Purple Wedding Invitations

Frequently Asked Questions

1. QUESTION:
   A place to find cheap purple wedding invitations?
   I am having a hard time finding purple wedding invitations that aren’t ugly, expensive or both. Does anyone know where I could find some good ones?

   • ANSWER:
     I got a lot of stationary, my save the dates and probably invites from Weddingpaperdivas.com. They let you search by theme, color, etc and invites start around .69/each

2. QUESTION:
   Where can I buy purple wedding invitations?

   • ANSWER:
     that depends do you want DIY style invitations or do you want somewhere that you can order them printed?
     what color of purple
     what price range?

     http://www.weddingpaperdivas.com

3. QUESTION:
   Has anyone created their own wedding invitations?
   My wedding color is purple, but I am having a very hard time finding nice purple invitations that are actually to my liking. There is always the option of designing my own through a stationery company, but I don’t know how much more that will cost.
   How expensive and time consuming would it be to print my own? And if anyone has done it before, do you have a picture?

   • ANSWER:
     We bought a kit and printed our own. We used a nice quality printer in my fiance’s mom’s office. They turned out FANTATSIC. I don’t have a picture unfortunately. It was easy and fast too, just printed a few tests first and then ran 170 of them at once. Done! We also did the reception cards and return envelopes. We used a mail-merge to simplify that process. It was no problem and we only spent – get this – .50 on invitations for 170 people!!! We used 1/2 off coupons to buy 3 boxes of 50 invitations at .50 a box totaling .50. The reception cards were packed as 50s and we spent a pack on those with 1/2 off coupons. The 3 in postage was more expensive than the invitations themselves lol.

     Give it a shot, what have you got to lose??

     Good luck!

4. QUESTION:
   Orange, purple, and brown wedding invitations…where to find?
   The primary colors are orange and purple (not too dark). Brown is just an accent. But any variation of these colors will do…HELP!

   • ANSWER:
     Orange:

     http://www.invitesite.com/weddings/Orange-wedding-invitations.php

     Purple:

     http://www.invitesite.com/weddings/Purple-wedding-invitations.php

     Brown:

     http://www.invitesite.com/weddings/Brown-wedding-invitations.php

     Note: InviteSite only offers DIY kits (which keeps cost down) so you do have to assemble them yourself. But… they are very easy to assemble. Their papers are great and eco friendly!

5. QUESTION:
   I have searched everywhere to find dark purple and dark red stationery for my wedding invitations.Any ideas?

   • ANSWER:
     Try a paper store – I just made my friend’s invitations using dark red cardstock paper purchased from If It’s Paper – they have stores (well, their parent company, xpedx, has stores) all over the country -

     https://shop.xpedxstores.com/Portal.aspx?CN=63E64C5D9DF9

6. QUESTION:
   Ideas or DIY Templates for Wedding Invitations?
   I’m getting married next Summer in Florida and I’m planning to do my invitations myself. My colors are different shades of Plum, Purple and Pinks. I want the invitations to reflect that. I plan to order the pocket fold invitations, but I’m looking for ideas for the inside printed part and also the outside. Most likely I will do a monogram, but I’m struggling to find a nice online template or even store software where I can create it myself. Any help is nice

   • ANSWER:
     this might be too difficult, depending on the number of people you’re inviting…
     but these are the rehearsal invitations that i made for my wedding (which is in less than a month now!

     http://imaginationacceleration.blogspot.com/2010/09/i-have-this-theory-when-it-comes-to.html

     i also made our ceremony and reception invitations
     i used a lot of scrapbooking materials to decorate (classily) what i had printed from officemax

     our wedding invitations were “pop up”, too, when the ribbons were untied and opened, the invitations expanded to be 4 times their size. they didn’t take too long to make (maybe just 4 or 5 hours total) but i had the origami part down.

7. QUESTION:
   Wedding invitations questions MULTIPLE ?s in One???? ?
   Ok so our wedding colors are blue and purple I haven’t found any invitations that have both our colors, should I order half of them in purple and half of them in blue? I am also ordering matching place cards so they would also be half and half too messy? or should i just stick with one color? If I did it would be purple b/c the bridesmaid dresses are blue and so are the colored parts of the tuxedos. Also what do you think of the invitations

   http://www.weddingpaperdivas.com/product/6344/signature_white_wedding_invitations_winters_elegance.html#color/04

   I am also open to suggestions if you find any invitations that have purple and blue?

   Also is it ok since I missed sending out the save the dates becuase of a loss in the family it was just to much to handle at once, can i send the invitations 3 1/2 months before the wedding instead of 2?
   ONE MORE QUESTION….is it ok to just serve 1 entree if you know no one is a vegetarian I don’t want to give an option becuase it will be more $ and I would like to use it to serve late night snacks at the ceremony instead like towards the end of the night when everyone is tipsy and dancing have mini burgers and chicken fingers and pizza served….

   • ANSWER:
     1. If you don’t find blue and purple that work, just pick one or the other. People don’t need to use both main colors in everything they do. In fact, that’s just about impossible. Maybe you could find color coordinated postage stamps! (Seriously, they have a ton of options).

     2. I’d send the invites about 3 months ahead of time.

     3. One entree is fine. I like your idea of late night snacks. Everyone will feel like they’re on a cruise

8. QUESTION:
   Casual Wedding Invitations!?
   _______________________________________________
   The honor of your presence is requested at the marriage of

   Jennifer Jo Richards and Joshua Lamar Crippen

   on Saturday, the first of September,
   Two Thousand Seven,
   at six o’clock in the evening.

   An outdoor ceremony and reception will be held five
   miles east of Fairfield, Illinois on Highway 15.

