Although February generally isn’t a busy month for weddings, the exception every year is the weekend of Valentine’s Day.  Since we don’t have any Valentine’s weddings at Wish this year, I thought I’d offer up some WishCandy that makes me think of the day!

A gorgeous bouquet in pink or red is a great way to give a nod to Valentine’s Day!

These red tulips from Branch Floral Design look so elegant!

Love the little hint of purple in this one, photographed by Erin Hearts Court:

I died over this bouquet in our “Pink is My Signature Color” post — these are coral peonies:

Olivia Leigh Photographie:

Love the touch of orange in this bouquet from the Flower Girls:

Real Simple:

The Knot:

Another from The Knot:

Of course, bouquets are the only place you can highlight the theme of your Valentine’s Day wedding.  Centerpieces are also a great way to incorporate color.  I LOVE this gorgeous carnation (I KNOW!  Carnations!!) centerpieces from Carolyne Roehm:

Speaking of carnations, they’ve made a big resurgence in the last couple of years as not only a money saver, but a really cute flower when you bunch a ton of them tightly together.

Oh, Martha…always with the trends…

Branch Floral Design:

Okay, last carnation one, I promise…from In Style Weddings:

Of course, there are lots of other flowers to use in your centerpieces, not just carnations, like the following two beauties from Dandelion Ranch:

Hostess with the Mostess:

Olivia Leigh Photographie:

Once Wed:

And the adorable centerpiece inspiration for Mrs. Green Tea of Wedding Bee:

There are other aspects of decor for your wedding, though.  Use pinks and reds to decorate your ceremony space, like Nancy Liu Chin:

Your guests:

Your stationery:

Or your feet!

A few more great hits of red and pink…how about these awesome pink lanterns, from Habitually Chic:

Eye Spy Photography:

You could also use one of our favorite ways to add a HUGE pop to your wedding decor, uplighting, photographed by Jeff Greenough:

Or what about adding some color to your food and drinks, like the girls at Hostess with the Mostess?!

Red Punch, on Inspired by This:

Cake, from Martha Stewart:

Macarons, photographed by Our Labor of Love (nice rings too!):

“Lollipops” make a great addition to a dessert table.  These are from Parents magazine, but the girls at Sweet Ladies Bakery in the DC area make amazing brownie, truffle and cheesecake lollipops!

Speaking of desserts…and my favorite DC vendors…I had THE MOST AMAZING Red Velvet Cake from Lara at Fluffy Thoughts.  And Red Velvet is, of course, perfect for a Valentine’s wedding!  (Note, this is not Fluffy Thoughts’ cake…Lara’s cake went WAY too fast for anyone to get a picture of it!  This is just an insanely delicious looking picture of red velvet cake that makes me want to eat my computer screen…)

How about some red drinks — red is one of the easiest colors to make a signature drink with!  (Have you tried finding inspiration for purple drinks?  Not easy!)  These are from Real Simple:

How about the amazing poppy on this gorgeous cake featured on Style Me Pretty?

And finally, some great pink and red clothing details.  For the bridesmaids:

Lara Swanson:

Dress from Etsy seller Parsimony:

The boys, photographed by Eye Spy Photography:

Or even the bride!

Joel Flory Photo:

The Sweetest Occasion:

What Junebug Loves:

Are you getting married on Valentine’s Day?  Will you be using pink and red?

::Disclaimer!  The photos in this post are purely inspirational and not from events that Wish Special Events has planned or coordinated unless denoted by a link to another wedding on this blog.  We can re-create what you see below for your event but these are not a part of our portfolio::

There are plenty of aisles that need no decoration at all.  A gorgeous church or synagogue, a beautiful ceremony setting amongst the trees, or a scenic beach doesn’t have to have flowers or candles to make it perfect — it already is! However, even amazing locations like these can be spruced up by some great aisle decor.  Below are some great ideas for decorating your walk down the aisle.

First up we have pew decor — you don’t have to use boring pew bows, we promise!

Martha Stewart Weddings:

I think buckets are a really cute idea:

But these flower baskets are great too!

Outdoors, you have even more options!  You can decorate your chairs or benches in a variety of ways.

Sherman Chu Photography:

Love Life Images:

More buckets!

