Themed-up Thursdays: A Long-Distance Themed Wedding

One of my favorite things about Weddings is how personal they are.  The most memorable weddings to me have always been the ones where you can really see the personality and background of the couple in all the details.

To kick off Themed-up Thursdays, I thought it would be appropriate to get the ball rolling by talking about a theme close to my heart – Long-distance themed Weddings.

My husband and I had a 2-year Long-distance relationship before we got married, so we really wanted to reflect that in our wedding details.  Some ways that we made that theme clear was to have our flower arrangements sprouting out of suitcases (the suitcases symbolized all our traveling back and forth), a quirky suitcase wedding cake, guests threw paper airplanes instead of confetti or rice, and our wedding invitations also carried the long-distance theme saying “Brian & Dionne’s ‘Kiss Long-Distance Goodbye’ Wedding Celebration”.

Everyone at the wedding commented on the theme, and said it was one of the most memorable weddings they’d ever been to.

When planning a long-distance themed wedding, think about items that remind you of that.  Items like vintage telephones, letters, postcards, passports and luggage tags are all great ways to punctuate your wedding with this theme.  Other decor elements like world globes and maps would add an interesting, unexpected element to your decor.  Remember, not everything needs to be white and frilly.  Today’s weddings are more about the couple themselves, not traditional frills and lace.  You want to make your wedding be recognizable as your day instead of a generic wedding that could be for any couple.

Here are two great Long-distance themed elements online.  A set of recycled map envelopes from Picklehead, along with a lovely vintage telephone from Tessimal.  If you have any great ideas for Long-distance themed items, feel free to share them with our readers in the comments!

Rain on your wedding day :: a new sexy!

During a consultation with one of our destination wedding couples last week, we began the forbidden “weather” discussion.  We laughed at how our destination bride-to-be’s grandfather enjoyed Molly and Jason’s (ABC’s The Bachelor) downpour at their outdoor wedding ceremony.  At that moment I realized that couples are truly beginning to embrace their wedding day’s events as mother nature means for it to happen.

No doubt, it’s all in the attitude.  We can’t control the weather, but we can certainly control our reactions and overall attitudes to things we cannot control.  If you’re planning a tropical destination wedding, it’s not uncommon for the sky to open up one minute and the sun to peak through the clouds the next.  Embrace this possibility and run with it… the grown and sexy way!

Here’s a clip of Molly and Jason’s beautiful rainy day wedding from ABC’s The Bachelor ::

Tell us…

How would you like a wet, rainy wedding ceremony?  I’d totally dig it!  After all, rain on your wedding day is a sign of good luck.  [wink]

Until next time!

[Here's to your precious nuptial :: Cheers!]

The Circle :: Love and Your Wedding

As a Houston, Texas based destination wedding planner, we often share world stories of traditions, customs and symbolism with our clients.  The circle is one of my favorites.

A cycle, completion, wholeness, unity, centering, unending…

These are some of the things that come to my mind in reference to the circle.  Isn’t it ironic that these may also be referenced to love and marriage?

The Circle…

circle

A closed plane curve consisting of all points at a given distance from a point within it called the center. Equation: x 2 + y2 = r2.

With this ring…

The wedding band is the most familiar circle symbol around.  The symbol of everlasting love.

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"From the earliest times, the circle has been a symbol of completeness, a symbol of committed love. An unbroken and never ending circle symbolizes a commitment of love that is also never ending." --Michael Barlow-Sparkman

Family circle and circle of friends…

Your circle of family and friends will be your never ending support system as you begin the next chapter of your life.  JP Photography captures this symbolism beautifully in this image.  The Polish wedding unveiling ceremony offers a good example of incorporating this symbolism.

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Hawaii’s Circle of Flowers and Wedding Leis…

In Hawaii, the circle of flowers is also known as the circle of love and serves as the alter in which the couple is Maui’d.  Just kidding, married.  As with the traditional wedding band, it holds a symbol of everlasting love.  Your circle of family and friends my participate by adding single blooms to the circle shape arrangement.

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The couple’s exchange of wedding leis at the beginning of the ceremony symbolizes love, commitment and respect.

