Happy Monday! This week we feature an "Out of the Box" wedding theme that, if done right, can be absolutely a show stopper unforgettable wedding for your guests. Peacock. Yup, Peacock is the theme. Bright, bold, beautiful. But you have to be SO careful that it doesn't end up looking "gaudy" instead. So here are some ideas to help you walk that fine line.

 Of course the invitation will set that mood and elegant feel for your wedding. There are many different price and decor levels to choose between so take your time and see which one works best for you. These gorgeous single level cardstock invites are from Beeyond Paper and are about 2.50 each. Perfect for a wedding on a budget.

 Move up one level to these 3 layer cardstock invites from My Personal Artist are about 5.50 per invite and add another level of elegance. If you have a smaller wedding these could still work for a moderate budget.

 The final level are for those who have a larger budget and can afford the oppulence of a handcrafted invitation such as these from Paper Olive which are 40.00 per invitation and they really are show stoppers. But not everyone has that sort of budget for their invitations so choose the ones that work for you. Of course, I'm a DIY sort of person and could make these for about 12.00 per invite but would never attempt it for more than 25 invitations since these are extremely labor intensive.

There are simple, cost effective ways to decorate your ceremony space. Using color in your ribbons along with a few stems of Peacock feathers draped on the side of each chair is an easy way to follow your theme. An entire line of these would be simple but beautiful.

 Another way to set the mood is to place a colorful program like the one pictured above on each white ceremony chair. Your guests would love this bright and colorful surprise waiting for them.

 If you are hoping to keep the feather cost down you can just use the colors of the feathers in your ceremony set up. Broad ribbons and blue and purple flowers with touches of green and  feather here or there would dress up the space without the extra expense.

  

Another way is to add Peacock touches with a ceremony set such as this one from Ceremony Group. Your flower girl basket, ring bearer pillow, unity candle, guest book, even your garter are included for around 40.00.

 There are two ways to go with your bouquet. One is an entire bouquet of Peacock Feathers joined together with a colorful bow.

Another way is to just add a few feathers to your favorite bouquet. As you can see, they used several of the feather colors in their choice of flowers which helps the feathers fit right into the bouquet seamlessly.

Some other personal touches include the little touches like this hair ornament. If you stay simple and uncomplicated in the design of the ornament then you can fit it into an elegant wedding easily.

But if you are looking for over the top details that will only peek out when you want to show them off then consider something like these amazing shoes! You do not have to have them custom made. Simply pick out the pumps that make you happy, make sure they pick up one of the colors in the feathers and then adhere the feathers to the side of the shoe as a crowning touch. How dramatic these would be peaking out underneath your white dress as you walk down the aisle or as he removes your garter at the reception!

 Let's not forget your Groom! He can also make a splash with his boutineer. Simply pair up your wedding flower with a single short feather and you have an elegant way to fit his flowers into your theme.

 You can do the same for his guys. Just work within the color palette and you will have small splashes of color that make a big statement for your day.

 We fell in love with the idea of using a birdcage on your escort card table. Such a nice way to extend the theme and increase the dramatic level of your card table!

 There are several ways you can go with your reception table decor. This set up is light and easy. It relies upon the color of the table runner and the menu card to make your color and theme statements without getting too dark.

 If you want to add another level of color you can extend the color up into your flowers by using dark purple, blue and greens to fit the colors of the feathers into the color scheme while using the lighter blue as your table runner. This is a great way to blend both the light and dark versions of this theme idea.

 But if you are looking for dark and dramatic then a set up like the one above would be striking. Using dark two toned linens with simple centerpieces of flowers or just feathers along with the gold chivari chairs and emerald green seat pads makes for a dramatic presentation.

 Using color and themed labels for your favors can open up a world of possibilities. These are simply disposable piping bags filled with hot cocoa mix, chocolate chips and marshmallows, tied with a bright bow and then they used a themed label to tie it into the theme. Easy way to DIY and still fit your theme.

