your escort cards.

{Images from: Style Me Pretty, Stephanie Williams Photography, Once Wed, Sedona Bride, Jose Villa}

For a more rustic feel, string some ribbons up on trees and use vintage bottles paired with fruit or leaves as your centerpieces. You can also hang Chinese paper lanterns and set your brights against a wooden backdrop. 

{Images from:Earth Friendly Weddings, Style Me Pretty, Green Wedding Shoes}

No summer wedding is complete without fruity cocktails. Make your cocktails even better by adding colorful drink flags. You can DIY by using your own monogrammed stamp. Set out a candy display with various goodies including salt water taffy and rock candy, and if you’re feeling particularly playful, complete the scene with a cotton candy machine! Don’t forget to provide some fresh options as well, including seasonal fruit like strawberries and cherries. You can even create place cards out of cherries!

{Images from:Once Wed, Style Me Pretty, Once Wed, Style Me Pretty, 100 Layer Cake}

A summer wedding is bound to get warm, so brides, do yourselves a favor and opt for a loose flowing gown over a fitted and thick concoction. A long, flowy veil looks great in pictures, but you might also consider wearing a birdcage veil for something a little lighter weight. You might also consider wearing a wreath or just give some to your little flower girls for some adorable shots. If you want a touch of color in your outfit, consider wearing a colorful pair of heels or carrying a parasol. Be sure to give your groom a tie and bout that match your wedding colors and don’t forget to get a ring shot amidst your bright flowers for it to really pop.

{Images from: Style Me Pretty, Style Me Pretty, Rock n Roll Bride, eLucky, 100 Layer Cake, Southern Weddings Magazine, Stephanie Williams Photography, Green Wedding Shoes, Jose Villa}

An outdoor reception is a good place to set up some fun games or do like this couple and place some props inside a photo booth to get your guests in a fun mood. Give your guests some wedding bubbles for wedding favors or to send you off and make your getaway on a bicycle for the ultimate summer departure!

{Images from: Green Wedding Shoes, Wedding Bee Pro, Weddingbee Pro, Once Wed, Martha Stewart}

Ivanka Trump chose Twitter to announce her engagement to long-time beau Jared Kushner. She wrote, “I got engaged last night…truly the happiest day of my life!!!”

Leelee Sobieski is getting married to her boyfriend designer Adam Kimmel! The actress showed off her marquise diamond engagement ring at the premiere of Public Enemies– her latest movie.

The Millionaire Matchmaker, Patti Stanger is finally engaged herself! Her new fiance, Andy Friedman, proposed by getting a black swan to deliver a 4 carat ring to his bride-to-be. How fun!

Also engaged is Christina Milian to her music producer boyfriend The-Dream. He presented the singer with a six carat diamond and the two are planning on having a small intimate wedding.

{Image from: Green Wedding Shoes}

My favorite kind of travel inspired weddings are the ones that take place in unique settings such as the top of a mountain reachable only by plane like the wedding below. Any destination wedding that incorporates details from the locale can also count as a travel themed wedding, just as long as the location plays a part in the theme.

{Images from: Weddingbee Pro}

I love the weddings that incorporate the actual airports. Travelers frequently make airports and planes into their second homes that it only makes sense to invite your guests over. If you can’t have your wedding at an actual airplane hangar, then you might still consider choosing the setting for your wedding photos.

{Images from: Style Me Pretty, Style Me Pretty}

Not all travel is done by plane, so if you’ve ever traveled by boat, then you know the allure of the sea. A boat wedding lends itself to a variety of subthemes like nautical themes or even Victorian-inspired ones. You could hold your wedding overlooking a marina, on a dock if you’re planning on having a small wedding, or even on a ship itself.

{Images from: Offbeat Bride, Elizabeth Anne, Polka Dot Bride}

Trains are so romantic. They always make me think of the old movies where the man would stand on the platform waving goodbye to his lady love. An old train setting would lend plenty of authenticity to your travel themed wedding and could also provide you with some incredible photography.

{Images from: Jagger Photography}

One of my personal favorites is a library. There’s something so quintessentially alluring about books– particularly because for me at least, it always conjures up images of the days of the old explorers who penned their adventures in travel journals (as opposed to blogs!) or pored over atlases to map out their next adventure.

{Images from: Anne Ruthman Photography}

Once the location is mapped out, the centerpieces can help you really seal the deal. Consider naming your tables after destinations you’ve visited or places that are special to you both and include a picture of you at the table, then create your centerpieces to match the location. For example, if you’ve named your tables after Spain, France, and Mexico, you could create centerpieces that incorporate hand fans, mini eiffel towers, and maracas respectively. To make them more uniform, have your florist create the same floral arrangement around each one. Another possibility is to purchase mini airplanes and globes to place on the tables atop old atlases or guidebooks, or over a plate that looks like a map. You could also simply fill a vintage suitcase with flowers. The possibilities are endless.

