Happy newly engaged!

No doubt that a whole flurry of people got emails, Myspace and Facebook messages and texts announcing the happy news during the holidays. (I didn’t get any messages like this, but I could tell from my Facebook friend statuses that a few others had.) My questions is — what do brides-to-be do in the New Year?

Photo by Flickr’s asalexander

Begin planning weddings, of course! So what’s the first step? Take this poll and let me know:
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Vases and candles at Costco

I was at Costco the other day for a few things when I spotted these vases. My husband sighed in disbelief that I was about to take pictures of Costco products, but you would think he would be used to me whipping out my camera for any little thing by now.

These are exactly the types of vases that are in style for weddings now. Tall, clear glass, plus I believe they come with tealight holders, so you could actually put whatever you want on the bottom, and light a candle midway through. Technically, I think these were labeled hurricane vases.

Anyway, these vases were amazing, but I probably wouldn’t recommend them for guest table arrangements, since they’re kind of pricey. How pricey you might ask?

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Centerpiece trends

I’ve never been into trends — I mostly like what I like — but its a good gauge for where you should go. I was browing TheKnot.com’s flowers section recently and found this article about what’s hot for centerpieces.

A lot of it is what I expected, but I was sort of disappointed when they didn’t provide pictures. C’mon guys! Anyway, you know I’ll hook it up, thanks to a little bit of surfing on Flickr.

By the way, this arrangement above, from Whittier’s Friendly Hills Country Club, fits the article because it keeps the view.

It’s hard to have a conversation with the person across the table when there’s a big centerpiece blocking your view. To mitigate this, designers are making increased use of glass and Lucite containers, which add height to the table, but don’t entirely restrict sight lines. Consider using short square and tall rectangular glass vases spaced evenly apart down a banquet table. The look is spatially interesting and still functional.

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Miss you!

My apologies for the lack of posts (even though I usually post pretty sparsely). I’ve been under the weather all week and haven’t really been feeling like sitting at the computer. Plus, when I am at the computer, I’d much rather surf all the Black Friday ads. 🙂

In the meantime, as I nurse myself back to perfect health, are there any topics you’d like me to cover or revisit? I could try to revisit vases, or decorating with fabric or even staircases, based on recent search engine visits. Heheh. Or is there something else you’d rather I write about? I will have no idea until you let me know in the comments.

I’d rather write on something new, but I just can’t think of what that is until my throat stop hurting. So until then, throw me some challenges. Bring it on!

What does your color say about you?

My husband is a designer at our local newspaper here and quite honestly is where I’ve learned any and all graphics and design expertise, especially when it comes to programs like Photoshop and InDesign, which is how I created the above logo. Yesterday, he was telling me about Colorscope, a color palette like a horoscope. He told me that description for the color he liked the best really corresponded to his personality.

When it comes to weddings, I don’t think too many brides really think about the meaning or personality attached to the colors they choose — either its simply a favorite color or they know they look best in that color, or both. But still, I think its an interesting exercise. For example, above, I used a darker pink organza that I might describe as dusty rose. Probably the closest corresponding color on the colorscope would be Strawberry, which carries the following personality:

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Bridezillas wanted

To christen the new and improved (at least on the backend) Wedding Decorator, I thought I’d pass along a press release I found in my email. If you’re going to get married sometime before next summer and want everything just right, well, We TV may be looking for you. From the press release:

Are you a Bridezilla? Will you stop at nothing to make your storybook wedding come true? Have you pushed fiancés, family and friends over the edge with your demanding, over-emotional and controlling ways? WE tv’s popular reality series BRIDEZILLAS is holding its nationwide casting call for season six at The Great Bridal Expo at locations across the country. On November 1 & 2, casting directors will be on-site at The Great Bridal Expo in Los Angeles and Anaheim, ready to meet budding brides who can prove they are the ultimate Bridezillas. Candidates must be brides with weddings between October 2008 through April 2009. All interested “Bridezillas” must prove they are worthy of the name – we want to see that you will truly do whatever it takes to have your way for your wedding, no matter how over-the-top. Be creative and show that YOU are the next best (or worst!) Bridezilla. Dress the part. Bring a friend to vouch for your not-so-blushing behaviors. Anything goes – we want to see it all!

