Looking to save money on your
wedding reception? Instead of relentlessly paring down your guest list or compromising in other areas, why not think about using a low-cost theme for your special day?
A
wedding that fits into a particular theme is often more relaxed than your typical reception. And, since there’s less pressure to spend exorbitant sums on extras you simply don’t need, they can often save you a bundle.
Reception themes allow people to get creative with their celebration and express themselves. People often choose to base their themes on hobbies, personal interests, and dreams. Choosing to go with something like a beach theme, a Mexican fiesta, or a toga party (for a really wild example) is simple -- and the food is cheap and easy. Take a look at some more themes to lessen the cost of your reception.
- Roman theme: The choices with the Roman theme vary. Togas are almost always a part of the festivities. Serving fresh fruits like grapes and apples not only provides a healthy alternative to more traditional fare, it’s also in keeping with the typical Roman diet. Serving fresh rotisseries meats or cold cuts are great with this theme as well. You can generally serve beer and wine for this theme, and you can decorate with wreathes, garland, candles and anything else in the Roman fashion.
- Fairy Wonderland: To go with this theme, you could use fairies wings, have sheer fabrics draped around you, decorate with baby’s breath, moss, and serve fine breads and appetizers. This theme really lets the bride bring her childhood dreams to life. Music like Enya would be nice to listen to for this theme.
- Ethnic traditions: This theme requires that you choose specialty foods and decorations from the ethnicity of your choice. For example, should you choose a Scottish theme, you would listen to bagpipes, dress in the Scottish fashion and do all things Scottish.
- Mexican fiesta: This fun theme can have you hitting a piñata, serving popular Mexican dishes, utilizing things like Santa Fe decorative blankets for the walls, and many other things. You can play mariachi music or Spanish guitars for this theme.
- Arabian Nights: For this theme you can fill your reception hall with beautiful linens and let your bridal party have costumes should they wish to. You can also serve Middle-Eastern foods or appetizers, pita bread, etc. This theme is very versatile and fun.
- Greek Mythology: This theme can be geared toward a particular Greek saga or, more popularly, guests can each come dressed as a particular Greek hero of their choice. Greek foods like fresh fruits, wine, and other edibles of ancient Greece can be offered.
- Hawaiian: You can use your imagination to create any Hawaiian fantasy that you wish. You can give out fresh leis or artificial ones as wedding favors. You can serve fresh tropical island fruits such as pineapples, and serve those cute tropical drinks with decorative umbrellas – basically, wherever your mind takes you.
- Disney: There are so many popular Disney characters that we all remember from our childhood that this theme opens up a world of possibilities. You can choose to focus on a particular character, or simply take the entire world of Disney and use it as your theme.
- The Wild West: This theme can be as fun as you want. You can set up your reception area to look like an old saloon and have dancers give a tame burlesque show. This theme also allows you to serve easy-to-create entrees like meatloaf, all the way up to more expensive fare, such as steaks. As long as you stick with your theme (i.e. leave out the shrimp cocktail) you can have a great time.
- NASCAR: This theme has a world of possibilities. You can decorate with checkered flags and checkered flag streamers, toy cars, or painted numbers of the different cars and drivers. If you would like, you can decorate with a particular driver motif. The best part about this theme is that it is very casual and you can serve regular foods like pizza, large submarine sandwiches, hamburgers and even chips and nachos; pretty much any food that you want. In general this relaxed type of theme applies to all sports-related themes. This theme is great for receptions where lots of sports fans will be attending. You can also opt to watch a race on a large TV during the party.
- Movies: Popular movie themes like the Matrix and Lord of the Rings can be a lot of fun for receptions when the bride and groom are movie buffs. Decorations will be based on what the general movie symbolizes. For example, if you chose the Matrix, you would use computer data charts and sheets, computers, dress in all black, etc. You could serve appetizers rather than entrees for this type of theme as well. Playing the movie during your reception is a cool idea for background scenery.
When it comes to themes, the possibilities are endless. Coming up with them can be much of the fun. After you have chosen your theme, you can brainstorm ideas to expand upon it for the decorations, food, activities and more.
There are many colors you can choose for your bouquet. If you are going to wear a colored dress, choosing the right color to accompany your dress can be a bit tricky. Because not every color is suitable for your dress. To choose the suitable one, there are some guidelines to follow:
- Choose Your Favorite Color
Choose the color that you like & reflects your personal taste. You have a favorite one, and you can pick its shades to be your bouquet element. Whatever your guests talk about yours, you need not to worry. You like it, right?
- Use the Same Color
You can match your bouquet color by mixing the shades of your gown or theme color. For example, if you pick a purple wedding theme & you wear violet dress, you can choose shades of violet as your bouquet elements. Shades of violet consists of orchid, purple, violet, etc. You can choose one shade or combine them as your arrangement. Flowers that can be used to arrange it such as lavender, hydrangea, lily, etc.