   Please dress casual and join us for an evening of food,
   music, and fun.

   Please RSVP to 555-5555
   _______________________________________________

   Then, on a separate sheet of paper, we will include a map of how to get there and also some hotel/camping options.

   Does this invitation sound ok?? The theme of the wedding is daisys and bright colors—-bright pink, green, orange, yellow, and purple. We need saying for the top of the invitations that goes along with flowers and love. Can you tell me any that would go with this

   • ANSWER:
     “The honor of your presence” is too formal for a casual invitation. I would change it to “You are cordially invited to the marriage of”. Also their names and the word and should all be on separate lines. Before the word Saturday, delete the word on. You don’t need a saying for the top of the invitations, that would look very cluttered. Also you need to give an actual street address not say that it’s five miles east of somewhere. Also the way you have the date and time are way too formal for this type of invite.

     You are cordially invited to
     the marriage of
     Jennifer Jo Richards
     and
     Joshua Lamar Crippen
     Saturday, September 1, 2007, 6:00 pm
     Fairfield State Park
     123 Highway 15
     Fairfield, IL

     Reception to Follow
     Casual Dress
     Please RSVP to 555-555-5555

9. QUESTION:
   Wedding invitations- are these okay?
   For a 35 year old man and 27 year old woman. I am known for being a little quirky and it is a very casual farm wedding. What would you think if you got an invitation that looked like this:
   Dark purple cardstock with xoxo punched out of the middle of each side of the sheet using a martha stewart punch (leaving solid corners kind of like those little photo corners), with this: http://www.flickr.com/photos/36734116@N02/4367963424/ on top of the purple on photopaper. There will also be an RSVP postcard with a black and white pic of the park where the wedding will be. All this will come in a dark purple envelope with the address written in gold ink.

   Do I need to add anything or is it already too much going on? What would you think if you recieved this invitation?

   • ANSWER:
     Hi there. Your invitations are a bit cluttered and a lot to take in. Have you chosen your wedding colors? I would suggest using 2-3 colors tops, make sure all font styles, colors and sizes are eligable for all of your guests. You have a very unique idea and that is great! If you are a quirky person you absolutely have to work it into your wedding somehow. I also suggest getting a color wheel (they can be found online) and compare the colors you are using to see if they flow together or contrast.

     http://www.weddingprofessional.samanthasanborn.com

     I am a wedding consultant based out of MI. I hope this helped.

10. QUESTION:
    Purple wedding… Need help.?
    We decided that we wanted our wedding color to be a deep eggplant purple but are finding it hard to find decorations and invitations and so on in that color. Can anyone help??

    • ANSWER:
      I did eggplant for my wedding last month and I had an extremely difficult time finding things in that color as well. I tried Michael’s, Hobby Lobby’s, craft and fabric stores and was not able to find any eggplant purple ribbon! I ended up just using silver for the ribbon. As far as other decorations, I just kept it simple- my flowers were eggplant, so I just let those be the main decoration and I just used silver and ivory for all the things I couldn’t find in eggplant.

      Eggplant has just started becoming more popular for weddings lately. A lot of the stores obviously need to catch up with the trend! I know how frustrating it is to see a million purples in every store, but none of them are the right color- and ‘close’ just isn’t good enough. I didn’t want 6 different shades of purple!

11. QUESTION:
    Help finding Wedding Invitations?
    I am having a really hard time finding wedding invitations for my July wedding.We are getting married in a outdoor ceremoney. Simi-Formal. I can have them printed or print them myself. I will need about 90-100 invitations and have a budget of 5 dollars. I do not need inner envelopes or tissue.

    I know I do not like, hearts, cartoon people, our picture, bows, ocean stuff, really girlie looking flowers, or the ribbon that loops two pieces of paper together.

    Colors: No red, pink or purple.No White on White
    Colors that will work: Browns, greens, blues, yellows (Nature inspired colors)

    • ANSWER:
      I got mine from AmericanWedding.com. They have all sorts of styles and colors. We were able to find more of a classic look that we wanted, since neither of us liked hearts, bows, or other girly girl stuff. You can order ONLY what you need. You don’t have to get inner envelopes or tissue if you don’t want it. The invitations looked great without breaking the bank.

      Also, Target had some really nice ones if you want to print your own.

      Good luck and best wishes!

12. QUESTION:
    Where can i get bulk purple or lavender 8 1/2 x 11 cardstock paper at a reasonable price online?
    We need some to make wedding invitations. We have looked at Michaels, hobby lobby, staples and numerous scrapbooking and paper stores. All we can find is the 12 x 12 sheets and you have to buy them by the sheet. I would like to buy them in packages. I am looking for dark purple and light purple? Help! Is there anywhere online or a store that anyone recommends? Thanks!

    • ANSWER:
      Right now Michaels has 81/2 x 11 pack paper in lavender and purples. It comes in 50 sheet packs for .99 each. And in the sale flyers in the newspaper there are coupons. I think they are 40 or 50% off one item coupons. I know they have them. And right now there open stock 81/2 x11 paper is on sale 6 for . I know they carry them because i work for the new store in North Aurora and actually recommended that color to someone yesterday. Good luck.

