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Sunflower Wedding Flowers

Why White — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 14:50:51 +0000

With a sunflower wedding, you don’t have to think too long about what flowers to use! Sunflowers have enough contrast and color that they look stunning by themselves. There are various options on how to carry them. Carry one long-stemmed flower by itself. Or bunch a few together with long stems and carry across your arm. Or hold a big bouquet of sunflowers, keeping the stems short and securing them with ribbon or raffia. An alternative to the traditional bouquet is to have your bridesmaids carry a kissing ball of sunflowers! A bright, cute alternative!

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While sunflowers look stunning by themselves, there are many flowers which coordinate well with them, too. Determine your colors by researching online flowers or visiting local florists and pair accordingly. Greenery, such as ferns and eucalyptus pull out the green sunflower stems. For a more country feel, add in shafts of wheat.

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Looking for more color? Long lavender stems add a lovely purple touch, while thistle adds a rustic, wild look. Or use asters. Red, pink, or white roses are elegant. Gerbera daisies come in an array of bright colors and are more fun. Calla lilies are modern.

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Have your flower girl carry a basket or tin bucket full of sunflower petals to scatter down the aisle.

The groom and groomsmen can wear a single small sunflower or paired with a small sprig of eucalyptus or wheat.

Sunflower Wedding Reception Decorations

Why White — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 14:47:29 +0000

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Name each table by a different flower and have the wedding table as the sunflower table! Set place cards inside a single sunflower blossom at each setting.

Scatter sunflower petals around tables covered with brightly colored tablecloths. Or lay out long eucalyptus, lavender, fern, or wheat stems down the center of the table.

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Go with a traditional cake with white icing and sunflowers climbing up the side or around the sides of each layer of the cake. Or have several heart-shaped cakes, with sunflowers surrounding them.

A unique alternative to a wedding cake is to create a Twinkie sunflower cake. The center is a round chocolate cake, iced with chocolate frosting and topped with semi-sweet chocolate chips. Around this center, place yellow frosted Twinkies for petals. A fun and creative cake—plus easy to make yourself!

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Instead of a cake (or to compliment a smaller cake), have cupcakes decorated as sunflowers. These can be placed on tiers or set around on tables as a tasty decoration.

Accent with colorful fruits, such as lemons, limes, oranges, and strawberries. Slice them up and have them float in the wedding punch. Or in clear dishes filled with water and placed on tables.

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A very simple but extremely eye catching decoration is to just set big bouquets of sunflowers in the centers of tables. Depending on what type of vase you put them in will set the atmosphere of the tables. A big black vase is elegant. For a country feel, use tin buckets, large mason jars, baskets, or watering cans.

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Hang huge sunflower wreathes on the location doors or around the walls. Place mini wreaths or bouquets on the aisle ends.

Set out hay bales for guests to sit on or to use as décor around the room.

For favors, put sunflower seed packages in baskets for guests to pick up as they leave. Or tie chocolate-covered sunflower seeds inside mini paper bags and a little note on the outside. Set up a cookie bar with sunflower shaped cookies. A little pricier but stunning option is to place mini chocolates inside yellow boxes at each place setting.

Sunflower Theme Dress

Why White — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 11:05:12 +0000

Because of the style versatility of sunflowers, nearly any wedding dress will work! Just as long as you stay away from dresses with lots of lace or flower designs, you should be fine. Too much lace would seem to compete with the boldness of your sunflowers.

If your wedding is more formal, look for an elegant dress, such as one with full fabric or pin tucks.

Photo Credit: romanticgowns.com

More carefree, choose a simple, A-line dress.

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Or for a rustic theme, pick a whimsical, pleated gown.

Photo Credit: romanticgowns.com

Wear a bright pair of sandals, coordinating with your wedding accents.

If you are using brown in your wedding, consider having your groom and the groomsmen wear brown pinstripe suits. If your wedding is casual, they could wear brown pants with champagne shirts and deep green or brown ties.

