Romantic Pinks and Reds
The one wedding theme that has stood the test of all time is that of simple, elegant romance – and it’s no wonder! One of the easiest themes to pull off, romantic weddings encompass the true feelings and emotions present on the day and bring out the best in every guest. Simple goes a long way here – even the littlest things, like a tiny rose, will speak volumes. And of course, the colour of romance and passion is red – or pink, depending on your preferences. Incorporating these colours into your wedding will be the easiest part of the entire planning process, so here are some tips to help you get your romantic wedding planning underway.
Valentine’s Day
Could you honestly pick a better date to have your wedding than February 14th, the day love is celebrated worldwide? Here you can go all out with your decorating and turn the romance right up. You wouldn’t go past bridesmaid dress of pink, red and lace, with bouquets of whites, pinks, lilacs and deep crimson. Pick a venue which feels romantic to you, as soon as you enter it – look for cathedral ceilings with exposed beams, a fireplace (even if you won’t be lighting it), and big windows. Remember you’ll be filling it with candles to enhance the romantic atmosphere, so check that they’re allowed. Think tulle – loads of it – soft lighting, and loads of flowers. Be warned, however, that many venues book out for Valentine’s Day years in advance, especially if it falls on a Friday or Saturday. You’ll also be looking at paying more for your flowers, especially red roses, or even having to pass them up because of limited availability. Anything else romance-related – like limousines, romantic suites in hotels and even beauty salons – will also book up quickly so you’ll need to make some definite decisions very early on in your wedding planning.
Outfits
If you’re going for romantic pinks and reds, you’ll need to sort of some way of incorporating the colour into what you’re wearing. Choose a pink dress, or a white dress with red trim. Lace is a huge part of the romantic theme, and you may even choose to wear a dress made entirely of it. Or you could wear red shoes, or simply carry a bouquet full of pink and red flowers. Don’t forget your bridesmaid outfits also - dress them in scarlet cocktail dresses, or soft pink a-line gowns. Or you may choose to simply trust their judgement and leave the design entirely up to them. How you choose to incorporate the colour is entirely up to you – go as loud or as subtle as you like!
When it comes to your groom, think old fashioned classic dress style and tuxedos – for ideas, dig out some old movie classics and decide what you like together (any excuse to watch Casablanca). You might like to match the groomsmen’s ties to your colour theme, or even their suits themselves. See how far you can push your husband-to-be, but don’t be surprised if he just wants plain black & white suits!
Your ceremony
Romantic ceremonies can be done on any sort of budget. If you’d like a thick carpet of deep-red rose petals to line your way but can’t afford them (bags of petals can be very expensive) why not ask your florist if you can use a cheaper petal, like carnations? Similarly, the thought of a full four-piece string quartet will stir up the romance in even your oldest guests, but with their prices ranging up to thousands of dollars for a single ceremony, why not get creative and ask a friend who can play guitar to entertain the guests and strum you softly up the aisle? And if you’re strapped for cash and can’t find the perfect and affordable ceremony venue, ask around your friends and family and find someone with a lovely garden, or a terrific view, who wouldn’t mind a hundred people on their property for a couple of hours. If they are happy to do so, even go so far as to ask if they’ll let you hold the entire wedding there, and hire a marquee and caterer! Always remember that there are cheaper ways of doing things without loosing the overall affect of your wedding.
Your Menu
Why not carry through your romantic theme to your menu, if you can? There’s lots of food out there that with aphrodisiac properties, such as oysters, asparagus and caviar. Why not set up a table with bananas, strawberries and several pots of chocolate fondue to get your guests in the mood? And don’t forget to keep the pink champagne flowing – alcohol is an aphrodisiac too!
Romance is the whole point of a wedding, so you should have no problem capitalising on this theme and making it the focus of your big day. There are so many ways you can incorporate this theme – send out soft pink or red invitations with lace borders, and give your guests special bonbonnieres to remind them of the day they had. On your guests’ place cards write “thanks for being our valentine!” or include special words of love taken from a favourite poem. During your ceremony, why not ask all members of the audience who are in a relationship to hold hands and face each other, looking deep into each other’s eyes as you say your vows.
