Planning: 4 Ways to Have a Patriotic Wedding This 4th of July

By: Stacy Shiffner

The 4th of July is a day we celebrate our love of the U-S-A, but for those who will also be celebrating their love of each other, we've got some ideas of how to show some patriotic spirit this holiday.

Wear Red, White, & Blue

It's typical to wear the colors of the US flag on the 4th and just because your wedding day falls on America's birthday doesn't mean you have to make an exception. Dress your bridesmaids in red or blue and you can be styled in a traditional white wedding gown. If you are feeling bold and brave go for a red or blue dress yourself - colored wedding gowns are a growing trend among brides right now.

Red Bridesmaid Dress: Alexia Designs
White Wedding Gown: Cosmobella
Blue Bridesmaid Dress: Jordan Fashions

via Secret Life of a Chef's Wife

Decorate with Desserts
Festive treats are an easy way to infuse some patriotic color into your wedding decor. With some red and blue food coloring you can create cakes, cupcakes and other yummy desserts that show your spirit. Make star-shaped cookies or delicious cake pops with stripes to add to your dessert table. Or, consider putting flag at the top of your cake instead of a traditional topper or flowers.





Add Small Touches

via Instagram

Paint your nails, wear a red garter, or carry a blue bouquet. There are endless ways your can incorporate red, white, and blue into the details of your wedding. Stars and Stripes can adorn your decor, while flags can be used to accessorize centerpieces. These small touches will give a hint of patriotism without overtaking your day but will acknowledge the holiday at the same time.

via Ann Coen Photography

Set Off Fireworks
It goes without saying that fireworks are a key component of any 4th of July celebration, and your wedding should be no exception. Give guests sparklers to wave as you and your new husband exit your ceremony or set some off into the sky to finish off the night. Your guests will love the show and will appreciate that they won't miss out on the holiday fun.

For more wedding planning tips and trends, visit ForTheBrideMag.com
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Planning: Hot Summer Wedding Trends

By Patricia Canole

Summer wedding season has arrived and with it softer and sweeter celebrations—to make for lasting memories. Read on for the latest trends in summertime nuptials.

Villa Aquamare, Virgin Gorda, BVI

TREND 1: THEMES Of course, beach and garden themes are at the top of the list for summer weddings. But also think of your favorite warm weather hangouts. A mountain theme (a throwback to those childhood camps days). Or, if you’ve decided on a garden wedding, add a honeymoon element—orchid centerpieces for Hawaii, jerk chicken appetizers for the Caribbean.


TREND 2: COLOR Sticking with two hues along with a definitive accent color will guarantee a spectacular wedding. Rather than using a splash of color at your reception, use one shade for a defining statement—think all-pink centerpieces or bold orange table linens. This holds especially true for your centerpieces: Instead of multicolored centerpieces, alternate single-color floral arrangements for a pulled-together look. Great colors for summertime: Lavender, as well as pistachio. What’s out? All-white weddings.

InterContinental Mondelucia Resort, Arizona

TREND 3: CENTERPIECES Citrus fruit is an old standby for summertime receptions, but step it up and engage your florist to use hollowed-out watermelons as a container. Fill it with seasonal flowers and herbs. Another option is to incorporate wooden vases with grass/moss to give centerpieces a outdoor natural look.

TREND 4: INVITES We’re seeing that more and more couples are choosing to e-mail their save-the-dates, which allows them to splurge on traditional engraved invitations. Use colors in a new and unexpected way. For example, rather than using Caribbean blue lettering on a cream-colored invite, opt for cream print on blue paper. Or mix it up—do the cream-colored invite with Caribbean blue writing, and then a powder blue reply card with a cream-colored font. Consider the material of your invite as well. One hot-off-the-press idea: Use fabric-printed invites, programs, and escort cards for a laid-back look perfect for summer.

Sylvia Weinstock for Ritz-Carlton Bal Harbour 

TREND 5: SWEET TREATS White wedding cake will always be a popular choice. However, we’ve noticed that bakers are offering delectable summertime flavors and fillings to fit the mood. Think strawberries and whipped cream filling for a strawberry shortcake-style wedding cake, or a citrus filling like Key lime. Cupcake days are over. Instead we see artsy wedding cakes. You might also consider hiring an ice cream truck for the end of the evening offering late-night snacks for your friends and family.


TREND 6: LET THE PARTY CONTINUE After parties are more popular than ever. In fact, couples are hiring caterers and DJs for the after party and making it a more relaxed event for their guests. Some popular ideas to keep in mind include a beachside clam bake, Mexican fiesta (with margaritas of course), and all-American barbecue with fireworks and all.

For more wedding planning tips and trends, visit ForTheBrideMag.com
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Planning: 5 Tips for an Unforgettable Outdoor Wedding

5 Outdoor Wedding Tips

By: Amy Darwish

Planning a summer wedding? Outdoor events are all the rage this season! Brides are looking for a way to host an outdoor affair where the guests are enchanted by the details and not turned off by the bugs or weather. Whether you are having a beach wedding, a wedding in a garden setting, or even a fall fete, we've got the tips you need to make your outdoor wedding memorable for the best possible reasons! Be sure to:

via Instagram

1. Remember The Weather: Check the weather reports leading up to your wedding. If it's been a rainy season and you suspect your big day will be a wet one, there are ways to save your wedding from being drowned out. You can consider renting a party tent. Tents come in a range of styles, sizes, and colors and can even be completely transparent to maintain the outdoor feel you desire. Another option is to order umbrellas for your guests. These favors can double as gifts for your guests and they will surely make for some fun wedding photos!

