Colour Scheme
Asian colours invoke images of earthy spices and breathtaking natural landscapes. Therefore, deep burgundy, rich red, rusty orange and a natural mustard-yellow are ideal. In addition, countries such as China and Japan tend to lean towards royal blue, postbox red (considered to represent good luck) and a vibrant magenta (or ‘hot pink’). A major characteristic of Asian textiles is the embossing and embellishment thereof. Patterns, tassels, and floral embossing are typical of both Eastern and Indian styles.

Attire
Unlike many other lands, both Indian and Eastern brides and grooms usually don brightly coloured outfits with opulent, meticulous details. In addition, brides can wear up to four different outfits through the course of their wedding day, giving them the chance to feel like royalty as they are spoilt for choice and variety. The specific styles of the bride’s dress will vary, depending on the country they wish to represent. Indian brides may wear a veil in the colour of their dress, but Eastern brides seldom don this headpiece.

The groom and groomsmen can wear a sherwani, which comprises a knee-length (or longer) shirt or top worn with full-length trousers. This can be any colour, and is embroidered or embellished in a similarly detailed fashion to the bride.

Bridesmaids at your Asian themed wedding will look gorgeous in colourful kimonos, saris or knee-length Chinese-style dresses.

Décor
As with all things Asian, colours and textures play an integral role in the décor of your wedding venues. Include the following fun elements and / or ideas in your big day to create the ideal Asian ambience:

• Use bamboo placemats.
• Place a pot of honeyed Green Tea on each table instead of water or fruit juice.
• Incense sticks or bamboo in an ornate traditionally Asian vase make for fabulous centrepieces.
• Instead of a conventional style of centrepiece, use a woven wicker basket filled with different spices or a trained snake (referring to the Indian snake charmers). Ensure that guests do not touch or hurt the animal.
• Serve meals in commercial Chinese take-away boxes or using the crockery and cutlery used in Asian restaurants.

Remember that Asian cultures are characterised by symbolism and detail, so incorporate these elements into your décor wherever possible. While it may seem to be over the top, it will be very effective in conveying the theme.

Guest Favours
Guest favours are a small gift left for each guest as a sign of your gratitude that they attended your wedding. All too often, bridal couples resort to a chocolate or nuts. While tasty, it is always great to have something relevant to your wedding theme and a little more personal. Here are some ideas for the Asian-themed wedding guest favours:

• A folding fan.
• A set of personalised chopsticks.
• Candy sushi.
• A home-made blend of Indian curry spices with an accompanying recipe.
• Personalised fortune cookies.
• The guest’s name written in Chinese or Japanese characters with a short, personalised note attached.
• A lantern and accompanying candle.

Venue
Creating a zoo-themed wedding is best done by using an actual zoo as your venue. Some such facilities have event and celebration rooms for just such functions. By inviting your guests to walk amongst the enclosures and enjoy your wedding day amidst the sounds, sights and smells of the wild, you will accomplish the most effective zoo theme. However, this theme can also be achieved in an external venue, with the use of cunning décor.

Theme Colours and Design Elements
When choosing your theme colours, you have several different options, including:

• Animal print
• Neutral earthy tones
• Bright, vibrant colours (like those found on tropical parrots or beds of flowers, for example)

Invitations
Create an air of excitement by beginning to convey your theme right from the invitations you send out. These could be in the form of all-day passes to the zoo, or entry into specific enclosures (such as the lion retreat or the hippo lakes). Alternatively, use imagery or even the shapes of animals in the design of your invitations.

Attire and Accessories
A zoo theme actually allows for almost any style of dress. However, if you want to be extra playful with the theme, incorporate animal prints, bright colours, and a dash of zany humour. This can be done in the actual dresses and suits of the bride and groom, their entourage and / or all accessories. Remember to be very clear on your invitations regarding the venue and theme of your wedding as well as whether you require your guests to dress up or wear special shoes (in case of walking through dirty, wet or grassy areas). Feathers in your hair, porcupine quills and faux fur are all great additions to your outfits.

