With summer coming to an end and fall beginning, it’s a good time to plan to have your wedding. The weather is cooling down and isn’t as hot as it usually is during July and August which makes it much more comfortable for outside ceremonies or receptions. Fall also brings many other good aspects to a wedding as well as new trends – a few weeks ago we had a post about fall wedding trends, due to the popularity of that post we have some more fall wedding trend ideas for you!

Fall Wedding Favors

When deciding on the type of wedding favors you would like for your guests, it is easy to relate to the season in which we are in. With fall, you might want to inquire the changing of trees and falling of leaves, which happens every fall. If your wedding date falls closer towards Halloween you could have pumpkin sweets or spices. You can place your name on little sunflower seed packets for guests to eat or plant for a more rustic fall wedding. Another great idea for a fall wedding would be to have caramel apples placed in bags with ribbons tied around them, which you could match with your wedding colors. If you’re still stuck in the summer, no problem – we have summer wedding favor ideas for you too!

Fall Wedding Decorations

Usually when you think of fall you would think more of an outside look. For a reception or even your ceremony, you could have it outside surrounded by trees to give it more of a fall atmosphere. Another unique idea you could add would be instead of flower pedals lining the aisle you could put rustic looking leaves along the sides of guests chairs.

When choosing your linens you could give them a “crunched” look as a resemblance of leaves that have fallen. As well as adding amber colored lights around the room, which will give it more of an evening sun feel. If you choose on having an indoor reception another possibility would be to add potted trees surrounding the room with lights shinning on them.

Fall Flowers

The hottest trend in fall flowers are richly hued arrangements with a lot of texture. Instead of using a couple of different flowers, try a variety of many different kinds that go with your color scheme. A suggestion for some florists are poppys with dark centers which make a dramatic element that shows that summer is now over. When going into fall you should pick more deep and drastic shades than you would in the summer months. The autumnal tones are red, burgundy, orange, and plum.

Loosely tied bouquets are more of the summer look. For fall, you might want to think of your arrangement to be more packed and maybe held together by ribbons or velvet sashes. As for centerpieces, instead of flowers you can use plants to add to the fall look. If you do choose to go with flowers with your centerpieces, be sure to make the vases more than just the normal clear vases. With fall, vases with colors such as a gold-leaf, silver, or even wood make for a more appropriate look towards the fall season.

With the season of fall coming soon, what better way to start it off with other than a wedding that has all the fall season’s aspects!!  Make your wedding unique and memorable – use the season to you advantage!

Image 1 via Wedding Wire

Image 2 via CT Banquet Facility

If, as a couple, you both enjoy the summer heat dying down and more of the cool breezes, taking your honeymoon in the fall season would be perfect! After our article on the Best Wedding Locations in the World, many readers were asking us for specific honeymoon locations. Here are some of the best fall honeymoon destinations to help you decide from in the fall months…

September

September can still be pretty warm from the month before, depending on when you would go. Bermuda and Brazil are two of the top advised honeymoon spots to go during the month of September.

Bermuda is located in the Caribbean, which is a chain of little islands. Bermuda is surrounded by a wide platform of underwater coral reefs and has stunning blue waters. Its pleasant climate rarely sees extremes of hot and cold weather. The hottest part of their year ranges from May to mid October, so if you are planning on going during the month of September you should most likely be expecting temperatures around 75 degrees. Some things to do or see while you are in Bermuda include the Crystal Cave and their Bermuda Museum, Zoo, and Aquarium.

Brazil is located in South America and is one of the most diverse countries in the world. By traveling around Brazil you will see different kinds of architecture, food, styles, and cultural habits. It acquires gorgeous scenery and rich culture to endure. The average temperature in Brazil is around 71 degrees and can reach up to 86 degrees in the month of September. One of the most top rated sites to see is the Iguassu Falls, which are often described as being one of the seven natural wonders of the world.

October

In the month of October is when the weather starts to get a little cooler. One highly recommended honeymoon spot as this time is Belize.

Belize is a central American country that is surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and Mexico. The English language is spoken all over Belize and American dollar bills are accepted there. The weather in October in Belize is usually around 84 degrees during the day and cools off to 75 degrees in the evening. Within October they do receive rain fall which can be up to around 10 inches and occurs in early mornings around 6 am. While in Belize, you can see their attractions such as caves, ruins, or the jungle wild life. You can hike up ancient Mayan ruins or kayak down the Mopan River that’s surrounded by forest.