 Along that same line are these great chocolate bar labels from Personalized Favors! Just get a case of Hershey bars and cover them with your personalized labels!

 There are so many ways to approach the idea of your Wedding Cake that I have decided to highlight three very different cakes all in the same Peacock theme. A way to not take the Peacock over the top is to just use it in your topper. The rest of the cake fits in because of the color palette that they used in the ribbon between the layers and the color of the fondant and piping. A cake like this should retail around $4-$8 per slice.

 This next level of cake is from Cake Coquette. It is a beautiful example of amazing piping skills and how dramatic of a cake you can have without using a single real feather. Stunning. A cake such as this could run you anywhere from $8-$18 per slice. Hours of artwork go into a cake like this.

But nothing I found can compare to this simply amazing cake by Rosebuds Cakes. The level of artwork on this cake goes beyond imagination. Several dozen hours of work went into making this cake. There is sugar work, hand painting, airbrush painting, fondant layering and more all in one cake. For a show stopper like this you could pay up to $40 per slice for your guests or more. Breathtaking.

Whatever you choose for your wedding day should always reflect who you are as a person and as a couple. I know a few couples would love a theme this bright and bold but it's not for everyone. Hopefully these ideas got you thinking about the possibilities for your special day!

Next week we are highlighting a birthday party! See you then!

Cat

Happy Monday! When watching the "Wedding" shows on TV, when reading the "Bridal" magazines you will see lots and lots of "out of the box" ideas when it comes to planning your wedding. But what if "out of the box" isn't your idea of beautiful? For those who love the idea of the Classic Elegant Wedding, we bring you lots of great ideas to make your dream wedding come true!

 We begin, of course, with the invitations. They set the tone, look and even the flavor of your wedding. Those who see invitations like these gorgeous White with Shell Pink Invitations pictured above will know that your wedding is one where Elegance will be the focus.

 If you are more a fan of the pure white wedding then these invitations, with white on white embossed swirls, may just fit the bill perfectly for you.

If you want to add a teeny bit of a more modern flair but still want to stick to the pure white theme then you may want to consider these gorgeous Chandelier invitations. Chandeliers are definitely in style right now so you would find a lot of coordinating paper goods to help you set the style of your wedding.

 Continue this look and feel with your ceremony space. We love the way they incorporated the chiffon drapes and the flowers to make a simply stunning canopy that doesn't block anyone's view of the ceremony but adds just so much elegance to the event.

 Yes, white roses are the "classic" choice for the theme but you can have any white flowers that you would like to have. Mix and match several types to make a simply amazing bouquet to carry down the aisle.

 And don't forget your Groom! He, also, can have white roses for his boutineer but consider a cottage rose or teacup rose to make a bolder statement.

When considering a reception space for your special day, keep in mind that the more ornate the space, the less money you will spend on decorating that space so it will feel like the stunningly elegant reception of your dreams. Now, not everyone can have their reception at a place like this one in Paris but there are a lot of hotels which do have these grand dining spaces available. Look around and see which fits your budget and dreams.

 This table setting, using white, creams and golds, is the traditional classic wedding setting. Pure white flowers with just a hint of the green peeking out to give the arrangement texture, gold framed table numbers and gold chivari chairs are all part of the details that makes this table stunning.

 But maybe your budget doesn't allow for expensive arrangements or chivari chairs. This doesn't mean you can't have the same "feel" for your table. Using candles to add lots of light and tall vases down a long table filled with lots of "filler" flowers, you can have that same white on white elegant feel as the more expensive settings.

 If you are having an outdoor reception, hopefully in Spring or Fall when the weather is about 70 degrees and not in Summer when it's 104, then you can still get that simple elegant feel with the white and gold theme. Gold Chivari chairs are available at just about every rental company to help you dress up your space. And, yes, the rental companies even have the chandeliers pictured for rent!

