Mid-Valley Voice

Picking Your Wedding Theme

Most people don't see a need for a wedding theme. Of course, the theme for any wedding is "marriage."

However, when all the little planning details start to come together, you should have some cohesion to everything. With so many choices to make, having a theme helps to guide you to simple elegance. But beware, theme incorporation should be subtle. Too obvious theme elements can take away from the real reason for your special day and make the festivities feel like a theme party.

The season during which you hold your wedding can provide many cues for theme and color. Try a few of these seasonal suggestions to help make your wedding unique and fun.

Spring: What leaps to mind when you hear "spring wedding?" Flowers! Of course, every wedding has flowers. When flowers are your theme, you can incorporate them not only in décor, but in other decorative elements as well.

- Use a subtly flowered fabric for your bridesmaids' dresses.

- Give your guests flowery favors. Seeds for their gardens in decorative pots are one way to do that. Bud vases are another.

- Incorporate fresh flowers in your cake design or have your baker craft them out of fondant.

- Use pressed flower stationary for invitations and programs. You'll find these little lovelies at many invitation providers.

- Ask your caterer to include flowers in your menu - edible flowers look lovely in salads and as garnish for your main course.

- Colors for spring often include muted pastels, such as buttercup yellow, lilac, pale blue, carnation pink and sage green. These colors can be found in many of the season's flowers.

Summer: When it's hot outside, choose a sunny theme that tells guests that your wedding is the cool place to be? A tropical paradise! A fuchsia wedding dress would be inappropriate, but putting a taste of the tropics in the details can go a long way.

- Feature faux "Tiki" torches as part of the reception lighting scheme.

- Serve fruity drinks with little umbrellas at the bar, and have sangria available in carafes at the tables.

- Make dried fruits and nuts available for snacking.

- Include tropical flowers in bouquets and boutonnieres, and flowered leis as part of the table design.

- Incorporate some reggae music into your playlist.

- Hot colors for those hot summer nights include electric blue, royal purple, magenta, lime green and chili-pepper red. While these colors may seem like a throwback to the 1980s, when you incorporated these hues using a simple elegant touch, they can help make your wedding the most festive fete in town.

Fall: When the leaves turn from green into beautiful fall hues and the air starts to have a nip of cold, what comes to mind but autumn harvest? There are many opportunities to incorporate a little flavor of fall into your wedding celebration.

- Serve cider-inspired drinks and ales.

- Use a leaf motif throughout all aspects of your wedding.

- Include fall wildflowers in the bouquets, boutonnieres and décor.

- Serve spice, apple or pumpkin cake with cream cheese icing decorated with leaves and fall flowers.

- Use cornucopias with various fruits for snacking and centerpieces.

- Look to the trees for the colors of the season. Rich golds, chocolate browns, deep burgundies, dark eggplant and spicy pumpkin can turn your wedding into a harvest of love.

Winter: Whether it's cold or not, when you proceed down the aisle, walk in a winter wonderland. Winter provides a serene backdrop for your nuptials. Consider adding these chilly touches to enhance the sparkle and elegance.

- Include silver sparkle everywhere you can - flowers, dresses, centerpieces.

- Serve warm drinks along with traditional bar fare - hot toddies and hot chocolate.

- If there is snow on the ground, make sure to take some outdoor pictures, even if it's cold. You and the wedding party will look like snow angels.

- Have the bride and bridesmaids carry faux fur muffs - very "Dr. Zhivago."

- Use winter-like fabrics, such as velvets, in dresses and décor.

- Plan your wedding festivities with a "holiday" theme.

- Colors for winter weddings should be cool. These blue-based hues can include ice blue, silver, red and emerald green. Set against the crispness of a winter day, cool colors can warm the heart.

Seasonless style: The combination of black and white always makes an elegant statement. It is especially fitting for an evening wedding. You can incorporate black and white in any number of ways - dresses, accessories, flowers, favors and even dessert. This study in contrasts can pull it all together.

Choosing Your Officiant

Your officiant does more than oversee the marriage ceremony. He or she is the person who can help you bring your dreams and ideas to life.

