Invitations

Your wedding invitations allow you to convey your theme from the outset. Attach them to little bags of sunflower seeds for a sweet, useful effect. This conveys the symbolic notion that the invites are ‘sowing the seeds’ for your wedding day. Alternatively, use sunflower imagery on printed invitations, allowing each of your friends and family members to receive a bright, cheery piece of stationery to set the scene for the celebrations.

Attire and Accessories

For your theme colours, use the vibrant yellow of the sunflower’s petals and the deep, textured brown of its centres and then carry this through to the attire of your bridesmaids and groomsmen. Keep the look subtle and tasteful by not including too many fussy designs or floral patterns. Consider adding actual sunflowers as buttonhole bouquets or as features on sashes or belts.

Add smaller sunflowers to your hair, either as individual blooms or as a 1960’s-style wreath for a fun look. If you, as the bride, prefer a more traditional hairstyle, reserve this look for the bridesmaids and / or flower girls.

For traditional floral bouquets, pair your sunflowers with dainty white daisies for really lovely arrangements. These two blooms are from the same family, so they complement one another perfectly. For a more modern approach, simply carry one sunflower.

If possible, have your wedding shoes custom-made with a cute sunflower motif or an embellishment to peek out from beneath your wedding dress.

Venue and Décor

Sunflowers are ideal for a country or outdoor wedding. So, try to choose a wedding venue that is either outdoors or that includes elements of the natural beauty to be found outside. A garden wedding, a marquee or a venue that has glass doors leading outside are all fabulous options for a sunflower theme.

For your wedding décor, try to incorporate the following items to create a stunning theme:

• Sunflower seeds as eco-friendly confetti.
• Yellow and brown napkins and stationery.
• Galvanised buckets filled with sunflowers make great centrepieces.
• A large bloom at each place setting, with the name of the person to be seated there nestled in the centre.
• Sunflower wreaths on each table as a centrepiece.

Guest Favours

You want your guests to have lingering memories of the love and romance of your wedding day. To make sure that your day is extra-memorable, give each person one or more sunflower-themed favours that they can keep and / or enjoy. Some examples are:

• A packet of sunflower seeds accompanied by a note on the health benefits and the many uses thereof.
• Sunflower seeds with planting instructions so that your guests can grow their own beautiful blooms.
• A beautiful bunch of real sunflowers for each couple.
• Chocolate, soap or candles in the shape of a sunflower.

Colours and Design Elements

Bollywood is all about vibrant colours, ornate embellishments and opulent textures. Use hot pink, orange (bright or burnt), deep red, glittering gold, luxurious brown, bottle green and midnight blue for the best effects. Layer various fabrics of different weights; from thick quilts to flowing organza and everything in-between; for a really effective look and feel with minimal effort. A Bollywood theme should pique all of the senses and give your guests an array of things to see, touch, hear and taste. Use gold thread, fluffy tassels, sparkling sequins and beads in your décor and attire.

Attire and Accessories

Your wedding outfit, and that of the entourage (bridesmaids, groomsmen, etc…), gives you (as the bridal couple) the ideal opportunity to convey your theme effectively. If you definitely want to wear a white dress, consider a gorgeous, ornately-embellished white sari with gold detailing and beaded headwear. This is still very Bollywood, but also simple and unique. If you prefer a more traditional gown, introduce the theme with your jewellery and accessories, as well as Henna tattoos on your hands and feet.

Have your bridesmaids and the flower girl in colourful saris, ensuring that they all feel comfortable in this attire, particularly if it requires that parts of their stomach, sides or backs are exposed. For a trendier approach, dress your entourage in belly dancing outfits.

The groom’s dress should also be colourful and ornate, taking advantage of the gorgeous textiles available. Consider putting only him in a turban to set him apart from his groomsmen. Opt for sherwanis, Jodhpuri suits, kurta pyjamas or formal tuxedos for these men.

