While every year there’s a hot color combination trend in the wedding world, many couples choose to go with a timeless and gorgeous color scheme: black and white. There’s something so elegant about this choice. Whether a bride chooses to go with vintage details or a more modern approach, the simplicity in color is always understated and romantic.

A splash of color: For the bride who just can’t give up on having a little color incorporated in her big day, it’s perfectly acceptable to work some into your black and white theme. In fact, when used in small, subtle bursts, it can add to the romantic feel. The easiest place to play with a little color? In your flower choices. Think of how gorgeous a small bouquet of red roses or fuchsia peonies would look up against all black bridesmaid attire. Entirely white flower centerpieces can pop with lightly tinted crystals or the natural color of a grapevine. The trick is to use restraint and keep the main focus on the black and white.

Fun with favors: Yes, black and white weddings may be all about the elegance but favors create an opportunity for couples to be playful. For example, mini classic gumball machines (think black machines and white gumballs) can be a fun choice with a retro feel.

Or, white scented soaps wrapped in vintage-inspired black gift boxes keep your wedding colors covered. Mints that come in tins shaped like black tuxedos and white wedding dresses can also be cute choices to send home with guests.

Décor Decisions: With black and white as the backdrop, there’s an opportunity to add some extra pizzazz to your décor with the help of hanging crystals or dramatic lace patterns. As for flowers, dramatic arrangements of all-white flowers with black branches can make a statement. Simple black table linens can create a nice backdrop for a runner with the couple’s monogram.  Black and white photos of the happy couple can be displayed to add a personal touch and maintain the classic color scheme.

Couples are going for the crowd-pleasers with the latest trend in wedding favors. Edible options, such as personalized chocolate truffle favors and elaborately decorated wedding cookies, are becoming popular in the favor world as a way to say thank-you and send guests home with an enjoyable treat. This trend also reflects an overall idea being embraced in weddings today: couples want to spoil and wow their guests!

If you know you’d like to wow your reception guests with an edible favor, but aren’t sure which direction to go, we’ve compiled some fun ideas and tips.

• Edible favors can playfully reflect your wedding theme or the season. For example, margarita mix sets or salt water taffy can be perfect for a summer beach wedding while gingerbread cookies and hot chocolate mix can be good choices for the holiday wedding theme.

• There are plenty of opportunities for personalization when it comes to edible wedding favors. Scrumptious sugar cookies (in the shape of wedding cakes or romantic hearts) can easily feature your monogram and wedding date. Frosting colors can also carefully match your wedding color palette. You can put a thank-you message on personalized wedding gum favors or design your own wrapper for a Hershey chocolate bar.

• Many newlyweds are creating elaborate wedding candy buffets as a unique and fun way for their guests to enjoy some treats at the end of the reception. Take-home bags and wedding favor boxes are often made available for them to bring home the delicious sweets.

• Edible favors don’t necessarily have to be sweet selections. Gourmet olive oil in beautiful glass jars, tea bag kits, and specialty coffees can also work nicely.

• Keep things local to remind guests of the special place where your wedding was held. Locally baked cupcakes, maple syrup, honey, or anything sweet that originated in the city where you wed can be special favors.

Check out our entire collection top edible wedding favor finds online at Wise Wedding Styles.

Sure, flowers are part of every wedding. That’s not big news! But more brides are choosing to use a wedding flower theme as the style basis for their big day. It’s not just about bridal bouquets or wedding centerpieces, but defining their wedding  theme around specific flowers. With endless color choices and bloom selections, it’s easy to create a signature look for your wedding decorations. Whether it’s romantic roses or modern anemones, there’s a suitable style for every wedding.

At WiseWeddingStyles.com, we’re always shopping for top products and noticing new trends. Some of our favorite floral theme ideas:

Set the Tone: Gorgeous colors and flowers gracing your wedding invitations sets a romantic tone for your wedding day. Some choices include the “Buds of Love” line which are inspired by nature and feature pink petals on green stripes. “Brilliant Blooms” Invitations  mix a whimsical and contemporary floral design. A nice bonus? Several color schemes are offered in this invitation design.