The Beyond the Bride archives are simply full of spectacular, unique and above all realistic ideas when it comes to pulling of the most romantic wedding possible. Come and join in the fun of the forums at www.beyondthebride.com.au/forum - we can’t wait to meet you!
Valentine’s Day
Could you honestly pick a better date to have your wedding than February 14th, the day love is celebrated worldwide? Here you can go all out with your decorating and turn the romance right up. You wouldn’t go past bridesmaid dress of pink, red and lace, with bouquets of whites, pinks, lilacs and deep crimson. Pick a venue which feels romantic to you, as soon as you enter it – look for cathedral ceilings with exposed beams, a fireplace (even if you won’t be lighting it), and big windows. Remember you’ll be filling it with candles to enhance the romantic atmosphere, so check that they’re allowed. Think tulle – loads of it – soft lighting, and loads of flowers. Be warned, however, that many venues book out for Valentine’s Day years in advance, especially if it falls on a Friday or Saturday. You’ll also be looking at paying more for your flowers, especially red roses, or even having to pass them up because of limited availability. Anything else romance-related – like limousines, romantic suites in hotels and even beauty salons – will also book up quickly so you’ll need to make some definite decisions very early on in your wedding planning.
Outfits
If you’re going for romantic pinks and reds, you’ll need to sort of some way of incorporating the colour into what you’re wearing. Choose a pink dress, or a white dress with red trim. Lace is a huge part of the romantic theme, and you may even choose to wear a dress made entirely of it. Or you could wear red shoes, or simply carry a bouquet full of pink and red flowers. Don’t forget your bridesmaid outfits also - dress them in scarlet cocktail dresses, or soft pink a-line gowns. Or you may choose to simply trust their judgement and leave the design entirely up to them. How you choose to incorporate the colour is entirely up to you – go as loud or as subtle as you like!
When it comes to your groom, think old fashioned classic dress style and tuxedos – for ideas, dig out some old movie classics and decide what you like together (any excuse to watch Casablanca). You might like to match the groomsmen’s ties to your colour theme, or even their suits themselves. See how far you can push your husband-to-be, but don’t be surprised if he just wants plain black & white suits!
Your ceremony
Romantic ceremonies can be done on any sort of budget. If you’d like a thick carpet of deep-red rose petals to line your way but can’t afford them (bags of petals can be very expensive) why not ask your florist if you can use a cheaper petal, like carnations? Similarly, the thought of a full four-piece string quartet will stir up the romance in even your oldest guests, but with their prices ranging up to thousands of dollars for a single ceremony, why not get creative and ask a friend who can play guitar to entertain the guests and strum you softly up the aisle? And if you’re strapped for cash and can’t find the perfect and affordable ceremony venue, ask around your friends and family and find someone with a lovely garden, or a terrific view, who wouldn’t mind a hundred people on their property for a couple of hours. If they are happy to do so, even go so far as to ask if they’ll let you hold the entire wedding there, and hire a marquee and caterer! Always remember that there are cheaper ways of doing things without loosing the overall affect of your wedding.
Your Menu
Why not carry through your romantic theme to your menu, if you can? There’s lots of food out there that with aphrodisiac properties, such as oysters, asparagus and caviar. Why not set up a table with bananas, strawberries and several pots of chocolate fondue to get your guests in the mood? And don’t forget to keep the pink champagne flowing – alcohol is an aphrodisiac too!
Romance is the whole point of a wedding, so you should have no problem capitalising on this theme and making it the focus of your big day. There are so many ways you can incorporate this theme – send out soft pink or red invitations with lace borders, and give your guests special bonbonnieres to remind them of the day they had. On your guests’ place cards write “thanks for being our valentine!” or include special words of love taken from a favourite poem. During your ceremony, why not ask all members of the audience who are in a relationship to hold hands and face each other, looking deep into each other’s eyes as you say your vows.
The Beyond the Bride archives are simply full of spectacular, unique and above all realistic ideas when it comes to pulling of the most romantic wedding possible. Come and join in the fun of the forums at www.beyondthebride.com.au/forum - we can’t wait to meet you!