Décor

As always, use fabrics that are richly coloured, ornately embroidered and heavily embellished for your napkins, tablecloths and guest favours. Include the following décor elements for the ultimate Bollywood glam:

• Indian tents (perhaps using one as your reception venue)
• Pillars, wrapped in gorgeous fabrics and fairy lights
• Tables named according to popular Bollywood films or actors
• Bronze genie lamps
• Ottomans
• A red carpet
• Ornate candles
• Ornamental elephants  (a sign of fertility and good luck in India)
• Trinket boxes

Guest Favours

Give your loved ones and friends something special by which to remember this very special day. Just some of our ideas include:

• Ornamental elephant (which carry much significance in the Indian cultures and religions)
• Ornately decorated metal boxes (perhaps filled with chocolates, Chai blends or a curry spice)
• Packets of premixed curry powders or traditional teas
• A copy of your favourite Bollywood film on DVD

Decide whether you want a general fairytale theme or if you would prefer to choose a specific fairytale and fashion your wedding around that. If this is the case, you should choose a story that has something in common with your real-life story. Then, carry it through to your dress, transport, décor and guest favours.

Invitations
To set the scene, send out real fairytale invitations. Some ideas include crowns and tiaras, scrolls or unique personalised books telling the tale of your romance. If you prefer a more conventional invitation style, use lots of colours, glittery effects and fairytale characters as the imagery on the invite.

Attire and Accessories
Specific attire depends on whether or not you have chosen a specific fairytale. Of course, the obvious choice for the bride is a real ball gown, complete with long gloves and a tiara. This need not be white, but can also be light pink, lilac or blue. For the authentic deal, take a picture of Cinderella or Beauty in her gorgeous dress to your designer. For something like The Lion King or Finding Nemo, you’ll need to be more creative with your gown. Consider animal prints or brooches of the cute characters. Imagine blue and yellow striped heels (Nemo) or a fascinator with Minnie Mouse ears attached.

The groom’s attire should be inspired by the quintessential Prince Charming. Alternatively, a black tuxedo with cute accessories (such as Shrek ears) works beautifully too.

Have fun with the entourage. Dress them as the Seven Dwarves or a host of little birds and butterflies that flutter around the couple. The flower girl and ring bearer can be really sweet in complete fairytale character costumes. An added bonus is that they will love these outfits and are much more likely to cooperate.

Venue and Décor
If possible, choose a venue that conveys the fairytale theme. Whether it is a castle, mansion, game park or even an aquarium, having the right venue will go a long way in establishing your theme. In terms of your décor, there are plenty of opportunities to be creative and playful with your theme. Use these ideas for décor inspiration:

• Plenty of candles and candelabras.
• A red carpet (or a white carpet for a dreamier look).
• A horse and carriage, and the imagery that goes with this.
• Plenty of pastel-coloured flowers.
• White feathers on the aisle, tables and dance floor.
• Ice sculptures and helium balloons of various cartoon characters.

Music
Fairytales are renowned for their catchy theme tunes. Use these as you walk down the aisle, enter the reception venue and enjoy your first dance. Some romantic options include:

• I’m a Believer – Shrek
• You Belong to Me – Shrek
• True Love’s First Kiss – Shrek
• Hakuna Matata – The Lion King
• Can You Feel the Love Tonight? – The Lion King
• A Whole New World – Aladdin
• Kiss The Girl – The Little Mermaid
• A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes – Cinderella
• Somewhere Over the Rainbow – The Wizard of Oz

Theme Colours
The Mardi Gras is characterised by green, purple and gold. You may choose to have white, pearl or ivory as your ‘base’ colour and accent it with these theme colours, or your dress and décor can be given a bold and dramatic look and feel by incorporating these as your main colours. Remember that this will look very different, and will make a major impression, so be prepared for some apprehensive family and friends.

Invitations
Your invitation sets the tone of your theme, giving your guests a little taste of the excitement to follow. For an elegant and subtle approach, use white or ivory card with beaded embellishments, feathers, gold coins (or wax seals) and glitter. Alternatively, attach the invitation to tailor-made masks so that guests receive a real surprise with their invitation. You may want to ask them to bring and wear their masks at your wedding reception.

Attire
As the bride, your dress can be plain white or ivory. Or, be a little bolder by creating it using shades of gold, which is always elegant, but definitely stands out from the crowd. If you want to go ‘all out’, have a coloured dress, made from luxurious fabrics in greens, golds and purples and embellished with beads, feathers and gold plates or buttons. Instead of a traditional veil, opt for an opulent face mask that can be lifted for the first kiss as husband and wife, or an elaborate feathered headpiece. Bridesmaids and maids of honour can don colourful dresses (which look stunning at knee length) and bright headpieces.