More Martha:

Rather than decorating the chairs or pews, you can decorate the aisle as well:

Laurel McConnell Photography:

I LOVE decorated aisles like that!  Rose petals can go a long way, but you have to use lots of them, like this:

(Photo from Sedona Bride:)

Martha Stewart Weddings:

More great aisle decorations that can go on the ground.

Emilie Sommer:

Millie Holloman Photography:

Shepherd’s Hooks are also a great and easy way to decorate your aisle, like these next few pictures from The Knot:

Shepherd’s Hooks are so versatile!  They can hold flowers in vases or jars:

Pomanders:

Genevieve Leiper from Danielle & Ryan’s wedding:

Lanterns:

Or even these adorable chandeliers, photographed by Jasmine Star:

How are you decorating your aisle?

::Disclaimer!  The photos in this post are purely inspirational and not from events that Wish Special Events has planned or coordinated.  We can re-create what you see below for your event but these are not a part of our portfolio::

I love fall.  The cooler air, pumpkin flavored things, new school supplies, the Steelers.  So, although we already did a series a while back on fall weddings, this post is for the color most people think of when they think of fall: Orange!

The thing about orange, though, is that it doesn’t have to be a fall color, and it doesn’t (and, really, unless it’s Halloween, shouldn’t) have to be paired with black for that spooky look.  Here are some great shots of one of my favorite colors, orange!

Bouquets are a great way to incorporate orange into your wedding.  Orange calla lilies are GORGEOUS!

Becker:

Dahlias are one of my absolute favorite flowers:

Stella Alesi Photography:

Orange can look really pretty with many other colors too, like pink (which is decidedly UN-fall like!)

Amy Squires:

It’s also pretty with green:

Yellow:

Or Purple:

Nicole Green Photography:

Orange isn’t only for bouquets.  It’s also gorgeous in centerpieces:

Notice the use of orange ribbon, which really ties the theme together.  Orange can be used in other cute ways for centerpieces as well.

Jessamyn Harris Photography:

Eclectic Images:

Stacey Ilyse Photography:

Of course, in the DC area, there are two huge (but hugely conflicting) ways that orange is incorporated into weddings:

See Meredith & Howard’s wedding for more UVA orange & blue wedding ideas!

Of course, with grads from all over the country in this area, you could just as easily have a UT Vols cake:

A Florida Gator cake topper:

Or even a Clemson ring pillow:

There are more ways to use orange in your wedding as well, even if it’s not your alma mater’s color.

Julia Newman Photography:

Heather Saunders Photography:

E Photography:

LOVE this invitation from Wedding Paper Divas:

Pen Carlson Photography:

GORGEOUS cake from Mark Joseph Cakes:

And finally, one of my favorite orange details, and a sneak peak of an upcoming wedding of ours, photographed by local photographer Hope Reynolds:

Are you using orange for your wedding?  What are you pairing it with?

::Disclaimer!  The photos in this post are purely inspirational and not from events that Wish Special Events has planned or coordinated.  We can re-create what you see below for your event but these are not a part of our portfolio::

An entire movie was dedicated to the idea that, with most bridesmaids dresses, you can not “wear it again.”  For whatever reason, something about most bridesmaids dresses, there is just no chance you’re wearing it again.  (If that’s true, you should donate it to a great cause!  Hitched in DC does a great drive every year.)  However, there are some wonderful, thoughtful brides out there who won’t make you wear this:

There are many options these days for bridesmaids dresses. From allowing girls to wear different cuts in the same color and fabric, to having them wear different shades, to just letting them wear whatever they desire.  This wedding featured bridesmaids in deep purple dresses of their choosing:

Or have your Maid of Honor stand out in a dress of a different color, as in this wedding photographed by Chris Baltazar:

How cool is this bride?  Clearly she said “Ladies, pick a green dress.  Yes, just green,  any green is fine.  Yes, really.”  I love her for that

Two things I love about these dresses; the different colored sashes and the adorable petticoats peeking out under the hem:

More petticoat goodness:

Okay, these girls?  This is just hot!  I absolutely love the pencil skirts with the sleeveless white tops and wide sashes.  I have no idea how the bride thought of this, but it is genius!

