The Theme Scheme for Wedding Invitations
Stuck on where to start with the design
of your wedding invitations? A great place to begin the creative process is to
think about your wedding theme. Don't have one of those yet, either? Here are
some consistently popular wedding themes, which can be easily carried through
every element of your wedding...from the save the date to
the wedding
invitations to the wedding favors. We hope you'll steal one of these fun ideas, or find the inspiration to create a
theme all your own!
You can picture
the sun on your face, the wind in your hair, and the sand under your toes. A
beach-themed wedding is sure to deliver a beautiful backdrop for your big day...
You don't necessarily have to be a snow
bunny to be drawn to the pure beauty of a snowy ceremony. Imagine guests coming in from the blustery
cold to your warm, inviting, cozy wedding....
You believe
that what's old is new again, and are drawn to the unstuffy elegance of the
popular shabby chic trend. Create a wedding theme that is soft,
romantic, welcoming, and surprisingly fresh....
It's party
time! You're into all things fabulous
and flashy, and it's your big day...so why hold back now? There are plenty of
ways to incorporate all-out GLAM into your wedding event...
The Beach Theme Wedding
You can
picture the sun on your face, the wind in your hair, and the sand under your
toes. Whether you've been a beach babe
all your life, or are suddenly drawn to the casual glamour and timeless beauty
of a seaside ceremony, a beach-themed wedding is sure to deliver a beautiful
backdrop for your big day.
First you'll
need to pick a location. Check with
city offices to confirm that your favorite public beach can be reserved for
private ceremonies. Ask whether you'll
need a specific license for a large party, as well as a license for serving
alcohol in a public place (chance are, you'll need one!) If you're hoping for an intimate occasion,
you will want to look for private beaches available for rent, or look for
restaurants/event halls with an ocean view, or plan your event as far away from
busy beach days (i.e. Holidays) as possible!
The next things you'll need are unique wedding invitations to create
that beautiful "beachy" vibe from the very beginning.
You can go all out with completely coastal wedding invitations (think waves of blue and green), or you can add small details, inspired by coastal elements, to your
otherwise classic wedding invitations (think small seashells, seahorses,
starfish, palm trees, or ribbon
embellishments in beachy colors).
Traditionally,
beach weddings have been casual affairs (daytime beach weddings even more so
than evening beach weddings). Whether
you want your guests to arrive in time to spend an entire day in the sand, or
want them to get there for sunset cocktails, be sure to give them the details
they'll need.
Here's some beach-specific information you may want to
consider including in your beach-themed wedding invitations:
- Dress. Will this be a casual event or a black tie
affair? Remember that for many guests it will seem unnatural to wear their
cocktail attire to the beach, so make it easy for them by making the formality
of the event clear.
-
Weather. Try to determine whether it will be a hot
afternoon or a chilly evening, or both! Guests need to know whether they should
bring sunglasses and sunscreen or a wrap to keep them warm!
-
Shoes.
Will guests be dancing the night away in the sand? Let them know if they should bring a pair of comfy flip-flops!
The
Winter Wonderland Wedding
You don't necessarily have to be a snow
bunny to be drawn to the pure beauty of a snowy ceremony. Imagine guests coming in from the blustery
cold to your warm, inviting wedding. A candle-lit ceremony with a warm, crackling
fireplace is an especially romantic touch.
You could even greet your guests with hot cocoa and give them each a
warm throw blanket as a cozy wedding favor.
Winter weddings don't necessarily have
to be all snowflakes
and winter whites, although we think that's a beautiful combination. Some modern brides are taking a fresh take
on the winter wedding with rich, bold colors like winter green, deep
pewter, or cranberry red. Combine
colors like these to create a dramatic winter wedding invitation, or perhaps
stick to shades
of white to match the snowy weather outside. If you go the traditional route, consider whimsical touches like
holly figs, berries, and/or deeply-hued ribbon
which will create a striking combination with your snowy white
invitations.
Of course, winter weddings come with
their own set of unique challenges. If
you aren't originally from a snowy locale, you'll need to find a destination
that will suit your wedding-day dreams.
If you're an avid skier, your favorite mountain might make a natural
choice. If you aren't partial to any
particular location, you'll want to start browsing the Web for locations that:
(1) are fairly easy to get to, (2) offer reception locations within your price range,
and (3) that meet your expectations.
Winter wedding invitations can be as
bold as you want them to be, or as pure and pristine as the driven snow. Either way, you'll want to create an
occasion that matches your winter wonderland dreams.
Here
are some fun, festive ideas you may want to include in your winter wedding
invitations:
-
Travel info. Especially if your wedding will be on or
around the holidays, you'll want your guests to book their travel and lodging
as soon as possible. This will ensure
there's space for your guests during high-season, and will save them a
potentially great deal of money.
-
Local
Attractions. Skiing?
Snowboarding? Sledding? Ice-skating? Help your guests experience the ultimate
winter get-away by finding out what's unique and memorable in the area.
-
The specifics. Particularly important for guests who don't
hail from a snowy hometown, you'll want to let your guests know where they'll
be headed and how to get around! No one wants to traipse from church to
reception to hotel in stormy weather...in stilettos! Equally uncomfortable is
being all bundled up in an overly heated reception room. Let guests know what to wear as well as what
to expect.
The Shabby Chic Wedding
You believe
that what's old is new again, and are drawn to the unstuffy elegance of the
shabby chic trend. Create a wedding theme that is soft,
romantic, welcoming, and surprisingly fresh with a shabby chic wedding.
Shabby chic style is all
about unassuming, homespun glamour.
Tables strewn vintage lace, mismatched tableware, and candles absolutely
everywhere create beautiful backdrops for a shabby chic affair. Pewter candelabras, roses and other blooms
in creams, whites, and soft hues like dreamy pinks and subdued greens combine
to create a mood that is romantic, dreamy, and fantastically welcoming.
When it comes to your
shabby chic wedding invitations, you'll want to stick to feminine colors with
intricate details to match the elegant effect of your ceremony. Read
more about MyGatsby's idea of the ultimate in shabby chic invitations here.
Here are some specific shabby chic concepts to incorporate
in your wedding and your wedding
invitations:
-
Intricate, vintage lace
-
Creams and whites
-
Soft pinks and greens
-
Roses, Freesias, and Hydrangeas
-
White furniture, white accents,
white candles
-
Vintage cake stands stacked with
cupcakes
-
Pewter stemware and serving
pieces
-
Mismatched crystal and china
-
Perfectly rumpled imperfection!
-
Heirloom pieces and flea market
finds.
The Glamorous Wedding Gala
You are into
all things "fabulous," and flashy, sexy and all-out glam are what you envision
for your wedding. A daring, dramatic wedding theme will help ensure a mood that's
anything but dull. Because it's YOUR
big day....and it's party time!
Glamorous
brides are not afraid to shine. You
can't wait to wear that sparkling tiara and signature red lipstick, and you
plan on being close-up ready at all times.
So strap on those favorite stiletto heels and create a mood that's as
fearless as you!
Set a
celebratory tone from the very beginning with a wedding invitation that is
anything but a wallflower. With a sensational wedding invitation as the
jumping-off point for your festive affair, all the glamorous details will
follow in its fabulous footsteps.
Choose bright, bold, and festive colors. With Gatsby's collection of over 90 paper colors, you can create
a color combination that is completely your own.
Some glamorous ideas for invitations that will match the
drama of your unforgettable affair:
-
Choose unique, non-traditional paper
colors
-
Use fun, fearless wording
on your invitations
-
Add sparkle everywhere (with crystals,
jewels, and shimmering paper)
-
Consider sparkling, sophisticated
ribbon
|
