Barn Wedding Inspirations

Barn weddings are all the rage! But not all barn weddings are created equally; you can create an atmosphere to suit your style. Here are some ideas for how to style your barn wedding.

The Rustic Style – Probably the most popular style wedding right now is the rustic look, and a barn is a fabulous place to host a rustic event. Mason jar centerpieces and candle holders are a common example of the rustic look. My Yellow Umbrella created a cupcake stand from downed trees that suits this style.

The Country Style – Another popular style associated with barns is the clean country look. Think hay bales, wild flower bouquets and wheat sheath centerpieces to create this theme. This wedding shown on Emmaline Bride is a lovely example of the country style done well.

The Elegant Style – Just because you are in a barn doesn’t mean you can’t have an elegant wedding. As shown on Intimate Weddings, lighting can create a more upscale look. Chandeliers add a more upscale feel to the décor, as Intimate Weddings illustrates. Adding Celebration Peonies tissuepaper flowers will add a sense of pomp as well. Using more formal linens and place settings will instantly add a more elegant feel to the event.

Barns can be decorated a variety of ways to go with your wedding style. Which style do you like the best?

Football Themed Wedding

Football season is just around the corner! Are you and your fiancé avid football fans? Then the first step is to be sure you don’t schedule your wedding on a day your favorite team plays. Then, consider some of these creative ways to incorporate the fall sport into your wedding.

 

Save the Date Jerseys – What a unique idea for a save the date announcement! Many sports stores allow you to personalize jerseys; this couple uses the last name spots to spell out “Save” and “The Date” and the player numbers to indicate the month and day of the pending nuptials.

Centerpieces – These floral arrangements give a nod to the sport while still looking classy. The flowers are a type of mum called a football mum – how appropriate! The look of the white flowers with a more subtle decoration on the vase keeps the football theme going without being over the top. Social Couture describes how to make the vases.

Football Garter Toss – A fun alternative to the traditional garter toss is to put the garter on a football and have the groom pass the ball to the bachelors. Most men will try to avoid catching the garter, but add the football and most guys won’t pass up the chance to show off their sports prowess.

This mocha garter would look fantastic around your leg and on a football.

Integrating an interest you and your fiancé share, such as football, into your wedding is a way to make the day even more special.  What sports team would you center your wedding around?

 

Creative Wedding Photo Ideas – Get Your Guests Involved

Sure, you’ll have those formal and professional photos from your hired wedding photographer. But these days, most people have a camera on their phones, so why not take advantage and recruit your guests to snap some candid shots? Here are some pointers on how to get some great extra wedding photos.

Get the Guests Involved – There are a handful of guests who would probably just take photos anyway, but in order to get the other guests involved you need to make it fun. A wedding photo scavenger hunt is a great way to get them excited to take photos. Appilywed lists some ideas for items to put on the photo scavenger hunt list.

Instagram Hashtag – If you know you have wedding guests already using the photo sharing service Instagram, assign a hashtag to the wedding so you and other guests can search to locate photos.

App for Digital Photos – Perhaps even easier than trying to collect photos using a hashtag is using a custom app guests can download. Apps like Wedding Snap allow you to collect all your guests’ wedding photos in one place.

Photo Frame Favor – Placing the scavenger hunt, hashtag or app information in a photo frame favor is the perfect way to let the guests know how to play along while sticking with the photography theme.

With abundant camera phones these days, it isn’t always necessary to place disposable cameras on the table. Try using apps to collect candid wedding photos from your guests.

Autumn Harvest Themed Wedding

Autumn is known as the season of abundance. Farmers are harvesting their crops, making pumpkins and apples a frequent sight. Leaves are changing color and the world seems vibrant. Because pumpkins and apples are plentiful, they are a relatively inexpensive, making them great to use for fall wedding decorations. Here are some ways to incorporate autumn’s beauty into your wedding décor.

Apple Bouquet – This bouquet make from apples is stunning! An arrangement such as this one shown by A Perfect Celebration showcases the colorful fruit without making it look like a Thanksgiving cornucopia.