Décor
Using animal prints and colours, as well as natural grasses and fibres in your décor will be effective in conveying the zoo theme of your wedding day. Tall wooden giraffes and hefty sculpted rhinos (easily available in South Africa) will make stunning centrepieces instead of the more traditional floral arrangements. Some party shops also print helium balloons with zebra stripes or cheetah spots for a really fun approach. If your wedding is to be fairly fun and informal, consider seating your guests on straw bales.

Guest Favours
Your guests will no doubt be charmed by the zoo theme of your wedding. Help them to remember your special day by giving them really special favours, such as:

• Hand-carved wooden animals
• Beaded animal key rings
• Candles, vases or notepad with animal prints or feathers
• Wine glass tags of the Big 5 or a selection of your favourite animals

Photo Credit: Neil Cuninghame

Some may be of the opinion that giving a wedding a theme is tasteless or takes away from the importance of the event. However, there are certain ways of choosing a theme that actually bring out the elegance and grandeur of the occasion, enhancing it and creating a cohesive thread through the entire celebration. There are several factors that can guide you along the course of choosing an appropriate theme. These include:

Surprise!
Treating those nearest and dearest to you to a surprise wedding is a huge thrill to all involved. It makes your guests feel really special because of the effort you have made to include them without expecting anything back in return. It is also particularly memorable for them. Of course, surprise weddings take an enormous amount of preparation and, possibly, dishonesty to get right, but are well worth it in the end.

Location
If you have chosen an unusual or iconic place in which to get married or have your reception (e.g. a castle, colonial house, game lodge or island), use this locale to its full advantage. Having a pool party may not seem like the ideal wedding theme, but, if your wedding is on the beach or on a river bank, a pool party theme can be tasteful and very effective. Similarly, a historic house or elegantly manicured gardens can set the scene for some really unusual classical or vintage themes, which will prove to be memorable for both you and your guests.

Trends
Research the various trends in the entertainment industry at the time of your big day and consider implementing these in your wedding. By having a modern (or even progressive) theme, you give the guests something special to look forward to and many an opportunity to chat about the features of your big day long after the event. One such trend is currently ice bars, where entire rooms, bars, furniture and décor are made out of ice. Guests are given special ice suits and the venues are breath-takingly beautiful, especially with the appropriate lighting effects.

Dream Team
For a really different approach, make your wedding about honouring all of the other successful marriages of your guests, rather than drawing the attention to yourselves. Prepare special speeches for them, play their special song and show their wedding pictures. This carries through an overall theme of love and romance, and really engenders the idea of strong, long-lasting marriages in the minds of your guests as well as of you, as a couple.

Time of Year
If you are having your wedding at a time of year in which there is a significant celebration, seasonal change or local event, why not incorporate this into your occasion? This could include the seasons (a winter wonderland or spring garden theme, for example), a Valentine’s wedding or a Halloween theme. By choosing your theme this way, the decorations should be easy to source since they will be particularly freely available around this time and, for some celebrations (such as Christmas), many of your guests will have leave from work due to them. Also, your guests will be able to get into the spirit of things since they will have been surrounded by elements of the theme long before your big day.

Photo Credit: Chilli Pit

The first step to deciding on colours is to go dress shopping. As most married women will know, you seldom come back with the dress you originally had in mind or even on paper. The style and colour of your dress will play a major role in determining the look and feel of the rest of your day. If you end up choosing an ivory dress with lace detail and vintage embellishments, a modern mixture of pink and turquoise will not work, for example.

Then, consider your personal skin tone as well as that of your husband-to-be and make sure that you choose something that compliments both of you. Skin tones are classified as winter (blue or pink undertones, usually brunettes with deep-coloured eyes), summer (blue or pink undertones, pale skin, natural blondes or brunettes with light-coloured eyes), autumn (golden undertones, warm brown eyes) and spring (golden undertones, blonde or strawberry blonde hair, freckles and blue or green eyes).

Winters should opt for sharp, stark and clear colours; such as navy, black, white, red and icy tones. Do not wear beige or gold. Summers look great in pastel colours with pink and blue undertones. Examples are lavender, rose-brown and plum. Autumns should wear camel, beige, rust and dark brown, and should avoid blues. Springs are best suited by warm colours like golden yellow, peach and brown. By wearing the correct colours, you will look healthy and radiant, your eyes and teeth will be more dazzling and your hair will appear healthier.

