Here are a few romantic wedding ideas that have been popular for the 2014 wedding season.  There are literally hundreds of ways to personalize and make your special day romantic here are a few ways that couples this year have added some unique romance to their special day!  These ideas were featured on Today's Bride Blog at http://blog.todaysbride.com/2014/08/25/15-romantic-wedding-ideas/

1. Flower Petals as Your Aisle Runner Definitely a wonderful way to incorporate flowers into your ceremony! It’s also good if your flower girl isn’t capable of tossing out flowers or if you’re opting not to have one.

2. Table Numbers With MeaningYou can personalize your reception tables by adding something that is meaningful to you and your fiancé; you may add things that match your overall theme or include photos of each of you at a certain age with that corresponding table.

3. Engrave Your Names or Initials in WoodJust like they do in the movies, carve your names or initials into wood! Depending on where you do this, it could become something to hang in your home after the wedding.

4. Incorporating Your Parents’ WeddingsNot only is it romantic, but your parents will appreciate the tribute. You may want to hold pictures of them on their special days for photos; recreate one of their photos; wear your mother’s dress or incorporate a piece of it into yours; or carry the same flowers that they did.

5. Write Each Other Love Letters to Open Just Before the CeremonyThe night before the big day, write each other a love letter about how excited you are to start the rest of your lives together. Then have people in your bridal party swap the letters before the ceremony, read them and fall in love all over again.

6. Wine Box Ceremony, Instead of Candles or SandInstead of the traditional candle or sand ceremonies, opt to create a wine box.  This involves each of you crafting letters about why you love the other and what he/she means to you.  During the ceremony, place the letters in a box with a bottle of wine and two glass and then lock it. Save the box for a special anniversary or for your first fight.

7. Dance for Just Married CouplesAs a way to include your guests, have the DJ call for a special dance for just married couples. Then have him call out years of those married in increments of five; as each couple hears one that corresponds to their marriage, they sit down. The last couple standing gives their heartfelt advice and wisdom to the bride and groom on how to keep their marriage strong and full of love.

8. Message In/On A BottleYou can’t beat the romantic idea of a message in a bottle. As an alternative guest book, have guests write messages for you and place them in the bottle; you could have them sign the bottle, too!

9. Ring the BellAs tradition goes with weddings, the lucky couple is supposed to kiss every time guests clink glasses. Make your wedding different and have them work a little harder to get that special kiss by placing a bell at the front of the reception for them to ring instead.

10. Adorable SignageA great way to include your bridal party and make it ever so sweet is to let them carry important signs for your wedding, like the ring bearer carrying “Here Comes the Bride” or your bridal party holding a “And they lived happily ever after” sign.

11. Horse & CarriageIn most fairy tales, the happy couple rides off into the sunset in a horse drawn carriage.  What could possibly be more romantic for a fairy tale wedding?

12. Meaningful Message on Your CakeYou can spice up your cake a little by having a meaningful message or prayer written on your cake. Romantic and yummy!

13. Get Married Where You Had Your First DateThey say that a first date sets the tone for the relationship… so why not let that set the tone for the rest of your life? Chances are you might be able to get married there — whether it’s a movie theater, park or another special locale. Otherwise, go back for a beautiful wedding day picture!

14. Choreograph & Take Dance Lessons for the First DanceKeep this one a secret and wow your guests with your amazing dance moves!

15. Use Sparklers for PicturesBrighten up your photos at night by using sparklers to write “love,” draw hearts or even write your wedding date!

Should you have any questions about planning the perfect wedding contact Perfect Fairytale Endings.  Remember your initial consultation is always complimentary!

Michael Klingensmith
Professional Wedding Consultant
Perfect Fairytale Endings
Cambridge, Ohio 43725 
www.perfectfairytaleendings.com

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Wedding Flowers – The Top 10 Wedding Flowers  

Ok so there are literally thousands of flowers to choose from when planning your wedding.  Even though every bride wants her bouquet and centerpieces to be unique and special, there are some flowers that are universally popular.

Here is a top 10 list of some of the most popular flowers used for weddings today.