Flower Girl Toss Leaves – As you make your entrance, why not have the flower girl toss colorful leaves rather than petals? If you live in an area where trees change color and drop their leaves, you will be able to readily get leaves – free. You could even have a special afternoon in the park with the flower girl collecting leaves together before the day of the event.

Unity Candle – If you decide to use the autumn leaves in your ceremony, this lovely Autumn Unity Candle Set will match perfectly.

Pumpkin Centerpieces – Pumpkins make a fantastic base for anautumn wedding centerpiece because they are fairly large, weighty, and can be easily carved and cut to suit your style. Some ideas include hollowing out the center of the pumpkin and using it as the base for a floral centerpiece, or creating an area at the top to nestle a pillar candle in the top.

Autumn is a time full of readily available produce. Why not incorporate to beauty of the season into your wedding ceremony and reception?

Thoughtful Touches for Your Outdoor Wedding Guests

Outdoor weddings are lovely – green grass and blue skies make a fantastic backdrop for decorations and photographs. But unfortunately, weather and other elements can make an outdoor wedding a challenge for guests. Here are some ways to ensure the comfort of your guests during your outdoor ceremony or reception.

Bug Repellant - You may have more guests than you invited at a farm or forest wedding; creepy crawlies and mosquitos may crash your party. Providing a basket full of bug repellant wipes for your guests is a thoughtful touch.

Spritz Bottles – Beach weddings and outdoor weddings held during the height of the summer can be hot. A refreshing spritz of water can cool down guests and serve as a favor. Creating your own spritz bottles can be a DIY wedding project.

Blankets – If you opted for an outdoor spring or fall wedding, weather can change from warm to cold as soon as the sun goes down. I Love Farm Weddings shows a thoughtful idea – setting out blankets for guests to wrap around their shoulders to take the chill off.

Flip flops – Outdoor weddings can cause a shoe dilemma. High heeled shoes sink into grass and are virtually impossible to walk in on the sand. Why not provide flip flops for guests?

If you are worried some guests will feel awkward wearing flip flops at a formal event, set the tone by wearing your own bridal flipflops.

Thoughtful touches will make your guests comfortable at your outdoor wedding. Now, let’s hope it doesn’t rain!

DIY Lighting Projects for a Glowing Wedding

When you think of a favorite evening, you probably think about soft music and a delicious meal enjoyed by candlelight. Nothing creates a sense of romance like the warm glow of mood lighting. These lighting projects can set the tone for your wedding.

Tulle Lights - Add soft lighting to your wedding with tulletied around strands of light. You can use a color of tulle that matches your wedding, or go for a romantic look by using white tulle.  Run the string of lights along the head table at the reception or use as an accent on the cake table.

Pom Pom Lights – Beautiful lights that recycle plastic bags? What a great idea! These pom pom lights look lovely hanging from a tree for an outdoor dusk wedding.

Bare light bulbs – When done correctly, bare light bulbs can go from utilitarian to glowing. Trendee Flowers shows inspirational ideas such as hanging light bulbs from branches to warm up a rustic wedding.

Lighting immediately sets the mood for your wedding. Try one of these romantic lighting ideas.

How to Decorate Your Wedding Favor Boxes

Small boxes are a common way to package wedding favors, but just because they are easily available doesn’t mean they have to be boring. Here are some creative ways to decorate your wedding favor boxes.

Monogram Labels – Martha Stewart provides downloadable monogram templates to create classy letters to place on your boxes. Either print the letters on regular paper and use a 3” circle punch and adhere to the box, or print on a 3” adhesive label. Adding a ribbon under the monogrammed letter adds a bit of color.

Fancy Trim – Bows made of ribbon is the classic way to decorate a favor box, but Smitten on Paper adds an extra layer. The layer looks fancy, however all you need to make it is paper and decorative cut scissors. Contrasting the colors of the ribbon and paper create a lovely look.

Doily – Half a doily atop a brown kraft box is a fantastic look for a rustic wedding. Cut a small doily in half and tie it to the top of the box using twine or ribbon.  This favor box adds an instant sense of whimsy to your reception.

Feel like trying any of these wedding favor box decoration projects? Weddings are Fun carries a wide array of favor boxes ready for your DIY project.