November

November is the month right before winter so the weather is usually a lot more cooler. Hawaii is a great place to go to get away from the soon to be winter weather.

Hawaii is made up of entirely islands, in which you can choose from any for your honeymoon destination. The islands included are Hawaii, Maui, Oahu, Lanai, Molokai, and Kauai. The average temperature of Hawaii is around 76 degrees. In November, you would be able to lay on the beach and enjoy the warm temperature of their clear waters. As well as many attractions that Hawaii has to offer. Some of Hawaii’s most famous attractions are the Hawaiian Volcanoes National Park which is located on the Big Island, Haleakala National Park in Maui, Hanauma Bay in Oahu, and Diamond Head State Monument in Oahu as well.

Don’t let the changing of the weather become a hassle for the two of you when your planning your honeymoon. These are just a few suggestions for fall honeymoon destinations and there is so much more to choose from!
Image 1 via Bermuda Styles
Image 2 via Brazil Nuts
Image 3 via Discover Sweet
Image 4 via Moeding

Chelsea and Marc met as teenagers through their parent’s political ties. Both attended Stanford University together where they studied finance. They began dating in October of 2007. November 2009 they announced that they would be married and on July 31, 2010 a dream wedding happened on a warm summer evening in a small town of Rhinebeck, New York.

The Attire

The Bride wore an amazing ivory strapless ball gown with a laser-cut organza skirt and gem encrusted belt designed the talented Vera Wang. The bridesmaids wore a strapless lavendar bias-cut chiffon gowns with a side drape and a contrasting plum bow.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stuck with a favorite designer of hers, Oscar de la Renta when it came to her mother-of-the-bride gown. Hillary wore a plum-colored Oscar de la Renta gown that had a fitted bodice and floral appliques on a ball skirt.

The Ceremony

Chelsea and Marc’s wedding was an interfaith ceremony. They had chosen to wed at Astor Courts, an opulent private Beaux-Arts mansion on 50 wooded acres just outside the village of Rhinebeck,Rabbi James Ponet, Yale University’s Jewish chaplain (for the groom’s side) and the Rev. William Shillady of New York’s Park Avenue Methodist Church (for the bride’s side) performed the interfaith ceremony.  The ceremony consisted of borrowing  Jewish wedding traditions, friends and relatives read the Seven Blessings after the couple exchanged vows and rings. They stood under an arch of twigs and vines and the palest of flowers, in a nod to the Jewish chuppah, or wedding canopy.  A  guest read aloud a brief love poem, “The Life That I Have,” by Leo Marks.

The Reception

The wedding reception included dinner and dancing for the 400 guests and took place inside a premium windowed tent lit by chandeliers. Inside the tent it was transformed into a beautiful garden-like wonderland. The ceiling and walls were draped in fabric, its support poles were covered with flowers, the tables were covered in gray-blue cloths and were topped with arrangements of pink, blue and lavender hydrangeas and roses.

The Meal

Though the bride is vegetarian, the guests dined on locally raised grass-fed beef (short ribs) or grilled Atlantic char, risotto, salad, and dinner rolls, catered by the St. Regis Hotel in New York. However, all the bread served was gluten-free.

The Cake

Chelsea and Marc’s wedding cake was a huge nine tiers and weighed 500 pounds and stood 4-feet tall made by a 9-person team at La Tulipe Desserts in Hudson Valley. The cake was very traditional and elegant. It was mostly white with little accents of silver. There were small circular designs on the base of each cake with 1,000 edible sugar flowers that were delicately brushed with pearl accent. Since Chelsea is allergic to gluten and is a vegan, the wedding cake was gluten-free and vanilla with dark chocolate mousse. Plus all the ingredients were local, and the cake was mostly organic.

The Guest List

The guest list of 400-500 people included many of Chelsea and Marc’s friends. Among the guests included Former Secretary of State, Madeline Albright, former Clinton adviser Vernon Jordan, actor Ted Danson and wife Mary Steenburgen were all in attendance.

The Honeymoon

Chelsea and Marc are off to a safari deep in the heart of South Africa.

The estimated $2-$3 million price tag was a dream wedding for Chelsea and Marc.

Photographer – Genevieve Manio http://www.genevievedemanio.com/
Florist – Jeff Leatham http://www.jeffleatham.com/

Article Resources:
CBS News
Chelsea Clinton Wedding Watch
The Week

Images 1-6 via Huffington Post
Image 7 via The Stir

Fall is a wonderful time of the year to get married!  The summer heat has passed, a fresh season with new smells and colors is emerging with new fall trends.  Every year this season brings the beautiful colors nature provides as inspiration for your dream wedding – the trees, weather, and emotion combine together to create a spectacular backdrop for a gorgeous autumn wedding.

