1.Mason Jar Lights

Mason jar lights are a unique way to set the tables at your reception aglow. Take tissue paper in the colours of your choice, coat the outside of your jars in watered-down glue, and press torn squares of the paper onto your mason jars. When they are dry, you will have great votive holders! The romantic light shining through your jars will give your reception hall a soft, colourful hue.

2.Guestbook Scrapbook

Have your guestbook attendants snap a Polaroid of each guest, or group of guests, as they walk through the door. Ask your attendants to glue the Polaroid to a page in the scrapbook and have the guests in the picture add their signatures to the page. This is a fantastic alternative to a traditional wedding guestbook!

3.Bridesmaids’ Dresses

Instead of having your bridesmaids wear the same dress, let them pick out their own! Give your ladies some general guidelines, such as colour and length, and let them choose their own style of dress. No one enjoys spending hundreds of dollars on a dress that they will never wear again! This way, your friends will be able to purchase a dress that they can wear more than once, and you’ll eliminate the boring uniformity of a traditional wedding party.

4.Horse-drawn Carriage

Forego the traditional limousine and hire a horse-drawn carriage to take you from the ceremony venue to the reception hall. There are a variety of companies that offer this service. Not only will you feel like a princess on your wedding day, but you’ll have amazing memories to cherish forever.

5.Children’s Table

If you will be having young guests at your reception, make sure that they are entertained. Instead of seating them with their parents, seat them at the children’s table. Decorate each chair with a balloon and give each child a gift bag containing an assortment of puzzles, colouring books, and crayons. This small touch will please the parents and ensure that all of the children at the party have a great time.

6.Wedding Gifts

If you and your future spouse already have all that you need, ask your guests to make a donation to your favourite charity in lieu of gifts. Include the name of the charity and your donation request with your invitation, and let your guests know that there will be a box for their donations in the reception hall. When you send your thank you cards to your guests, let them know how much money was raised and how the charity may put it to use.

Your wedding doesn’t have to be like every other wedding. There are dozens of ways that you can let your unique style shine through. Use one or more of these six ideas as a starting point and see what else you can come up with. There’s no doubt that your wedding will be as original as you are!

Author’s Bio

Tina Duncomb is a freelance blogger who writes for wedding advice columns. Ever the romantic, Tina recommends hiring a horse drawn carriage for your wedding day.

Start with Colour

Picking up on the colour palette available in nature at this time of year is quite easy, just look around! Blue hues and white are the core colours during this time of year that can inspire. Brown and other neutrals offer a subtle palette to play from. Festive reds and wintry sages are also classic colours for this time of year.

As the bride it’s your special day – so go ahead and choose the colours you look best with. Red not in your colour wheel? Choose a tone that will play up your natural beauty, not wash you out. An easy to work with colour palette of silver and white with blingy accents are all the rage in 2011.

Expert tip: Ensure that whatever colours you decide on will be used throughout the ceremony and reception – flowers, table linens, seat covers, runners, candelabras, etc…

Choose Flowers Wisely

During winter months in some parts of the U.S. it can be hard to find flowers that won’t cost more than an arm and a leg. That’s why you should choose flowers that are in season. Choices like red roses, calla lilies, and amaryllis are traditional winter flowers. Other choices that will likely be available at a nursery near you are: orchids, gerber daisies, tulips and chrysanthemums.

Foliage in lieu of flowers can be a good choice, especially for weddings on a budget. Ivy and holly are traditional during the winter season, but also using plant or tree stems, dogwood, or even pussy willow stems can add height to a table display.

Expert Tip: Try embellishing flower or foliage displays with crystals or other bling. For a classic look just tie a large solid coloured ribbon.

Venue

The location for your wedding is right up there in importance to choosing the right wedding dress. A lot can go wrong if you find a bad venue. Don’t forget what time of year you’re planning your wedding for. Icy roads, spontaneous blizzards, and power outages aren’t uncommon during this festive time of year.

Make sure the venue of your wedding is easily accessible via car, has nearby accommodations, and is close to an international airport for your guests flying in from out of town. Rural areas are great for weddings, but hard to get to for traveling family.  Do everyone a favour and choose a venue that is easily accessible.

Expert Tip: When choosing a winter venue make sure the location has proper heating, snow & ice removal, and proper parking for guests. Snow and ice can make it difficult on wedding attendees, that’s why it’s so important to make sure guests are warm and safe.

These are just a few areas you should be concerned with for your next winter wedding. Are you planning a winter wedding? What colour palette did you choose?

Author’s Bio

Vera Mosley is a freelance writer and is planning her own wintery wedding. She also writes at TungtsenWorld.com, an online resource for tungsten wedding rings.

Cherub Ice Sculptures

Cherubs are a timeless classic for weddings, and offer a number of options for a sculpture – choose two cherubs holding a banner or heart, or add musical instruments for a cute twist. You could even add some functionality to your cherub ice carving by adding an ice luge feature that can be used to dispense drinks at your reception.

Heart Ice Sculptures

Hearts are another classic, and can be as simple or elaborate as you like – choose a series of interlinked hearts for a breathtaking centerpiece on the bridal table, or choose smaller hearts for all tables. You could even position a giant heart or two at the entrance of your reception venue for a romantic touch.

Swan Sculptures

Swans are always an instant hit, and for good reason. Nothing could be more romantic than a pair of entwined swans. A striking swan sculpture made entirely of ice and positioned on the bridal table or at the entrance to your reception venue is sure to have your guests mesmerized.

Favourite Characters

If you have always secretly dreamed of a Beauty and the Beast themed wedding, or a Little Mermaid under the sea wedding, then a life-like ice sculpture of your favourite character will be the ultimate way to bring your dream wedding to life.

Bride and Groom’s Names

Keep it simple and choose a design that has your names sculpted in ice. This can be done in any shape or form – either as part of a design, or as cursive script as a centerpiece for the bridal table.

Functional Ice Sculptures

To add even more value to your sculpture, why not consider a functional piece – ice luges can be used to pour cocktails, while champagne or snacks can be served on layer platters made of ice. These can have decorative items, while still adding a practical element to these ice sculptures, making them the perfect option for a fun wedding reception.

Author Bio:

Joan Smith is a writer and event specialist at Ice Art, offering ice sculptures to suit any occasion. Choose from live ice carving to custom designed ice sculptures, wedding and party ice sculptures and more.