Seasonal Wedding Flowers

What colors do you want?
Most couples see the color of the flowers before they decide on the type of flowers they want to use throughout their wedding day. It is important to decide on the colors and shades of flowers you would like to use. Think about what colors you want to enhance or play down at the ceremony and reception site.

What's the style of your wedding?
Certain colors and blooms can set the tone of formality for the wedding. For the most part bright colors with dynamic shapes have more of an informal feel, while muted monochromatic varieties appear more formal.

How will you stay within your budget?
Choosing flowers that will be in peak bloom during your wedding date is a great way to stay within your budget.

Popular flowers for the season of your wedding



Spring
Alstroemeria
Anemone
Assorted Lilies
Bells of Ireland
Boronia
Candytuft
Carnation
Daffodil
Daisy
Delphinium
Eucalyptus
Freesia
Godetia
Heather
Iris
Jasmine
Leptospermum
Lisianthus
Orchid
Peony
Protea
Ranunculus
Rose
Scabiosa
Snapdragons
Stephanotis
Sunflower
Sweetpea
Tulip
Veronica
Wax Flower
Trachelium
Tuberose
Veronica
Wax Flower
Yarrow




Summer
Alstroemeria
Assorted Lilies
Asters
Azalea
Bells of Ireland
Boronia
Candytuft
Carnation
Delphinium
Eucalyptus
English Lavender
Eucalyptus
Gladiola
Godetia
Hydrangea
Iris
Jasmine
Lily of the Valley
Lisianthus
Love in the Mist
Orchid
Peony
Phlox
Protea
Ranunculus
Rose
Scabiosa
Snapdragons
Statis
Stephanotis
Sunflower
Sweetpea
Wax Flower
Yarrow



Fall
Alstroemeria
Assorted Lilies
Asters
Bells of Ireland
Chinese Lanterns
Candytuft
Carnation
Delphinium
English Lavender
Eucalyptus
Gladiola
Godetia
Hydrangea
Iris
Jasmine
Lisianthus
Love in the Mist
Orchid
Ornamental Peppers
Peony
Phlox
Protea
Ranunculus
Rose
Scabiosa
Stephanotis
Statis
Sunflower
Sweetpea
Trachelium
Tuberose
Veronica




Winter
Alstroemeria
Assorted Lilies
Amaryllis
Bird of Paradise
Carnation
Crysanthemum
Dafoldil
Delphinium
Eucalyptus
Evergreen Boughs
Freesia
Gentian Rose
Heather
Holly
Iris
Jasmine
Leptospermum
Lisianthus
Orchid
Poinsettia
Protea
Rose
Scabiosa
Stephanotis
Sweetpea
Tulip
Wax Flower

The Groom

Will your groom be involved in the wedding planning? A better question may be does he WANT to be involved? He LOVES you, but sometimes wedding planning just isn’t what a guy wants to be doing. You don’t want to force him to take part, but if he truly wants to help, listen to his ideas. He may have some good ones and you can at least give him the option.

If he chooses not to help, don’t think that means he doesn’t love you, he may just want you to make the decisions because he knows how important this special day is for you. However, more and more grooms are taking a bigger interest in the decision making for the wedding. This may cause problems if you don’t handle it delicately. You want a string quartet and he wants AC/DC; you want a nice sit down dinner and he wants a Bar-B-Q. Who gets to choose? Most of the time it is the bride is the one who has been dreaming of her wedding since she was a little girl.
But you have to respect your groom’s feelings as well. Since you are ready to live your lives together, you need to be able to COMPROMISE. Don’t let this be a source for arguments or problems. It is a special day for BOTH of you. Keep that in mind.

Finding Wedding Vendors

Festivals are a great resource to meet local vendors, find and experience local music, taste great food, and to gather wedding favor ideas created by local arts and crafts vendors. If you've decided on what type of wedding theme you are going to have, and if you plan ahead, you can find great seasonal buys at these festivals.

Here are a few festivals coming to a town square near you!