 Here is something fun to have for your guest book or just on the tables...boxes of "what" "when" "where" cards with titles like "What should we name our kids" or "Where should we go to celebrate our 5th Anniversary" or "When do you think we should renew our vows"...all of these fun questions are conversation starters for your guests and can only add to your day!

 Even your favors can get the Elegant treatment. These gorgeous votives could be set at each place setting to add a bit more elegance to your table decor as well as a very nice favor for your guests to take home.

 A photo frame is a classic choice as well. It also does double duty as a place card and as a favor for your guests.

If you are having a large wedding of about 200 guests then your Caker has lots of cake to decorate! An incredible cake like this one from Pink Cake Box would make for a classic elegant centerpiece for your cake table and your wedding.

But just because your wedding doesn't have a huge guest list doesn't mean you can't have a gorgeous elegant cake! Talk to your Caker about your theme and she will be able to design you a smaller elegant cake like this one from my own Cat's Cakes. This cake feeds 50 and is decorated with a china bowl filled with sugar roses, draped with fondant swags and more sugar roses for a simply gorgeous cake!


Today was all about staying within "the box" so next week we are going WAY outside the box! Can't wait to share with you this very colorful wedding idea!

Cat

Happy Monday! With lots of outdoor parties to come we thought we'd feature our favorite outdoor birthday party theme...rainbows! The great thing is that this can be used for kids or adults with just a few changes.

First start out with a fun invite FULL of color! These fun rainbow invites are print yourself type but you can easily find one of the many preprinted invitations that you can personalize for you and your party!

 You always want to make an entrance way...for a kids party what is more fun than these rainbow "snowcones"? Just paper snowcone cups, small spraypainted styrofoam balls and some glitter are all you need to make this fun garland!

For an adults party what is easier than spraypainting little terra cotta pots and putting in your favorite flowers! The rainbow fabric (just buy a remnant) is the perfect background!

 You can continue with the painted pots for your silverware and napkins! You can use plastic cups for a kids party if  you are worried about anything getting broken.

 For a kids party you want something that they will love to drink but is also not soda...for an adults party you may want to spice it up a bit with some form of alcohol...well smoothies work for both! Just use different fruits to give you different colors and let the adults splash in whatever they want to spice it up!

For an easy fun way to make a rainbow drink if you do allow soda is to use koolaid to make a rainbow assortment of icecubes then pour lemon lime soda over those to create this fun rainbow drink!

 Two fun party set ups can be used for either kids or adults! I love the use of the umbrella in the first one...you could expand that idea over the entire backyard with different colored umbrellas strung on wires. I love the rainbow colored raindrop cake too! How fun is that!?!

For an older child or adult this rainbow of paper lanterns set up is wonderful! Still fun but definitely more grown up than the first set up. Relatively inexpensive, you can even find them at the dollar store from time to time, paper lanterns always make a wonderful presentation and a great way to expand your decoration area.

Favors! Kids and adults alike love candy for their party favors. Why not make a rainbow of color with Mike & Ikes or Skittles in your choice of packages to hand out. From little clear boxes to tall thin tubes, you can find lots of different fun ways to present this candy treat.

For a kids party, tho' I'd love it if I went to a party and they had this to do, is to set up a finger painting station! Just set up the canvas and paints and either have them bring their own art aprons or one of Dad's old shirts to keep the paint off the clothes, and let your little partiers go to town!

 Finally we are onto dessert! To make these chocolate covered Oreo's just use multi colored candy melts. Cover them completely and then let them dry on wax paper till totally dry then just peel it off and stack them up on a plate!

 Or you could make this totally adorable "balloon" bouquet using cupcakes and ribbons!

My favorite is these little Rainbow Cupcakes using candy and frosting to make the rainbow and clouds! How seriously easy is that? Love it!


Are you in love with a Classic Wedding? Check back next Monday when we will highlight some great Classic Elegant ideas for you to use on your Wedding Day!

Cat