What to do with that bridal bouquet after the wedding

If you are like me you might still have your bridal bouquet several years after your wedding and it is dried up and sitting on a shelf in your closet. I recently moved and I thought about getting rid of it but I am so sentimental that I decided to hang onto it, despite not doing anything with it. So I took to Pinterest and I found a few ideas that I thought I would share. Enjoy!



Put the petals in a clear ornament for a Christmas keepsake.

Create a shadow box. Can include wedding invitation and/or a picture from your wedding day.











Mine don't look this nice but if you had them freeze dried then you could also place them in a nice
vase.

Wine Table Numbers

Love this idea! A fun and elegant way to communicate table numbers to your guests. It also doubles as a way to help ensure glasses are full throughout dinner.

Glowing Jars

I love this idea for a wedding and it is so simple! All it takes is splattering a little glow in the dark paint on mason jars.

It is a beautiful way to add a little glow once the lights dim.

Wedding Cake Simple Elegance

I just love simple elegance! Consider adding real flowers to a more modest cake to really dress it up for a simple and elegant look. 

Found this idea on Pinterest and it got me to thinking. Long gone are the days where you leave disposal cameras out on the tables for your guests to take photos of the event. It is a digital world and more and more people are joining Instagram and Twitter everyday.

Not only is it a digital world, it is a mobile world,  most people take pictures with their phones nowadays.

Consider replacing those disposable cameras and creating a hashtag to share with your guests to encourage them to tag any photos that they take of your special day. After the event you can search the hashtag on both channels and check out all the pictures.

This is a quick and easy way for guests to share their pictures with you. Plus it shows them how digitaly savvy you are ;)

Sparklers are a fun way for wedding guests to send the newlyweds off at the end of the night. They also make for a beautiful photo opportunity. 

Just ensure that they are quick and easy for the guests to light as they don't burn for long. 

A favorite childhood dessert, consider sending your guests off at the end of the night with milk and cookies.  

Popsicles in Prosecco

Your guests will enjoy this adult dessert on a warm summer day. Try this with natural fruit pops, as they melt the drinks almost become like Bellinis. 

Elegant Centerpiece

I found this visual of gorgeous centerpieces created by placing lace around the outside of votive candles of various sizes. The mirror reflects the light and the rock accents round this out to be a very elegant and lovely centerpiece. 

Envelope Liners

Consider envelope liners as an easy way to add a little elegance and fun to your invitations. It is really easy!

First determine what you would like your inner liner to be. Add a splash of color with paper in the shade of one of your wedding colors. Paper doilies add a touch of elegance.  You could also get creative and do something a little more fun like a map. No matter what your envelope liner is the steps are the same.

Step 1: Lay the liner over the envelope (if a doily then poke out all the holes and lay it over the envelope with the center of the doily positioned just under the adhesive of the tip of the envelope with the wrong side up).

Step 2: Using a ruler and a pencil, mark up where you plan to cut. Cut along the path.

Step 3: Slide the cutout into the envelope to make sure it fits and fold it down along the crease of the envelope.

Step 4: Glue the liner inside the envelope. Apply glue to the lower half first and slide inside the envelope and make sure it is secure. Then glue and secure the top part.



That's all there is to it. Now sit back relax and wait for your guests to be impressed :)


 

Multi-purpose Programs

I love this idea if you have kids attending your outdoor wedding! Turn your ceremony programs into fans that allow guests to keep the heat at bay. Include wedding details on one side of the fan and make a little game out of the other side. This will help to keep your wedding guests, young and old, entertained between wedding activities.

Let the fun begin!

Visit this site for more ideas for activities: http://www.intimateweddings.com/blog/easy-diy-wedding-programs-tutorial/

Fun Idea for Table Numbers

Instead of a traditional table number consider placing blank booklets and pens at each table and assigning each book/table a number. Guests at that table can leave you a message in the booklet to open on your anniversary that corresponds with that table number. So table number 7 would leave you messages to read on your 7th anniversary.  It is the gift of advice that keeps on giving year over year!

Coffee Bean Centerpieces

Put some coffee beans in a vase and place a candle in the center for a fun and unique centerpiece.

Classic Bouquets

Consider adding some feathers to your wedding bouquet or centerpieces for a soft and classic look!

Register for a little good will

Setting up your gift registry? Consider checking out idofoundation.org. The I Do Foundation partners with your favorite department stores to donate up to 6% of the spending on your gift registry to your selected charity.

What better way to start your life together than through helping others in need.

When to send your Wedding Invitations

I often get asked how far in advance wedding invitations should be sent out so I thought it might be helpful to share this information on my blog.

If you are sending Save the Dates you can send them out right away while the wedding invitations are typically sent out 8 weeks before the wedding. This allows guests sufficient time to make travel arrangements.

Ask for an RSVP date of 3 weeks before your wedding to allow plenty time for you to make a final head count, assign seats and prepare escort cards. In my experience you will have some late RSVPs that you will need to track down for an answer.

At the least you should send them out six weeks in advance, and set an RSVP date of 2 weeks prior to the wedding.

Head Table Special Touch

Hang icicle lights under the front tablecloth at the head table to create a soft glow adding a special touch of elegance.

Table Cards

Add a fun and personal touch to your wedding day with your table cards. We created ours based on places that were important to us (Chicago, Michigan State University, etc.). Other fun ideas:

• quotes
• song lyrics
• take pictures of numbers all over town
• pictures of the two of you in different situations with the numbers
• numbered rocks
• chalk boards
• numbers on bottles of wine

or you could carry over the design from your wedding invitations for a cohesive look. You can get as creative as you would like or keep them simple and elegant. Just remember to have fun with them!

Bridesmaids Gifts

Worried about getting your bridesmaids jewelry that will only see the light of day on your wedding day?

I recommend simple yet elegant jewelry from WAR International (Women At Risk). Through purchasing their jewelry you aid woman in Thailand that were sold into slavery. So you are not only purchasing beautiful jewelry for your friends and loved ones but you are also helping a cause. Check out their gallery: http://www.warinternational.com/store/auxpage_1/

I purchased the single pearl necklaces for my wedding and I still catch my bridesmaids wearing them 2+ years after my wedding.

Wedding Shoes

This one goes out to all the brides to be that love to dance. Sure you can spend a significant amount of money to get fancy, high heeled shoes for your wedding day, but unless your dress is short I have always wondered "what's the point?"

At 5'10" I am on the taller side and even though my husband is 6'2" I didn't want to tower over him on our wedding day. I also LOVE to dance and I am a big runner so a bit of my active and practical side partnered with my floor length dress led me to the puma store to purchase my wedding shoes.

They actually have a range of white, elegant yet still sporty shoes that are perfect for your special day! My feet were so comfortable and I was able to dance the night away. Not to mention I didn't run the risk of tripping or stumbling my way down the aisle.

So if you have a long dress and like to dance I would consider checking them out. I am certainly happy I did. These shoes have gotten more wear then any other pair of wedding shoes I was considering would have.

So slip on that glass slipper Cinderella and have a ball!