South Carolina

ChristmasVille
December 04 - December 07, 2008
Rock Hill, South Carolina
http://www.christmasvillerockhill.com/

Craftsmen's Christmas Classic Arts & Crafts Fest
November 09, 2007 - November 11, 2008
N Charleston, South Carolina
http://www.craftshow.com/

African American Plantation Days
November 01 - November 29, 2008
Charleston, South Carolina
http://www.middletonplace.org/

Art in the Park
November 08 - November 09, 2008
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
http://www.wacg.org/

Craftsmen's Christmas Classic Arts & Crafts Fest
November 14 - November 16, 2008
Columbia, South Carolina
http://www.craftshow.com/

Charleston's Holiday Market
November 21 - November 23, 2008
N. Charleston, South Carolina
www.HolidayMarket.com/

Hunt Meadows Elem Christmas Bazaar
November 22, 2008
Easley, South Carolina

South Carolina Bluegrass Festival
November 27 - November 29, 2008
Myrtle Beach , South Carolina
http://www.aandabluegrass.com/

North Carolina
Carolina Renaissance Festival and Artisans Marketplace
October 04 - November 16, 2008
Huntersville, North Carolina
http://www.royalfaires.com/

Holly Day Fair
November 06 - November 09, 2008
Fayetteville, North Carolina
www.jlfay.org/?nd=hollyday07

Holiday Market
November 07 - November 09, 2008
Greensboro, North Carolina
http://www.holidaymarket.com/

Southern Christmas Show
November 13 - November 23, 2008
Charlotte, North Carolina
http://www.southernchristmasshow.com/

Fine Craft and Design Show
November 28 - November 30, 2008
Raleigh, North Carolina
http://www.carolinadesignercraftsmen.com/

Picking Bridesmaids

This is probably one of the toughest decisions for a lot of brides. You don't want to hurt anyone's feelings, but if you have 10 close friends, that would make for a pretty expensive wedding party! here are some of the costs that you need to think about: if your bridesmaids don't live in the same town as you, you may want to pay for their lodging and travel expenses; you have to get flowers for each of them; it is customary to buy the bridesmaids a Thank You gift; you may want to pay to get their hair done (unless you trust them to their own. That could turn out to be very scary in some cases); you may want to get their nails done.

Also, keep in mind that your bridesmaids will most likely be the ones organizing your shower, bridal luncheon, and bachelorette party. The maid/matron of honor will have the most responsibilities, of course. She should be someone very close to you since she will be the one who has to deal with your emotions and she will be responsible for getting you where you need, on time, and looking your best.

Most brides are so excited about the wedding, they don't think about what it is going to cost the members of the wedding party. Keep that in mind also when you are selecting your wedding party. the most important thing is that you want all of your bridesmaids to look their best because you will have pictures from the ceremony that are going to last a lifetime!

Selecting Your Wedding Party

This is a very important part of your wedding: Who to choose and what are their duties?

Maid of Honor – The bride will usually first pick from a sister near her age or their most loyal friend. The Maid of Honor is the ring leader and emotional support who plans the shower and bachelorette party and is responsible for keeping the bridesmaids up to date on what they should be doing for the bride and her wedding.

Best Man – A brother or a best friend who is responsible. Takes care of bachelor events and offers support to the groom. He is charge of keeping track of the wedding rings and is responsible for giving the first toast at the reception.

Bridesmaids – Sisters or great friends who will stand by your side no matter what type of bride you will become (i.e. bridezilla). Choose girl friends that have the time and the financial means to be in and help you with your wedding. Don’t forget your future sister-n-law.

Groomsmen – Brothers, cousins, or best buds. Groomsmen may help with seating guests, help the best man throw a bachelor party, and are gentleman to the bridesmaids.

Flower Girl – Choose your adorable little sister, niece, cousin between the age of three and six. She scatters flower petals as she walks down the aisle. Be prepared for any type of disruption while she walks down the aisle.