Grooms and their entourage can incorporate the traditional wedding colours into their suits in various ways, and should include gold, purple and / or green bowties / cravats / ties and waistcoats. Boutonnieres should be replaced by brightly coloured feathered arrangements.

Décor
Flowers and wedding décor provide the ideal platform on which to express your wedding theme. While bright colours and adventurous textures are what Mardi Gras is all about, consider including the following elements in particular:

• Balloons
• Streamers
• Feathers
• Glitter and reflective materials (such as cut-glass and disco balls)
• Beads (incorporated into floral arrangements or strung and hung from the ceiling)
• Treasure chests containing doubloons (or gold coins)
• Mardi Gras masks

Food
Mardi Gras cuisine is usually a Creole concoction of Cajun flavours and colours. Seafood (such as mock crayfish, crab and shrimps) and tasty, substantial dishes like paella and Jambalaya are always favourites. These dishes can be made to look elegant and classy, or more relaxed, depending on your personal preferences.

Entertainment
Mardi Gras always boasts a rich assortment of jazz that is vibrant and fun to dance to. While you should include other music to cater to the tastes of all of your guests, jazz should certainly set the tone of your celebrations.

Other

• Replace traditional confetti with chocolate coins, coloured beads or feathers.
• Get your guests to form a parade to the reception venue from the church or ceremony venue. This is sure to get everyone into the party mood.

Advantages

• Requiring that guests dress up involves them in the event and the planning thereof in a very personal and direct way.
• The fancy dress getups create part of the décor and effect, saving you the time, money and effort of organising extra décor.
• Fancy dress establishes the theme more clearly for everyone. When all of your guests have eye patches and wooden legs, they are automatically in the mood for their pirate party.
• It creates bonds amongst and between different people when they identify a common factor in one another and when they have the opportunity to laugh and share in the fun of a fancy dress affair together. This is a particularly good thing when it comes to office or departmental parties at which not everyone will know one another.
• Choosing an appropriate theme that is a common interest to many people will encourage them to have fun, rather than feeling like uncomfortable wall flowers (since not everyone enjoys a party).

Disadvantages

• Choosing a theme may become quite difficult as you will need to choose one that does not offend anybody in terms of their religion, culture, age, gender or social standing (e.g. a Pimps & Prostitutes party may sound like great fun, but would almost certainly offend someone in the corporate situation).
• A dress-up party usually requires that your guests buy or hire something to wear, which may become very expensive for them.
• Some people may not feel comfortable in certain garb; such as miniskirts, tight tops, swimwear, and so on. Respect each person’s private wishes and preferences and choose a theme with which everyone is comfortable.

Some popular fancy dress themes include:

• Letter, colour or number parties – guests are required to dress up as anything to do with a particular letter of the alphabet, colour or number.
• Around the world – decorate each room according to a different country and encourage guests to dress up as cultures from around the world.
• Moustache party – men and women attending your event need only wear a moustache (real, fake or drawn on) to fit right in. This is for a more informal function.
• Remember when – allow your guests flexibility and encourage them to wear anything that was a huge trend but that has now become a distant memory.

There is an array of delights that characterise a happy childhood, elements that combine to create great memories of younger days. Reminiscing on favourite songs, sweets and superheroes usually generates amused chuckles and exciting revelations as deep-buried memories emerge after years. Share these fun and happy feelings with your friends and family by having a Forever Young themed wedding celebration.

Of course, the basic theme of your event will depend on the era in which you enjoyed your youth. This is especially effective if many of your guests are from a similar era, so that these ones are able to relate and share in the fun.

Invitations
Start your guests reminiscing when they receive their invitations to your big day. Consider a superhero-themed wedding invitation that is brightly coloured and represents your favourite childhood superhero.

Alternatively, if you are able to find a favourite sweet or chocolate bar from your childhood days, attach your invitation to this. Guests will love receiving something that they can enjoy along with their special invitation. If you are not able to find an old brand of candy, create a collage of sweet wrappers (printed, not original), keeping your invitees glued to their invitation as they try to remember all the old favourites.

