A Word About Themes

Theme weddings can be a lot of fun but you want to be careful not to turn it into a recollection of your junior prom. Here's a great scenario:

You plan a beach themed wedding! Sounds fun and relaxing right? You have fish bowl center pieces with fake "sea grass" in them, instead of real chairs for your ceremony, you decide to use to use folding beach chairs, and instead of shoes, your entire bridal party wears flip flops. Sounds cute right? Until you take a good look around and flashbacks from the 11th grade start to creep into your head and you think to yourself, "What was I thinking?"

Here are a few ideas to keep your beach theme classy, elegant, but still youthful and fun.

If your ceremony will be taking place on the beach, PLEASE use real chairs! I cannot stress this enough. You can decorate them with white tassels, delicate ribbons, or sophisticated Shepard's hooks with tealights at the beginning of each row. Use light colored flowers in your ceremony or create a "chuppa" using white fabric and wooden posts. If your wedding will be taking place in the middle of the very hot summer months, consider placing a basket with paper parasols at the beginning of your aisle. This is a very pretty way of creating a romantic ambiance during the day and giving your guests an option for shade. You can also define where your aisle will be by lining the sides with a mixture of flower petals and a few scattered sand dollars and star fish. For the reception, think about using tall, floating candle centerpieces. Submerge a few florals in the water and add a water-proof light at the bottom. For some "WOW" factor, maybe add a couple of small goldfish or Japanese fighting fish to the water. Now that's a classy beach themed wedding!

No matter what theme you choose, take the time to research the right flowers, linens, and accessories. You would be surprised how quickly you can turn an elegant event into something tacky by using the wrong materials.

If you are low on ideas on how to incorporate certain elements into your theme-scape, talk to your planner; they will have great ideas and most likely, the right connections to pull off your vision. And remember, if you don't have a planner yet, call us! We are always ready to design your dream event!

Happy Planning!
Evie Johnson
Bridal Consultant and Event Planner
Exquisite Weddings & Affairs, LLC.