Ring Bearer – Usually between the age of three and seven and is in charge of caring the wedding rings, or copies, on a pillow during the processional. The ring bearer should attend the rehearsal so they feel comfortable walking down the aisle.

South Carolina & North Carolina Wedding Consultant

Weddings Made Simple can plan, coordinate, assist and oversee all aspects of your wedding.
We provide full service wedding planning and consulting. Packages are available from day of coordination to complete planning and production services where our experienced, friendly, expert staff will oversee every aspect of your special day.

We want every bride to be able to enjoy their special day without worry, all the while feeling comfortable in every part of the decision making process. Whether that is helping to save the environment or to save the brides budget, we have it covered.


Weddings Made Simple provides service for the entire South & North Carolina areas. We are also available for Destination Weddings.

Choosing a Wedding Ceremony and Reception Site

Where do you want your wedding and reception to take place?

When trying to decide where do hold your ceremony and reception there are a few things to consider: budget, weather, or if you plan on staying close to home or having a destination wedding. We hope you'll find something that will fit into your budget and the overall theme and feel of your wedding.

First, are you planning on having a religious or civil ceremony? Most traditional religious ceremonies are held in the bride's hometown. Requirements for religious ceremonies can vary widely from one denomination to another. Pre-marriage counseling is required by some religions. Find out when the ceremony can be scheduled, because some religions and places of worship require that you have your wedding ceremony within a specific time frame. Many places of worship have reception halls that you can rent out for a nominal fee which may include the use of tables, chairs, dinnerware, and linens which can help you save money. With a civil ceremony, legal requirements vary from state to state, but usually a judge or other officiant performs the ceremony.

Know what you are getting when you reserve a ceremony and reception site. Do you have to pay a clean up fee; do you have to give a deposit; can the site accommodate all of your guest; does the place have a liquor license; do they have your wedding date available; are there rules regarding candles, flowers, or hanging up decorations; what kind or equipment can be used at the site and what needs to be rented? Remember to include the setup and tear down time.
If you are having an at home wedding contact your city or town hall to ask if there are any noise and traffic ordinances, fire codes, and tent permits.

Sources to find a great site
-Local visitor / tourist bureau
-Local parks department
-Local Chamber of Commerce
-Ask friends and family
-Surf the web

Wedding Planning: Can I afford a wedding planner?

A wedding planner is a professional consultant who acts on the bride and groom’s behalf to get the best deals to save you money and to save you time. They can provide affordable alternatives that fit any budget.

Wedding planners offer many planning packages that can fit your needs and budget. You can decide to use a wedding planner to plan your wedding from beginning to end or to help answer specific questions from etiquette to wording initiations. They charge hourly rates, rates based on the percentage of the total wedding cost, or one flat rate.

Wedding planners can provide the knowledge, guidance, and creativity to bring your dreams to a reality by finding items that best suit your vision.

Bridal Beauty before the Wedding Day

The secret to wedding day radiance is planning and applying your beauty regimen now. Six months to a year prior to the wedding date, is the time to experiment with makeup and beauty products, color and hair cuts, artificial nails, and consulting with your physician for other pressing issues like skin problems or even stress. Implement a workout routine that will help you get those fabulous arms and shoulders for that strapless dress, to help curve stress, and to improve overall health.

Here are a few things that helped me: I began a workout routine by joining the local gym and went in and out of taking the different classes they offered until I found one or two classes that I absolutely loved (cycling and weight lifting). I also made a few changes to my diet. I made sure to drink 6-8 glasses of water a day, cut back on my sweet intake, and decided to start taking a multi-vitamin. With the changes to my weekly workout and to my diet I was able to see a change in a few weeks. The exercise gave me more energy and stamina, and the water and vitamins seemed to help clear up my skin.

I experimented with a few over the counter beauty products for my hair and teeth. I used whitening strips which really seemed to work great on my teeth, and I also applied a deep conditioning treatment for my hair that made it silky and shiny. I looked through magazines and talked with friends and family to get makeup tips and ideas and then bought and tested the different colors and products until I found what I wanted to use for the day of the wedding. If you are using a hair and makeup professional be sure to have a run through before the wedding day.