1. The Rose – Surprised?  You shouldn’t be; the rose is legendary.  Roses are symbolic for love and romance.  Roses are also readily available year-round in a beautiful array of colors.
2. Hydrangeas – This lovely flower is giving the rose a run for her money in popularity.  Their rich, full blooms and abundant petals are fantastic for beautiful bouquets and centerpieces. Hydrangeas are also available year-round as they are grown in “hot houses”.
3. Peonies – This gorgeous flower is one of the most sought after wedding flowers.  They come in an array of pink, red and white hues.  Pay attention they are readily available for a short season of mid-May to mid-July.  Outside of this season if you are looking similar to Peonies, check out the Cottage Rose.
4. Calla Lilies – These flowers have burst into the wedding scene with their regal trumpet shape.  Usually available in classic white, yellow, orange, pink and burgundy.  Like the Rose the Calla Lilly offers a mini-version as well.  Calla Lilies are both sophisticated and exotic.  These flowers are usually available year-round.
5. Gerber Daisies – This is a summer wedding favorite with their bright and dynamic colors.   Gerber Daisies are strikingly bold in light or bright pink, white, deep or pale yellow, red and orange.  They are available year-round.  Please remember the stems are extremely delicate and will require either floral wire or Gerber sleeves to strengthen stems.
6. Orchids – One of the most exotic flowers in the wedding industry.   Their long stems of beautiful blooms add height and accent tall centerpieces or bouquets.  Orchids come in a wide variety of pinks, lavenders, reds, yellows and orange.  They are available year-round.  Orchids are a very delicate flower and make a statement in wedding decorating.
7. Tulips – Commonly thought of as the Spring Flower, Tulips are a classic choice for weddings.   They symbolize love and affection.   Tulips are typically in season from January to May.   If you are looking for a Tulip substitute outside of its regular season look to the Lisianthus.
8. Lilies – One of the most striking and dramatic wedding flowers. Lilies can definitely add a “wow” factor to your wedding.   There are many types of Lilies and come in a variety of vibrant shades.  Lilies are available year-round and work well as accents in tall centerpieces and dramatic bouquets.
9. Gardenias – This flower is known for its beauty and fragrance.   This gorgeous white flower has been a staple in the wedding industry for a long time.  Gardenias are fragile and have no stems so they must be glued or wired.  They work well floating in centerpieces. Gardenias are quite pricey, if you are looking for a cost-effective substitute consider Stephanotis or white Lisianthus.
10. Ranunculus – These blooms are large and layered and come in great shade of white, pink, yellow and orange.  Ranunculus is an unusual and cost-effective alternative to Roses or Peonies.

 These are just some suggestions to help narrow down flower choices for your centerpieces and bouquets before you head off to the florist.  If you have any questions or need assistance please don’t hesitate to call your friends are Perfect Fairytale Endings.   Remember every initial consultation is complimentary.  

Michael Klingensmith
Professional Wedding Consultant
Perfect Fairytale Endings
Cambridge, Ohio 43725
www.perfectfairytaleendings.com 

I am approached by many couples asking me, “What makes a great wedding”?  As a wedding planner, I could answer this question with a 1,000 different answers, but my response is simple, “You”.   At the end of the day, the only person who can make your wedding day great is “You”.

The day should be a true reflection of the bride and groom.  Go with what you like not what is “trendy”.  Like the fashion industry, weddings love its iconic trends.  So this led me to ask, where do trends come from?  How do they start?  Who helps determine what are the hot trends for the year?  This answer was best described by Tricia Spencer, author of “1001 Wedding Ideas: The Ultimate Resource for Creating a Wedding No One Will Ever Forget.”

Some do happen organically; meaning that other brides see something uncommon or unusual at a wedding they attend and mimic the theme or décor.  Then by way of photos and the way of social media, the process repeats and Ta-Da a trend is born.  For example – burlap and lace on Pinterest: literally, there are thousands upon thousands of pins.

Tricia states that “Other trends are fueled by wedding book or magazine writers, editors and bloggers.  Everyone in the business has opinions, likes and favorites, and when a person has a platform from which to share those personal preferences, influence can follow.  Hence, trends can be birthed by wedding writers.”

But as Oprah would say here is the Ah-Ha moment.   Most trends, drum roll please: come from manufacturers who want to sell their products.  So with that being said, I tell couples to choose colors, themes, décor and so on based on their likes.  Do not get sucked into this is what we should do versus what we want to do.

