Go with what feels most natural. It’s our opinion (and we have been to a lot of weddings!) that it’s not always the best idea to sit a group of people together so they can “get to know each other”. Sometimes that works but a lot of the time wedding guests want to spend the evening with and celebrate with the people they know best. Obviously keep any feuding family members or friends apart. Generally sit your family and your fiance’s family closest to the bridal party, make sure access to the bathrooms is easy for elderly people, and remember it’s your day – don’t think people will be upset about whether they are seated in a “good spot” or not. Everyone there is there for you and will just be happy to be sharing the day with you and your fiance.

Love this movie-poster style invite – adds a real sense of dramatics and importance to their day! No doubt who the stars are with that one.

Someone in IT maybe?

Yum! I wonder if they only served chocolate at the reception…

I love this old school computer game design – cute with the Player 1 and Player 2 and the “Insert Coin Here”.

Oh how I hope they made the guests and bridal party dress accordingly..

This one is probably the most involved and detailed wedding invitation I have ever seen, the typography is used wonderfully and the story of their lives together is gorgeous.

After a quick decision to move the ceremony inside, then again outside when there was a break in the rain, the sunshine smiled upon Jaycee and John for just long enough.

Jaycee’s bouquet was a gorgeous combination of white lillies, singapore orchids and greenery…..

…..which were complimented beautifully with purple singapore orchids to match the deep royal bridesmaid’s dresses.

The reception was held under a silk-lined marquee, with a guest lounge area furnished with antique couches and luxurious velvet curtains. Jaycee was princess for a day!

The gorgeous wooden guest book was made by Jaycee herself, and filled with photos taken during the reception and printed right then and there on the evening – guests wrote personal messages next to their photos to give Jaycee and John a lasting memory of sharing their special day with family and friends.

A talented family member made the cupcake wedding cake for Jaycee and John, which was served as dessert, and the striking purple theme was carried right through the cake, to the personalised menus and the rock-candy bonbonnierre.

Towards the end of the night Kobi changed into something more comfy (his PJ’s!) and hit the dancefloor with his mum and dad – followed by every single guest with a camera!

……. an edible, wearable cupcake dress!

Made by Alice in Cakeland for the Amsterdam Fashion Festival, this dress holds hundreds of real cupcakes. Imagine your cupcakes being paraded around your wedding for your guests to help themselves – I don’t think you can get much more unique than that! Not a good idea for an outside wedding though, unless you want the local birds helping themselves to a feast!

Over the centuries, an understanding has developed about colour coordination and the human brain. The eyes and the brain work together to process the underlying ‘feel’ of a certain colour. This is the process that tells you what colour generates a warm, hot or cold feeling in your mind, and it is these feelings that will impact how your guests feel at your wedding – and how you feel. For example, blues and greens can be very calming, while reds and purples can give strength and power to your day and make you feel royal.

Over the coming months our Angels will post articles covering many different colors and the theory behind these colours, as well as posting lots of photos for inspiration for your wedding, so keep checking back regularly.

Our first colour theme is Red and Black…… enjoy!

The color red is associated with lust, passion, love, and beauty as well. The association with love and beauty is possibly related to the use of red roses as a love symbol, making red a perfect colour for a wedding. Be careful though, too much red can be overpowering and detract from other aspects of your wedding such as your dress or your flowers. When teamed well together, red and black can look stunning. Don’t be afraid of black – gone are the days when black was seen as a sombre colour – many weddings are including black for a simple yet stunning look – many more formal weddings include black for groom’s suits, ribbons and shoes.

Consider the following:

Flowers – there are many varieties of flowers available in red. Roses, carnations, lillies and peonies are just a few. While very striking when used alone, red flowers can also be teamed with whites, ivories or creams for a more soft, romantic look. Button holes in red looking stunning against black suits and go a little different for bridesmaid’s flowers and choose a red rose with black tips for something unique.

Fabrics – when used alone, red and black can create a very medieval, romantic look, especially when highlighted with candles and candelabras. Crisp white tablecloths dressed with red and black napkins, and accessorised with red or black ribbons on chair covers with orgaanza and tulle can look striking. Try red carpet down and aisle for a more formal theme, or red roses sprinkled down a grass or sand aisle for something softer and more romantic. Be careful not to overdo it with black fabric or you risk turning into a halloween theme!

Bonbonierre and Cake – some of the most striking cakes I have seen are in red and black. While red or black icing can be tricky and look harsh, but red or black ribbons or flowers on a white cake looks gorgeous. Hunt around on the internet for cute cake toppers to accent your cake and add something personal. And of course who could go past white and dark chocolate decorations on cakes like the photo above – just devine!

Crockery – I went to a wedding once that decorated rustic wooden tables with red and black plates and bowls, instead of the traditional white. It looked devine, and so unique and memorable – give your guests something to talk about and remember!

And for something different – why not include a candy buffet with red and white lollies (licorice, redskins, and strawberries and cream) or red and black balloons at less formal weddings. Try shot glasses with personalised red rock candy for favours, or tealights with red and black pebbles for a romantic, electric feel. The list is endless!

There is no right or wrong colour when choosing a theme for your wedding – it’s all down to personal preference. Hopefully we have given you a few ideas here, and would love to hear yours too if you have any. Red and Black are statement colours and will look devine in photographs – whether you want a striking powerful theme for your wedding, or something more soft and romantic. Just remember not too overdo it – the trick here is to use accents of black and red, rather than coloring everything in sight. Good luck and happy planning!

Stay tuned for our next feature colour – blue….

However, you can make it a fairly easy process by following a few easy steps:

1. First and foremost, have a budget in your mind. Avoid trying on dresses that are above your budget – more often than not this will cause tears or stress that you have spent too much money. You CAN get your perfect dress for any budget – believe me! Second hand wedding dress outlets are becoming more and more popular and are a great idea to save money but get a designer dress for a fraction of the cost. Don’t be embarrassed about buying a second hand wedding dress – remember wedding dresses are only worn for one day so pre-loved dresses are in great condition and it means you can love them just as much as another bride did.

2. Consider the theme of your wedding. If you are having your wedding at a beach or a backyard, you probably don’t want to go with a full skirt, too many diamantes, or something too heavy. Choose styles easier to wear, with lighter fabric and layers that will catch the wind.

3. Try to decide on a colour early on in the process. Many dresses come in a limited range of colours so deciding on a colour before you try on a dress will avoid the headache of finding the perfect dress, but then finding out it isn’t available in your dream colour!

4. Make it what YOU want. Some brides get so caught up in what other people think – I have known bride’s that have brought their mother, mother in law to be, sister and four or five bridesmaids when shopping for a dressing gown. While it’s lovely to have these people with you, their opinions (and sometime lack of opinions) can sometimes be overwhelming. It’s important to remember that while these people can give their input on what suits you and the theme of the wedding, they may be swayed what they like personally, thinking “if I was getting married I would have….”.

Remember you need to LOVE your dress and it needs to make YOU comfortable and confident and proud to look back at your wedding album for years to come.