Give yourself the time to experiment and explore different beauty options. By beginning your beauty regimen now you can plan on looking gorgeous and radiant on your wedding day.

Wedding Planning: The #1 Most Important Thing To Remember

From engagement bliss to budget woes, planning a wedding is like riding a roller coaster; there are euphoric peaks and cheerless dips. The stress of planning a wedding can sometimes leave you second guessing yourself or your mate.

Through the wedding process remember the reasons you decided to say “I do”. You are about to marry your best friend and the love of your life because they truly make you happy. Remember to say I love you and bite your tongue once or twice because you are about to begin a journey of a lifetime and your wedding day will be one of the many beautiful memories you will be creating together.

Wedding Planning: Getting Organized

What should you do next? Start now and get organized!
Organization is the key to a stress free wedding. By keeping all of your wedding ideas, contracts, vendor information, and timelines in a portable format will reduce the amount of stress on your wedding day, I promise.

It is very simple, go to your local office supply store today and purchase a binder, accordion filer, or some manageable filing system. You can also purchase tab dividers or labels to organize your filing system and pouches to store business cards or receipts.

Include these sections and you can add more as you go:
-To Do Calendar / Checklist
-Wedding Planning Budget List
-Wedding Attire
-Bridal Shop Information
-Color Swatches
-Ceremony (Including clergy, music, transportation)
-Vendors & Contracts
-Order of Ceremony
-Reception (music, caterer, cake, seating arrangements, rentals)
-Vendors & Contracts
-Timeline of Reception (first dance, cutting of the cake, etc.)
-Flowers / Decorations
-Invitations, Stationery, Wedding Program
-Gifts
-Parties (engagement party, rehearsal dinner, bride’s maid luncheon, etc.)
-Honeymoon

There are so many choices of fun stationery, ribbons, stickers and colors that you can use to accessorize your “organizer”. Which ever type of organizer you choose to use the goal is to stay organized and find a system that works best for you.

A List vs. C List Guests

When I first started planning my wedding, I had no idea where to begin. I knew where I wanted to get married – on the beach. But since it was sort of going to be a destination wedding, I knew we couldn’t invite EVERYONE. How many people should we invite? How do you shorten the list? I have known people who make “A” lists and “B” lists and then their “C” list, but I just couldn’t sit down and say “well that person just isn’t as important as this person but they are more important than that person…”, etc.etc. So, I used this rule of thumb…if I haven’t talked to you in 2 years and you aren’t family, then you aren’t invited.

I am in no way trying to sound uncaring, but when you have a budget, you have to stick to it. Of course, there will always be those relatives that you have to invite no matter what. The ones who used to pinch your cheeks when you were little or the one who always bought you the most outrageous Christmas presents (remember the pink bunny outfit from the Christmas Story?).
The point of your wedding day is that it is YOUR WEDDING DAY. What will make you happy without breaking the bank and also without causing hurt feelings? You may decide that you want to invite everyone you know or have ever known. On your wedding day you want to be surrounded by everyone in your family so they can all share in this beautiful day. If that is the case, you better start getting that budget in order.

Wedding Planning: The Budget

Most wedding planning publications state that the average cost of weddings is now at $28,000. Wow, that's how much some people pay in college tuition for four years, and the wedding falls on one day! Now that you have an idea of the type of wedding you want, you must find out how your wedding well be funded before you can start the planning process.

Some couples will pay for the wedding themselves or have help from parents or other family members. All parties involved in paying for the wedding need to sit down and talk to see how much each party can contribute to the wedding budget. Traditionally the bride’s family pays for most of the cost, but some family members may want to pick and choose what they pay for. Talk about the things that are important to you in planning your dream wedding. Try to come up with a round about figure on how much everyone can contribute. Try to be prepared for any unexpected cost such as reception site cleaning fees, unexpected guest added to the caterer’s fee, and dress pressing.