Wedding Cake Choice: Delicate, sugar-made flowers can be an impressive detail to any wedding cake. Whether piled on the top tier or elegantly cascading down the edges, bakers can easily reinforce your floral theme by replicating most blooms.

Floral Wedding & Reception Favors: We’ve founds some fun options including plantable wedding flower seed favors, soft hand towels shaped like roses, flower pots filled with candy, miniature garden shovels, and miniature water cans  that can be filled with fresh flowers. Want to see them and more? Visit  WiseWeddingStyles.com.

While planning my destination beach wedding a few years back, I knew what kind of products I wanted to make the day complete. The list went something like this: paper fans for the wedding ceremony, beach bags for my bridesmaids gifts, wedding invitations with a beach theme, and some sort of tropical cake topper.  Sure, I had a solid list, but these weren’t the kind of items I shopped for on a regular basis. The other problem was my budget. With travel costs, there wasn’t much left for reception favors and other details.

Looking back, I would’ve loved some shopping direction and outside opinions. If someone could have directed me to top beach-themed wedding products and the best deals on the web, I would’ve been a much more relaxed bride.

That’s why I’m thrilled to remind you that WiseWeddingStyles.com offers access to a free personal shopping assistant who is ready to help you find the best wedding products, deals, and trends on the web. Simply call 888-842-9990 and prepare to enjoy the perks!

When is the last time someone paid you for shopping? Wise Wedding Styles will do just that for one lucky bride-to-be every month.  Just use our shopping guide to make a purchase from any of your favorite bridal stores found on our website and submit proof-of-purchase for a chance to win $250.

Since our shopping guide features products from more than 60 premier stores, chances are you’ve been eyeing some items already. And with a $250 wedding contest on the line, now is the perfect time to purchase those wedding invites, reception favors or bridesmaid gifts.

Our team is always working to save brides time and money during their shopping experiences. Whether we’re tracking the latest store discounts or selecting high-quality wedding products, we strive to eliminate shopping frustration. Our proof-of-purchase contest is just one more way we’re making the process enjoyable!

The first contest will run from April 15 to May 31, 2010.  For more information or to enter, visit www.wiseweddingstyles.com/contest.

Every groom-to-be wants their fiancé to have the perfect engagement ring. However, in this economy, they also want to find it at the perfect price. In fact, many men are turning to the Internet as a way to save, not skimp, on that dream wedding ring.

While it may sound like risky business, buying a diamond online can actually be safe and translate into big savings if you do your homework. In fact, consumers can save up to 40 percent from making the purchase online, according to smartmoney.com. That may sound too good to be true, but these savings are possible because online stores don’t have the same overhead costs associated with traditional stores. And online diamond shopping has never been more popular thanks to the tough economy and an increasing number of Internet savvy engaged couples ready for a good deal.

If you want to take advantage of these savings, start by carefully researching online vendors. Check with industry organizations, such as Jewelers Vigilance Committee, to ensure there haven’t been any complaints made against any of the online vendors you are considering. It’s also important to carefully understand the company’s exchange and return policies. Most retailers should offer a 30-day return policy and this creates time for customers to have the diamond appraised to ensure they truly got what they paid for.

When looking for the perfect engagement ring online, grooms-to-be must have a good grasp of diamond basics, such as the four C’s (cut, clarity, color, and carat weight) and how these affect price. A diamond’s characteristics are always listed on a grading report from an industry organization and never make an online purchase without one. It can also be cost effective to buy wedding bands from the same online store, as many offer significant discounts for double purchases.

If you’re still not sure where to start, check out www.wiseweddingstyles.com for an organized and easy look at gorgeous engagement rings from reputable online stores.

If you’re getting married, you know your significant other and the love story you share better than anyone. Therefore, it makes sense that when couples exchanges vows; they often want them to be in their own words.