I love the idea of skirts for bridesmaids!  Talk about something you can wear again!  Here are some more skirted bridesmaids. Photo by Brian Wedge Photography:

Another great new trend is patterned bridesmaids dresses, like these black and white dresses from Ann Taylor, shot by Union Photography:

Photography by Eleise Theuer:

Or these patterned dresses from Anthropologie, photographed by Ann Wade Parrish:

Anthropologie seems to be a popular choice for patterned dresses — look at these cute candy striped dresses from the shop (Photo: Stacey Kane):

Speaking of Red and White, how adorable are these Betsey Johnson dresses?! (Photo: Our Labor of Love):

I really like the trend of “shades” from the same color — shades of blue, shades of green.  It not only allows the ladies to pick the color they like but also creates a great palate to work from!

Or you could go with the same dress in completely different colors, like these brides…

Dresses by Calypso; Photography by Paul Johnson:

Or, make it different with accessories, like the shoes…

Amelia Lyon Photography:

Necklaces…

Shawls:

(Photo: Eleise Theuer):

Or Jackets, like these from Banana Republic (Photo: Jonathan Canlas):

How are you dressing your bridesmaids?  Are you doing anything different from the “norm”?

::Disclaimer!  The photos in this post are purely inspirational and not from events that Wish Special Events has planned or coordinated.  We can re-create what you see below for your event but these are not a part of our portfolio::

Yesterday we featured bouts for the boys.  Well, turns out, they’ll actually have to wear clothes, too!  (Except for you, Clooney…clothing optional for you…)

Yes, he could wear a tux.  A tux is classic.  A tux is hot.  A tux is James Bond.  (Oh, speaking of which, you too are clothing optional, Daniel Craig…or just wear those swim trunks from your first Bond flick.  Thanks…)

But you all know what a tux looks like, what a group of men look like in a tux.  You can envision a tux wedding.  This post is dedicated to those non-tux looks.

I love a tan suit for a wedding — not only can everyone wear it again, but it just looks great!  Photo by Joshua Caine:

Especially love a tan suit with flip flops!

For my friend Coralie’s wedding in Hawaii, her husband wore a beautiful tan suit while his groomsmen wore casual white shirts and tan pants:

Even more than a tan suit, I LOVE a brown suit!

How great is this brown suit with a tweed vest, photographed by Brian Tropiano:

Or this corduroy jacket?

The guys could also go for the preppy Nantucket look:

Kristin Spencer Photography:

Blue Daisy Weddings:

Or go for the ultimate in preppy with these Nantucket Red Pants, Photographed by Therese Marie Wagner:

Speaking of preppy, how great are these sweater vests?!  They have a certain Weezer look to them.  Beaux Arts Photography:

Or you could go to the other end of the spectrum, and rock some suspenders!

Or is the opposite of preppy the hip look, complete with hat?  These guys just look like they belong in a Speakeasy, don’t they?!

Ron B. Wilson Photography:

A grey suit is always a nice tuxedo alternative.  Heather Cook Elliott Photography, Suits by Banana Republic:

What is your groom wearing?  Will it be a classic tux, or a different look?

::Disclaimer!  The photos in this post are purely inspirational and not from events that Wish Special Events has planned or coordinated.  We can re-create what you see below for your event but these are not a part of our portfolio::

Because we talk so much about the brides on this blog,  I thought we’d focus on the boys for a bit!  Boutonnieres are often a last-minute thought but there are actually some really great things you can do with this frequently overlooked feature of a wedding.  Below are some great examples to show off your fiance (or dad, or grandpa, or groomsman, or usher).

We start, where all wedding ideas probably start, with Martha.  Oh, Martha.  Why must everything you create be so perfect?

Fall seems to be a great time to experiment and have some fun with the bouts…

Berries, small branches, greenery and other non-floral items make for nice, masculine boutonnieres:

Photo from Jasmine Star:

There are even some flowers that aren’t too feminine…

Photo: Jasmine Star:

Photo: Colin Michael Photography:

Photo: HRM Photography:

Here are some great boards that feature boutonnieres by color:

And ones that adds one of my favorite features, feathers!

A great new trend is having a boutonniere that isn’t even necessarily floral.  This cotton boutonniere is perfect for a Southern Gentleman.  Look how it matches the tie!

Or this one that highlights one of the groom’s favorite activities:

Etsy is a great resource for non-floral bouts like this that feature your groom’s hobbies.  You might also be able to do one yourself!  Is anyone doing something special with their man’s boutonniere?