Your colour choice also depends on the time of day of your wedding. For instance, midnight blue and silver would not work very well for a champagne breakfast, but would be exquisite for a grand evening affair. If you are having a spring-themed wedding, it would conflict with the tone if your colours were brown and gold, for example. Similarly, if your wedding is on the rooftop of a modern building in the city centre, your colours would need to be more modern and striking than the mixed pastel palette of a country wedding.

Once you have chosen your colours, stick to them and make a plan where difficulties present themselves. Remember that different shades of one colour can also be very effective. Introducing other colours in small quantities to compliment certain aspects of the wedding is a good idea, adding dimension and depth to your colour scheme. For example, should you choose to have a turquoise wedding, you will need to opt for flowers of a different shade. Whites, creams and gold can be used very effectively in a bouquet to create an elegant, but fitting, arrangement.

Enjoy this exciting time, but be careful in the decisions you make about important aspects, such as the theme colour of your wedding. This will ensure that you look your best on your big day, and that your photographs reflect your beauty and radiance effectively.

Credit: Image from www.cakesespecially4you-blog.com

The colour gold has long been used to represent pizzazz, glamour and a certain degree of bling (depending on the shade and how much it is used). If used correctly, gold is also very elegant. By incorporating this very special hue as a theme colour for your wedding, you can create a dazzling feast for the eyes. Brides-to-be seeking a subtle, chic ambience can combine gold with taupe or white, while a very dramatic effect can be accomplished by adding black, chocolate brown or purple.

Invitations
Guests prefer to know what your theme colour is so that they can dress accordingly. Incorporate the colour into your invitations with gold paper, ribbon, glitter or beads. Alternatively, have some fun and attach your invite to gold-foiled, oversized coins, Oscar statues or gold medals (awarding the recipients for their special role in your life, perhaps).

Attire
The bridal gown, traditionally white, can look magnificent in ivory or champagne, which are lighter shades of gold. Emphasise the gold theme by having accessories in this glamorous shade, including a sash or belt, jewellery, shoes and your hair piece. Dust your bridal bouquet with gold glitter for a really effective touch.

The bridesmaids’ outfits have room to be more dramatic and bold. Don these girls in gold dresses, but tone it down by having a simple style (such as a sleeveless, knee-length dress with stylish gold heels). Alternatively, go for a black, white or taupe dress (depending on your complementary theme colour, of course) and accessorise this with gold trimmings.

Groomsmen and the groom will look great in black suits or tuxedos with gold waistcoats and cravats or ties. For a more relaxed or informal wedding, opt for stone-coloured suits instead.

Hair and Make-up
Spray-on gold dust can be applied to your wedding hairstyle. However, ensure that your stylist does this for you and that it is not completely overdone as it can easily look quite silly if it is. Alternatively, don a gold fascinator instead of a veil, or attach gold-dusted flowers to the top of a traditional veil.

Bronzer is the very fashionable alternative to rouge or blusher at the moment. As its name implies, this gives the skin a healthy, golden glow. Fake eyelashes are also very popular at the moment, and are available in different shades and with different effects. Opt for black lashes with gold glitter on them. This will also ensure fabulously dramatic close-up photographs.

Décor
In addition to gold-coloured basics, like table cloths and under-plates, you can incorporate this versatile colour in many other creative ways. Replace your floral centrepieces with gold statues, or bronze genie lamps (bearing effective “wish come true” references). Decorate your venue with gold coins, medals, stars, and even brass instruments to carry the gold colour theme through.

Food and Beverages
While not every bridal couple carries their theme colour through to their food, this can be a fun and creative way to make your wedding day even more memorable. The following items or dishes can be added to your menu:

• Champagne
• Orange juice
• Lemons
• Bananas
• Gold kiwi fruits
• Pineapples
• Gold leaf decorations
• Gold Tequila
• Hunter’s Gold

Photo Credit: Margo’s Magic Events

Invitations
The first taste that your guests get of your wedding theme will be on your invitations, so use this as an opportunity to be creative. If you would prefer more conservative invites, simply use bright colours and cards cut in the shape of funfair rides, such as carousels, the big wheel or a rollercoaster. If you are willing to be a little more adventurous, attach your invitation to a bag of candyfloss, a box of ready-to-eat popcorn or a little teddy bear ‘prize’, or print it in the form of authentic funfair ride tickets. Otherwise, print them onto party hats, which will create that festive feeling and encourage your wedding guests to get into the exuberant mood of your event.

