Invite Designer - Creative Wedding Planning & Ideas

The second he pops the question, our minds automatically fill up with everything-wedding and all of a sudden we become these information junkies who need to get our newly-diamond-decorated little hands on any reading material we can related to weddings, whether magazines, planning books or even fiction that revolves around brides, weddings, etc, etc, etc.

I decided to save you a little bit of browsing/searching time (so you can spend it gloating to your single friends) and gather a list of the coolest and most amusing bride/wedding books out there.

Have a look!

The Funny Bride Guide is exactly what the title suggests—a funny guide for brides that includes all kinds of unique tips and tricks, all written with wit and humor to help keep things light during this otherwise potentially stressful time.

Anti-Bride Wedding Planner: Hip Tools for Getting Hitched is a dream for any bride-to-be who wants everything other than the typical wedding experience! A great read and super-helpful for the unconventional bride.

Anti-Bride Etiquette Guide: The Rules – And How to Bend Them goes hand-in-hand with the Anti-Bride Wedding Planner.

Anti-Bride Guide: Tying The Knot Outside of the Box is just as great as the two already mentioned above and offers the best in hip tips for brides who are looking for anything but a cookie-cutter wedding. The set of all 3 would make an AWESOME gift for any unconventional bride.

Autobiography of a Fat Bride won’t help you with your wedding plans or offer tips on invitations or dresses, but it will give you a chuckle as you read about the author facing the reality of her new ‘grown-up life’ after marriage.

Offbeat Bride: Taffeta-Free Alternatives for Independent Brides is one of the best guides to planning a non-traditional wedding on a budget. The book is all based on the authors experience and you can bet that all the tips and advice come from experience.

Tied in Knots: Funny Stories from the Wedding Day is a collection of true and hilarious wedding day mishaps.

Diary Of A Mad Bride is the funny story of a bride-to-be who becomes everything that she always vowed she wouldn’t; a crazy, neurotic, obsessive bridezilla. A great read for the girl who always said that she’d never get married, never wear a white dress and all that and now finds herself wanting all of those things and more.

Any one of these books is sure to offer some comic relief and even some helpful insight when it comes to your wedding planning and even your marriage. Stop, take the time to breathe and have a laugh.

Being a Christmas junkie, I’ve spent my entire life keeping all other events and happenings as far away from December as possible in order to really go all out at Christmas and not have to ‘share it’ with any other occasion, but now as my girly wedding-obsessed gene is coming in; I find myself tickled by the idea of a Christmas wedding.

With Yule time being a time for peace, love tradition and yes, presents; it makes sense to have a wedding during the ‘most wonderful time of the year’! If you’re lucky enough to live in an area that gets snow—even better because the ambience is taken care of by Mother Nature!

I found some great and super Christmassy wedding cakes and favors that would make a Christmas theme wedding just perfect ( see pics) and I’ve come up with a few suggestions on making your wedding as Xmas cheery as can be without spending a whole lot!

Cheap Christmas Wedding Favors:

- Enlist the help of your bridal party and family and make Personalized Christmas Ornaments for each guest. As opposed to the usual tribute to yourselves; opt for something simple, like ‘Peace’, ‘Love’, ‘Joy’… you get the idea and include your first names and date on the other side. Plain glass balls are inexpensive and can be bought in boxes of 24 or more for next to nothing at your local department store. Use a sparkly/metallic gel pen instead of paint for a more refined look.

- Mini tins of Christmas Cookies make a sweet and traditional favor! Bake some tiny gingerbread people and use the icing to draw a bow tie on the groom and veil or dress for the bride. There are even personalized tins on the market if you look around for them, though cheap decorative Christmas tins are even available at dollar stores!

- Personalized Tea-Light Holders are easy to make using either inexpensive plain tea-light holders from any store or even clear shot glasses – as long as the candle fits inside. Be sure to use Christmas-friendly scents like cinnamon or mulberry and a sparkle or metallic gel/paint pen for personalizing each one.

- A Christmas CD featuring the same classic carols that you’ll play at your wedding would be a favor that people would use and cherish for years. Keep the song choices traditional and elegant. For the covers (cheaper bought in bulk!), have appropriate sized cards made using the same font as your invitations and other wedding stationary to place on the front with your message, names and date and also for the back or inside with a listing of sing titles.

Other nifty ideas:

Instead of ordering ornament-style place card holders like the ones pictured (right); try making your own! If you’re not up for decorating each of them; buy ornaments that match the color scheme of your wedding. If you opt for Christmas balls; use a ribbon to tie on the name cards.

Use mini Christmas trees—real or artificial—as centerpieces! Add sparkle and shine with little ornaments or battery operated lights. Raffle off each one at the end of the night using a game of some kind or just give away to the youngest or oldest person at each table. (Check online for game ideas)

Personalized Hot Chocolate as favors! I found these while surfing the net and thought they were just the cutest favors I had ever seen! What is better than hot chocolate on a cold winter day?!

Making your Christmas wedding as Christmassy as can be is so easy—the easiest of all theme weddings really, thanks to the availability of seasonal decorations, ornaments, trinkets and music. It’s already such a magical time of the year and people really do seem to feel jollier; so why not take advantage of all that love and cheer and have the most important day of your life during this wonderful season to make it all the more special.

I already had theme weddings on my mind when I got up this morning as it was to be my topic du jour, but in need of a new desk; I spent some time schmoozing the Ikea website and not only stumbled on my dream desk/table, but the inspiration for an entire wedding! The table I speak of is the Vika Glasholm. It’s actually a table top; you choose the legs separately.