::Disclaimer!  The photos in this post are purely inspirational and not from events that Wish Special Events has planned or coordinated.  We can re-create what you see below for your event but these are not a part of our portfolio::

Ah, wedding favors.  How can something so small cause so much stress?!  I’ve had WAY too many brides stress out over this small notion that, up until several years ago, wasn’t even a part of weddings!  For once and for all, you DO NOT need to give favors at your wedding.  Sure, they’re nice and cute, but will people be in shock if they don’t get pear-shaped salt and pepper shakers or a candle at the end of the night?  No.  Their lives will go on, and no one will think less of you.  In fact, I would venture to say 99% of the people at your wedding won’t even notice that there wasn’t a favor!

That being said, if you WANT to do a favor and have room in your budget, there are tons of adorable things you can do.  If you’re a great baker, homemade cookies are a great favor.  Your mom makes a mean banana bread?  Make some mini loaves, put them in the freezer, and wrap them up for a cute take home gift.  (Can you tell I’m a big fan of the edible favor?)  Here are some pictures of cool favors.

At First Sight Photography:

Agnes Lopez Photography:

(Mmm…mini pies to take home…) Lauren Clark Photography:

(Like I said, I’m a big fan of the edible favor!)

There are so many ways to pick a favor.  You could give a nod to the season, like with these leaf-shaped chocolates for the fall:

Or these Halloween-themed Favors:

Or how about these GORGEOUS tomatoes, offered up with cute boxes for guests to take home (perfect if you have a big garden or a great farmer’s market nearby):

For a winter wedding, ornaments or wreaths are a great option.  I wish I had a picture but at my friend’s wedding, the bride’s mom HAND PAINTED ornaments for every guest!  Not only were they GORGEOUS, but it was a very sweet and touching favor.  These ornaments aren’t from that wedding…they’re from a company called St. Nick Studios:

And in the spring, what about a cute potted plant or flower to take home (these flowers, from Martha Stewart, can also double as your centerpiece — what a great money saver!)

A great, heartfelt favor option is to do something homemade.  What are your talents (or your groom, or your Maid of Honor, or your dad?)

How flippin cute are these mini cakes, in little mason jars?!?  (Angry Chicken)

Cranberry Orange Marmalade, from Cooking Light:

Also from Cooking Light, these Mini Fruit and Sunflower Loaves of bread would make a great favor — and you can bake them in advance and store them in the freezer until a few days before the wedding.

Having a picnic themed wedding?  How about some homemade BBQ Sauce?!  (This one, from Southern Living, looks DELICIOUS — it’s called Sweet Mustard BBQ Sauce)

A great place to get packaging for homemade items like these is The Container Store.   They seriously have EVERYTHING — whether you’re making a homemade liqueur, a spice rub, or a 10 gallon batch of spaghetti sauce, they’ll have something for you to put it in.

You can also give guests a favor that doubles as something they can use during the wedding.  For those who want to dance the night away without getting sore tootsies, what about a basket or bucket of flip flops? (This cute bucket from Room Service Home):

Or for a fall outdoor wedding that might take on a chill in the air, how about wraps or pashminas for the ladies?

Or, as guests are dancing the night away, what about having your servers pass a little late night snack that doubles as a favor, like the milk and cookies here from The Knot?

Another cute way to choose your favors is by going with a regional treat.  If you’re from Ohio or Western Pennsylvania (like me), you’re probably familiar with Buckeyes, these AMAZING peanut butter balls dipped in chocolate.

Martha Stewart Weddings:

Or if you’re having a destination wedding in Maine, how about these lobster lollipops, also featured by Martha?

A Vermont wedding?  This maple candy (of course, from Martha) looks DELICIOUS!

A lot of you are probably locals (or, at least having a local wedding) in the DC/MD/VA area.  So what about…

A White House Christmas Ornament?

Some Virginia-made cider or wine?

Some Maryland crab cake mix:

Speaking of Maryland crabs, how cute would these crab mallets be — especially if you’re having a crab feast!  You could even personalize them if you’re crafty:

There are some great products made right here in Virginia — like one of my favorites, Route 11 Potato Chips (the Sweet Potato are my favorite):

Or, of course, Virginia peanuts!