Personal wedding vows can make wedding ceremonies, already emotional occasions, even more special by allowing couples to express their feelings in a unique and personal way – something more brides and grooms are taking advantage of in recent years.
As traditional weddings have somewhat faded, brides and grooms now want to focus on making the wedding day all about their relationship and something that represents them. It can be a very nostalgic experience and quite special compared to the traditional wedding vows for a civil ceremony.

With personalized wedding vows, there are also plenty of opportunities for creativity. If you want to write your own wedding vows, consider the following:
-Remember you don’t have to abandon tradition all together. Cut and paste traditional vows to create something that represents your relationship and the promises you would like to make.

-If you’re nervous about being too emotional to get those personal words out, write a letter   that the officiant can read during your wedding ceremony.

-Vows can be serious business, but you shouldn’t shy away from humor, if that’s your style. Wedding planners report seeing couples do everything from sing their vows to each other to adding humorous lines to break up the emotionally-heavy parts.

-Leave enough time to work on your vows. This part of the ceremony should be carefully planned and you don’t want to put pressure on yourself to finish last-minute. After all, you will spend countless hours choosing your wedding colors and cake design, why not be as selective about the words you will be saying before “I do.”

In a plan to pull off a perfect wedding, bridesmaids and groomsmen have many responsibilities, including making sure the couple stays sane enough to enjoy their big day. How can you thank your wedding party for all of their hard work? It can be difficult to find the perfect gift to express your gratitude, but we’re here to help you explore some options.

One popular trend in bridal party gifts is giving a useful gift that comes with a personal touch. For example, many companies recognize this trend and allow customers to personalize practical items such as handbags, bathrobes, slippers and jewelry. And personalization isn’t only for the bridesmaids. Initials and names can also be spotted on popular gifts for groomsmen including cooler bags, cufflinks, and money clips.

You can also use your wedding theme to inspire gift ideas. A destination wedding might call for beach bags packed with magazines and candy for long plane rides or consider wine and a hand-painted glass for a vineyard wedding. These types of gifts can serve as a nice reminder of the wedding they were such a big part of and also possess a practical element.

Jewelry can also be a practical gift if you select items that can be worn for the wedding ceremony. It takes pressure off your bridesmaids to find the right accessories and also decreases what they have to spend on wedding day attire. However, try to find pieces that they are likely to wear again.

If you’re concerned about breaking your budget, get creative. Scrapbooks can be sentimental and economical gifts. You can also host a thank-you dinner or brunch at your home to show your wedding party some appreciation. A relaxing picnic or gathering for their favorite cocktails are also fun ways to say thank you.

Couples shouldn’t forget about their little helpers. There are creative choices for flower girls and ring bearers including books that playfully explain their duties, personalized totes and piggy banks, keepsake boxes, and decorated disposable cameras for the big day. Spending time with your youngest bridal party members to do something they enjoy before the wedding day can also be a memorable “thank you” gift.

Wedding themes are becoming all the rage and couples have a wide variety of choices as to what their theme will be. One of the most romantic wedding themes is a Valentine’s Day themed wedding. With Valentine’s Day being such a popular couple’s night out, you will definitely want to book your special day long in advance. tag:

Red is the color of love. When I think of Valentine’s Day, I think of red flowers, roses in particular. Tulips can also be used to create amazing bouquets or flower arrangements. Other red flowers that would be good to use would be the red Gerbera Daisy, Dahlias, red Peonies, Freesia, and Calla Lilies. If red is too stark, you might want to consider adding some pink accent colors of flowers in bouquets or your decorations to lighten the ambiance.

Valentine’s Day themed weddings are often held at night and are a more formal affair. The groomsmen should be adorned with black formal wear and sporting a red or pink boutonnière. The bride should wear her beautiful gown and her head laced in red flowers or perhaps a ruby crown headpiece might be in order. Bridesmaids can wear beautiful red gowns, with their hair done in a formal up hairstyle. A flower girl can carry a beautiful red and white satin basket filled with rose or Cherry Blossom petals.