Attire
Funfairs do not have a specific dress code, but your bridal attire should be child-like, fun and quirky – perhaps reflecting the era in which you frequented fairs and what you would have worn during that particular time. Alternatively, you can have a dress-up wedding in which you and your entourage (and perhaps even your guests) can dress up like funfair performers like clowns, magicians and fortune tellers. If you, as the bridal couple, would prefer to be more traditional, simply have bright, fun accessories to spruce up your look. These may include your fascinator or veil, which could include feathers and streamers, your bouquet, in which you may replace flowers with helium-filled balloons, or your jewellery.

Décor
Your funfair-themed décor will be based on lots of bright colours, flashing neon lights and tinny background music. Then, try to incorporate common elements, such as balloons, stuffed toys, streamers, and so on in and around your venue to add the finishing touches.

Consider using rollercoaster tickets as place name settings, for example, or arrangements of colourful pastel-coloured candy floss as fun centrepieces.

Add an entirely novel dimension to your wedding décor by including games for your guests, like bobbing for apples, fishing with magnets, target practice, and so on. A genuine candy floss machine would be great fun and is an alternative to providing a formal dessert.

Food and Beverages
Funfairs are all about junk food with plenty of sugar and colourants. Consider the following items for your wedding menu:

• Hotdogs
• Boerewors rolls (or corn dogs for a more American version)
• Hot chips and dip
• Candy floss
• Popcorn
• Ice cream

Entertainment
In addition to the games and activities that are so often popular features of funfairs, consider including things like:

• A fortune teller
• A photo booth for really great memories
• A House of Horrors tour
• Games to play for prizes

Photo Credit: Angela Peady

Colours and Design Elements

When thinking about the Arab areas of the world, one no doubt pictures deep reds, plush purples, vibrant gold and midnight blues. These intense colours are perfect representations of the Arab royalty. In addition, textiles are almost always textured, embroidered and embellished with thread, beads, sequins and mirrors. Velvets and intricately patterned textiles are a must. Using such fabrics will give your venue the mystical Arabian Nights touch with very little effort.

Invitations

If you are able to find mini Persian rugs (or magic carpets) or genie lamps, these would make the perfect media for your invitations, intriguing guests and getting them excited about your wedding theme. Alternatively, simply use the rich colours of your Arabian theme printed onto traditional styles of wedding invite and inform your guests that they should dress accordingly.

Attire

Arabian attire is quite distinctive and is usually fairly easy to access. While you, as the bridal couple, may not want to dress up in full Arab garb, consider putting your bridesmaids and groomsmen in belly dancing outfits, turbans, Burkas, silky baggy trousers, silk belts, sleeveless princess tops and bejewelled headbands that have ornate detail hanging on the forehead, for example. Of course, you can also don very beautiful Arabian outfits if you want to be completely immersed in the theme.

Décor

Ensure that your guests are whipped into a fantasy world as soon as they enter your wedding venue. The venue itself can be a feature as Moroccan marquees have become very popular and widely available. Scatter large cushions or ottomans throughout and laden the floor with plenty of Persian rugs. These need not match, but should be abundant.

Replace traditional table centrepieces with treasure chests, snake charmers’ baskets (sans the live snake, of course) or gorgeous brass genie lamps.

