Many brides want their wedding decorations to be elegant, lavish, and unique without the high price tag. Here is a great idea for getting just the look you want, but saving a lot of money.

Crystal embellishments from the craft or fabric store can be used to enhance every element of your wedding decorations. Long strands of crystals can be wrapped around vases of flowers or decorative columns, and across the top of the guest book table. Smaller crystals can be mixed in with bridesmaid bouquets and pew decorations. A small crystal glued to the wedding program cover will show your attention to the smallest detail.

If your wedding is in the evening, candlelight reflected off the crystals will set an elegant and romantic glow anywhere you use them—on the guest book table, on pews, at the altar. But even a daytime wedding will seem more romantic when surrounded by crystals. That extra sparkle when the sun catches the crystals will make a magical setting.

If you are planning a winter wedding, crystals can be especially useful in creating a “winter wonderland” theme. You can hang them from an archway with silver “icicles” to create a shimmery look. But this idea works well for warm weather weddings, too. The addition of crystal strands to hanging ferns at an outdoor wedding, for example, would add a touch of drama to an otherwise simple decoration.

Anywhere you can think of to add a crystal or two would be a little extra touch of elegance to your wedding day decorations.

This wedding decoration idea was brought to you by WeddingandPartyNetwork.com.  A special thanks goes to Trias Flowers, Antiques & Gifts, a Miami Wedding Florist who graciously let us use their photo.

Common Interest Creates A Wedding Theme

I know a great couple who both absolutely love Mickey Mouse. He was an illustrator and she was a school teacher. They both were very young at heart, so when it came time to decorate for their wedding, they couldn’t resist including their favorite character in the decorations.

Their arch was decorated with flowers and in the center, the flowers were in the shape of Mickey Mouse. They had theme stickers subtly hidden on candelabras, in flower arrangements and other decorations. Their bridesmaids and groomsmen had Mickey Mouse stickers included in their bouquets and boutonnieres.  Mickey was every where. It worked for this couple’s wedding. I think it’s an idea that would work for others, who share a love of the same hobby, sports team, etc.

Making Your Common Interest Theme Work For Your Wedding

Let’s say you and your hubby-to-be are St. Louis Cardinal fans. You could incorporate a small red cardinal bird (that you can find at craft stores) in flower arrangements, pew bows, arches, on candelabras, on the flower girl’s basket—anywhere! It can be done in a very tasteful way. Being subtle is the key.

If you wanted to have some fun with it, you could tell your guests (maybe through the wedding program) how many birds representing your love of the Cardinals are in the decorations. See who can find the most. At the wedding reception, you could poll everyone to see who found the most and give a nice gift to that guest. No matter what the common interest, you can use it to reflect your unique style through your wedding decorations.

I was watching a TLC show recently called “A Blooming Business” about a floral designer in Dallas who was creating floral wedding decorations for a particular wedding in which the bride wanted to honor family members who had passed away. I’m all about honoring people who have impacted our lives, so my ears perked up when the designer shared this idea that she used.

When she created the bridal bouquet made from creamy peach peonies, she used strands of ivory satin ribbon to attach several antique gold lockets to the bouquet. Inside the lockets were photos of the bride’s loved ones she wanted to honor and remember on her wedding day. The photos had been scanned on the computer, printed, and cut to fit into the lockets for a really beautiful addition to the bride’s bouquet.

A note was included in the wedding program that the lockets were part of the bridal bouquet to honor those loved ones.

I think you could go a step further and include the loved ones’ photos in the program with the note of explanation, or even display their larger photos in the foyer on a small table with the explanation written on a larger sign. This would add to the wedding decorations as guests enter the ceremony site.

There are many traditional ways of honoring people through the wedding decorations—candles, pew flowers, wedding reception centerpieces—but I think this one is very unique and is a lasting keepsake for the bride.

I love outdoor weddings. There’s just something about the natural beauty of the greenery that makes them so fabulous. Outdoor wedding reception decorations and table centerpieces can be somewhat tricky though, because you don’t want to take away from the natural scenery. The new overall wedding decoration idea trend is "earthy glamorous" and this theme is even more beautiful outdoors.

This can be done using twigs, leaves, containers of grass, and several other resources. Table decorations and centerpiece options are endless with this theme. Long low containers of grass with a Read the rest of Take Advantage of Natural Beauty… Outdoor Wedding Table Decorations »

Flowers and ribbon are a very beautiful, yet very common decoration combination for wedding pews, alters and arches. Over the past few years, florists and wedding planners have started branching out with resources used for decorating the church for the wedding ceremony. Fresh flowers are the traditional foundation for wedding decorations; but unique ornamentation such as glittered spheres, real bay leaf garland, twigs and other unusual items can be used as well.

A trend that has been developing over the last few years is the “naturally glamorous" theme. This Read the rest of Naturally Glamorous Theme For Wedding Decorations »

Looking for wedding decoration ideas that are considered outside the box? Consider a tropical wedding theme even if you live in the mid west. Tropical wedding party decorations can be used anytime of the year. But for winter brides, they offer unique wedding decoration ideas that remove the formality of traditional winter weddings.  Tropical wedding decorations include, but are not limited, to grass skirt material, tiki torches, and tropical plants and flowers.

Bird of Paradise plants lining the aisle next to the church pews or row seating are a great way to add  Read the rest of Tropical Wedding Party Decorations »