If there was a particular model of car during your childhood (perhaps one that most of your parents had at one stage), try to find dinky versions and attach your invitations to these.

Attire
As the bridal couple, you can opt for the fashion of your childhood, while still keeping your outfits distinctly ‘bridal’. For example, if you were children or teens during the 1970’s, wear a hippy-style gown and suit, complete with floral head wreaths and flat shoes.

Alternatively, you can dress as a famous celebrity that got married in your day. So, if you were born during the 1970’s, you will likely remember Princess Diana’s wedding in the early 80’s and her elaborate dress.

If you want a relaxed, informal wedding, dress up as the superheroes or cartoon characters that made your younger years so much fun to remember. Get your guests to do the same (specifying that they should do so on their invitations) for a really great set of wedding pictures.

Another fabulous option is to ask guests to dress up according to what they wanted to be when they were grown up. Expect astronauts, ballerinas and at least one fireman in your wedding party!

Décor
Use prints that were common in the time of your youth, such as paisley, floral or Biggie Best designs. Use popular board games (such as Monopoly or Cludo) as your centrepieces, encouraging guests to play while they wait for you, as the bridal couple, to finish with your photographs.

Hang old black and white or sepia photographs around the venue. These should be of your old school, you as youngsters, popular places that no longer exist (a favourite drive-in or ice skating rink, for example), and so on. Guests will relish perusing these pictures throughout the night, enjoying the memories.

Food and Beverages
Think back to what you and your friends ate while sitting in your room and listening to music for hours and consider incorporating these items into your wedding menu (Oros and Ghost Pops, popcorn and Coca-Cola, perhaps). Think also about what your parents served at get-togethers, as your guests will likely remember these as being the ‘smart’ foods of the day. An 80’s teen will likely think back fondly on pickles and cheese on a toothpick, for example.

Guest Favours
To ensure that your friends and family remember your special day for many years, create a mixed CD of your favourite hits from your teen years. Those in your era should be able to identify with and enjoy these as much as you do, bringing back great memories from their youth.

Theme Colours
The theme colours you choose depend very much on what type of sports you are interested in and whether you will be representing a particular team in your décor. Black and white can represent the chequered flag or the colours of a traditional football, while blue or red are common team colours.

Invitations
Send out fun invitations that communicate the sporty theme effectively. This can be achieved by the use of graphics (such as balls, scoreboards or cheerleaders) on printed invitations. Alternatively, attach your invitation to a mini soccer ball, the flag of your favourite team, a set of pompoms or a giant foam finger.

Attire
If you really want to go ‘all out’, consider wearing bridal attire in the colours or even style of your sports heroes. Matching figure skating outfits is fun and allows you, as the bride, to don a sparkly, feminine outfit, as opposed to a big rugby jersey. Alternatively, you may have a traditional gown in the team colour of your favourites, or with added features, such as a team badge or headgear instead of a veil. Opt for a neat ponytail or slicked-back style rather than loose, tousled hair.

The groom would look the part in a proper football uniform, complete with shoulder pads and tight pants.

Dress the groomsmen and bridesmaids as cheerleaders and water boys or in complementary his and hers sporting outfits (such as tennis players or sprinters).

Décor
There is so much room for creativity when it comes to decorating your wedding reception venue. Consider setting up the entire space to look like a sports hall of fame. Include pictures of famous sports stars, medals, trophies, banners, balls, bats, flags, and scoreboards. Use chequered flags or team flags as table cloths and name each table after specific players or teams, instead of numbering them. Replace the floral centrepiece with brightly-coloured cheerleading pompoms, or with an arrangement of different sizes of balls. Glue these together so that they are not rolling around the table. You may want to leave a ‘scorecard’ at each place setting and encourage guests to write a personal message on it, which you can look at later and keep as a memento of your big day.

Food and Beverages
Serve the types of food that are available at sports matches, such as burgers, hotdogs, corn dogs, candy floss and mini donuts drenched in caramel or chocolate sauce. These should be presented in polystyrene containers or wrapped in newspaper, as they are in the real-life scenario. Serve juice or water in squeeze bottles, which the guests could keep as their official guest gift. If you prefer a more formal meal, serve it on plates that are painted with a sports theme.