On Saturday, the casting directors will be at the Sheraton Gateway Hotel, 6101 W. Century Blvd. in L.A. (near LAX) and on Sunday, at the Anaheim Convention Center, 800 W. Katella Avenue. If you get in through this blog, let me know and I swear I will put up with watching Bridezillas just to watch you!
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DIY wedding decorations in Wisconsin

All photos by Shruti Mathur

At this point, I think I need to create a “Shruti” label because she keeps coming through for me! My favorite Wedding Attender recently had a grand time at a wedding in Wisconsin (state of cheese!). This wedding, she says, was a major do-it-yourself affair — not so much because of the cost, but more because of the bride and groom and their personalities. Aw, shucks, let me let her tell you herself.

Jen and Kyle were engaged for two years but I’m not sure if they started planning the wedding until maybe less than a year before. On top of that, Jen spent the summer in Mongolia, coming home about three weeks before the wedding. So, if you can’t tell, they are a really easy-going couple and their wedding reflected that–in the best way possible.

Their wedding perfectly encapsulated them and it was really lovely and comfortable and fun. I think that is the highest compliment anyone can pay about someone’s wedding — that it fit their personality perfectly. (I only hope people will say that about mine.)

The week before the wedding we went to IKEA to pick up vases, candle holders and candles for the wedding–and anything else that caught the bride’s eye. The day before the wedding they visited a flower farm and picked wildflower bouquets and created potted plants in mason jars, which hung from hooks in the wedding tent and were set on the table at the reception.

Rain is supposed to be good luck on the wedding day, but it was unfortunate that it rained the entire time. They had a backup plan of using the marquee tent for the ceremony and the reception was already planned for the lodge–though I am sure they also had planned to let people spill out onto the lawn instead of stuffing themselves inside!!

Instead of a seated or even buffet-style dinner, they opted for “heavy hors d’oeuvres.” And, amazingly, this appetizer dinner was really filling! They had wheels of cheese, fruit trays, crackers, pulled pork with buns, home-recipe chicken satay, mini-spanakopitas, hummus, pita, thin slices of beef, mushrooms stuffed with sausage and cheese and this whole fish that you flaked off chunks of…it was scary. I am certainly forgetting foods. I was STUFFED…which was good, since it was an open bar. It was in Wisconsin after all!

Now, I’m just going to interrupt Shruti’s great narrative real quick to point out a few things. I LOVE the mason jar idea. How cute! And I love it that they’re filled with sand. Remember what I said about lights and candles — so important!

Case in point! Japanese paper lanterns at a Wisconsin DIY wedding reception? Why not! In the end its all about lighting up the space and creating ambiance. And it also helps dim the soggy outdoor area that people were supposed to be able to wander about in, but for the rain. I believe the photo in the middle was of the bridal bouquet, with white and green mums, white and green roses, and what appear to be green buds. Simple, but so pretty. The photo at the right is of candles in the fireplace, surrounded by greens and branches with red berries. Kind of a nice, fireplace effect in a, heheh, fireplace. With all that Wisconsin drinking, I think a real fire would have been unsafe.

The cake, adorned by a vase of flowers and the bridal bouquet.

The couple, also recognizing that the park was way from our hotel and also it was Wisconsin, land of drinking, provided a small bus to get to and from the hotel. This was very nice touch, I thought.

Park rules stated we had to be out by 10:30 that night. We managed to squeeze in a lot of dancing and fun before that time…and the bridal party plus a few hardy friends headed to a local bar to just hang out.

This wedding, by the way, took place at Bukolt Park and Lodge in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. And its a perfect example of a wedding not needing a year (or two) and the budget of a small city to pull off a one-day event. Do it yourself! It makes things pretty fun. And by the way, I love the idea of heavy hors d’oeuvres. What a great idea. I’m saving that for my next party.
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