13. QUESTION:
    any ideas for wedding invitations ?
    my mother is getting married and she asked me to design her invitations i have never done this kind of thing before but im very artistic , any ideas ? her favorite colour is purple x

    • ANSWER:
      this site is great for inspiration:

      http://www.confetti.co.uk/shopping/stationery/selectstyle.asp

      if you’re quite crafty,then you could recreate any of these invites easily enough.as for what your mum would like,you know her better.you could ask her as well – does she want something simple,flowers,ribbon,a bit of sparkle?i’m sure if you work together then you can create some beautiful invites

      make sure that you buy the best materials you can afford as well – and think about having the wording professionally printed instead of using your home computer (flat printing would be better)

14. QUESTION:
    POLL: Do you like this wedding invitation?

    http://www.weddingpaperdivas.com/product/1971/signature_ecru_wedding_invitations_natural_wildflower.html

    Purple

    • ANSWER:
      It’s OK, cute.

15. QUESTION:
    I need helping writing a cute wedding invitation thing.?
    It would be cute if it was like a poem but it doesn’t have to be.
    But it must include the wedding date which is June 6 2:00 pm
    and the wedding colors which are white, black, and dark purple

    • ANSWER:
      (The guy’s name) and (the girl’s name) invite you to join their wedding on 06th of June 2009 at 2:00 PM as they unite in a true bond of love, which would last ’til eternity.

      The angels would shower their blessings wearing White,
      The fragnance of the dark Purple flowers would seem so bright,
      Even the colour Black would seem to be so much delight!
      (Preferred wedding colours – White, Dark Purple and Black)

      I hope I prove to be of little help atleast, all my wishes to the couple! Goodluck!

16. QUESTION:
    these are my invitations for my october 31/masquerade wedding how can I make them more like my theme?
    I thought of maybe putting some tiny gold mask on them(confetti) my colors are a dark purple, light purple. black and light gold. How can make these have more of a “spooky Halloween” feel but still be elegant. No bats, or pumpkins..etc
    here is the link:

    http://www.advantagebridal.com/godeedinkitw.html

    • ANSWER:
      I agree with the person above me.. very much so.. i think purple and gold is my best bet.. not black and light purple added .. purple and gold are royalty colors.. stick to an enchanted theme.. something like the movie the labrynith.. with david bowie.. that shot where they are in a ball with masquereds and gowns and just beautiful fanasty … check it out!

17. QUESTION:
    Not white or black shirt to a wedding?
    I’m going to my friends wedding in a couple weeks.Apparently my invitation was not sent out on accident and he later called to invite me.I don’t have a suit and can’t afford to buy clothes for this since I am unemployed at the moment.

    Is it ok if I wore an off color shirt with a matching tie? Perhaps something like a burnt orange or a dark purple.Something along those lines.

    Also do I need to wear black pants or are khakis also acceptable?

    The wedding is in the afternoon with a reception and dinner with an open bar afterwards at a banquet hall.

    • ANSWER:
      Yes, you can wear any color dress shirt – no need to limit yourself to black or white. You may also want to wear a tie and a jacket/blazer if you have one.

      If your khakis are nice looking (not the grungy cargo pants that you wear to rake the leaves or whatever) then they will be fine.

      Remember, as long as you dressed appropriately, you don’t have to be really fancy. People aren’t going to be paying much attention to what you’re wearing.

18. QUESTION:
    I want nice invitations without the crazy price tag. Does anyone know of a good printer in the RI or MA ares?
    We are planning a Moroccan-themed wedding. Our color palette is red and purple with gold trim. A good friend is creating a logo to be added to the invites and I would really like the invitations to be red with gold lettering. If anyone has any suggestions or leads to great print shops in the MA or RI area that do such designs at a low cost I’d appeciate a nod in the direction.

    • ANSWER:
      Hi! Congrats on your engagement – I just got married in October. The cost of invitations is unbelievable, isn’t it?? What I did instead of going to a printer was create them myself. Any good craft store (Michaels’s, AC Moore) has pre-made wedding inviations kits that you print on the computer. Everything is encluded (inviation, response card, and corresponding envelopes). Mine looked professional and for 225 guests I spent about 0 total. The directions are easy to follow and they turn out great. Just a thought! Good luck!!!!

19. QUESTION:
    What about these colors for a fall wedding?
    I am getting married at the end of October. I was thinking about having my colors be a dark purple and a red? Should I go with a dark red or light red?

    This is some inspiration I have so far:

    http://photobucket.com/happycouple10_27_2010

    Any ideas or suggestions for invitations, flowers, decor would be great? Links and pics. would be greatly appreciated!

    Thanks in advance

    • ANSWER:
      I love the Eden Bridals color cranberry – - and it is similar to the red you have in your link. www.edenbridals.com

      I love a deep purple – like a plum color – and a red like cranberry. I think that would look great (I happen to love purple). I don’t know that a light red would work for fall or with a deep purple color. It would almost look too crayon-ish. I like the idea of keeping both colors deep. Maybe use accents of gold to lighten the color scheme a little???

      I am having black, white & cranberry as my colors (10/31/09) and I loved the pic of that wedding cake. Mine will be a red background just like that but I am having a black band around the base of each tier and lily of the valley flowers piped onto the cake.

      I got invites with a lasercut design and put cranberry-red backing paper to show through the cut and I dressed it up with a black ribbon.

      If you do deep colors, you’ve got to look at Black Magic Roses – - GORGEOUS, deep red with tips that are a really dark purple-y black color. They would work so well for your scheme if you go with a deep red & deep purple.

20. QUESTION:
    Can anyone help me with Wedding Invitation Wording?
    I am getting married this October 10. We decided instead of a fall theme that we were going for a starry night theme. I already found the invitations. They have silver stars on them. Our colors a dark blue and silver with a touch of purple.