Guest Favours
Ensure that your guests remember your big day by giving them a really special sports-themed keepsake. This may include:

• Pompoms
• A badge bearing the logo of your favourite sports team
• A gimmicky item that is usually sold at sports matches (such as inflatable bats, foam hats, and so on)

Photo Credit: Erica May / Cake Central

South Africa is a country of incredible beauty and natural splendour. Indeed, it is the idyllic location for a true country wedding for brides- and grooms-to-be that want to take advantage of the gorgeous vistas of this land. Accomplishing an authentic country look and feel is quite simple and can work out to be cost effective, especially with a little creativity and innovation.

Invitations
The invitations set the wedding scene for those you invite, so ensure that your country theme is communicated effectively via these. For a more traditional approach, simply use country-style images and prints on your paper invitations; such as gingham, camouflage print, wild flowers, wagons wheels, or a photograph of the beautiful countryside. Alternatively, be creative and send guests tiny pots of honey or home-made jam with your wedding invitation attached. You could even send them a straw hat with the invitation inside, and request that they wear this to your wedding, creating a sense of fun and participation.

Attire
Regardless of your theme, it is important to wear something that is both comfortable and suitable to your personality and taste. A country wedding implies a slightly more laid-back, natural approach to attire. Therefore, as the bride, you could consider a looser, flowy style of dress. The focus should be on natural femininity and comfort.

The groom can opt for an informal day suit with an open shirt, or simply a good pair of jeans and a printed shirt for a really outdoorsy feel. Alternatively, have fun with shorts, braces and wellingtons for a really different look.

Arrive on a tractor or horse carriage, or in an old, rusty car.

Hair and Make-up
Because the country is all about appreciating the natural fauna and flora of your surrounds, you want your personal beauty to radiate in a natural way too. Keep your hair healthy and your roots well touched-up, but consider having it loose or in a soft style that frames the face, rounded off with wild flowers in your tresses. Make-up should also enhance your features without looking heavy or caked on. Use colours from the outdoors if your complexion allows.

Venue
The best venues for country-themed weddings are barns and old farm houses, as these exude that country flavour in their very structure and functionality. These can sometimes be hired for just such an occasion. Otherwise, ask friends and family if they know of someone with a home on a farm or smallholding. The most effective venue is, naturally, outdoors. However, weather may not allow for the entire ceremony and reception to be enjoyed here. Always have a Plan B in case of bad weather.

Décor
When it comes to a country theme, there really are so many elements that can be used as décor to create the look you desire. For your centrepieces, consider using water cans, glass milk bottles, tin cans or old gardening boots filled with wild flowers (such as heather, daisies or sunflowers), grasses and feathers.

Have guests sit on hay bales or mismatched wooden tables and chairs, eating off aluminium crockery, complete with dents and rust spots for that authentic touch.

Other décor elements can include:

• Wagon wheels
• Scarecrows
• Fruit baskets
• Bees, dragonflies and butterflies
• Apple crates
• Oil lamps
• Lace doilies

Put a big jug of home-made ginger ale or lemonade on each table, along with fresh fruit (such as strawberries, figs, melon and kiwis) to cleanse the palate between courses.

Consider presenting your home-made wedding cake on a wheelbarrow or a stack of fruit crates to set it apart from the traditional customs.

Guest Favours
This country experience alone is likely to be very memorable for your guests. However, if you would like to give them a small token of your appreciation, consider the following ideas:

• Tie a “thank you” note to fresh, wrapped honeycomb.
• Give each guest or couple a small pot filled with soil and complete with a packet of seed, so that they can watch their plant grow as your marriage does.
• Hand out pairs of colourful wellingtons. Although this may be costly, these shoes will last a long time and are practical for almost everyone.
• Make a batch of fruit jam or nut brittle, place it in a small glass jar for each guess and finish it off with raffia tied around the top for a practical, cheap and fun guest favour.

Photo Credit: Eva for Jane Hill

Theme Colours and Prints

Looking at the African bush will reveal an array of shades of brown, gold, green and black. Use these in your theme colours to create a stylish, but effective theme. Using natural fabrics like hessian, linen, cotton, and so on will further enhance the theme. In addition, the African cultures are well known for their use of colourful beadwork and animal prints (in the case of authentic African tribes people, the actual animal skins are used, but this may not be ethically sourced so be aware of your choices).