What about a favor that speaks to your hobbies?  If you’re into gardening, there are some great favors out there from these personalized seed packets from Beau Coup:

To a spider plant with a hand-painted pot:

Is the groom a fisherman?  What about these lures, from The Knot?

I love these fresh potted herbs, for the couple that loves to cook together (Picture by Evoke Photography):

Family recipes are also a great, heartfelt option, whether it’s Grandma’s cocoa mix:

Honey from a family farm:

Or the groom’s favorite cookie recipe:

Beau Coup is one of my favorite sources for unique favors.  They have some of the cutest stuff, including these mini gumball machines and mini cocktail shakers.

And who doesn’t love Girl Scout Cookies?!

How gorgeous is this mini flower market at one couple’s wedding?  Guests were encouraged to create their own bouquet to take home.  I LOVE it!

I like that idea of guests choosing their favor — it was also used in this mini “jams and jellies” market.

Or for a cute twist on the popular candy bar, what about a popcorn bar?

And finally, a few last favor ideas:

Martha Stewart Weddings:

Etsy (a great source for homemade favors!)

Are you having favors at your wedding?  If so, what are you doing?

::Disclaimer!  Except where noted, the photos in this post are not from events that Wish Special Events has planned or coordinated.  We can re-create what you see below for your event but these are not a part of our portfolio::

Oh, that Laura just thinks she’s SO clever, doesn’t she?  She goes and posts a WishCandy on Paper Lanterns, when I have been collecting pictures for AGES!  Well, I’ll fix her wagon!

Miss Laura may have offered you tons of amazing photos, but did she have this one?  No, no she didn’t:

Of course, paper lanterns aren’t the only lanterns out there.  You can do beautiful things with all types of lanterns:

Little White Dress Photography:

Jasmine Star Photography:

Jennifer S. Rau Photography:

I love these hanging mason jars by Paloma Images, especially how they’re all different shapes and sizes:

Erlina Kim Photography:

Lauren Rutten Photography:

I like the idea of lanterns in place of pew bows:

Sometimes you don’t have a handy pew, tent, or tree to hang your lanterns from.  That’s when things like Shepherd’s Hooks come in handy.

Amanda Phillips Photography:

Nina Sutherland Photography:

Silverbox Photographers photographed these cute lanterns from CB2, Crate and Barrel’s “little sister” company.

Of course, you don’t have to hang your lanterns at all — there are tons of ways you can place them throughout your ceremony or reception:

Ashley Brockinton Photography:

Marie Clark Photography:

Silk Studio Weddings:

Amanda Bevington Photography:

I love lanterns as centerpieces, or to decorate an escort card or gift table:

One of our couples, Trish and Justin, used these adorable lanterns for their centerpieces:

Amanda Kraft Photography:

And, just because I LOVE them, a few more amazing photos of paper lanterns!

Rebecca Thuss designed this “lantern chandelier,” which many brides, including one of mine that you’ll see in a few weeks, used for inspiration:

I love the intimate feeling these low hanging lanterns create, found on Blue Orchid Designs Blog (of course, I’m short…I wonder if they would be frustrating if you weren’t a total midget, like me?)

How cool is the use of the paper lanterns in this natural history museum, photographed by Serene Image Photography? A great idea to add some lighting to a venue that doesn’t allow candles!

Love these round bulb lights mixed in with the lanterns, from Paul Johnson Photography (plus, a bluegrass band at your wedding?  AWESOME!)

Star lanterns, decorated tent poles, AND sunflowers?!  I LOVE IT!

Will you be using lanterns at your wedding?  Where do you find them, and how do you use them?

::Disclaimer!  Only the first photo in this post is from an event that Wish Special Events has planned or coordinated.  I’ve given credit to the designers where I can.  We can re-create what you see below for your event but these are not a part of our portfolio::

I’ve been collecting photographs of lanterns for a long time now!  This seems to be one of those decor trends that never quite expired.  Unfortunately it’s not the cheapest way to decorate a reception space but it sure is a beautiful one!