Or continue the casual theme with the guys by having them wear black pants with a vivid shirt the color of your accents (such as blue or yellow). Black or yellow Converse add to the casual feel.

Even if your wedding is formal with tuxes, have the guys wear bright yellow (or accent colored) socks with their black suits. It’s a fun addition and creates some great picture opportunities, too!

Sunflower Wedding Themed Invitations

Why White — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 10:14:17 +0000

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Choose your invitations based on the atmosphere of your wedding. Incorporate your accent colors and patterns in with your invitations.

Include gingham or polka dot ribbon, or wheat or raffia onto your invitations!

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Sunflower Wedding Theme

Why White — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 09:30:05 +0000

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No flower says cheerful as much as a sunflower! Sunflowers are a perfect theme in which to center one of the happiest days of your life. With their vibrant yellow petals, deep brown center, and vivid green stems, sunflowers allows you to choose among an array of styles and colors to create your wedding.

Imagine the glorious setting of getting married near a sea of sunflowers! Under a canopy draped with sunny yellow! Or go more formal at an art museum or church, using a black and white theme, accented with big, yellow sunflower blossoms. Whichever way you choose to go, sunflowers are easily adaptable—from fun and funky to carefree and country to chic and classy.

To set the style, play around with colors to use as your accents. Pick brilliant shades of colors to compliment sunflowers. Such as vibrant blues, pinks, reds, and purples. Of course, you can use sunflower colors, too—yellow, gold, brown, and green. White and black create a stunning and formal atmosphere. Gingham and polka dot prints coordinate well with sunflowers, too. Gingham lends to a country feel, while polka dots are trendier. Experiment with the prints to find which you like the most.

As an added bonus, sunflowers are in season right now, which means you have fresh flowers easily available. If you plan ahead, you can grow your own, too! They are hardy, low-maintenance plants. It’s an easy way to help out your wedding budget!

Military Wedding Theme

Why White — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 16:27:11 +0000

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If your fiancé is in the military, what is more perfect for a July themed wedding than incorporating both his military service and Independence Day in one! Express your patriotism through red, white, and blue incorporated into your flowers and dresses. Your groom will look impressive in his classy dress uniform, and who could pass up walking under the saber arch after being pronounced man and wife!

Usually military weddings are formal, but you can make yours as formal or informal as you like. If you keep with the formal, a white wedding, with just a touch of color, is extremely elegant.

Stars, eagles, and the liberty bell are all patriotic emblems you can use in your wedding. Take advantage of Fourth of July sales to stock up on patriotic themed decorations as a budget saver.

Have your wedding outdoors in a gorgeous park or inside at a military chapel. If you would like to get married at a military church, be sure to book the location at least a year in advance. They fill up quickly! Write a formal request to the base chaplain’s office.

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Many aspects of a military wedding are just like a traditional wedding, but there is some specific etiquette you will need to make sure you follow. Follow specific seating for military guests, from highest to lowest rank. Be sure you get seating arrangements organized ahead of time. Some military chapels already have their own decoration guidelines and some require pre-marital counseling in order to be married there. Be sure to contact the base protocol officer if you have any questions regarding any etiquette you will not want to overlook.

Military Wedding Theme Invitations

Why White — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 16:23:46 +0000

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For your military wedding, you can either send the traditional wedding invitation or include a definite military theme.

Whichever you choose, include your groom’s rank on the invitation, rather than titling him “Mr.,” which is usually written.

On your invitation, you will also want to note what level of formality your wedding will be as you invite fellow service men. This way they can know how to dress appropriately. For a black tie wedding, note, “Mess dress uniform invited.” For semiformal, “Class A uniform invited.”

If your military theme especially incorporates stars, eagles, the American flag, etc., definitely continue that theme in your invitations.

You can print your own silver foil invitations at LCI Paper.

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Order invitations with your military branch seal. Or these cute invitations with an outline of a bride and groom, complete with his dress uniform.

Or keep your invitations traditional, with red or blue as the text color.

