Best of all, in a nod toward the old time tradition in fairs where you paid a dime and got a kiss at the kissing booth, we had a Kiss & Tell booth that allowed brides to come up and get one free piece of wedding advice (or one question about their wedding planning) they wanted answered by a wedding professional.  We were so busy answering questions and getting names the first three hours just flew by without stop!

Thanks to my girls Katie and Casey for working the floor, pasting banners, hanging signs, and coming up with these cool ideas, and for La Tulipe for the floral…we felt like it was major fun and a great hit.  Now let’s see if any of the brides liked us enough to hire us.  :)

If buying, be sure you give your tailor plenty of time to custom fit, order, and re-fit all the pieces on you.  Pick a sustainable fabric that won’t go out of style due to strange patterns or colors, and can be worn for several seasons instead of only in summer or winter.  Don’t expect your wedding party to do the same – getting a custom fitted tux or suit is expensive and generally beyond the expectations of those standing up with you.  However, asking them to wear a black suit they already own is perfectly fine – it won’t show up in photos and guarantees that the pieces fit them properly, as it’s something owned, not rented.

If you don’t want to buy the entire ensemble, instead consider having a custom dress shirt, vest or tie created for you.  This is a great gift for groomsmen as well – everyone can re-wear a white or ivory dress shirt, for example.

Renting tuxes comes with its own hassle.  All men must be measured at a proper retailer of the tux brand, and have their measurements and credit card information sent in so all the tuxes can be picked up at one location closer to the wedding.  This must also be done in a timely fashion, as tuxes are “first come, first serve” so if you choose a popular tux style, but don’t have anyone fitted until a month or two before the wedding, there is a good chance some of the groomsmen may find they cannot get all or some of the tux pieces in that style in their size.

While tuxes are definitely not the showstopping drama of the wedding dress, or pretty features like bridesmaid dresses, they are still an important part of the wedding (they’re in every photo, you know) and need to be given a good chunk of consideration and foresight and lead time to be taken care of properly.

This look is for the couple who truly “knows thyself” and has a lot of fun hitting the fleamarkets for the unique pieces that are required to pull this off.  You’d need a rustic setting that allowed you to do pretty much whatever you want, so look to a tent in a field, a barn or farm, or an old warehouse as long as there’s bathrooms available.  It’s also essential you still have a color theme to run through everything, and that you play within confines of what you LOVE.  It’s very easy to skew steampunk into a completely vintage look, or go very cutsey or too mismatched (this is why having an event designer or planner to help pull the pieces together is so essential) so be sure you have a few key things in mind (vintage with a modern twist) when you set out to emulate this vintage meets fantasy wedding.

Best of all – steampunk weddings really seem to allow couples the freedom to do whatever they want in a whole new dimension – and that’s the most important piece of it all.

Regardless of if you choose a true pastel shade, or go with multiples, it can still be done in a timeless tasteful way – from the dresses to the flowers, to the invitations and the cake – put on those white gloves, give your flower girl a white wicker basket, and remember the golden days.

Of course, one could aways say it’s too much like “love dried up” but why not go somewhere else with the analogy?  What about “true love forever” or “true love preserved” which is a more accurate telling of why we keep flowers and dry them for memories.

There are some gorgeous dried floral out there that can be made into bouquets, arrangements, centerpieces, and crafted into unique statement pieces, perhaps on chandeliers, along doorframes, or tucked delicately into napkins.  Talk to any prospective florists early on in the process about their ability and comfort level of manipulating dried blooms.

We all know the current economic climate of save/scrimp/skip has been with us for a while now…and although the light seems to be getting a bit brighter at the end of the tunnel, you might be asking yourself when planning a wedding, “Do I even need to do favors for guests? Isn’t that a thing of the past anyway?” Why no!- favors are still in and fun to give, so why not spare the extra little expense to give your guests something special that says thank-you for coming to celebrate your big day.

There are so many options for favors…most couples opt to go for the edible route, which is always a hit with guests. Who doesn’t like a sweet treat, like a customized cookie or special chocolates customized with special flavors? You can certainly do individual boxes or bags for your guests, but currently the candy buffet is an ever-popular option for couples looking to satisfy their guests’ sweet-tooth as a thank-you gesture…and candy never gets boring, does it?

You can also give special favors that are thematic to your wedding day, whether it is a small seedling plant for a rustic outdoorsy wedding, or macaroons for a Parisian wedding- the world is your oyster of choices! The newest and freshest idea to hit the scene is the favor table…we have a couple doing a table this year, themed as a French-Provence market…think quaint jars of jam, savory soaps, and lavender bunches. This is a new spin on the traditional fare of individual gifts at place settings, and creates another area for guests to visit and mingle over.

Whatever you choose for your guest favors, carefully selecting something that captures the essence of your special day can really elevate a standard trinket to something that your guests will remember for years to come!

With spring strongly in the air- my windows are open to the hilt today- and cabin fever receding into the background, I think there’s no fresher combo to usher in the warmer months than with a strong, deep blue and a bright, festive green! I love the contrast of the deep royal blue with the pop of chartreuse- it’s a great way to create drama, but with a fresh, clean and modern look.

Royal blue is such a wonderful color that can be used all year-round…and let’s face it- who could ever forget Miss Kate in that fabulous blue engagement dress??? They call it royal blue for a reason! Although you can use many other colors to accent the blue, I think that bright chartreuse changes up the usual, expected color scheme and makes a funky, fresh statement on your day.

You can certainly add other accent colors to the combo- many green orchids available have a pretty mauve hue in the center, giving another dimension to your look, and you could certainly use other shades of purple to give more depth and color. A pop of lemon yellow, a splash of sky blue (light blue hydrangeas can be lovely when combined with the two central colors)…really, the choice is up to you, but the possibilities are endless. So, strap on your favorite chartreuse shoes and head out to put your personal spin on your “royal” day!

Regardless, whether you find them at the local La Reve or order them online from the oh-so-Parisian Laduree, macaroons can’t do anything but make you (and your guests!) smile!

Whether the decorations themselves lean colorful, or chicly elegant or white on white, using the smooth backdrop of the white frosting is so timeless, I don’t think it ever really goes out of style. Something with that kind of staying power is pretty incredible in this industry to say the least!

I love what manipulations you can do to white fondant – whether it be pressing a pattern, folding or draping, one can create an entirely unique cake all in white. Using a rich ribbon, or vintage pins for sparkle is also incredibly delicious looking as well.

The best part of an all-white cake, though, is how stunning the layers can be on the inside. An all-white interior to the cake is very classic, of course, but using color will be unexpected – lemon or berry purees, chocolate, poppyseed or carrot cake, or even (why not?) using a bit of confetti coloring in the cake itself. I’ve even seen couples use food coloring to really add pizzazz (though keep in mind, getting a slice of green cake isn’t exactly appetizing, so keep the cake coloring somewhat palatable).

Regardless of what you decide to do to your cake – it’s the end of your wedding meal. Make it a slice to remember!