Photo: Sabine Scherer

If you’re not familiar, paper lanterns are made of a lightweight wire frame and covered in a light, translucent paper.  They come in all makes and models but the standard is a basketball-sized white version.  These are just so gorgeous in abundance:

Even when you don’t have a huge budget for a ton of lanterns, they can still jazz up a plain reception space.  This is a high school gymnasium (see how the basketball hoop is covered in satin?):

Whoever designed this event got pretty funky!  I like the combination of the round lanterns, the cone-shaped lights, and the twinkly string lights:

This wedding used lanterns only over the dance floor, giving the tent a beautiful focal point and also giving this spot a feeling of abundance (without going overboard).  Can you imagine what their cake cutting photos would have looked like if the photographer got low to the ground and shot upwards with the lanterns in the back?  ::swoon::

Lanterns can even be incorporated into a centerpiece.  Who said they needed to hang from the ceiling?

This creative wedding used them to dress up a tree!  Minty green and ‘Pepto pink’ are a little past their prime in trendiness but this was all the rage circa 2006:

Even standard white lanterns can look extra special when lit with a colored bulb or contrasted against a colored uplight.  In this case we have a pink uplight against the wall, round pink lanterns with white lights inside, and white cylindrical lanterns with white lights inside!  What a gorgeous statement for your bar and lounge space.  This scrumptious event was designed by David Beahm Design:

If the solid-colored lanterns aren’t your style, how about these funky ones?  I’m not sure where Ariella Chezar found these beautiful pieces but I love the photo just the same:

The same awesome lanterns by the same awesome designer, strung in a different space (must be the same event, right?):

This is an older image (2005 maybe?) but I could still stare at it for hours.  I love the combination of the natural-colored linens and chairs, the subdued but elegant and luscious centerpieces, the great natural trees with tables scattered between, and the strung canopy of lights.  Are these white paper bags??

I’m the worst about photo credits and have had some of these photos for a very long time.  If you know where they came from (or if they’re yours) please let me know!

Here in the DC area, Frost Lighting and Capital Decor are two wonderful companies who can install gorgeous lanterns like these.  There are a few other options but we always recommend these two.

Do you plan on having paper lanterns or another type of decoration for your reception?

::Disclaimer!  Only the eleventh photo in this post is from an event that Wish Special Events has planned or coordinated.  We can re-create what you see below for your event but these are not a part of our portfolio::

Whether you call it an altar, a chuppah, or “that thing we’re standing under to get married,” there are all different types of arbors, arches, trees, and gazebos that can be used for your ceremony.  An altar can be anything you want - from simple to elaborate - and is a great way to add decoration to your ceremony site.

There are some ceremony sites that are so beautiful that they really need no decoration.  This beautiful gazebo-like structure below, covered in greens and flowers, is a perfect example:

Other times, the site for your wedding will already have something installed, such as a permanent chuppah, gazebo or arch, which you can decorate any way that suits you:

Decorations and flowers by Tapestry Flowers:

Christin Khan Photography:

One tradition I love from Jewish weddings is the idea of people as Chuppah Holders.  The chuppah represents the couple’s home and is open on all sides as a sign that the couple’s home will always be open to their friends and loved ones.  The “home” lacks furniture to show that the most important part of the home is not the furnishings in it, but the people.  At sites where there is not already an existing chuppah, or it is not feasible to install a chuppah (Lindsay and Sam’s wedding would have been a perfect place to have chuppah holders, since theirs kept blowing over thanks to the winds off of the Chesapeake Bay!), chuppah holders carry in the chuppah and hold it during the ceremony.  It’s a nice way to add honor attendants to your wedding party, especially if you have friends of the opposite gender and don’t want male bridesmaids or female groomswomen.  This image from the blog A Practical Wedding is a gorgeous example of chuppah holders:

Of course, you don’t need to have a chuppah or an altar at all.  You can get married in front of a beautiful fireplace:

Under a stately old tree:

Jasmine Star:

Under a patio umbrella like our very own Laura did (Linda Wallace Photography):

Or even decorate the side and entrance of the house, like this couple did (I kind of love this one, photographed by Huy’s Photography, just because I think it’s sort of ingenious):

Beaches are great places to have altars with beautiful draped fabric:

Studio This Is:

Karen Tran Florals:

Vision Photographs:

But, of course, urban backdrops are great too!  Blue Bouquet Flowers:

These two shots show not only how beautiful the altar is from the guests point of view, but also, how amazing it looked from underneath:

And a few more, just because I found so many gorgeous photos!

Wendy Hithe Photo:

Dia Rao Photography:

Love Life Images:

Are you getting married under an altar/chuppah/arch/tree/other?