Peach & Grey

Happy Monday! We have been fortunate to have several of our friends get engaged this past Spring and they are in the middle of planning a Summer Wedding for next year. One of the hottest color trends hitting the scene these days is the color palette of Peach and Grey. Here are some beautiful ways to make your own wedding elegant!

 These OneWed.com ribbon tied invitations have lots of character along with elegance. Now here's the fun part. If you happen to be the DIY type these invitations would be EASY to make. It's just scrapbook paper backed cardstock that could be printed out on your computer. Glue dots would help to affix everything, including the ribbon, together and you could get the envelopes from Cardsandpockets.com. 

As your guests arrive at the venue place a directional sign that sets the wedding mood as well as provides directions to the ceremony site.

Something normally reserved for the reception but could be placed at the ceremony site is the guest book. Little cards placed on the table with pens along with a scrapbook with mini envelopes invite the guests to write a little note to the Bride and Groom while waiting for the ceremony to begin.

This is also a great place to have the Programs waiting for your guests. With Summer weather being unpredictable you will want to consider two things...shade and fans...for your guests. Early morning ceremonies followed by indoor air-conditioned receptions are a great idea but even early morning can be a bit too hot so by having your fans do double duty with your programs you get the information to your guests while also giving them a chance to keep cool! By the way, we are also BIG fans of the water bottle at weddings. Handing these out as your guests arrive is always welcome!

At the beginning of the aisle place a sign welcoming your guests to your ceremony. You can get a $10 frame and some chalkboard paint and make your own chalkboard you can later use in your own home for this elegant yet artistic touch.

 You can immediately set the bar a bit higher with these pedestals topped with urns filled with flowers. Tie a garland over the beginning of the aisle so that your guests will know that they shouldn't walk down the aisle before the Bride does.

 You can easily add some peach color to your gown with a sash but this amazing sash becomes the train on this incredible dress!

 

 A quick reminder. Broaches, long used to dress up the Mom's outfits for weddings are also perfect for your hair! They are a gorgeous bit of bling for your hair if you are not the tiara type of girl.

 Your bouquet should be subtle in color but that doesn't mean it has to be all roses. Use peonies and other filler type flowers to keep your cost down while giving your bouquet texture.

 Are you missing someone you wish were there for your wedding day? A great memorial is bouquet jewelry. I did this myself so my Dad could "walk" me down the aisle. At the end of our ceremony I presented the bouquet to my Mom who, I knew, was also missing my Dad that day.

Keep in mind that it is Summer and long heavy dresses trap in the heat around your 'maids legs. So try to keep the fabric light and the dresses shorter so that they can get air circulation and keep cool in the heat.

Your groom can even have a touch of Peach to his outfit by adding just a teeny bit of peach ribbon to his flower. This boutonniere of a single rose with rose hips and peach ribbon is perfect.

  I adore chandeliers. But with an outdoor ceremony how do you have one with no electrical outlet? Well, now, that's just overthinking things! You don't need to light it up! Take that "traditional arch" and dress it up with flowers, beads and a gorgeous chandelier hanging in the middle. The crystals with catch the light and be a stunning detail for your altar and your wedding photos!

  Outdoor altars are a difficult thing to put together. Usually that "traditional arch" is all that ends up being there. But it doesn't have to be. You can dress up a table with a variety of flower arrangements and candles with a space in between so you have a spot to sign your licence, have a sand ceremony or even a unity candle ceremony. Don't have a pretty table? Even a plain table draped with beautiful fabric would work.  Can you just imagine this table under the chandelier embellished arch above? Gorgeous! 

With an outdoor ceremony make sure to use some of the space for a photo area. You don't have to heft in lounge furniture but a few chairs and extra large paper lanterns make for a beautiful little area for you and your wedding party to take photos.

You can even incorporate your color into your food platters. Welcome your guests to the reception with appetizers that have been garnished with a corsage sized grouping of peach flowers on each tray.

I love this fun touch of using decanters as a style detail! Much more elegant than a bar set up with bottles of liquor, these glass decanters tied with identifying peach tags tied on with bakers twine are perfection! Just have your bartender refill as necessary.

 If you can have your reception outdoors after sunset then consider setting up in a courtyard. Courtyards are designed to be beautiful areas for people to hang out in so why not save a bit on your decorations and use one to make your reception gorgeous?

You don't have to be terribly crafty for this next detail. All you need is lots and lots of ribbon! Cut the shades of peach ribbon into 4-6 foot lengths, chevron the ends, and then just gather them up and tie them to the chairs! Let them drape down for a gorgeous touch that will drift a bit in the evening breeze.

If you have a slightly larger budget then use the color choices available to you for your china at the rental store.

 If you are like most of us, your budget allows the white plates the caterer provides. This doesn't mean you are stuck. Print out the menus with grey ink and place them on top of peach napkins. Then top those with peach paper and grey glitter ribbon wrapped favor boxes. Lots of color and style with hardly any cost!

Table numbers don't have to be hard to do either. These are just cardstock that has been brushed with white glue and dusted with peach and grey glitter. 

If you are having kids attend your reception then make sure to make a corner just for them. Tables covered in white butcher paper and topped with mini chalkboards (you can find these online or at your local craft store) and crayons will keep the little ones happy in between dancing!

Favors don't have to be complicated or expensive either. This is why edible favors are popular. These little glassine bags have simply been filled, hole punched, strung with peach bakers twine and topped with a grey label. You can find the labels online at a website like myweddinglabels.com!

If budget allows, the hot new favor is a photo booth! You get two strips of photos, one for your guests and one for your guestbook! We were actually surprised how much fun this is to do and how less expensive it is to add to your budget than we expected!

As the dancing begins, your girlfriends may be feeling the pain of their high heels. The dollar store has flip flops for a buck. So for $40 you could fill up a crate like this one and give your favorite women the opportunity to dance the night away a bit more comfortably without going barefoot!

 One of my favorite details to come out in the past couple of years is the use of signs. They do not have to be complicated or expensive. Simply printed out on the computer on cardstock and then balanced on a mini easel or decorative plate stand just adds another layer of detail to charm your guests.

 

 A lot is made out of the wedding cake. Obviously since I am a custom cake designer for Cat's Cakes, I am a huge fan of the wedding cake. And usually cupcakes are just not elegant enough for a wedding. However when I find a display that is completely lovely AND elegant I just have to share! By adding cupcake "collars" in peach and grey, different colors of swirled icing and then the lovely little cutting cake with it's whimsical toppers, this cake designer hit it out of the park. Gorgeous!

A word about being a guest at an event where cupcakes are being served. Think of a cupcake tower as being the cake. Just like you wouldn't consider cutting into the cake you shouldn't consider grabbing a cupcake before the happy couple has either cut the cutting cake or shared the first cupcake from the tower. Hopefully most of you are aghast at my implication that anyone would ever do this...however, I have seen it for myself. Along with posting wedding photos from your cell phone before getting the Bride's permission (it is her honor to distribute their wedding photos first) this is my current biggest pet peeve. So even if you are tempted, please wait until you are given the ok before grabbing a cupcake off the tower.

Next week I'm going to be bringing you a fun little retirement party we have coming up this Saturday! Can't wait to share with you all the details from all of our hard work!

Cat