    What I was wanting is some kind of clever wording to do with stars to put on the invitations….

    this is what were thinking just changing the words to match a star themed idea. the invitations are from bride and grooms parents::

    And the two
    shall become one…
    [parent's name]
    and [parent's name]
    request the honour of your presence
    at the marriage uniting their children
    [bride's name]
    and
    [groom's name]
    as they begin their new life
    together
    on October 10
    2009
    at [time]
    [location]
    [address]
    [city], [state]

    thanks
    not everything is going to be all starred up. just the invitation. and it is my wedding. mine and my fiancees so we should do it how we want. I understand having a lot of stars gets overbarring but its just the invitations really. oh well

    • ANSWER:
      That sounds fine as is- don’t beat the whole star theme to death. It’s nice to have a theme to tie everything together, but I hate when everything at a wedding HAS to be themed and worded to fit the concept- by the end of the night, everyone will be like, “OK, I GET it- you like STARS!!!!”

21. QUESTION:
    Do I have to have RSVP cards enclosed with my invitations? Read idea below…?
    I was thinking of making little cards myself to tuck into the invitations (thick purple cardstock, since my invites will be purple) with: RSVP Made Easy, and my email address and phone number. I feel like RSVP cards are a waste of money (extra stamps, too), time, and a hassle for both myself and the guests. As I’ve heard from many brides, the hardest thing is getting RSVPs back from guests, and a lot of times, you still wind up having to call or email them and ask if they are coming, since they never return the RSVP card.
    We are planning on a wedding for less than 100, so we will only need 50 invitations, and it seems that 50 RSVP cards cost the same as the invites!
    What do you think? Would you think it was weird if you didn’t receive an RSVP card to send back?
    Ohmigod, Barbara B. must be a million years old…
    As an added detail, the only “older” people coming will be one set of grandparents from each side, who don’t really need to RSVP anyway.
    For everyone who’s telling me it’s only on postage, the RSVP cards THEMSELVES cost over 0!!! Not to mention the hassle of sitting there and addressing all of them, and then having to file them away as they come in and STILL have to harass people for responses later. THAT was my point. It’s not about the money so much as the time. I’m a busy girl!

    • ANSWER:
      I think it’s fine, especially in this world of technology and whatnot…why not use an easier form of communication, like e-mail or the phone? I think the RSVP cards are a lovely, old-fashioned tradtion, but I agree with you that they are kind of a pain in the butt. Do what you think is right- the Wedding Industry has changed the rules so many times that there are no rules anymore.

22. QUESTION:
    What do you think of my wedding plans? More for women?
    Ok well I am getting married this summer and I want to show you what I have in mind (not what I have now but what I want)

    Dress

    http://www.bride.ca/wedding-ideas/images/Blog/Gowns/EdenBridals/2010-WeddingDress-2329.jpg

    Viel

    http://www.women-hairstyles.com/images/wedding-veil.jpg

    Bridesmaids

    http://www.weddingdressonlineshop.co.uk/678-1298-large/chiffon-strapless-a-line-short-style-bridesmaid-dress-bm-0044.jpg

    Flowers
    (-the bow) http://mmg.photobucket.com/image/purple%20tulips/hezra02/purpleTulipHandtie18BIG.jpg.html?src=www

    Place
    http://hawaiiexplorer.net/images/big-island-beach.jpg (getting married in hawaii)

    Cake

    http://img.fineliving.com/FINE/2008/03/26/2wedding_orchids_vert_h460.jpg

    Hairstyle

    http://womenshairstyles.me/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/floral-hair-accessories-for-informal-wedding-dress.jpg

    Invitations

    http://www.hanahouproductions.com/images/designDetails/blueStarfish/aquaStarfish1.jpg

    Please tell me what you think Thank you
    I am not wearing shoes because it’s a beach wedding
    I am looking at the viel now and I think I should just get rid of it and not have a viel because I am startign to not like it.

    • ANSWER:
      Hi and congratulations!

      I absolutely LOVE everything EXCEPT the veil.

      FYI: It is always breezy (windy) in Hawaii. You may have trouble with the veil on the beach.

      LOVE the hairstyle, so why not incorporate the same flower (as on the cake) in your hair? Love the hairstyle with the hair jewelry, but you could put a flower there instead. Something like Jenna Bush did. This would be instead of the veil.

      http://www4.pictures.gi.zimbio.com/Henry+Hager+Jenna+Bush+Wedding+7NItoLRAT0Zl.jpg

      That would be my only suggestion. I think with it being a beach wedding, that a veil is out of place…but that’s just my opinion.

      Congrats and good luck!

23. QUESTION:
    What is your dream wedding?Describe?
    I would have my wedding somewhere in South America or the Carribean. Maybe the Dominican Republic or Puerto Rico.An outdoor wedding by the beach would be nice. And I would sevre seafood, fried plantains, cream puffs, and I want a 7 tier vanilla cake with purple flowers. I would have a royal blue(or mint green) wedding dress because I love color and I destest the conventional white wedding dress. I would invite eanyone, I don’t believe in invitations or excluding people.
    My bf said he might take me to a island around El Salvador and get married there and he has a lot of famioly and so do I.

    • ANSWER:
      SOUNDS GOOD TO ME, EXCEPT I WOULD HAVE A RED DRESS & A MAD HATTER CAKE. BE BAREFOOT & SERVE CARIBBEAN FOOD LIKE DRUNK CHICKEN , PLAINTAINS SOIND GOOD, & LOTS OF HURRICANES. EVERYONE CAN COME, LET’S PARTY

24. QUESTION:
    Wedding colors…a catch 22?
    Greetings! I’m getting married in october and I have already chosen my wedding colors (oranges, pinks, and yellows). I already had the idea set in my mind and the ribbon for invitations and isle decor has been purchased.

