The Traditionalist

Nothing ultra-modern here… just classic elegant styling, leaning towards the ornate

The Minimalist

This is rather more spartan. Clean lines, less decoration and embellishments, this money box would look more at home in an urban-style wedding – perhaps in a Gallery?

The.. “Ornamentalist”?

Well, there will be no doubt, that this was at a wedding Wouldn’t this look great at your receiving table though? The money box woudl be effectively be part of the decor..

Cinderella Bride

For your fairytale wedding! Especially intimate affairs.. not too big, but definitely makes a statement!

Image: Kniphofia (Red Hot Poker) -- sxc.hu

For centerpieces, consider Kniphofia. Also known as “red hot pokers” these gorgeous flowers are fantastic for fall centerpieces. Featuring brilliant reds and yellows, these flowers will definitely liven up your wedding reception tables.

Hydrangeas are popular in summer weddings, but they are also a great choice in fall. These large flowers range in color from blue to pink. The more acidic the soil is, the closer to pink the color will be. You can also get hydrangeas dyed if they are not the exact color that you are looking for.

If you want an inexpensive flower for your fall wedding, consider Chrysanthemums (known as mums). These come in all sizes and colors. They are a durable flower that can be used in bouquets as well as centerpieces.

Other flowers to consider include asters, gerbera daises, marigolds, sunglowers and zinnias. To add a little texture to your centerpieces, include some fall plants and fruits such as crab apples, gourds, holly or even dry grasses like wheat.

Image: istockphoto

If you are looking for chair cover rentals, in Vancouver or elsewhere in Canada, ask the venue for a recommendation. They could have a vendor that their brides normally work with. However, don’t expect pretty chair covers to come cheap. The hall and other services usually rent chair covers for $4 and up per chair.

If chair covers aren’t an expense that you accounted for in your wedding budget, there are alternatives to renting chair covers. Here are a couple ideas:

Decorated Pillow Cases
Believe it or not, pillow case make good chair covers. If you can purchase them in bulk or from thift shops, you can decorate them with stencils or paints and then slip them over the chairs.

Chair Bows
Head to your local craft shop or dollar store and buy a bunch of tulle. You can make big tulle bows for under a $1 each and then tie them around the chair. If they are big enough, they will cover even the ugliest chair backs. Check out these directions for making your own chairback decorations.

Wedding DJ Toronto

Some DJs read the crowd very well and others have strengths that can range from Musical library to Lighting and setup as well as being able to sing and play other instruments as well. Depending on the tone of your wedding certain DJs can be more appropriate than others. For an older crowd, perhaps consider a DJ that can belt out a good Sinatra tune or if the audience is quite young you might need to have them focus on more contemporary music.

Wedding DJs in Toronto

Setting up the hall for the Dj is also very important. In some circumstances they will be off to the side and in others they will take centre stage so to speak. Make sure they are comfortable and able to see the entire audience. DJs often need to feel the atmosphere in the room to play their best, so audience interaction is very important.

DJ for your Toronto Wedding

Image: istockphoto

Chandeliers are a stunning choice for a formal reception hall but if there aren’t any chandeliers in the facility, you can choose from a variety of other types of sophisticated lighting options. Consider blown glass globes and paper lanterns for a formal affair.

Projection lighting is a great way to customize the lighting at your wedding reception. For example, you can have your initials projected onto the dance floor or behind the head table. Some couples also choose heart or star patterns projected on the ceiling.

For an outdoor wedding, consider both flood lighting and string lighting. Strings of lights can strewn through the trees and shrubs. Different colors of flood lights can be used to illuminate a dance area.

For real drama, use spotlights at your wedding reception. Spotlights can highlight the cake table, head table or other important points of interest. Don’t use blinding white light. Instead pick a subdued hue that blends with your decor. Small pin lights can also be used like spotlights to accentuate specific decorations or flower arrangements.

Talk to your wedding venue manager or wedding planner to find out which types of specialty lighting might be on hand and which can be rented and used. Whatever type of lighting you select for your wedding, be sure to discuss it with your videographer and photographer so they can be prepared to capture the best pictures of your event.

Fall Wedding Colors (and fall wedding flowers)- If you want to stick to typical fall colors, use oranges, yellows and reds in everything from your bridesmaids’ dresses to flowers.

Fall Wedding Centerpieces – Instead of flowers or candles for your centerpieces, do something a bit more unique. A cornucopia of fall fruits and squash makes an interesting centerpiece. Also consider flowering plants.

Fall Wedding Food – In the fall, serve hardy food like soups, potpies and more unusual meats (pheasant, lamb, veal). Serve hot apple cider (or hot toddies) and warm pie.

Fall Wedding Cake – Instead of a traditional white wedding cake, consider dark chocolate or carrot cake for fall.