Mail your invitations stamped with American flag or Forever (Liberty) stamps!

Military Wedding Theme Dress

Why White — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 16:19:28 +0000

As your groom will look striking in his uniform, you can afford to have a dress with lots of sparkle and flare!

Photo Credit: romanticgowns.com

If you really want a stunning effect, wear a red gown, coordinating with a red, white, and blue theme.

Photo Credit: romanticgowns.com

Or for a more subdued hint of color, find a dress with a touch of red or blue. Or purchase a white gown and add your own ribbon!

Photo Credit: romanticgowns.com

If you are going very formal, consider simply stated elegance with sparkle. Beautiful!

Red or blue gowns are stunning colors for your attendants to wear.

Accent your gowns by wearing white pearls or diamonds. Wear a sparkling tiara or decorated barrettes in your hair. If you wear a tiara, make sure you provide your bridesmaids with jeweled hair pins. If your dress coordinates well with a veil, wear a long, flowing one.

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Obviously, your groom will wear his uniform, so you shouldn’t have to worry about a tux for him. If the groomsmen are in the military, they can wear their uniforms, as well. If some are in the service and some aren’t, you can either have a mix of tuxedos and uniforms or have all the groomsmen in tuxes. Have them wear navy blue or black tuxes.

The uniformed groomsmen can wear their white gloves. However, the best man and your groom should not wear their gloves as they will be holding your ring.

A boutonniere should never be worn with a uniform. Service men wear their military decorations instead.

Remember: If the groom wears his sword or saber, you will stand on his right side (opposite of the traditional), as he wears his sword on his left.

Military Wedding Centerpieces and Reception

Why White — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 16:15:44 +0000

With Fourth of July items found everywhere in the summer, it’s simple to find centerpieces and decorations to make your wedding and reception area perfect! Just about everything can be found in red, white, and blue, as well as flag prints. Take advantage of the sales at craft stores and even Wal-Marts to decorate your wedding.

Whether your wedding was black tie or casual, you might consider having a more laid-back outdoor reception to unwind and just have fun. Throw a full BBQ or provide tasty summer finger foods. Set up a volleyball net or croquet. If your reception goes later into the evening, provide a firework show when it gets dark!

Make sure your decorations don’t get too busy. It is easy to over-do it with flags. For instance, if you are going to spread flag tablecloths, go with bigger flag prints, rather than lots of little ones. Or go with alternating or layering red and blue clothes. For a more elegant look, spread out white tablecloths.

Purchase plastic silverware in patriotic colors. Get similar paper plates, or flag plates.

Set tiki torches around for a romantic atmosphere.

Serve lemonade or red and blue punches. Set out dishes of mixed blueberries and strawberries, topped with whipped cream (or ice cream!), or layer in parfait glasses.

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Serve mini blueberry muffins. Frost or sprinkle star-shaped cookies.

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Have your wedding cake made out of red velvet and iced with white and blue frosting. Top with a mini military couple or the military seal. Your groom and you can cut the cake with his saber! A great photo opportunity!

Decorate tables with wedding flowers and flags inside clear or patriotic colored vases.

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Fill jars up with red, white, and blue jellybeans. At the end of the reception, have your maid of honor give them away to those who stay behind to help clean up.

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Instead of handing out birdseed for your guests to see you off with, have them wave sparklers. Or hand out sparklers as favors.

Military Wedding Theme Flowers

Why White — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 16:10:58 +0000

With your flowers you can either continue with your red, white, and blue theme, or pull out the colors in your groom’s uniform. Either will coordinate beautifully.

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For the ultimate patriotic theme, go with red and white roses, baby’s breath, daisies, iris, or carnations. You can either carry a solid-colored bouquet, or carry a red bouquet with a few white roses, for example.

Sunflowers are bright, happy flowers which really stand out and match perfectly with the yellow strip down some military uniforms.

Photo Credit: cpmanda

Have your flower girl scatter red and white rose petals up the aisle.

Remember, boutonnieres are never worn with military uniforms.