Attire and Accessories

If you would prefer to maintain a mostly traditional look with regards to your wedding dress and suit, this is entirely acceptable within the framework of a southern African theme. Consider simply adding elements of traditional African prints and beads to this attire to round off your look. For example, a white wedding gown with colourful beaded jewellery or zebra print heels can work really well, but is still subtle. A black or chocolate-brown suit with a leopard print tie is fun and functional. If you are feeling more adventurous, consider an entirely African outfit that resembles one of the traditional outfits that southern African brides would wear, or that has been heavily embellished with colourful beads.

Dress your bridesmaids in black, brown or gold dresses with animal print embellishments, or put them in adorable knee-length animal print dresses.

Be adventurous with jewellery and hair pieces by incorporating porcupine quills, feathers and beads. When sourcing quills and feathers, ensure that they were sourced using environmentally-responsible, fair trade means so that you do not support industries that abuse or misuse natural resources.

Décor

Incorporate some of the following elements in your décor to create a fabulous southern African theme:

• Ostrich feathers
• African drums
• Traditional tribal masks
• Wooden candle holders
• Wooden placemats
• Thatch
• Potjie pots

Guest Gifts

Spoil your guests with African mementoes so that your special day is equally memorable for those friends and family that share it with you. Consider the following options for your guests:

• Mini potjie pots filled with nuts, fruit or chocolates.
• Personalised beaded bracelets and / or keyrings.
• Wire ornaments (particularly wire animals).
• Flat stones with “bushman rock art” and personalised messages.

Credit: Photo from http://1st-wedding-anniversary-gift.blogspot.com

Invitations
Make sure that your guests know what to expect by handing out island-themed wedding invitations. For a more traditional approach, glue tiny shells or palm fronds onto printed invites. Alternatively, fashion your invitations to look like beach thongs, bikinis or palm trees for a more fun look and feel. A really different idea could be to design your invitation as a message in a bottle, ensuring that all invitees receive a tiny glass bottle with a scroll inside.

Theme Colours
The island is about sand and sea, so the yellows, whites and blues of these elements are clear choices. Tropical flowers are often bright yellow and pink, with vibrant greenery. Do not shy away from bright colours in your Hawaiian-themed wedding, as these will only reinforce your fun theme.

Attire
Keep your clothing light, comfortable and stylish, without becoming overly embellished or dramatic. Brides look gorgeous in flowy, feminine dresses with natural lines and simple textures. Grooms and groomsmen can don linen suits with open neck shirts, or even a stylish pair of linen or Bermuda shorts and a Hawaiian print shirt.

Have fun with your bridesmaids, if you want a little more flair to the occasion, by letting them wear grass skirts and bikini tops. This is more appropriate to a wedding that is characterised by an element of humour.

Natural flowers should be worn in the hair, which can be left loose, pinned up casually or braided. Instead of holding bouquets, you may drape a flower garland around your bridesmaids’ necks.

Venue and Décor
Your venue will play a large part in the establishing of your Hawaiian or island theme. A venue on or near the beach, for example, will create the perfect scene, while one inland may take extra work in terms of the décor to accomplish a similar ambience. Use some of the following items or elements in your décor:

• Bamboo (mats, placemats, room dividers, and so on)
• Grass skirts
• Coconuts, pineapples, mangoes and bananas
• Sea sand
• Shells
• Palm trees and individual palm fronds
• Fresh flowers and flower garlands
• Areas of dry sea sand (on the dance floor, for example)
• Umbrellas and deck chairs

Food and Beverages
Island cuisine is characterised by fruity flavours and plenty of spice. Fish and poultry are staples, and are often complimented by the sweet flavours of pineapples, coconuts, and so on. Have your guests enjoy their first cocktail out of pineapple or coconut cups with genuine cocktail umbrellas. Fruit skewers make for a refreshing palate cleanser between courses or for a great, healthy dessert.

Visit our blog for more Hawaiian Wedding inspiration.

Image Courtesy of Flower Hawaii