Fall Wedding Favors – Caramel apples, pumpkin candles, homemade preserves and maple syrup are wedding favors your guests will truly enjoy. Also consider anything with a fall (leaves) theme, including bookmarks and paperweights.

Narrow Down Your Choices
Find four or five florists in the general area near your ceremony and reception site. Don’t pick anything too far away — they may charge extra for delivery according to distance. Instead of just picking florists from the phone book, try to get personal referrals from friends and family members as you narrow down your list.

Meet with each florist to discuss your floral needs. Be sure to know your wedding colors, number of attendants, and total flower budget before the appointment.

Types of Bouquets & Flowers
Talk in depth with the florist about your centerpieces and other decorations, paying special attention when it comes to your bridal bouquet. There are many types of bridal bouquets to choose from and the prices range dramatically. You can choose a simple hand-tied posy bouquet, an elaborate cascading bouquet or something in between.

A basic wedding flower package includes:

• Bridal bouquet
• Bridemaids’ bouquets
• Corsages for mothers, grandmothers and other important women
• Boutonnieres for the groom, groomsmen, fathers, grandfathers and other important men
• Centerpieces for the reception

Other flowers to consider include a smaller bouquet to toss, flowers for your flower girl, blooms for the altar and other floral decorations for both the ceremony and reception site.

Get Quotes
Ask the florist to provide you with two quotes — one for a basic package and one for a more elaborate package. Consider that exotic flowers, dyed flowers and flowers that are out of season are going to cost more.

Check References
After you have quotes from several florists, ask them for a few references from their previous brides. If they are unable to provide such references — move on! It’s a big warning sign if they don’t have any brides willing to vouch for their services.

Talk to the references about the customer service, promptness of delivery, quality of flowers and any other concerns. If you find a florist that you really like, but the prices are a little too high, don’t worry. Many florists are flexible and will help you to develop a package that will fit your budget.

If you are concerned about your wedding budget, with a little effort and knowhow, you can make the decorations and centerpieces yourself. Here are a few ideas for easy-to-make, beautiful weddding centerpieces.

Miniature Christmas Trees
Purchase artificial mini-Christmas trees and spray them with white snow, if you like. Add tinsel and ornaments that coordinate with your wedding colors. All silver or all white balls are particular nice for a winter wedding.

Image: sxc.hu

Snow Globes
Ideal for a winter wedding centerpiece, glass snow globes can by found at craft stores, hobby shops and boutiques. The smaller globes are relatively inexpensive and can be clustered in a group or used alone. Place fiber batting in the center of the table and sprinkle it with silver glitter. Then place the snow globe in the middle.

Pinecones and Boughs
You can make an arrangement of pinecones, boughs, holly and/or berry sprigs in a wide shallow bowl. Another idea is to place candle in a hurricane lamp in the middle of the table and then surround it with a wreath to create your wedding centerpieces.

If you want to really get in the Christmas spirit, you can incorporate Santa, reindeer and sleigh figurines, along with candy canes to create your centerpieces. Also consider a winter wedding centerpiece made from a miniature Christmas village or nativity scene.

Image credit – marganz

Monogram Cake Topper
Instead of a figurine of people, some brides choose to have a sophisticated monogram style topper for their wedding cake. This works well with all types of cakes but looks particularly elegant with a white icing without elaborate details.

Hobby Cake Topper
The figurine on the top of your wedding cake can depict your favorite hobby, sports team or anything else you like. For themed weddings, you can get a cake topper that matches the motif of a beach wedding, Las Vegas wedding or any other theme.

Look-a-like Cake Topper
You can actually send in a photo of the bride and groom to some companies and they will make a cake topper that resembles the happy couple. This is a very cute idea that will make your cake one-of-a-kind.

Image: FunDeliver.com

Image: sxc.hu

As your guests arrive at the reception, they should be greeted and given a flowered lei to wear around their neck. If you like, you can have the reception much later in the day to allow your guest time to dress in more casual, Hawaiian attire.

Decorate the reception venue with tropical flowers, including colorful orchids. The women in your wedding party and immediate family can wear a flower tucked behind their ear. The flower behind the right ear indicates the person is avaialable. If it’s placed behind the left ear, then they are taken.

Instead of a DJ, hire traditional Hawaiian hula dancers and live musicians to transform your wedding reception venue into a lively Hawaiian celebration.

For food, you don’t have to serve a roasted pig with an apple in its mouth, but you can! If you don’t like that idea, look for other traditional luau dishes like Chicken Luau (chicken with spinach and coconut milk), Mahi Mahi fish or Huli Huli chicken (Hawaiian BBQ chicken). Add side dishes like rice, corn chowder, mango bread, poi, sweet potatoes, and of course pineapple.