2010 Bridal Gown Trends

Fall carries out the 2010 bridal gown trends and focuses on a few select styles to help shape your figure as a sexy bride.

Tiered Skirts to add a twist for a bride who wants that fairytale of a dress with a dramatic feel.

Floral Details add a new kind of texture to your wedding dress.

Vintage Veils are everywhere. A short birdcage veil paired with a feathered and jeweled head piece would make a perfect finishing touch to your bridal hairstyle.

Color Pallette

Use the colors of the season to inspire and infuse your wedding, mother nature gives us a wonderful abundance of rich tones.  Consider reds, oranges, browns, rusts, and yellows in planning for your fall wedding.  Jewel tones also make a rich, interesting twist to the traditional autumn color scheme.  Take any of these colors and mix gold, copper or bronze to make your fall wedding really shine.

Flowers

Take advantage of what flowers are in season, it might also save you a few dollars using seasonal flowers.   Here’s a list of flowers available in the fall: Asters, Chrysanthemums, Zinnias, Gerbera daisies, Marigolds, Roses, Sunflowers, add a few leafs and branches to give your floral pieces an autumnal look.  You might even want to consider incorporating pumpkins, cinnamon, berries, and other autumnal gourds into your wedding decor to strike the mood of your guests.

Sweet treats

Instead of a massive wedding cake – consider a dessert bar full of mini pies offering an assortment of apple pies, pecan pies, pumpkin pies, cherry pies or even a persimmon pie.  You can also have caramel apples, and autumnal shaped cookies for your guests to enjoy. The trend of a variety of wedding desert ideas is endless and it will leave your guests with a lasting taste & memory of your unique wedding.

When planning a fall wedding just keep in mind all the unique things this season has to offer. Autumn provides you with new wedding dress trends,  beautiful & unique color palette, unique decor elements, dessert ideas, and the wonderful feeling you associate with the beautiful season of Autumn.  Fall in love with an autumn-inspired wedding.

Images 1,2,3 via Wedding Shoppe Inc.
Image 4 via Daily Wedshare
Image 5 via The Knot
Image 6 via Bunn Gourmet

Planning Elegance would like to introduce you to one of our stellar couples…Deepa & Kiran Ghodgoankar!  Their wedding was on Sunday, April 11, 2010 at the Hyatt Regency in Valencia.  Deepa, the bride, is Sri Lankan and by-far one of our most educated brides in her culture.  Working with her parents to ensure that the ceremony stuck to tradition was a very fun and educational experience for us.  Although traditional, this fun couple still incorporated plenty of American aspects into their wedding such as a bridal party & cupcakes.

Deepa and Kiran longed for an outdoor ceremony – just as most couples do, unfortunately – come their wedding day in unpredictable Valencia, CA the wind was raging and rain clouds loomed over-head, threatening to ruin their beautiful day.  Since their decorator built a custom mandap, we had to deem it un-safe to set-up for the ceremony outdoors due to the high winds and we all worked together to move the ceremony into the Hyatt’s large & beautiful foyer.  Although it didn’t rain through the duration of the ceremony, the high winds raged and would have created worries for anyone under the mandap – good thing we moved it indoors!  Although it was a little tight indoors, the ceremony was beautiful and the guests were comfortable and warm indoors.

The traditional Hindu Sri Lankan ceremony was followed by a fun cocktail hour with tea, cake & snacks to represent Kiran & his family’s roots in Britain.  This was such a nice and unique touch to personalize their special day!  After a while of sipping on tea & devouring the cute cupcakes – the bars started serving alcohol, the ballroom doors open, the grand entrances rocked the house and the fun kept rolling throughout the evening!  Of all the South Indian weddings that we have done – this was one of the most fun, lively and dancing crowds!  Through the Bangra, Hip Hip, Bollywood, 80’s, and Tamil music guests were dancing all night, even until Journey’s famous “Don’t Stop Believing” as the classic ending song of the night.