    The problem is my fiance said he would like purple and blue for our wedding colors. At first I was willing to change, but girls I know you know what I mean when I say I have put so much thought into my colors…it’s like starting all over again! I’m confused what should I do? I know he wouldn’t mind sticking with the orginals, I just want him to be happy to with the colors because he already said he didn’t like them. Would it be alright keeping the same ones?
    ck your answer is pathetic. Some men actually care about things like that. Too bad your not lucky enough to know a man who’s a father and cares about his wedding day as well. Shame on you for your accusations on my daughters father.

    As for the rest of you, I appreciate your mature answers.
    Well I did initially mention the colors to him before I decided on it. He didn’t oppose and said the flowers looked pretty when I emailed him a photo of the one’s I wanted. I talked to him and he said to go ahead with what I want. He’s just worried on what he’s going to wear :0)

    • ANSWER:
      Welcome to relationship 101. The first thing you learn: communicate and compromise. For one thing, you’ve found one of the 1% of guys out there who even care enough about the wedding to voice an opinion on colors. Remember, though, it IS his wedding, too. You shouldn’t ignore his request as though his opinion doesn’t matter, nor should you use colors that you know he doesn’t like – he’ll be looking at the wedding pictures 30 years from now as well, after all. So…communicate and compromise. Something like, “Well, let’s leave out orange and add blue.” Or, “I know you’re not crazy about the colors I picked out, but I’ve had my heart set on them for along time. Can we keep them and just add your colors to the mix?” You can point out that some items had already been purchased in the colors you chose. However, if you purchased these items without his knowledge and without even asking if he liked the colors, he has room for complaint there, too. Just consider it a lesson learned: never assume that your other half won’t have an opinion on a topic or that you know what his opinion will be. From wedding colors, to what’s for supper, to how many kids will we have, you never know the answer until you ask the question. Just remember, good relationships are democracies, not dictatorships, neither person should exclusively get their way while the other is treated as though their opinion doesn’t matter. Find some common ground and be happy that you’re getting married to a guy who has enough romance in him to do more than just show up for the wedding!

25. QUESTION:
    Problem with invitations?
    Our wedding colors are violet and silver. The invitations came in today and I picked them up and bought them. Just beautiful. However, the text was dark and the lighting is dim in the place where I bought them so once I drove to work, I held them up in the sun. And saw they appeared to be a dark navy blue.

    I panicked and called my fiance. He held them up to light at home and says they appear to be a dark purple to him.

    I looked at the proof and the text is a lighter purple.

    Since I already paid for the invitations, can I still bring them back? Or will that make me bridezilla? Maybe the text could get by as dark purple but I keep thinking dark navy?
    I just don’t want the guests to mistake our wedding colors for navy and silver especially when my cousin’s wedding last year was navy and silver.
    Yeah I just don’t want my cousin to think I’m copying her
    So do you guys think I’m worrying too much? You think it will be okay and I’m stressing too much over minor details? Be honest.
    Everybody I ask says the text looks like a dark purple, perhaps I am focusing too much on details as you all say.

    • ANSWER:
      I think you are totally over-reacting to this… It’s just a slight difference, and so what if they think those are your colors? They will show up at the wedding and see that your colors are violet and silver. No one really worries about what color you are having anyway. Relax and breathe. It will be ok!

      You did already pay for them, so i doubt they will take them back, but if it really bothers you, it doesn’t hurt to ask.

      ETA: Yes, I think you are over-stressing about it. Try to remember what’s important here, you are marrying the person you love. All the other details are just details. Focus on what’s important

26. QUESTION:
    I’m planning a wedding and attempting a light 50′s theme (classy not tacky) but I need unique advice and help!
    I’m tall and curvy and want to pull off a tea length dress with a pin-up flare but having trouble finding dresses. Also interested in unique design ideas, catering, and guest favors. My colors are royal purple and blue (and I LOVE that my fiancee picked polka dot accents in our invitations.) Any help is appreciated!

    • ANSWER:
      Very cool..

      We (my fiancee and I) are very into the retro thing. We are having a big band at our reception which we think will be heaps of fun. My fiancee can rockabilly dance, where as I have two left feet, so I am taking some rock n roll dance classes so we can have fun dancing together!

      Or if you are on a tight budget, A jukebox would go well!

      I like this site for favors:

      http://www.favorideas.com/wedding-themes/unique-themes/retro-wedding-favors/

      I especially think the little mini martini glasses (impracticle as they are) with the cherries in them are cute, and the retro candy idea could be a hit.

      Anyhoo, sounds like heaps of fun! I think incorperating the theme ‘lightly’ is a great way to go. Good luck!

27. QUESTION:
    I am the maid of honor at my cousins wedding and am sick of all that it is entailing , what can i do?
    I have been given a hideous ill fitting purple dress, given PAGES of instructions regarding how i should host the themed bridal shower to be held at a rental hall(cost will be approx. 2000 dollars), stagette, etc, instructed on how my hair, makeup, tan, and nails should look at the wedding. I am to fly to maui for the wedding with my family((thousands of dollars), have had endless meetings with the wedding party re: everything from invitations to party favors to heart ice sculptures and god knows what else.
    I could care less about any of it, and have started to become disgusted by it all.
    Is it just me? Are all women into this crap?

    • ANSWER:
      wow, you got one of THOSE brides…I’m so sorry my dear. Have you tried to talk to her about it? That’s going to be WAY too much money to spend on someone else’s event, truly. Maybe if you talk to her nicely now you can come to an agreement on some of the things you mentioned above?

      PAGES of instructions?!?!?! seriously, she is out of control and is losing sight of what the wedding is supposed to be about.