Here is a wedding budget planning list to help you get started:

WEDDING BUDGET PLANNING LIST


TO KEEP TRACK OF YOUR EXEPENSE CREATE AN EXPENSE SHEET WITH THE ITEMS BELOW AND INCLUDE THE ESTIMATED COST AND ACTUAL COST OF EACH ITEM.

CEREMONY
Site Fees
Clergy member
Marriage License
Musicians
Flowers, Candles, Decorations
Other

RECEPTION
Food / Caterer
Drinks
Rentals
Cake
Site Fees
Decorations
Accessories, Toasting Glasses,
Cake Knife, etc.

ATTIRE
Bride's Gown/Accessories
Bride's Hair/Nails
Bride's Attendants
Groom's Formal Wear
Groom's Attendants
Flower Girl
Ring Bearer

RINGS
His and her rings

FLOWERS
Ceremony
Bride's Bouquet
Maid of Honor Bouquet
Bridesmaid Bouquets
Corsages
Flower Girl
Grandparent's Flowers
Reception Centerpieces
Cake Table Flowers

MUSIC
Band / DJ
Sound System Rental

PHOTOGRAPHY
Photographer Fee
Videographer Fee
Albums
Additional Prints

STATIONERY
Invitations
Response Cards
Postage
Thank You Notes
Guest Book
Calligraphy

TRANSPORTATION
For Bride & Groom
For Wedding Party
For Guest (Shuttle)

GIFTS
Bridesmaid
Groomsmen
Parents
Guest

PARTIES
Engagement
Shower's
Bridesmaids'
Bachelor's
Rehearsal
Other

HONEYMOON
INSURANCE
WEDDING CONSULTANT

Wedding Planning: A Wedding to Remember

In the past two and a half years I have been to nine weddings, including my own. I’ve been to a wedding in the middle of the Smoky Mountains where the bride and groom said their vows in front of an amazing view of the mountains. A beautiful wedding, that took place in the courtyard of a 1799 Georgian Home.

There have been amazing weddings, absolutely entertaining weddings, uncomfortable wedding receptions; heart felt ceremonies, and simple affairs. Every time I go to a wedding I leave thinking “I loved this” about the wedding or “I would I have never have done that.”

What do you want people to remember about your wedding?
-The location of your wedding ceremony and reception.
-Special touches like writing your own vows.
-The music and entertainment.
-How beautiful the bride looks.
-The theme of the wedding with decorations and all.
-The great tasting food.
-Or any other unique details that are important to you.

Once you determine what elements are needed to plan your "wedding to remember", it then becomes easier to focus on what type of budget and resources you will need to pull your wedding off.

Wedding Planning: Where to Begin?

Congratulations on your engagement! Now what?

It is important to understand your priorities (and those of your fiancé).
What kind of setting do you envision yourself getting married in? Are you the Cinderella Bride, the Outdoorsy Bride, the Get Married at the Beach Bride, or the Las Vegas Chapel Bride? Formal, semiformal, religious, themed, intimate, outdoors, destination weddings; there are so many choices and you don't have to pick just one, you can incorporate many different styles or even let it evolve through the planning process.

How many guests do you want to invite and how much can you afford?
One of the hardest things to figure out is how many people to invite and who. There are the Bride's Friends, the Groom's Friends, the Bride's Family, the Groom's Family, the Bride's Co-workers, the Groom's Co-workers, etc. you get the point.

Coming up with and initial budget and a list of who can help pay for some or all of the wedding expenses will help in determining how many guest you can invite.

Be sure to sit down with your significant other to talk about the things that are important to you, and important to include in the wedding. Whether it is family traditions, religious traditions, including kids from a previous marriage in the wedding ceremony, avoid battling over it for the next few months by letting each other know what your priorities are. Wedding planning can be a bit stressful at times so make it easier on yourself.

This is part of a NEW weekly series that will be published each Wednesday.