Deepa & Kiran’s Vendors

Wedding Coordinator – Planning Elegance
Decorator/Designer – Bloombox Designs
DJ & Lighting – Riamu Entertainment
Photography – Global Photography
Videography – Robles Video
Hair, Makeup & Dressing – Oscar Najaro, Ziba Beauty
Venue – Hyatt Regency in Valencia, CA
Caterer – Manohar’s Dehli Palace
Bakery – A Sweet Design
Horse for Baraat – Enchanted Carriages

Almost everyone loves dessert and has somewhat of a sweet tooth. Whether its cake or candy, a dessert is a must. There are so many different types of desserts that it gives you more options on what you can do. Here are just a few good ideas that may appeal to your guests.

Cupcakes

Cupcakes are great just for a small dessert. Some guests are either full after dinner or just don’t feel like having a huge dessert which is why cupcakes would be a great idea. Their small and they can come in almost any flavor you’d like to have and you can also add any design to them you want. Another plus for choosing cupcakes as your wedding dessert is the price. We all know weddings can be pretty pricey and generally cupcakes are the less expensive option. Cupcakes can also be displayed easier than a cake instead of having to cut each guest a piece they can just grab their own, which also makes it more lighthearted and casual.

Cakes

A wedding cake has always been an important part in the wedding reception because of the cake cutting moment between the bride and the groom. If you, as a couple, are more old fashion and like the traditional cake cutting then choosing a cake for your dessert might be the best way to go. Even though cakes can be pricey at times, you do have a lot of options when it comes to picking out your wedding cake. With as many flavors as there is you can decide to have each tier of your cake to be a different flavor so that each guest can have a choice on what they would like as well as you enjoying your favorite.

Ice Cream Sundae Bar

A sundae bar is not what you would often see at a typical wedding. Having a sundae bar at your wedding reception for dessert can be fun for your guests and add something special to your wedding. With most desserts, the guests do not get to decide exactly what it is that they want, but with a beautiful sundae bar it’s like having an ice cream shop where they decide for themselves. Usually, sundae bars are seen more in summer weddings and each guests gets an ice cream bowl with a choice of flavored ice cream and add their own toppings. You can also include different types of ice creams for them to choose from that may go with your theme. Some of the toppings they could add would be chocolate fudge, chocolate chips, gummies, fruit toppings, and whipped cream.  Companies like the Classic Sweet Shoppe can drape, light-up, add color, and beautify your candy or sundae bars to add to your decor and have it match your theme and wedding colors

Candy/ Dessert Buffet

What is more fun than having a candy and dessert buffet at your wedding reception?! When it’s almost the end of the night where guests are getting tired from dancing, keep the party going with a buffet full of all sorts of candy and desserts for them. Candy buffets are great because they have a variety of different candies where you can take a bag full of whatever it is that you like. You can also match the colors of the candies to your wedding colors. They look good as well as taste good. Dessert buffets are also a neat idea because you can have all kinds of desserts like brownies, chocolates, mini cakes/cupcakes, ice cream, etc and the guests can decide according to their own sweet tooth.

Decide on a dessert that you think your guests will enjoy. Be creative with any dessert and guests will love it !

Image 1 Via: My Wedding Place

Image 2 Via: Brianna Kebo Events

Image 3 & 4 via: AAcreation Photography

Image 5 Via: Classic Candy Buffet

Which Shoes to Wear?!  Shoes are probably not at the top of your list of things to do, but do remember the big day is a long one and you’ll be wearing them all day so here are a couple of comfortable alternatives to the the common high heel.

Perfect for a beach wedding. Very economical Flip-flops come in so many variations and sizes even the flower girl can wear them.

The Slipper or as we call them now the ballet flat.  It is simple yet still elegant.  Perfect for those of us who are definitely not heel people but desire a feminine shoe.  Benefit is definitely the stability of a flat shoe without loosing any grace.

You could always go with the Wedge,  modern and classy twisted together in one.   These shoes will make you taller and are less challenging than stilettos.  Not only will they look great with your dress, they also give shape to ankles making them look slimmer.  Wedges do have a down side though,  they can easily look chunky and are more laid back in style so if your event is extremely formal wedges probably will not work.

For those of you who treasure comfort and are willing to be bit quirky, try Converses.  The bride can wear white ones the groom black ones.  Lets not forget the bridesmaids and since Converses come in almost every color the whole wedding party can get in on the action.

No matter what shoes you choose, make sure you’re comfortable in them so you can enjoy your special day!

Image 1 via: Reception Wedding

Image 2 & 3 via: Zappos

Image 4: Soda Head

Mailing out your wedding invitations can be costly. Especially when you have a lot of family and friends who are attending your wedding. Cutting the cost on your wedding invitation can be simple by sending by email or even creating your own.