The officiant will keep you informed of any requirements or restrictions when it comes to your ceremony. Since you may be working with someone you don't know well, be sure to ask detailed questions to determine if you and your potential officiant are a match made in heaven.

On the phone, before you meet in person, find out the following:

- Is the officiant available on the date you've chosen? Obviously, if he or she isn't available on your date, this isn't going to work out.

- What, if any, documentation is required for the first meeting? Some religions require baptism certificates or other documentation.

- Is he or she open to personalized vows, particular readings or music? Some religions have restrictions on using secular music or readings. Some require that you use traditional vows.

- Are pre-wedding counseling or classes required? Again, some religions require couples to attend retreats or "marriage classes" before allowing them to tie the knot.

- Is there an officiant's ceremony fee? Fees for an officiant can range from approximately $20-$200 for performing a service. If you require the participation of other lay people, such as musicians, it is likely they also will have a fee.

If you feel comfortable with the officiant on the phone and can accommodate his or her requirements and restrictions, you will want to schedule a meeting before sealing the deal. When you meet, go over the details of the site and the ceremony.

Including the following:

- Tour the site, noting the capacity, general layout and accessibility. Be sure to note wheelchair accessibility if necessary.

- What the site provides vs. what you'll need to provide - i.e., the runner, flowers, candles.

- Your ideas for music and readings so the officiant can tell you if there are any restrictions.

- Your choice of vows if you're not going the traditional route.

- Your thoughts on the sermon the officiant plans to deliver. He or she may offer to let you hear it in advance.

- Dress code for your site. Some religious sites require a covered head, sleeved clothes or other wardrobe restrictions.

- Any documentation matters including the marriage certificate and marriage license.

- Accessibility for the photographer and videographer, so you can let them know where they will and won't be allowed to go at the ceremony site.

- Officiant and site availability for the rehearsal.

The Mane Event

On your wedding, there are three words you do not want to hear - Bad Hair Day!

How can you prevent a coif nightmare just when you want your hair to look the best? Preparation!

After you purchase your wedding gown, you should have an idea of which way you want to wear your hair.

Your hair style should compliment the style of your gown. And it has to work with the head piece and veil (if applicable) you've chosen. Look in magazines for hairstyles that appeal to you and start a file to show a stylist.

Approximately six months before your wedding, consult with a hairstylist to figure out what you need to do now to get the hair you want for your wedding. That may mean growing a short style out, straightening, coloring or cutting. This is your last chance to make any drastic hair changes - anything you do now must be repairable by your wedding date if you don't like it.

Three to four months before your wedding, pull out your "hairstyle file" and a Polaroid of your dress and head piece.

Ask your hairstylist to start thinking about what styles he or she thinks would complement your gown, head piece and face shape - based on the preferences you've given. At this time, you should also set up all the appointments you'll need from that day until the wedding day.

Don't forget to schedule an appointment for the rehearsal dinner day, if you'd like to have a special hairstyle for that occasion.

About six weeks before your wedding, do a trial run of your wedding day hair, complete with your headpiece and veil. If you don't like what you see, your hairstylist will have plenty of time to go back to the drawing board to come up with a style that better suits you. While you have your hair done and headpiece and veil in place, it is a good time to do a test-run with your makeup as well. Either do it yourself or consult a makeup artist. Be careful not to get any of the cosmetics on your wedding day gear.

Two weeks before your wedding get a final haircut or trim to clean up any dull, split ends you may have. Remind your groom to get a final trim as well. This is also an ideal time for a final trail run. Make sure your hair looks the way you always dreamed it would. You still have time to come up with something different if you're not happy. Don't settle for a hairstyle you don't love.

One to two days before the wedding go in for your rehearsal hair appointment. If your wedding day hair is more formal, try something fun and trendy for the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. If your wedding hair is loose and romantic, try something sleek and modern. While your hair is being done, take time to go over all your wedding hair details to be certain you have everything organized and ready to go for your big day.

On your wedding day, after eating a healthy breakfast, wash your hair and thoroughly dry it. You may even want to put your hair in hot rollers before you go in for your appointment to save some time (hot rollers should create body, not tight curls - consult with your stylist). Make sure to wear a low-collared robe or button-front shirt so you won't ruin your hair changing into your dress.