The reception tables can be adorned with glass bowls with floating red lilies or red candles. There are many products that can be used for Valentine’s Day themed weddings. Linked silver hearts place card clips, chocolates and heart shaped confetti can be placed atop the tables. A nice parting gift to the guests could be a personalized box of chocolates with the name of the newlyweds imprinted on the outside. The attached card can read “Thank you for being our Valentine!”

Think also about:

* Pink champagne?

* Fabulous chocolate wedding cake with white icing and red roses?

* Chocolate covered strawberries for finger food?

* Candy buffet with all the special holiday bon-bons?

* You name the typical Valentine’s Day treats you love and they can
all be a part of your reception buffet.

With Valentine’s Day, love is already in the air, but you can make this day, (and for years to come as your Anniversary), even more special with a Valentine’s Day themed wedding.

Now that you are engaged, it may seem overwhelming and you might not know where to start.  My mom had a great idea.  She said to write down everyone that I could think of that, if no budget was involved, I would invite to the wedding, and to have my fiancé do the same.
AH!!!  Coming from a large Swiss-Italian family, just my immediate family (aunts, uncles, and first cousins) and the bridal party came to like 50+ people! Our total  guest list for the wedding reception, when all was said and done, was over 300 people! The panic set in quickly, but it was the necessary first step. We couldn’t start looking for wedding venues until we had an idea of our numbers.

So, with numbers in mind, I took a trip from NYC home to California. Well, in two and a half days we saw 11 places. Immediately I was SHOCKED at how expensive everything was! To get married in my hometown of Napa Valley nonetheless!  Regardless, we diligently searched. Because we have so many out of town guests, I am excited for them to come to California and see home. There are so many beautiful places. We looked at Aaron’s Vineyard – a gorgeous property with a house that our families could stay in. We went to the CIA in St. Helena – with a beautiful barrel room and grounds. We talked about doing the wedding in a relative’s vineyard. We toured the Meritage Hotel in Napa – where we could have the wedding ceremony in their caves. In addition, we considered the beauty of V. Sattui, Napa Valley Country Club, the Vintners Golf Club, Vintage Estates, Meadowood, and a few others.

The fact was that it didn’t matter which wedding venue we picked, because they really were all awesome in their own right.  I mean, it’s the Napa Valley for goodness sake! You could get married in the middle of the street and the surrounding would be beautiful.  However, we had to pick the location that was right for us….and where we wouldn’t have to dodge traffic…hehe.  There was something about each place that weighed on us, whether it was distance from hotels, the amount of guests who would have to drive, the rentals or offsite catering we would have to bring in, odd or overly strict rules, or the PRICE!

We narrowed it down to a few places, and then eventually down to two: V.Sattui and Vintage Estates. Originally, I LOVED Sattui. The grounds and building are beautiful…a complete and ideal Napa Valley location. But, they had a very strict no-liquor policy.  They would only serve their wines and a local beer which would be to the chagrin of some of our friends and family. I didn’t feel like having my guests frisked for flasks on the way in.  And we would have had to bring in other required things, like security, offsite catering, and a wedding planner. The more I read the contract, the more I added up extra costs, and it seemed like a lot of hassle!

Vintage Estates also had a beautiful property.  It had all my requirements of being in my hometown and being convenient for out of town guests.  I mean, they could WALK to their hotels!  Their Historic Barrel Room has been one of my favorite rooms since my first job at the ice cream store in the nearby shopping at the Vintage 1870, with exposed brick, high ceilings, and huge wagon-wheel type chandeliers. The only downside was the price! Well, six months later and a lot of whittling down of the wedding guest list, we are inches away from signing our contract at Vintage Estates!!

So the moral of the story is:  Pick what works for you and cut back where you can to make it YOUR ideal wedding celebration day!