Happy Monday! Today we bring you some great ideas for an "In the Woods" Wedding. The color palette is one of neutrals, mainly creams and beige with hints of shell pink and green. The overall effect is simple but elegant.

First up is the invitation. These wonderful invitations from Wood and Grain have pop-ups on the front! Of course you could DIY this style by just using clip art and foregoing the pop-ups. 

 As cold as it is right now it's hard to envision an outdoor wedding but at the end of April when even those places that get snow have finally seen it melt off and the weather has warmed up, an outdoor wedding is definitely the way to go for this theme.

 Baby's Breath is one of those "filler" flowers that is largely forgotten but it is the perfect flower for this theme. Used in this boutonniere it's the perfect size flower for this mini bouquet.

 Add a few white or cream roses to a huge bunch of Baby's Breath and you have a beautiful and cost effective bouquet for you and your girls!

Lace is the word this season. Add the newest trend of "illusion" lace, which is when you have a strapless dress with a lace overlay, and you have a really gorgeous dress that will enhance your beauty on your big day.

Another trend this season is using baby photos or photos of the two of you growing up in your wedding plan. Dollar store frames with coordinating ribbon on the chairs or pews are a wonderful way to line your ceremony aisle. This is also a great way to show off those fun engagement photos as well!

 Whenever you choose a neutral or all white palette for your wedding make sure your venue is part of your decorations. This gorgeous courtyard is all the decoration you need so you can tone down your table decorations and keep it a lot more simple. Invest a bit more in an ornate setting and then you save in the cost of decorating it.

If you have a plain venue, in design or color or both, you can easily dress it up. Chiffon and tulle are both inexpensive fabrics that you can drape from a center point in the room to add a level of romance to your room. Add twinkle lights and, even in the daylight, it's magical. By the way...the day after Christmas is the time to stock up on these lights and get them for almost nothing!

Dressing up your tables can be as simple as adding gold doilies or fabric under the plates and using more ornate flatware. It is little details like this that make the theme come together.

I'm not a huge fan of guest books. In my experience they tend to be put in a tote somewhere and never looked at again. I love the idea of having your monogram cut for you and then having your guests sign it before you seal it with varnish. Hang this somewhere in your new home and you have a focal point and conversation starter out for everyone to see.

 A quick word about paper lanterns. These are inexpensive and have a big impact when displayed properly. I have noticed, recently, that people are using these but spacing them out too far in order to save their budget. It would be better to take that dozen lanterns and group them over the cake table or food table or even the sweetheart table than to try to space those same 12 lanterns over the entire room. So keep them no more than a foot apart and you will have the impact you are hoping for in the end.

Another touch I love this year are the cut out votives. You can get the tin versions of these for about $25 each or you can make your own version using cut out paper and clear candle vases. In fact, Michael's Craft Stores has the paper already premade so all you have to do is cut the paper to size and wrap the vase. Easy and inexpensive but with wonderful impact!

 Not everyone has a huge flower budget. This doesn't mean you can't have gorgeous centerpieces on your tables. In fact, this theme works SO perfectly with these inexpensive centerpieces that you would be right on target with them! Just pick your clear containers, line with river rock (about $3 per huge bag at Home Depot), drop in the single bloom of your choice ($3 to $7 per bloom on average), fill with water and top with a floating candle. Gorgeous!

 One of my absolutely favorite trends this year is the "food bar". This can translate into a beautiful cake table filled with gorgeous desserts, including a small "cutting cake" for you and your groom. You can fit a variety of tastes onto one table making all of your guests very happy. Little touches like the frame on the fabric wall behind the desserts and the frames on the table, which can hold everything from your favorite love quotes or your monogram, add a romantic and personal touch to this corner of your reception.

Cake pops are all the rage but not a favorite of mine. This is a nice combo of that idea. These little cheesecakes on a stick are a cute way of making a personal sized dessert that will WOW your guests.

And don't forget to match your favors to your outdoor theme. These adorable little bird seed favors are something your guests can hang on their own tree and get the reward of watching the birds enjoy it the week after the wedding. This one gives back to nature. Lovely.

Next week I'll be bringing you a wedding plan FILLED with color! See you then!

Cat