Creating A Theme

Good morning Wed-heads!

OMG what a beautiful day here in CT! I can not wait to get out and enjoy it. But first we work, then we play!

Last week we discussed the importance of researching the best vendors and pricing for your big day. Check out the following link to the Central CT Post as a recap of what I talked about.
http://centralctpost.com/2014/05/26/tips-to-avoid-wedding-day-blues/

With today's topic, Creating a Theme, we move out of the "work" phase of planning, and into the "fun" phase! This is why I'm passionate about weddings...I love to decorate!!! I love creating a fabulous atmosphere that my brides and their guests will remember for a lifetime. Your guests may not remember the vows you spoke. They may not remember the food you served. But they WILL remember walking into the reception location, seeing the beauty and feeling the awe that you created for them. Notice I said, "...that you created for them." Thats right! Yes, it is your wedding day! But the entire point of having a full wedding celebration, instead of say eloping, is to experience and share your joy with others. So with that in mind, let's build a theme, that you AND your guests will absolutely love and remember for years to come.

The first step in building a theme is decidng if you want one! Themes essentially can be anything from a simple color scheme you want to use throughout the wedding, or it can be a total "experience" you want your guests to have on your wedding day. You will incorporate your theme into all of your wedding essentials, Save The Date cards; Invitations; Flowers; your Centerpieces; your Cake; and even your Favors.

To build a theme based on a color scheme is relatively easy. First, comb through the magazines I know you have hoarded under your bed! LOL Select the shade or shades of your favorite colors that you want to work with. I would then advise that you find either a fabric swatch or any tangible item small in size (a linen napkin, a piece of jewelry, a picture), that you can take with you EVERYWHERE as a reference point to make sure your color is not compromised. Take that article with you when shopping with your girls for bridesmaids dresses; when meeting with the reception hall to select linens for your tables; and especially when meeting with your florist. Visit websites such as The Knot.com, or purchase this season's bridal magazines to see which colors are "in", or what secondary colors will compliment your main color nicely. Remember you are going to incorporate your color(s) into everything, so make sure you love them and that they are pleasing to everyone's eye.

To build a theme on a total experience is alot harder to do, but oh so worth it! First decide what you and your partner are into. If you love the beach, then do a beach theme. If you love the great outdoors, you can do a rustic garden theme. Or if your cause is bigger than yourself, for example, you live a totally "green" lifestyle, then do that. It's totally up to you! What you do is, take the theme and build every element of your day off of it. For example, If you live "green", then use recycled paper for your invitations; have a reception site that is near the ceremony site so you and your guests can walk from one place to the next without using limos and reducing your carbon stamp for the day; or offer cupcakes instead of cake to lessen the amount of food waste. Using the picture above, this couple went with an outdoor rustic theme. You can imagine that their invitations were wrapped in burlap and the paper could have had an antique look to them. Their ceremony was more than likely held outside or perhaps in a rustic barn. Their decor probably had elements of wild flowers, plants and even fruits. From the picture, it looks as though instead of individual place cards, they went with seating cards displayed in a wonderfully rustic fashion that their guests could easily view in a beautiful setting. Creating a total experience is all about a "feeling" you want your guests to experience. However small scale or grand you decide to display it, visit The Knot.com or sites like Pinterest to help you discover ways to convey your theme nicely.
I will be the first to tell you, when creating a total experience, BEWARE of going over board!!!!

Sometimes brides get way too carried away with themes. Too much of anything is never a good thing! I'll give you a perfect example:

And this IS a true story. My husband who's a DJ, did this wedding a few years back. Now as a man and a DJ, LOL, he really did not pay attention to any of the decor when he first walked into the reception hall, setting his full concentration on providing the entertainment. It was only after the wedding when he noticed how far this bride went with her theme. The bride came over to him as he was packing up his equipment at the end of the night. She asked him if he would like "some fish to take home." My husband, still not paying attention, said "yes, thank you", thinking there was leftover food from the Caterer. Instead...and I kid you not...the bride reappears moments later with a small glass bowl with a LIVE FISH in it!!! Yes, I said it, a live fish! That's when my husband finally noticed the beach themed decor all over the rented hall. And this bride's FAVORS were live fish in a bowl! LMBO!!!!  Although a unique twist to a beach theme...and a cute pet for us for about 6 weeks....this is GOING TOO FAR!!!  Not only was this an outrageous expense to have purchased that many fish but the favor idea backfired! Most of the guests left their bowls on the tables, not wanting to deal with it. Not only was it money down the drain (literally because I'm sure she had to flush those fish), but what will the guests remember? The beach theme and experience the bride wanted to create? Or just the live fish? Do you want your wedding remembered as the fish wedding? LOL I think not.

So ladies, choose your theme wisely and execute it elegantly. Have fun wth it, but be conservative. Don't tape sea shells to the walls, or ask your guests to wear cowboy hats and mustaches to your wedding. How tacky and inconvenient for your guests! Execute your theme to the fullest, but make sure everything is pleasing to the eye and completely representative of who you and your partner are. And if you need help, do not be afraid to contact a Decorator in your area, such as Simple Elegance Event Planning at www.mysimpleelegance.com. Not only will a Decorator advise you about how far you should go, but by hiring someone to execute your theme, you take the stress off of yourself or family members to get it done on your big day.

Next week, we'll discuss money saving tips for obtaining all of those MUST HAVES and incorporating your Theme, while staying on budget!

Enjoy your day, Wed-heads!
And remember, no fish! LOL