      Honestly, if I were in your shoes, and she wouldn’t listen to reason and logic, I would step down. There’s no reason to be out that much money, be abused by someone that was once a sane friend, and be miserable.

28. QUESTION:
    Pink, Ivory and Gold wedding?
    Thinking pink dresses with gold sashes for bridal party. Not sure which color pink for an October Wedding.
    Need any ideas including which invitations would go good. It is an Angel Theme. My fiance is the one who picked pink and I mentioned Gold. He liked it. He does not like green, purple, brown. He does like royal or navy blue and burgundy. There is not much colors left to decide on. We want pink and gold unless someone could make a better suggestion.

    • ANSWER:
      Congratulations on your upcoming wedding!

      I found this on Martha Stewart that had a wedding by colors using pale pink and matte gold. It actually looks quite cute. They had some great suggestions for cake, invitations, favors, etc.

      http://www.marthastewartweddings.com/photogallery/perfect-palette-pink-and-gold

      This is also another link about Pink and Gold weddings. I know your fiance doesn’t like brown but if you infuse a bit of chocolate brown, it will add to the depth of color for fall weddings.

      http://tastefullyentertaining.blogspot.com/2008/06/pink-gold-wedding.html

      If you are concerned with dresses, you might even want to try a matte gold dress with pale pink flowers. David’s Bridal has a way to search dresses by color and they have a color called Golden. It is very pretty and understated. This dress stood out to me for the angelic theme you wanted also.

      http://www.davidsbridal.com/Product_Short-Strapless-Lace-Dress-84029_Bridal-Party-Bridesmaids-All-Bridesmaid-Dresses

      I think if you stick with a pale pink and matte gold with ivory as a compliment, it will look wonderful.

      Happy planning!

29. QUESTION:
    Any ideas where to find inexpensive envelopes?
    I am having a very simple nontraditional wedding. I am starting the invitation process. I am hoping to put in order in soon to have them printed but first I need to find the right envelopes. All I need is 40 or so dark purple small envelopes. Any ideas? Stores? Websites?

    • ANSWER:
      Check out http://www.lcipaper.com/envelopes.html

      They have envelopes and card stock in tons of colour in every standard/non-standard wedding invite size; and their prices are really great. Shipping outside of the US is a bit pricey (I’m in Canada so I couldn’t use them myself) but again, I was really surprised how affordable everything is on the site.

      They have envelopes for unique size invites, and reply cards, etc. And if you are looking to print your own invites that have all the different layering cards, pocketfolds, and invite card stock too.

      Best Wishes!

30. QUESTION:
    Do you love this invitation?
    I like it, and my fiance likes it too, but I’m wondering if the flowers are too juvenile, and I’m wondering if it’s an appropriate wedding invitation.
    Please give me your honest opinions. I’ll be selecting the purple colour.

    http://www.weddingpaperdivas.com/product/2095/signature_ecru_wedding_invitations_vintage_print_.html#review-tab

    Or do you like this 2nd one better?http://www.weddingpaperdivas.com/product/1971/signature_ecru_wedding_invitations_natural_wildflower.html#color/1

    • ANSWER:
      Personally I like the 2nd one because it’s softer looking, but they are both nice. Flowers are not juvenile at all, that’s why you see so many invitations with flowers on them. I would think only a cartoon character might be perceived as juvenile and even so, if you and your fiancee like them then that’s all that matters.

      Just to show you how elegant floral invites can look, here is the site where I got mine from. This is an artist who custom makes them to order. http://www.momentaldesigns.com/lacy/

      Click on the thumbnails under the main picture to see many examples. 3 of them show purple flowers – I love the dark plum on the sage background! Also listed under her vintage category is “trees”. These are the invites I got and she paints the blooms on the trees to match your wedding colors. You could easily make these invites for about the same cost as the ones your looking at. But go with what you love!

31. QUESTION:
    Lilac or Light Blue for wedding color?
    My very favorite color is blue, and always has been. But for some reason I’ve been drawn to the color Lilac for my wedding. I think it was the lilac colored roses I received a few years ago from my b/f that I loved. Although I received other roses from him, I loved those especially and have wanted lilac and cream colored roses at our wedding ever since.

    I’m seeing a beautiful cake with lilac touches, lilac roses on the table, and even these invitations I found with lilac roses on them.

    However my b/f has issues with purple and pink. He’d rather not have them. I think I can sway him, but he won’t like it. I’ve found some things I like in light blue also, and the color is very close.

    Which color should I go with?

    • ANSWER:
      Both colors are beautiful, but i say go for what makes you the most happy .

32. QUESTION:
    I have wedding planning apathy!?
    My wedding will be in October of 2009, and I just can’t seem to motivate myself to care about the details like centerpieces and invitations and all the small stuff that goes into the planning of the wedding. I’ve got a wonderful fiance, a dress, photographer, and reception venue all taken care of.

    My mom and best friend want me to have about a hundred more things done by now, but none of it seems to matter to me. Is there anyone who had this problem too? It seems to me the focus should not be on the same color purple carried throughout the entire day and more on my fiance and I getting MARRIED! Am I crazy, what do I do?

    • ANSWER:
      Congrats, first off, and NO you are not crazy. I was so like you. All those little goofy details just didn’t matter to me. Fortunately, my mom wasn’t the pressure-type, and we had a smaller budget, because my dad had died and I had paid my way through school and it just seemed foolish to spend a fortune on a wedding when I was getting ready to go to grad school.

      If your mom and best friend are so gung ho, let them narrow things down to a reasonable few choices in each category, then you can have the final say. They may actually be a godsend, so that you don’t have to fuss over the smaller stuff you don’t really care about, as long as you don’t wind up having total control of the event wrested away by a couple of insane bridezilla-types, which it doesn’t sound like is the case.