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The Wedding Lasso…

Made as two circles joined into a figure eight shape, the lasso is often seen in Catholic Spanish/Hispanic and Philippine (Cord and Veil Ceremony) wedding ceremonies.  My Spiritual Wedding offers the pictured example below.

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The Circle of Life…

Marriage is a natural part of life’s cycle.  Perhaps the biggest circle symbol, we know this cycle as the “circle of life.”  It most often happens  just past the life’s autumn and unselfish surface.  Adulthood enhances our ability to swim through our life’s growth processes.  This is our life’s full moon and our prime as our paths are ready to embrace marriage as a new chapter of our life’s cycle.

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From the Greek wedding tradition of the couple circling the alter to the Indian wedding tradition of  the couple’s exchange of garland, the circle is used in a variety of symbols, customs and beliefs.  Yet all carries a heavy foundation to begin a new chapter of life as husband and wife.  How can you be inspired by the circle?

[To your precious nuptial :: Cheers!]

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Photo Credits ::

Wedding Band :: Posh Woman

Bride with Bridal Party :: JP Photography

Leis and Circle of Flowers :: Maui-Angels.com

Wedding Lasso :: My Spiritual Wedding

Circle of Life :: Will return to update : Amended from original version

Colour Me Butterfly

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This past Thursday, @TweetMyWedding of Overheard Wedding Twitter posted this picture of this oh so gorgeous gown!  We would love to see the right bride express their self with this inspiration.  Gorgeous!  Isn’t it?

This beautiful creation is part of Luly Yang’s Metamorphosis collection.  The name of this collection is rather fitting.

Cocoon :: Concept   +   Caterpillar :: Development   =  Colour Me Butterfly

Colour Me Butterfly

Colour Me Butterfly

We think Luly Yang’s website says it best.

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[To your precious nuptial :: Cheers!]

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Photo Credits:

Gown :: Flickr Photo via outlier*

Marigold & Tealights :: Brides.com

Pomander Branch & Feather Ornaments :: {LD} Design

White Butterfly Cake :: Who Made the Cake?

Birdcage Veil :: Castle Bride Couture

Feather Shoes :: Halberg Photographers

Butterfly Release :: Lake Lanier Official Vistors Guide

Cocktail Hour Setup :: BBJ Linen

Fleur-de-lis :: Lily Flower

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Fleur De Lis :: Captured in Florence, Italy

I must admit that the longer I stay away from my native Louisiana heritage.  The more intrigued I become with the history, the culture, the symbols, and everything Louisiana.  I’ve learn to embrace each opportunity that presents me to visit, even if for brief periods of time.

My earlier days were filled with blur moments, no real interest, and many dreams of what awaited me outside the “little boot” I know as home.  My mature years, as they so often are, has become years of revelation.  You know:  The eye opening experience builders!  Things that I once glossed over now interest me.

I remember seeing this funny looking three leaf design everywhere.  It was one of those common things that you accepted and never really questioned.  If you know me, you know that I’m a total “find out for yourself if you want to know” type of gal.  I now know this symbol has been around long before heraldry, but thanks to our European migraters, we may share in its beauty and inspiration.

Lily flower also captured in Florence, Italy

Lily flower also captured in Florence, Italy

The Fleur-de-lis, which may also be spelled ‘Fleur-de-lys’, means lily flower.  A lily flower with three petals that each symbolizes something different, something meaningful.  Bibically, it’s a symbol of Holy Trinity.  Writers have commonly described these petals to mean faith, wisdom, and chivalry.  All are aspects a sound marriage and a wonderful inspriation to designing your wedding day.  The outcome will be for more than a wedding day design.  It will be a wedding day design that bears heart felt significance.

Say it softly.

Let it roll off your tongue.

It’s speaks romance.

Soft… Dainty… Beautiful…

Classic beauty that can inspire the masses!

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How does Fleur De Lis inspire you??

[To your precious nuptial :: Cheers!]

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Inspiration Photo Credits ::

Bouquet : artfool

Napkin Fold : Roter Ochs

Cake : Sedona Cake Couture

Cake Balls : cake by bridges™

Gown : YSA Makino

Flatware : Beverly Bremer

Linen : Wildflower Linens

Jewelry : Irda Jewelry

Place Card Holder :  French Quarter Market

Invitation : Gourmet Invitations