Your wedding day is one day but your wedding pictures will last forever.  Trends they come and go.  You don’t want to look back 20 years later with your children and say “Jesus Take the Wheel”- What were we thinking?

So I will stop rambling and leave you with this – It is your day, have it your way!  The day should ultimately resemble the bride and groom.  Go with your gut.

If you have any questions regarding wedding ideas, design or décor, feel free to contact me: remember all initial consultations are complimentary.

Michael Klingensmith
Professional Wedding Consultant
Perfect Fairytale Endings
Cambridge, Ohio 43725
www.perfectfairytaleendings.com

Watch for these Wedding Trends in 2014

Woodland Theme – Move over mason jars and make way for more natural elements this season.  Trending this season are natural rocks, branching centerpieces, pots, antlers and organic moss, lush flowers with a hint of surprising sparkle accents.

Bright Pops of Color – All white weddings are in the rearview mirror this season.  The idea is to take a neutral color palette like an ivory, soft silk, champagne or other muted color and add a pop of color.  Select one bold color to accent with your flowers, embellishments on your cake or perhaps party favors. Remember this is pop of color do not add multiple bright colors unless you are going for a Ringling Brothers Circus theme…just saying.

Blending Metallics are Hot…Hot…Hot this season.  Maybe it is channeling “Old Hollywood Glamour” but combining silver, gold, copper and platinum hues are huge this season from décor to wedding dresses. Mercury glass with candles combined with neutral flowers are really on point this season.

All about the dress – lace and crystals and color, Oh My –   This season 2014 brides are rocking some serious color.  Example, acclaimed New York fashion designer, Vera Wang 2014 Fall Bridal Collection wowed us with hues of pink.  While Monique Lhuilier is using sheer illusion or lace and crystal embellishments to create a dramatic “Wow” factor to the gown.  Crystal embellishments work best around the neckline or waistline for dramatic photographic effects.

Intimate vs Gala Event – This year smaller more intimate receptions are in the lead.  Many couples are focused on quality and not quantity.  This allows a more personalized experience with those closest to the bride and groom.  The couple then can splurge on important “Wow” factors of the evening and still stay on budget.

 For more information on design, consultation or wedding planning feel free to contact us at Perfect Fairytale Endings.  Remember every initial consultation is free.

Michael Klingensmith
Professional Wedding Consultant
Perfect Fairytale Endings
Cambridge, Ohio 43725
www.perfectfairytaleendings.com

 

Tips for choosing Wedding Flowers from Perfect Fairytale Endings – Cambridge, Ohio 

 The beauty of flowers is in their fragrance, color, shape and texture.  Depending on your taste and your budget, flowers can range from simple to extravagant.  So you have gotten engaged, you found the perfect dress, picked your dream venue.  Now it is time to select the color palette for your big day!  When choosing your color palette, remember there are many different ways you can mix your color combinations, but the basic principals apply to what we learned in grade school regarding the color wheel.

Remembering back to grade school, there are primary colors and secondary colors.   Using this elementary art tool will lead you in the right direction to choose complimentary color combinations.

Achieve vibrant and stunning results when complimentary combinations are chosen from colors directly across from each other on the wheel, for example: yellow & purple, blue & orange and red & green.

Create a harmonious tone when using analogous colors.   This means choosing colors that are side by side on the color wheel, for example: purple, purple-blue, purple-red (pink).

Go for unusual and exciting color combinations by using triadic color combinations.  This means choosing three colors that are equidistant to one another on the wheel, for example: yellow/red/blue or purple/green/orange and so on.

 Tips for Choosing Wedding Flowers-

 

1. Go with what you like not what is “trendy”.
2. Set a budget.
3. Try to go with flowers that are in season – will help your budget!
4. Decide on how many flowers types – typical standard is 2 focal flowers, 1 secondary flower, filler and greenery.
5. Remember flower shape and texture is just as important as color.

These are just some helpful tips on color and choosing flowers.  Watch for future blogs on the most popular wedding flowers and tips for arranging flowers.  If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to email or call. 

Michael Klingensmith
Professional Wedding Consultant
Perfect Fairytale Endings
Cambridge, Ohio 43725
www.perfectfairytaleendings.com