This beautiful glass table top has the word “Love” etched all over it in 50 different languages. How could one not be inspired?! While it could prove costly to buy up a whole slew of these for your guests to sit at, one or two would look très chic at the entrance of your venue with a guest book and money box.

Surfing the site led me to several other goodies–many under $10!– including the new Blomster vases that come in the most delicious shades of pink, among others. They range in size from teeny-tiny to medium and would make a pretty yet trendy statement on any table, especially for those who aren’t fans of the larger and more intrusive centerpieces.

While we’re talking about pretty items for your table top; the Skimmer candle holders, which are made of mercury glass, would really glam up any table! As reflective as a crispy-clean mirror; these candle holders placed throughout a room would bounce light allover and a sparkle like no other. F-a-b-u-l-o-u-s!

And now that I have used the word “sparkle”, I need to mention another goody from our Swedish friends that would help to light up any wedding from a casual indoor soirée to a garden wedding; light chains and curtains. Ikea has the best collection of outdoor lighting! Flowers or birds; either will help to make your special day shine and whimsy that will make your guests smile.

Finally, since lighting really is the most important element in creating ambiance and setting a mood; I am in love with the Knubbig table lamps! In big and small and in colors that range from bright and happy to classic and elegant; these pretty balls o’ light pack enough punch to work as centerpieces all on their own.

The best thing about an Ikea themed wedding? You get to incorporate it all into your home and have stylish little reminders of the happiest day of your life scattered throughout your love-nest!

Unique wedding favors will leave a lasting impression on your guests, whether you have a traditional wedding or a modern one.  Unique wedding favors do not have to be expensive.  Many of them you can make yourself, while others are reasonably priced through creative artisans and online stores. 

For eco-weddings, garden and flower seeds for guests to plant on a spring or summer day make unique wedding favors.  You can bundle attractive seed packets in sheer netting with a bow and scatter them throughout your reception area.  You can also combine seedlings in small plants to add greenery and color to your décor. 

If you want all-out fun and unique wedding favors, take some inspiration from the goody bags passed out at children’s birthday parties.  Your wedding “party bags” can include kazoos, party favor blow outs, bottles full of blowing bubbles, yoyos, spray string, paddle balls, and noisemakers.  Where possible, you can get these fun toys in your wedding colors. 

Attractive glass vases or tins filled with candies make irresistible unique wedding favors.  For those with dietary restrictions, it’s always best to include several of these candy favors that are low in sugar or are sugar free.

Other unique wedding favors include candles and soaps.  Since candles come in many colors, you’re likely to find them in your wedding colors.  If not, you can contact a local candle maker or one online who can custom color your wedding candles.  She or he may also be able to stamp your name, your groom’s name, and your wedding date on your candles.   

Soapylove offers totally delightful and creative unique wedding favors.  Her Champagne and Berry Soapsicles are designed especially for weddings.  These whimsical soapsicles are sure to make your guests break out in smiles or outright giggles.  If you want custom labels for these mouthwatering unique wedding favors, drop Debbie a line at debbie@soapylove.com.   

Unique wedding favors come in all shapes and sizes.  They are limited only by your imagination.  Consider offering unique wedding favors at your upcoming nuptials for a more personalized and lasting memory of your special day.

Destination weddings are becoming very popular with engaged couples.  At first blush, destination weddings sound like they would cost a lot more money than the usual church ceremony; however, they are often cheaper.  This is because many resorts, cruises, and other travel destinations offer wedding packages that include the wedding ceremony, a catered reception with food and wedding cake, photographer, officiant, and honeymoon.  Sometimes travel to and from the destination wedding is included.  If travel isn’t included, it’s best for couples to purchase air and hotel as a package because this saves money. 

A destination wedding package not only saves money, but it also saves the bride and groom all the time and stress of planning their wedding.  It’s already done for them!  All they have to do is show up and enjoy the vacation atmosphere that greets them as soon as they arrive. 

Destination weddings are also a reunion of sorts for friends and family.  Guests spend more time with each other because the wedding ceremony is usually a day or two after family and friends arrive.  This gives everyone time to catch up with friends and family or get acquainted with the in-laws.

Additionally, if this isn’t a bride’s and/or groom’s first marriage, destination weddings are an ideal choice.  This type of wedding is more private and often don’t have the usual tongues wagging about a second or third marriage.  Plus, if children are involved, a destination wedding at a family friendly resort or cruise is great for taking the kids along, particularly if there are step siblings.  This helps them get to know one another and to make them feel part of the new family. 

Popular destination weddings are the Bahamas, Las Vegas, Hawaii, cruises, and even castles in the UK.  Destination weddings don’t have to require traveling so far from home, however.  Local beaches and parks are great for destination weddings, as well as local vineyards.  Additionally, many Bed and Breakfasts are situated on acreage that includes large landscaped gardens.  These beautiful and natural surroundings provide an ideal setting because there’s plenty of room for wedding guests.  Of course, you have to cross your fingers for good weather.  It’s always best, if you go the route of an outdoor wedding, to make sure there’s a back up in case of inclement weather.  Some of the Bed and Breakfasts that are wedding destinations also provide catering, which saves the bride and groom the time and stress of trying to find a caterer, baker, and reception venue.  Often these destination wedding Bed and Breakfasts offer romantic honeymoon packages, so be sure to check if there’s a discount on having your destination wedding at the place where you’ll spend your honeymoon.

Destination weddings can be extravagant, with the couple and their family and friends traveling to exotic locations.  Or a destination wedding can be closer to home, saving the couple time and money.  Whichever route a couple takes, a destination wedding is sure to be unique and memorable.