Food and Beverages

Your Arabian Nights wedding should have the following type of items on the menu:

• Cous cous
• Lentils
• Olives
• Mint
• Pita breads
• Feta cheese
• Fresh fruit or vegetable kebabs
• Hummus
• Falafels

Guest Favours

While there is no shortage of Arabian-themed gifts to give to your friends and family, here are just a few suggestions:

• A genie lamp (to make their wishes come true)
• Recipes for fabulous Arab dishes
• Ornate bottles of perfume (widely available from pharmacies in South Africa)
• Little jewellery boxes or miniature treasure chests
• Incense

Photo Credit: National Geographic

Attire

As the bride, your dress should be soft, flowy and naturally flattering in order to take advantage of the rustic setting. The focus should be on enhancing your natural shape, while using the nostalgia and playfulness that works so well within this theme. This could be done by including a splash of colour (like hot pink, turquoise or neon orange), or by option to carry balloons or a puppy instead of a formal bouquet. Consider purchasing an antique dress or using lace from a family heirloom to create an authentically rustic look. Because you are likely going to be spending some time walking outside, consider flat shoes or even colourful gumboots under your dress. A short veil is appropriate, but a fascinator or bird-cage netting is even more apt.

The groom and groomsmen will look fabulous in light-coloured linen suits, open neck shirts and colourful socks or braces. The bridesmaids can afford to wear knee-length dresses in pastel colours or even a floral print. Their hair should be left loose and natural and flat shoes will round this look off perfectly.

Invitations

Your invitations will set the scene for the invitees, giving them a clue as to your theme and what they can expect. You may decide simply to use design to convey your message (using images of natural woods, flowers, and so on). Alternatively, send a candle, honeycomb, pine cone or tree sapling with the invitation attached for a really different approach.

Flowers

Use wild flowers, particularly those locally found, if possible. Sunflowers, daisies and Fynbos (in South Africa) are fabulous options as they are bright and cheery without losing the appeal of the natural outdoors. Hibiscus and roses are also effective, particularly when displayed with wild grasses and butterflies as part of the arrangement or bouquet.

Transport

Arrive at your reception on horseback, a tractor, in a rusty old car or a vintage car to set the country scene.

Décor

There is no end to the décor options available for a rustic wedding. Here are just a few ideas:

• Glass jars (milk or preserve jars work well) or antique vases filled with wild flowers
• Galvanised watering cans as centrepieces
• Tin cans (remove label) filled with feathers, grasses and quills
• Wagon wheels
• Hay bales (use these as seats for the guests, if appropriate)
• Display the wedding cake in an antique display cupboard
• Use aged woods and wooden frames around the venue
• Fill old glass jars with brightly coloured fruit or marshmallows for fun centrepieces
• Collect antique tea sets and use the cups and saucers for guests’ place settings. Do not worry if pieces do not match – that is all part of the appeal
• Serve home-made lemonade in coloured-glass jugs on each table
• Rusted wire words strung up on the walls (e.g. “Country Love”, “Passion”, “Memories”, and so on) or as place setting card holders is a great addition to any rustic wedding

Guest Gifts

Guests will no doubt remember your unique wedding for many reasons. However, they will also likely be taking a memento back with them. This should continue the theme. Contemplate the following suggestions for your guest gifts:

• Straw hats
• Wellingtons
• Jars of homemade jam or preserve
• Picnic blankets
• Honey or honeycomb

Photo Courtesy of Style Me Pretty

Blue

Blue is a popular colour that represents both sea and sky. The colour symbolises some of the following:

• Faith
• Wisdom
• Loyalty
• Truth
• Heaven
• Trust
• Friendship

Shades of Blue
Sapphire, azure, beryl, cerulean, cobalt, indigo, navy, royal, sky blue, baby blue, robin’s egg blue, cyan, cornflower blue, midnight blue, slate, steel blue, Prussian blue.

Red

Another popular colour, red is an intense and warm colour. The colour symbolises some of the following:

• Love
• Passion
• Fire
• Blood
• Sensitivity
• Sexuality
• Romance

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Shades of Red
Scarlet, crimson, vermillion, carmine, maroon, burgundy, ruby, rose, madder, rouge, brick, blood red, blush, fire engine red, cinnabar, russet, rust, Venetian red, flame, Indian red, tomato.

