Take Time to Smell the Flowers

Just an intersting tidbit I learned this morning while watching the news; maybe this is why a bride is supposed to carry flowers down the isle at a wedding.

A new study by scientists in Japan claims that people that inhale the scent of certain plants can reduce stress. The component in these plants is linaloo. Linaloo is reported to reduce stress-elevated levels of neutrophilis and lymphocytes (key parts of the immune system) to near normal levels. Inhaling Linaloo also reduces the activity of more than 100 genes that go into overdrive in stessful situations.

So for the bride about to make that long walk down the isle, if you are feeling the stress, take a moment to give your bouquet a good sniff. It may be that breath that gets you down the isle stress free.

Themed Weddings: Vintage Charm

I have to say that I am a big fan of theme weddings when done well. My husband and I threw a masquerade ball when we got married (more about that later). Themed weddings can be ultra cool, super stylish, and lots of fun without being corny and campy. Keep it classy and you'll have a wedding to remember! You can even pull out mom's or grandma's dress and/or veil. You are only limited by your imagination. Here are some cool examples that I have come across recently. I am sure there will be many more posts on these types of weddings. Especially if they are anything like these. The photos make me want to jump into the pictures and become a guest! Always the sign of a great wedding.

Roaring 20's
Ginny & Ed
Serenbe Inn , Palmetto, GA




Look at the close up shots of Ginny's gorgeous dress and their fun spin on wedding invitations!
To see more, I suggest you have a look at these posts on 100 Layer Cake and Once Wed about this wedding too . For even more photos, you can also check out Josh Goleman's blog post (their photographer). He took some fabulous shots and he perfectly captured the way that Ginny and Ed did the 20's in style. I love that he even aged the photos to look of the era.



Photo booth? Who needs a photo booth! If you look at the posts mentioned above, you will see even more of these fun "photo booth" photographs. It wouldn't be too hard or expensive to translate this to your wedding. Invite your guests to dress in the theme, go to a thrift store and buy some fun props (or raid grandma's house) and have fun. You can't take the shot below in a cramped photo booth, but of you have the space available at your reception hall, you can certainly do something like this. Love it!




1950's Rockabilly
Tiffany & Danny
Seattle, WA

Look how cute and well done this one is! So many vintage details: dress, suit, hair and make-up and even a vintage car. I love the sweetness of the umbrella photo below. In the photo on the right, you can see the attention to detail on Tiffany's hair and make-up.



There are many more pictures to see at their photographer's blog, Ben Blood Photography, and at the following wedding blogs where I first discovered this awesome wedding: Stephanie James Couture and Vintage Glam Weddings. These blogs are worth checking out for other great ideas! I love the accessories!




Again, you see the photographer runs with their theme. Here he even alters the photographs to look like sun-bleached photos you might find in grandmas photo album.



40's Art Deco Inspired
Chrissy & Andre
Eglington Grand
Toronto, Ontario



I found out about his wedding on one of my favorite sites, Offbeat Bride. You can learn more about this hip wedding by reading their post. I love the gown! I love the suits! I love the location!! How cool! The marquee with the bride and groom's name and theme is a great addition. Check out all the details below that fit with their "His Girl Friday" theme.




I love the idea of the centerpiece lamps. They are very different and very art deco looking. It's a classy touch that gives deco sparkle without going over the top. The classic hollywood table numbers are a cute touch. And check out the soundtrack favors and the wedding program below all in one unique takeaway package.

Introduction & Mission Statement

The post title sounds all business-like, I know, but my hope is that this blog will become a fun source for all things weddings and a place where people will share interesting, unique and unusual wedding ideas. I encourage everyone to email me ideas, pictures, or comment on what you see here. If you like and idea, let me know. If you use an idea, send me pictures to share your take on that idea.

I am a former bride, turned wedding industry insider and wedding junkie. Since my wedding in 2003, I have seen and learned much more than I thought possible about weddings; from behind the scenes, through talking with brides and grooms, scanning blogs and websites and watching the explosion of wedding shows on television. I love the wonderful outpouring of emotion that the wedding day brings; the love that shines from the couple marrying, the tears in the eyes of the parents, the smiles on the faces of the family and friends. It's hard not to get all caught up in all that emotion.

I also love it when couples do their wedding the way they want regardless of what tradition dictates. It's okay to be unusual in your choices of dress -girls and guys. It's okay to have no flowers. It's okay to skip the cake cutting. My husband and I found that the non-traditional things that we did when we got married, captured our personalities perfectly and our guests had a blast - going on six years later, they still talk about it. Along the way, I will share some of the ideas from my wedding, as well as from the brides and grooms that I work for.

Weather you are a engaged and planning, single and dreaming, or married and going through planning withdrawal, I hope that you will enjoy the blog, find something cool, or be inspired by what you see and learn here. Let's generate some unusual ideas and inspire the creation of some unforgettable weddings!