{Images from: Weddingbee, Well Rehearsed, Vintage Glam, Globetrotting Bride}

Binoculars, magnifying glasses, compasses, and old letters can also help to lend a vintage air to your travel themed affair.

{Images from: Well Rehearsed, Vintage Glam, Style Me Pretty, Style Me Pretty}

For your invitations, get your guests prepared for your wedding by creating invitations that look like plane tickets or like passports. You might also consider doing invitations that resemble suitcases, postcards, or like old location posters.

{Images from: Black Eiffel, Weddingbee Pro, Style Me Pretty}

For your guestbook, have your guests write on vintage post-cards which you can hang on a string for display.

{Image from: Style Me Pretty}

Decorate trees with pictures from your travels to make interesting conversation pieces for your mingling guests.

{Image from: Style Me Pretty}

Hand out some travel themed wedding favors to your guests, such as mini suitcases filled with candy. Or if you’re having a destination wedding in a popular city, hand out these great black book city guides in your out of town bags! Luggage tags make great wedding favors, but they can also be used as place cards.

{Images from: Beau-coup mini suitcases, Style Me Pretty, Polka Dot Bride, Beau-coup luggage tags, Beau-coup boat shaped luggage tags, Style Me Pretty}

For your meal, serve it buffet style, but with various stations and serve different regional specialties, such as sushi, tacos, pasta, etc. to pay homage to the different places you’ve been. Have your baker create a grooms-cake that resembles luggage or if you’re having a destination wedding hand out something like Colombian or Guatemalan coffee beans, Italian olive oil, Spanish wine, or Chinese fortune cookies to celebrate the country where your wedding has taken place. Pair your menu with worldly drinks and music and you’re bound to show your guests an amazing time.

{Images from: Polka Dot Bride, Polka Dot Bride}

Finally, for your wardrobe, you can do a variety of things such as dressing up your bridesmaid in cultural garb or simply wear something that you’ve taken on your travels or that reminds you of them like hiking boots for some fun pictures or something really creative like an air-force inspired bolero like this stylish bride!

{Images from: Style Me Pretty, Style Me Pretty}

I’ve been waiting patiently for this wedding and the day finally came! Jenna Dewan and Channing Tatum who costarred and met in the movie Step Up got engaged in September and got married this past weekend! The groom wore Armani, the bride wore a gorgeous Reem Acra gown, and they exchanged Neil Lane wedding bands. The nuptials were attended by 220 guests including Marlon Wayans, maid of honor Emmanuelle Chriqui, and bridesmaid Haylie Duff.

The fairytale themed wedding was planned by Mindy Weiss and no stone was left unturned. Even the adorable flower girls wore fairy wings! The ceremony was short and only took about 15 minutes at a private estate overlooking the ocean, but it was followed by a tented reception that was decorated with thousands of roses, hydrangeas and orchids in reds, fuchsia and blush. The couple also danced to Israel “Iz” Ka’ano’i Kamakawiwo’ole’s version of “Somewhere over the Rainbow.”Even the wedding cake was fairytale inspired! It was shaped like a magic castle filled with fairies in several flavors: red velvet, chocolate with chocolate fudge, and white with funfetti frosting– which is the newlyweds’ favorite!

Robert Redford’s Secret Wedding

Robert Redford got married this past weekend! The 72 year old actor (who still looks great!) wed artist Sibylle Szaggarsin at the Louis C. Jacob Hotel in Hamburg, Germany in front of 30 of their closest family and friends. According to some reports, the bride wore a champagne colored gown and Robert wore a white suit (which I think is very fitting since I always think of him as his character in The Way We Were!).

Holly Madison Marries the Travelocity Gnome

Well this is a first. Holly Madison took to her Twitter to tell us that she married the gnome from the Travelocity commercials. Before you start sending out your congratulatory cards though, it’s just footage for an upcoming commercial. Pretty funny though.

Charles Kelley Put a Ring On It

Lead singer of Lady Antebellum and Katherine Heigl’s brother-in-law, Charles Kelley got married! Charles Kelley and Cassie McConnell tied the knot in a civil ceremony in Nashville which is to be followed by a larger destination wedding in the Bahamas. Congratulations to the couple!

An Event for Mothers of the Bride and Groom

For all you brides in the SF bay area, Well Rehearsed is hosting an event at Neiman Marcus in the Stanford Shopping Center for mothers of the bride and groom. This event will include a free champagne reception, fashion presentation, wedding etiquette, and tips. Be sure to RSVP here and don’t miss out!

For a summery yellow theme, make your wedding more casual and pick out specific areas where you’d like to highlight the color. For example, in this wedding, the couple hung long pieces of yellow and white fabric from the rafters and accented their “altar” with yellow balloons.

{Image from Once Wed}

You could always go with small touches like a beautiful yellow ribbon and flower chandelier or simply hang lemons from the chairs and have your guests strew yellow rose petals.