Yellow

Yellow, the colour of the sun and the thing that so many people love – sunshine. The colour symbolises some of the following:

• Happiness
• Joy
• Energy
• Intellect
• Creativity
• Freshness

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Orange

Orange is a combination of both yellow and red and therefore incorporates the passion and energy of red with the happiness and joy of yellow. The colour symbolises some of the following:

• Adventure
• Creativity
• Excitement
• Desire
• Sexual Passion
• Pleasure
• Wisdom
• Wealth

Green

Green is the colour of nature and is a colour we see all the time – whether at the office or outside. The colour symbolises some of the following:

• Growth
• Harmony
• Fertility & Vitality
• Stability
• Endurance
• Hope
• Healing & Balance
• Peace

Shades of Green
Olive green, Aqua

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White

A common colour of a brides’s wedding dress, this colour sumbolises some of the following:

• Purity
• Truth
• Innocence
• Protection
• Healing
• Cleanliness

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Black

Black is a very strong colour and can have negative or positive symbolisms. The colour symbolises some of the following:

• Sadness / Mourning
• Despair
• Elegance
• Power
• Formality

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Purple

Purple is a combination of blue and red and is typically associated with royalty. The colour symbolises some of the following:

• Power
• Luxury
• Ambition
• Wisdom
• Dignity
• Creativity
• Magic

View our purple real wedding.

Pink

Pink is typically a colour associated with women. The colour symbolises some of the following:

• Appreciation and gratitude
• Happiness
• Admiration
• Unconditional Love
• Friendships
• Compassion and Harmony

View our pink real wedding.

Brown

Brown is the colour of the earth. The colour symbolises some of the following:

• Friendship
• Homeliness
• Concentration
• Courage
• Energy

The first step is to secure October 31 as your wedding date. This gives the wedding theme credibility and lends the entire period an aura of excitement, encouraging the guests to get into the true spirit of the holiday. If possible, choose a venue that gives that ‘haunted hotel’ feeling, albeit with a bit of décor and imagination.

Then, decide on how much of the Halloween theme you want to incorporate. Are you going to go all out in terms of your wedding dress, décor and menu? Or would you prefer just to keep it to black tablecloths with pumpkin centrepieces? Just choosing a Halloween theme implies a more casual, fun occasion. You need to be absolutely sure that this is the wedding that you want, so that you do not regret forfeiting your dream of a formal white wedding on a whim.

Having decided that this is, indeed, your dream wedding, you will need to choose your dress / costumes and décor. This does not mean that your dress can not be beautiful in its own right. A burnt orange gown with black jewellery can be absolutely stunning. Alternatively, wear a formal black gown and put your bridesmaids in reds and oranges for a dramatic effect. If you do want more of a ‘costume’ effect, you and the groom may opt to utter your nuptials as Frankenstein and his bride, or Dracula and a hapless victim. If you want your guests to dress up accordingly, make this clear on the invitation. Bear in mind that there will still probably be some guests who do not play the part. For these ones, put some party hats and masks on the tables for when they get more into the swing of things.

If you have sufficient time, try to buy discounted Halloween decorations well in advance. If you leave it too late, you may be subject to paying the inflated prices closer to the holiday date. Table decorations present you with a host of fun and exciting options. Black and / or orange table cloths with pumpkins, candles, skulls, witch brooms and Halloween-specific confetti create a dramatic effect. In addition, the venue can be draped and decorated with spider webs and dummies of witches, vampires and other such characters. The church will likely have objections to boasting dark and deadly décor. You will probably do better to keep the church décor subtle, and rather decorate the reception venue. If you feel that you would definitely like to drape the church in gory style, make sure that this has been discussed in detail with the service provider well ahead of time. Either way, candles are the best way to create a mood that is both romantic and eerie, if implemented correctly. Flowers, including the bridal bouquet, should include plenty of autumnal leaves and orange flowers. More traditional flowers may be painted black for a haunting effect.

The menu offers another great opportunity to carry through the Halloween theme. The wedding cake options are endless, with decorations including blood, eyeballs and bones. The meal may comprise blood soup (using colouring or beetroot) and worms and eyes (spaghetti and meatballs). For a less ‘repulsive’ option, present a meal that includes pumpkin, perhaps on black plates, to create the look and feel without stimulating the gag reflex.

Certainly, a Halloween wedding offers a unique experience, not only for the bride and groom, but also for the guests who are invited to enjoy this occasion with the loving couple.