- Use Complementary Color
Complementary color is opposite of it. If they mixed, they produce a neutral one such as white, grey, or black. The exact opposite of the dress' color will make a great focus to the bouquet. In this combination, you should pay attention about each strength. The easiest way to choose is by looking at a color wheel, a circle chart that tell you what primary different colors will become when they mixed together. With the right composition, you can achieve a great one. The standard complementary are: red and green; blue and orange; yellow and purple. For example, if you are going to wear a purple dress, you can choose a yellow one that can be arranged with yellow calla lily, sunflower, gerbera, etc.
- Neutral Bouquet
If you are still confused after reading this, try neutral arrangement. Neutral means without color. Although neutrals are white, grey, and black; for flower, a neutral is white. White is purity and basic. It can be matched with any color. White has several hues: cream, snow, & ivory. Those hues can be found on calla lily, carnation, freesia, etc.
The flowers are a part of our life, excite and make us happy and also the flowers give us a reason to show the purest and sincerest feelings. A flower will never be associated to the lie, hypocrisy and cheat. By itself, the flower can command respect and also bring to light the deepest emotions.
More often, the flowers are the messenger of love and passion and respect, making the eyes and especially the soul happy. Therefore maybe the wedding bouquet is one of the most important accessories for a bride to be. In the most special moment in a girl’s life, all has to be perfect as she always dreamed. And the wedding bouquet is for the bride, she is carrying it during all day long. That’s way she’s the one who chooses the flowers, her favorite flowers and her favorite colors. Because the flowers will complete the bride and put forward her feelings and her unique personality.
The bridal bouquet has its meaning. Besides the fact that the flowers will be an unforgettable memory, the wedding bouquet is the natural perfume of the bride. Because every flower spreads a special and unique scent, the flavor of love.
There are specialized persons who are saying that the wedding flowers have to assort to external elements as restaurant, decorations, guests, wedding themes. It’s not true. All it matters is the bride’s wishes and spirituality.
There are flowers for romantic or strong personality or modern thinking or classic brides. We are not speaking about the wedding bouquet’s shape. There is another article about. We want to suggest you, as a future bride, the flowers for you to enjoy your wedding and to feel perfect in your shoes.
A romantic bride will choose discreet, tender and delicate flowers: lilies-of-the-valley, freesias, tulips, lisianthus, orchids, jasmines, arranged in a free and very simple style, without glassy accessories. She prefers white simple color or dull tones of cream, violet, pink. This bride wants her to be sensual and pure and the flowers to complete her and never to be the wedding attraction.
There are roses for the classic brides, white roses round arranged. For the classic-joyful brides, the perfect wedding bouquet will be a multicolor round rose bouquet. The classis-daring future wife will carry a completely red rose bouquet or the rose bouquet garnished with red or pink or orange or yellow mini roses. We can include here the lilies, but they also fit to the strong-personality brides.
To an elegant bride we are recommending calla lilies. If you want to be pure and simple, yet elegant, we think that the white calla lilies are the perfect flowers for you. If she wants to catch the guest’s eyes, she has to choose a white and other favorite color combination (red calla lilies would be our suggestion) for calla lily wedding bouquet. Also if it’s fall, violet, burgundy or orange calla lilies will be the perfect choice. For a spring wedding and also a happy bride, calla lilies in a multicolor bright bouquet will light up your face. The calla lilies lend to an original combination with eucalyptus leaves or Hypericum berries or Mistletoe.
If you are a strong personality person, fit yourself a wedding bouquet with dominant shaped flowers. The lilies, Amaryllis, Flamingo flower (Anthurium), Bird-of-paradise-flower (Strelitsia), Protea flower, Nerine, Delphinium, Vlam Leucospermum, Tuberose, Leucadendron are flowers for you to be original and to amaze.
There are modern wedding bouquets for modern brides. In this case, the florist or floral designer is the person who takes the decision. It’s his art. He can mix flowers from any floral category and put together flowers with different shapes and colors. The bride chooses the main line for the bridal bouquet and the florist has to know the bride’s preferences for flowers and accessories.
Flowers for happy bouquets: Alstroemeria, gerbera, sunflower, delicate anemones, Asclepias, Lilac, Australian bells, Aster, daisy, peony, daffodil, hyacinth, gladiolus, corn flowers etc.
The berries branches are beautiful, original and chic accessories for a bridal bouquet. We want to give you some suggestions: Hypericum, Mistletoe, Bittersweet, Cotoneaster, Winterberry, Magic berry, Crabapple, Hibiscus pods, Mountain ash, Pyracantha, Pepper berry, Snowberry etc.
Hoping that we’ve given you the best suggestions and we’ve been helpful, we are now wishing you best and “Happy Marriage!”. Brides from all over the world, be proud of you, smile and enjoy your moment! Take the good energy from flowers, by feeling their perfume!