Send by Email

Nowadays, everyone uses the Internet,  or has their own e-mail address of some kind. If you have a lot of friends and family that you know who currently check their e-mail that could be a big money saver. Instead of having to print and send out each wedding invitation, all you have to do is go on your computer and type up the information each guest will need for your wedding and your done! Its as simple as that. As well as saving money, it may also be a stress reliever because wedding invitations tend to take up a lot of your time and effort. This is also helpful to your guests because they can RSVP online at home instead of having to send back their RSVP  in the mail. Most guests might wait to the very last minute to respond which makes it harder on you to be able to have an accurate count on each guest that is attending.

Creating Your Own

Another great way to save is creating your own wedding invitations. This allows you to save on printing fees and gives you the opportunity to be able to create your invitations just the way that you had imagined them to look. In most wedding invitations it includes the invite, a reception card, a response card, and sometimes a map. If you limit that to all fit on the same sheet of paper you will be cutting the cost on postage. With sending them on separate sheets of paper you can avoid going over the USPS weight limit for a regular stamp. This also gives you and your fiance a chance to add your personalities to your invitations and to do something fun together before the wedding.

Choosing Stationery

Important Tips and Suggestions:

• Place your order for your invitations about 4 months in advance to help save
• Order in bulk with extra invitations
• Mention the reception on the same invite as the ceremony
• Doing away with response cards will save money on printing and postage
• Proof read your invites thoroughly to avoid reprinting to be done

Image 1 via: Bridal Wave

Image 2 via:  Wedding Paper Divas

Image 3 via: My Wedding Invitation Card

Every wedding needs some color added to it and each color has varieties to choose from to make your wedding stand out. Deciding on your wedding colors is one of the first tasks to cross off of your to do list

Bright Wedding Dresses

The 2010 trend for wedding colors is more focused on being bold and bright. Brides are throwing out the traditional white wedding colors and going with the more extreme. Red wedding dresses have been a trend for the spring and fall months with the colored satin sashes and bows added to them. Brides have also been having the bridesmaid’s dresses with bright colors such as pinks, bright orange, and turquoise. These colors look great with outdoor weddings, beach weddings, and more. Yellow as well has become a popular wedding color for spring and summer.

Vibrant Floral Designs

The over all 2010 color trends are becoming more rich and brighter. In a poll that was taken it showed that 37% of people chose purple as their preferred color and royal blue is expected to be one of the favorites as well. The new floral designs are including glass, jewels, gemstones, liquids, and metals. Some neutrals like yellow and whites will be found in flowers, floral materials, ribbons, and bows along with multi colors.

Make a Statement

The linens that you choose for your wedding reception is what makes the atmosphere and mood. Make a dramatic statement with exciting bright colors. It adds fun to your reception and brightens up the room. Keep in mind that the ordinary white table clothes are usually the same prices if you chose to have vibrant colored linens instead. The most popular wedding colors are white, black, ivory, and chocolate. Picking a color other than that is a good change that makes your wedding stand out. Also consider creative ideas such as matching your linens with the color of your bridesmaid’s dresses.

The trend for wedding colors in 2010 is to go bold and bright. Make a statement! Have your wedding stand out and catch the eyes of each of your guests. Vibrant colors is the way to go this year.

Image 1 Via: Natoof

Image 2 Via: Wedding Paper Divas

Image 3 Via: Media

Image 4 Via: Wedding and Party Network

Ages ago, bindis were a sign of a married woman. Nowadays, it is used and seen as piece of adornment on a bride’s face. Brides usually match their bindis with their outfits. However, this is not to say you must match your bindi to your outfit color. For example, if the bride is wearing a predominantly pink lehenga with a little bit of red in it, wearing a red bindi might help bring out the red in the outfit and contrast it very well.

Types of Bindis

Bindis are very flexible depending on how extravagant you want it. It varies from a small decoration to adorning the entire eyebrow. The longer bindis that extend to the end of both eyebrows are worn during the wedding ceremony. The smaller bindis are worn during the reception. There is no rule that says you have to wear a bindi however many agree that it adds the finishing touch to your look on your special day.

Pricing

Bindis will be the most inexpensive part of your outfit and makeup. They are easily accessible everywhere and cost-friendly. A single bindi can range from around $3 to $20 depending on the amount of jewels on it.

Image 1 Via – Wedding Mantras