Use Colors to Express Your Specific and Unique DIY Wedding Flowers and Accent Ideas

Tracey Smith’s blog on Thoughtfully Simple earlier today was titled Express Yourself with Color on Your Wedding Day

She began by writing: “Did you know that every color has a specific meaning or symbolism? Just like horoscopes, some people believe in these symbols and meanings and others do not. Whether you believe it or not, certain colors certainly do exude specific energies (red is hot, yellow is cheerful, etc) and the colors that you choose for your wedding theme can have a big impact on the overall success of your big day. Here is a closer look at what the specific meanings are behind the most popular wedding colors…”

For instance, she continued to explain:  “The color RED signifies passionate love….. The color PURPLE signifies magical, mysterious love…. The color YELLOW signifies happy and wise love.”

Read what these and other colors represent in the rest of the story.

Green Wedding for Real – Details and Hints

Patti Lew wrote an article titled “Real Greener Ever After Wedding: Farm Fresh Weddingfest” in yesterday’s SF Green Weddings Examiner.

She tells the story of a beautiful three day wedding fest in Connecticut’s Berkshire Mountains.

The following advice was offered at the end of the article for “Other Eco-conscious Couples

• “Definitely keep it fun and light. The decisions you make shouldn’t limit you.
• “Incorporate your friends because they want to be involved and it’s meaningful for them, too.
• “Don’t be afraid of what other people are going to say or expect of a wedding. We helped shift that idea and ultimately when people get there they’re totally grateful for that experience.
• “Don’t settle. You may have tough conversations with your families, but try to get them onboard and build consensus on building meaningful celebrations.
• “Go with what you are passionate about because you love it and people will love it, too. “

Read the rest of the article.

Recession Diary: DIY Wedding Way to Go

An interesting article appeared earlier today on UPI.com.  It talks about do it yourself weddings in times of recession.  I think it’s about getting back to roots….

“I’ve attended many a formal wedding but think the communal route we took for my daughter’s wedding is the way to go.

“The efforts of so many people made the celebration unbelievably joyous, electric and rollicking. The love in the room was palpable.

“With the exception of the officiating rabbi and my close friend’s string quartet at the ceremony, the wedding was completely non-professional. If all weddings were like this, the outrageously costly industrial wedding machine would come to a screeching halt.”

Read the rest of the article…

“A DIY Wedding with a Forest Theme” offers Great Guest Name Tags for the Handy!

I just picked up this post by Cristina in which the bride
commented:

DIY Wooden Name Cards

“I made these by renting a mitre saw from a tool rental facility to cut a eucalyptus branch one of the gardeners at Stern Grove gave to me from the mulch pile. I had my husband carry it up the stairs (it weighed nearly 100 pounds), fired it up, and had 90 cross-section disks in about 20 minutes. The dust gets everywhere despite the dust bag, so I put down a tarp to do this (we don’t have outdoor space) and wore a respirator mask. The disks that were cut a little too roughly I sanded down with my Dremel tool. I then printed the text for both sides onto clear inkjet labels and cut them out with a circle cutter. I stuck the labels in place and smoothed them down. Our florist brought a tray with moss in it for me to display them,” explains Lauren.

Read the rest of the article at intimate weddings.

DIY wedding is a creative, cash-conscious alternative

Jackie Burrell (Contra Costa Times) wrote an interesting story as reported by San Luis Obispo.com The Tribune.

These tips caught my eye

“- Do as much as you can yourself, but don’t do it solo. Host a bridesmaids and mothers’ party to assemble craft projects. Ask friends for help with photos, flowers, even the dessert buffet. Especially now, most people are delighted to make their wedding present a gift of time and expertise.

“- DIY is not always cheaper. Pick the most meaningful, budget-friendly projects and don’t overspend on craft tools you may never use again. If you’re looking for some esoteric piece of equipment, ask for advice on one of the DIY wedding forums, or call a local art studio. Some rent studio time and tools.”

Read the rest of the story, which includes tips on do it yourself flowers as well as some great resources.

DIY Weddings: It’s not difficult to create a cash-conscious alternative

A very interesting article about DIY weddings from the beginning appears in the Monterey County The Herald website. Jackie Burrell wrote it and quotes an early DIY bride who said: “the DIY movement was just in its infancy and pretty much for the micro-budget brides. It was all about saving money, finding the cheapest avenues to pull off a wedding.”

She was further quoted to say: “Martha Stewart’s approach to weddings and her stylish DIY projects were a turning point” and “Suddenly, DIY was chic. And the Internet’s exponentially expanding networks not only spread the word, they provided the expertise to make the movement successful.”

Jackie writes: Now DIY wedding blogs and discussion boards are popping up all over the Internet, and craft stores are responding to the trend. The DIY wedding aisles at Michaels (craft stores), for example, multiplied this year.

Read the rest of the story at the Website.

Is All This Buzz About Budget Weddings Merely A Rumor and Not Fact?

Maria Sciollo of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette writes a contrary view of the trend towards budget weddings. She states: “Big fancy weddings are still being held, but local business owners involved in the state of matrimony said they were seeing a subtle downsizing.”

Several merchants’ views state the economic conditions are not affecting their business. Is Pittsburgh immune to the recession? Read more of the story Wedding-related businesses note subtle downsizing of big day
At post-gazette-now.

Brides angle for cheaper weddings

An interesting article written by Sue Stock appeared in The News and Observer on Thursday.

The article opened with the following:

“Brides are still saying “I do” in 2009, but they’re saying “I don’t” to lavish weddings.

“For many, spending $22,000 and up is unrealistic amid a recession. Some brides are taking the do-it-yourself route, making their own invitations, centerpieces and favors.

“They’re cutting out open bars and limousines. And they’re playing hardball with vendors, asking for additional discounts before signing contracts.“

It went on with many tips and suggestions to savings on your wedding budget. You might want to read the rest of the article if you are interested in cutting back on your upcoming wedding expenses.

Cheap Do It Yourself (Green) Eco-Friendly Wheatgrass Centerpiece

I found this charming and colorful idea for wedding centerpieces by Happy Girl at Happy Hour Bride. Not only are they cheap, but they are friendly to the environment, chic as well as great looking!

Do It Yourself Wheatgrass Centerpiece

Get the full directions to grow your own at DIY: Eco-Friendly Wheatgrass Centerpieces.

Less Flowers, More Water – Another Great Way for Brides to Save Money in Today’s Economy

Kristin Turner wrote the other day –

DIY Wedding Centerpiece with Flowers and Candles

“When it comes to flowers… less is more? I think so and I want to share with you why… these beautiful and unique centerpieces are becoming more and more popular. I, for one, love this style. The floating candles and submerged flowers are so elegant and romantic.” See the rest of the article and look at the additional pictures.