      This could be a blessing, girlfriend! I think I’d choose a profession of proctologist (no offense to you drs. out there) to being a wedding planner!

33. QUESTION:
    Need Wedding Help Please?
    Okay, we set the date. 6/26/11 Trying to make a check list of sort for the wedding. Please add items that I have forgotten :]

    Venue – My parent’s church
    Reception – My parent’s house
    Colors – Lavender & white
    Food – Hamburgers, hot dogs, cole slaw, etc
    Cake – Single layer 8” round wedding cake and cupcakes for the guest
    Flowers – Not sure yet, probably some lillies and different purple and white flowers?
    Music – Piano player at the church and ipod music played through the speakers at reception
    Songs – Not sure what I should put on my ipod playlist???
    Photographer – Picked out, just need to book it
    Transportation – My mustang :]
    Honeymoon – Biltmore Estate
    Wedding Party – Bridesmaids, groomsmen, officiant, ring bearer and flower girl picked
    Guest list – Determined, need to get addresses for invitations
    ….

    I know there’s tons and tons of stuff I’m forgetting so please help fill in the blanks?? Thanks!

    • ANSWER:
      Dress (yours, the bridesmaids, flower girl)
      Tuxedo rentals
      Garter
      You mentioned flowers above. Did this include the bouquets, boutenniors (sp?), corsages, etc.?
      Shoes
      Make-up
      Wedding Bands
      Drinks?

34. QUESTION:
    Colour scheme for a wedding?
    We are planning to get married March 10th 2012 but we don’t know if that will be the final date yet. So we’ve started to plan a few things so at the moment we are looking at the colours, the dresses and flowers. I’ve gone with a white strapless wedding dress and i’m thinking about a champagne or pale blue, pale purple and pink bridesmaid dress or a dark red like this one http://www.champagneandstrawberries.co.uk/siteimages/sianie/35335/829598.jpg

    I’m not sure what colours would go with these if i chose one of them so i would like to know what you think.
    If i choose champagne what other colours would go with it?
    If i choose pale blue what colours would go with it?
    If i choose dark red what colours would go with it?
    If i choose pale pink or purple what colours would go with it?
    The colours i am choosing to go with will be for the decorations, flowers, invitations and the bridesmaid dresses. I probably will have 2 or 3 bridesmaids.

    I also would like to know what colours you would go for in march and maybe if you can post a link with the colours you have named?

    I would be very grateful for your help.

    • ANSWER:
      With champagne colur, ivory mix will go.
      With pale blue, mix of teal and ivory will go nice for the march wedding see (http://www.weddingfavoursjust4u.co.uk/cdata/38539/img/38539_1782706.jpg)
      With dark red white will go nice
      With pale pink or purple you can try one tone darker pink and purple or may be plum with purple and white off-course to gel the bridal dress as well
      In fact pink and purple itself makes gud combination
      have a look for pink purple and plum combinations with white

      http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_L4IsFR3LmxQ/SxkVAHi-m0I/AAAAAAAAClY/7bFvzNYOBB4/s320/purple%2Bflower%2Bcenterpieces.jpg&imgrefurl=http://idoinspiration.blogspot.com/2009/12/floral-friday-dark-blue-burgundy-purple.html&usg=__o3GGumHzfb9svvFzLFZfXc0jWAU=&h=320&w=293&sz=25&hl=en&start=58&sig2=TZFTK94LAXJjKpWZJxKl4w&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=BTU9iC9J5azzWM:&tbnh=118&tbnw=108&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dplum%2Band%2Bpurple%2Bwedding%2Bdecorations%26start%3D54%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26rlz%3D1C1SKPC_enGB341GB341%26ndsp%3D18%26tbs%3Disch:1&ei=EC-eS4v7Kou14QbytazPBw

35. QUESTION:
    Wedding Planning Help!?
    Okay… I am learning that planning a wedding is hard, hard work. I feel way behind. So I am asking for your advice.

    I want to get married someplace beautiful. We were thinking about Estes Park. Someplace with mountain views in the background. I want like 75-100 people there. I am getting simple invitations. I need to get food catered.. Should I have alcohol? My dad’s family is rowdy so I don’t know… I was thinking maybe a bottle of champagne at each table. I feel like there is too much to do and I will forget something.. OOh.. like centerpieces! Just remembered..see! I don’t even know if I know what my colors are yet!!
    I think maroon, royal purple and cream. Does that sound yucky? I need to go dress shopping too. Oh and a cake all on a budget.

    Help? SOS?

    • ANSWER:
      Get a Knot account. http://www.thenknot.com and set a budget, even if that budget changes, just set one. Then look down through all the details on that page and it will have broken down your budget for you. You can always delete the things you think you wont have, like a limo or a band/dj for both reception and ceremony. That will help you quite a bit.

      Alcohol, hmm that’s a tough one. What we’re doing (b/c BOTH our families get rowdy w/alcohol) is buying a bunch of beer and wine and that’s it…once it’s gone, it’s gone. No bar or mixed drinks. It’s easier for us that way and then I know nobody will be wasted and ruin anything. Maybe that’s an option for you as well.

      As for the colors, I can’t see them going well together unless you do a deep purple, almost eggplant. That might look good with maroon and cream. I’d keep the colors in the same tones.
      Hope that gives you some ideas!

