Trendy Wednesday: All in the Invite

Trendy Wednesday by Jenna Paniccia

The second your wedding invitations hit the mail, your wedding has officially begun! Wedding invitations set the mood for what your guests will be experiencing on your big day. It’s a way to show off the ambiance and excitement that your wedding will be filled with.

There is so much to consider when choosing wedding invitations. All the little details can make a huge impact on something so quaint.

When considering the style of your invitations I think it’s best to design around your wedding colors versus your wedding theme. Invitations are planned out early in the wedding process. Most brides find a color palette that they love and stick with it; but when it comes to design of the wedding, theme changes are endless. Also, keep your personalities in mind. Do you want your wedding to be traditional and classic, or is your wedding going to be eccentric? Your answer to this question says a lot about the look and feel of your wedding invitations.

Planning the invitations can be a little stressful, and the less stress the better! Looking through invitations and finding details from a few that you love and then applying those details to your own invitations helps make the process run more smoothly. When you have a visual of something you really like it’s easier to come up with an overall concept.

Make sure to shop around before choosing a vendor! Invitations can get a little pricey, so it’s easy to go over-board. Really think about if you want to send a save the date, if you need to include directions for the venue, whether you’ll have a seated dinner with entrée options or a buffet style event… all of these questions can change the price of the overall outcome. Make sure the stationer you pick really understands what you are looking for before sending your design to print! Requesting a sample is always best to make sure you love the invitation as much as you love your dress.

Keep in mind that your invitation is like the pictures from your wedding. Ten years from now, you’ll want to look back and have fond memories of the whole process. Make sure you love every aspect that goes into the design and be proud to drop them in the mail. Have fun with it, be creative, and keep the invitations true to you.

Photo credit: ruffhouseart.com, vponsale.com, onewed.com, weddinginvitationscards.com, ohsobeautifulpaper.com, mostweddingflowerideas.com

Trendy Wednesday: A Touch of Lace

Trendy Wednesday: Jenna Paniccia

One of my favorite wedding day trends is adding a touch of lace. Lace is not only a timeless look but adds the appeal of warmth and delicacy to a room big or small. This is a trend that we’ve seen in clothing, home goods (your grandmothers doilies are ringing a bell) and it is becoming more and more popular adorning designer dresses and even wedding cakes!

When thinking about where to incorporate this amazing trend, look for places that need a touch of elegance. For instance…

1. If your dress has a lace design, think about giving the lace to your baker. They can incorporate the same lace style into your cake. This is a sure show-stopper and never seems to get old.
2. I also love the idea of a lace invitation, or touches of lace in accessories. This is a great way to give your special day a 1950’s vintage inspired feel.
3. A venue space needs to feel inviting. The best way to make the room appealing to the eye is to use circular and rectangular shaped tables. This will give the space variety without making it look very cookie-cutter. On the rectangular tables you can add a lace runner. Having solid linens on the round tables and lace linens on the rectangular tables will give the venue such a warm feel.
4. If you are planning on having an outdoor wedding lace is wonderful for a beautiful garden inspired venue. Lace around the vases of your centerpieces and lace fabric napkins will give an enchanted night sophistication.
5. Lace wrapped around the stems of a bouquet can be the perfect touch to a very simple design. This is a great way to not go overboard with an oversized bouquet. Keep it simple and delicate.

Photo Credit: bellethemagazine.com, weddingpartyapp.com, amyaustinphotography.com, invitationsbyjalon.com, myinspiredwedding.com, greenweddingshoes.com, unitedwithlove.com

Trendy Wednesday: Mismatched Bridesmaids

Trendy Wednesday: Jenna Paniccia

Shopping for a wedding dress is like purchasing a new car. It has to be perfect, stunning, magnificent, and screaming your name from a mile away. Yes, you the bride are the center of attention, but your bridesmaids want dresses that make them feel just as stunning. Looking for the perfect bridesmaids dresses no longer needs to be a huge issue. Everyone has a difference of opinion, from what color looks best on them, to what cut flatters their figure, the list goes on and on.

When planning this big shopping day, approach it with an open mind. Give your bridesmaids options.

1. Pick a color scheme. Pick one color that you want the bridesmaids dresses to be and let them pick the best silhouette for themselves. If you really want to be daring and outlandish pick a color spectrum for the ladies to choose from.  Seeing different dress styles and colors can truly make a wedding come to life.  Not sure what colors go together?  Grab a couple paint swatches – they’ll give you variations on the color you want and you won’t have to worry about clashing!
2.  Different lengths are fun too! Shorter dresses a little above the knee have become quite popular. It’s more of a sophisticated-trendy look.
3. Play with pattern! Dresses that have touches of lace, stripes, and even embroidery can give your bridesmaids individuality that defines their personalities.
4.  If you don’t love the idea of having different bridesmaids dresses, try different colored shoes. Having the ladies pick their favorite shoes is a dream come true.

If you’re still not sold on the idea of mismatched bridesmaids, look for inspiration from the Sex and the City Wedding. How fabulous did those ladies look that day?!

Photo Credit: boards.weddingbee.com, rootedinloveweddings.wordpress.com, bellethemagazine.com, blogs.aexknows.com, weddingsbylily.com, beauxandbelles.net, blog.kristeenlabrotevents.com, feministe.us