2. Help Guests Dress For The Day: Keep your guests informed about the best ways for them to enjoy your wedding day. If your wedding will take place in a grassy garden, you may want to let your ladies know to leave their stilettos at home. You can post updates via your wedding website, or have close friends and family spread the word! As well, you can provide flip flops for your guests in case they need alternative footwear. You can also provide shawls or scarves for guests if you expect there to be an evening breeze.

     

Tabletop Citronella Torch via Lowes.com

3. Beware of Bugs: Having your outdoor wedding in the summertime? If so, chances are you may encounter some uninvited guests. A great way to keep bugs at bay is to put citronella torches all around the property. Not only do they help repel bugs, but the torches can add decor & ambiance to your celebration. In addition to torches that get planted into the ground, there are tabletop torches which can be incorporated into centerpieces help keep bugs away from your guests during dinner. You can also provide cans of bug spay for your guests. Either put the cans in the bathrooms or on a designated table outside along with some allergy medication.


4. Keep Your Guests Hydrated: Provide cold water for your guests throughout the celebration. You can add a special touch to the water by adding blueberries, orange slices, or cucumber for a refreshing look & taste!  You can either have glasses of water passed out by waiters or you can have a flavored water station, so your guests can grab drinks for themselves. If your wedding is an informal affair, you can even decorate coolers and have bottled water available.


5. Light The Way: When scouting your outdoor wedding location, remember to consider lighting. If there are no outlets in the area, you have a few other options. You can rent a generator to provide electricity for the event and put up string lighting or place lamps around the area. You can also use torches and candles for a more romantic feel. No matter what you choose, make sure your guests aren't left in the dark!


For more wedding planning tips and trends, visit ForTheBrideMag.com
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Planning: How To Include His Mom

Include Your Future Mother-In-Law in Wedding Planning!

By: Stacy Schiffner

It's easy to find ways to include your mother in the wedding planning process - after all, you've both probably been discussing details since before you were even engaged. What about your future mother-in-law? It's important to include your fiance's family in the planning process and with Mother's Day right around the corner, there's no better time to get his mom involved.

Photo: BananaStock/Getty Images

Here are some ideas to get the bonding started:

Wine and Dine Her

Is your future mother in law a fan of food and wine? Ask her to join yourself and your fiancé to your tasting or invite her to lunch at the location of your wedding. If she has a palette for fine foods, she might be the perfect person to tell you whether to serve beef or fish, the Merlot or the Malbec.

Consider Her Hobbies

Maybe your future mother-in-law enjoys craft projects, gardening, or baking. Think about the things she is good at and enjoys doing and you can include her on related tasks. If she's an avid gardener, bring her to the florist so she can compare Calla Lillies and Orchids. Does she bake the best cookies in town? Have her create some yummy favors that you can send your guests away with.

Work On Invitations Together

You will need your future mother-in-law's help with gathering mailing addresses for her side of the family, but consider taking it a step further. Ask her if she'd like to help you assemble the cards and stamp the RSVP envelopes. You can make a night out of it with her and your mom as well, as this is a great opportunity to get both families involved.

Include Her Musical Taste

Does his mom love to dance or have an ear for good music? Ask her to make a list of songs that she thinks will get the guests up and moving. After all, she's probably been to many weddings on her side of the family and knows what will get your fiancé's family out of their chairs.

For more relationship advice, visit forthebridemag.com.

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Wedding Registry: Ideas for Couples Who Already Live Together

Modern Wedding Registry Ideas
By: Stacy Shiffner

If you are a modern bride trying to pull together a wedding registry wish list, then you've probably noticed that traditional registry lists have not kept up with the times. Today, nearly half of all soon-to-be married couples live together prior to their weddings and that often means you already have dishes, a blender, a bedding set, etc. With that said, we've put together our own list of registry must-haves for couples who already have the basic home essentials.

Take a look below for what you should really be asking for.

Renew towels that have lost their plush

1. Items to Upgrade
Certainly you could take a look around your home and find a thing  or two that are in need of repair or upgrade. If you've been living together for more than a year, you might consider registering for a new set of sheets, towels, and even cutting boards. These items should be replaced every couple of years, so it's good to have a second set coming your way. Also look at your favorite appliances, if you use your toaster oven daily, see if there is a new model available. You'll want to upgrade items you use all the time to get the most life out of them in the future.

Register for fun items like bikes

2. Sporting or Hobby Equipment
Living with your fiance you are bound to have developed new activities that you enjoy doing together. Whether it be camping, biking, or game night, ask your guests to give you gifts that you will both spend time using.  Register for items like sleeping bags, sporting goods, or even popcorn bowls to keep the fun going. Your guests will be thrilled to get you something you both can bond over.

Pricey items can make good group gifts

3. The Things You Couldn't Afford When You Moved In
Buying a home is expensive and if you put most of your savings into your home purchase, you probably did not splurge for things like fine china when you first moved in. Add items to your registry that you want or need, but couldn't afford. Good gift ideas would be a KitchenAid mixer for baking, an Espresso machine, or even a patio set. These costly items are good for groups of friends who want to pitch in on buying a gift together.

Gift cards can give you flexibility without asking for cash

4. Gift Cards
While it is not in good form to ask for cash on your registry, asking for gift cards is certainly acceptable.  Cards to home improvement stores, favorite restaurants or retail shops can help you get by in your first year as you adjust to being married. Register for cards you see yourself needing immediately or put some on your list that you can save for a rainy day. 

5. Not-So-Exciting Stuff 

Add some not-so-exciting essentials

Registries should be fun, but when it comes to maintaining a household that isn't always the case.  Add some items that will make upkeep of your home easier such as a fireproof safe (you'll want to put your marriage certificate in there), a paper shredder for getting rid of unwanted mail, and doormats to keep dirt out of your home.



Now that you are ready to get started on your modern day wedding registry, grab your fiance and get let the fun begin! For more registry ideas visit our website at forthebridemag.com.

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