{Image from Hostess with the Mostess,Green Wedding Shoes}

Incorporate the color into your wardrobe by donning yellow shoes or if you’re a really adventurous bride, consider wearing a light yellow gown.

{Image from Jose Villa, Coco Kelley}

Outfit your groom with yellow bouts made from billy balls, yellow daisies, or sunflowers, or just have him wear a yellow tie and socks!

{Images from: Green Wedding Shoes, Southern Weddings Magazine, Snippet & Ink}

Your bridesmaids will glow in yellow dresses. To mix things up a bit, have them wear the same dress in varying shades of yellow or differently cut dresses in the same shade of yellow to give your bridal party some uniformity. Have your groomsmen wear yellow socks and ties to blend the whole thing together.

{Images from Green Wedding Shoes, Southern Weddings Magazine, Style Me Pretty, Weddingbee Pro}

For the youngest members of your wedding party outfit them in sunflower wreaths or yellow tutus. The boys can wear a pale yellow vest or a simple yellow flower on his lapel.

{Image from Style Me Pretty, Weddingbee Pro, Style Me Pretty}

For the table decorations you can do several things. Place a few daisies in a single flower vase with a sign to depict the table numbers.I love these signs that have different candy names on them. Tie some personalized ribbon and a wedding tag to a lemon to serve as your place card holder. Place yellow table runners over some white linens for a crisp effect, or bunch together various yellow flowers within different holders like porcelain Chinese takeout boxes.

{Images from Amorology, Style Me Pretty, Beau-coup porcelain Chinese takeout boxes, Style Me Pretty, Style Me Pretty}

Have your baker create a yellow cake and/ or set up a candy buffet with various delectable yellow goodies for your guests to sample and take home. Set out some mini glass spice jars or favor bags for guests to bring the candy home. Some homemade lemonade is a great way to cool your guests down. You can also send them home with their own personalized lemonade packets as wedding favors.

{Images from Jose Villa, Style Me Pretty, Hostess with the Mostess, Amorology, Green Wedding Shoes, Amorology}

Finally, pose for pictures by a yellow airplane or make your getaway in a yellow tandem bike!

{Images from: Weddingbee Pro, Jose Villa}

• Samuel L. Jackson told The Late Show with David Letterman that he bought a beehive for Scarlett Johanssen and Ryan Reynolds’ wedding present. He said, “Scarlett was always talking about how the bees were dying and the planet was going to die [...] so I said, ‘Ok, what I’m going to do is buy you a beehive as your weeding gift’. And she thought I was kidding. So once they got married, and when the weather was right, I sent my sister out to a bee farm, we got about five pounds of bees. We got them some bee suits and hats as well.” Can you imagine Ryan Reynolds in a bee suit?

Engaged!

• Pam Beesly and her real life counterpart Jenna Fisher are engaged! While Pam is busily planning her wedding to Jim Halpert on The Office, Jenna just announced her engagement to real-life boyfriend Lee Kirk. They make a great couple, but I can’t help wishing that Pam and Jim were getting married in real life too!

Weddings

• Brian Cook of the Houston Rockets got married! The NBA star said, “I wasn’t nervous at all until right before the ceremony, and then I saw her and just knew that it was all good.” The wedding cake was standard, but the groom’s cake– made to resemble a basketball– caused a commotion when the groomsmen started throwing the cake at the groom after it was cut. It sounds like fun, as long as nobody got the bride! According to People, Victoria Velasquez (the bride) wore “a dress by Priscilla of Boston Platinum Collection and $75,000 worth of jewelry from Adorn Brides.” The wedding was designed by Bella Weddings & Events and it had a purple & teal color scheme. The couple danced their first dance to Stevie Wonder’s “Ribbon in the Sky.”
  

• American idol judge Kara DioGuardi got married! She and her fiancee wed in a small ceremony in Prospect Harbor, Maine accompanied by 30 of their close friends and family although none of the other Idol judges were in attendance.

{Image from Elements of Style}

Here’s some flag etiquette courtesy of The Finer Things:

• A flag should not be flown in inclement weather, unless it is an all-weather flag

• The flag should not be displayed in the dark. One should display a flag from sunrise to sunset unless it will be properly illuminated during the hours of darkness.

• Any time the flag is displayed in a place other than from a pole or staff, it should be hung flat with the blue/star portion (referred to as “the union”) at the observers upper left. The same is true when it is hung from a window– the flag should be positioned so that from the street, the union appears in the upper left hand corner

• When a flag is flown at half-staff, it should first be raised to the very top of the flag pole for an instant and then lowered to the half-staff position

• A flag should never be draped across the back of things like boats, nor should it be used as a table cloth

• Flag pins should be worn on the left lapel near the heart

• A flag should never be allowed to touch what lies beneath it (whether the ground, water or an object

And, if you’re hosting a 4th of July party (rehearsal dinner or even a wedding!) and are looking for some patriotic goodies, check out these lovelies below!

{Images from Ritzy bee Blog, Hostess Blog, Hostess Blog, Hostess Blog, }