36. QUESTION:
    May a woman wear a pant suit to a wedding?
    It’s been a long winter and I’m so pale that I can bring myself to wear a dress to my friends wedding this weekend. I hate pantyhose b/c I still have pale arms, neck, face etc. plus they are really uncomfortable (to me). Can I wear a nice pant suit that I usually wear to work? I have several options, but I think my gray one would be best with a light purple blouse. Is it weird or inappropriate for a gal to wear a suit to a wedding? By the way the invitation didn’t indicate black tie or anything and they are getting married outside in a rose garden. The reception is at a popular dinner club. Thanks.

    • ANSWER:
      Think back to the last wedding you went to. Do you remember what everyone wore? Nah I don’t think so. Just go with what makes you comfortable.

37. QUESTION:
    Peacock theme wedding Need ideas…?
    i am planning my wedding i am using the peacock theme, i have selected teal, indigo blue and touches of purple as the color theme. Please can somepne gime ideas for DIY items with the peacock theme. I am looking for a stylized peacock invitation design, bedied ideas for flower arrangements and others. thanks…

    • ANSWER:
      it’s funny, because i am using peacock feathers too!

      try etsy! they have lovely, handmade and original designs on there for headpieces, etc.

      you can buy peacock feathers per bag, and they also sell them at Michaels.

      http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=17146757

      http://www.plumesnfeathers.com/

      i plan on using them in my hair, my bouquet and maybe in my centerpieces. you don’t want to overwhelm people.

      congrats!

38. QUESTION:
    why did my daughter not invite me to the wedding?
    I was not given an invitation before or after the wedding.I had no accommodation made for me.I was left out completely and told to wear a purple dress if I came.I was told it was okay if I didn’t come.
    She became a pentacostal and had lived with him for 3 years prior to the wedding.She wanted to get married the year before but they couldn’t afford it.
    I wrote her after and told her how hurt I was and how she made me feel.She has shut me out of her life.
    After the wedding she promised me the invitation and a video of the wedding and a blown up picture.Her promises never materialized so I told her that her empty promises make me feel very sad but she never ever replied.
    I am not leaving parts out of the story. She prefers to be estranged from me ever since she met him.

    • ANSWER:
      As a Mother my heart goes out to you about the estrangement between you and your daughter. No matter what has passed between you, and I am sure there was some kind of misunderstanding either on hers or your part, it doesn’t matter. Life is so short and if I had the opportunity to speak with her I would tell her how precious her Mother is…I would tell your daughter that you bore her, grew her up to the best of your ability and loved her, and to shut you out is really against God’s wishes. I lost my Mother four years ago and I miss her so much. I was fortunate to have a wonderful relationship with my Mother, so I cannot relate to what you are going through, but the pain must be terrible. I wish I could shake her and tell her that nothing is worth not having your Mother in your world, but I cannot. My suggestion is being that you wrote her a letter, and asked her why she is shutting you out, now is the time to just wait. I assure you that time will pass and she will realize that she made a mistake and end this terrible estrangement. Seek prayer and maybe speak to your Pastor, and reach out to friends, maybe a support group or therapist. But she will come back to you I assure you, it is just a matter of time. Good Luck to you.

39. QUESTION:
    Wedding favor ideas for us?
    Getting married Sept 2011 and we are planning our wedding.

    Some details about the wedding:
    Colors are eggplant or plum purple, bright blue (think cerulean), and ivory.
    We are going to have a beta fish in a bowl as our centerpiece. (Love the aquarium, proposal was there).
    I love to read, he loves video games, we both also really love watching movies.
    We want to incorprate maybe a fall theme in, since it has the most significance for us in our relationship.
    We really like the “autumn bird” invitation design from www.vistaprint.com
    Our venue is in Webster, MA on the lake with the longest name.

    Are there any ways we can tie these together for our favors?
    I was thinking bookmarks and maybe something edible? Please help! Thanks!

    • ANSWER:
      Favors are not necessary. I won’t have them at my wedding. I’ve been to at least 10 weddings and favors were always left on the table but people don’t even always take them after you spent time and money on them. I certainly would not see at as rude if a couple did not have them. They are just extra “trinkets” to have to deal with after a long day/night.

      Also, while you like the idea of the beta fish, I would reconsider. If it’s a meal reception, I would have a really hard time eating with a beta in front of me. I have had three of them in my life and probably 20% of the time they die on their way home or soon after. If you have several tables, odds are some people are going to be eating with a dead or dying fish in front of them. Secondly, they often poop and the feces actually trails out several inches behind them in a string. This can go on for hours before it breaks off. It’s so cute that you guys got engaged at a the aquarium but I would find ANY other way to incorporate that special moment into your wedding day. I would be repulsed as a guest if there were fish on the table.

      Good luck with your wedding and I’m just trying to be honest since that’s what you want when you ask a question on here, right?

40. QUESTION:
    Need a Catchy Business Name.?
    I would like to start a business selling/creating homemade cards and invitations. Mainly wedding invitations, programs, etc…. but I also want to include corporate parties and all other functions like (b-day, engagement, graduations…etc.). I am STUCK.
    The name needs to express/say “elegant and unquie” because these are my two main goals. My favorite color is purple(various shades)…..
    To Oliver T3…..PLEASE EDIT AND PROOFREAD

    I hope your comment helped you get your “rocks off”….apparently this is all you go around and do. An intelligent person would know that everyone makes mistakes and errors (an ignorant person goes around correcting misspelled words)….this is a Q&A network NOT a business transaction!! I know how to spell and better yet….I know when to keep my damn comments to myself. This is a skill you should definitely learn to Master, since you have so much free time. Unfortunately, I am not seeking your approval.

    • ANSWER:
      Since any names that are suggested here may already be owned by another party, I wanted to go a different route…

      I suggest either hiring a name creation firm or get together with your friends and/or family and throw a “name party” & have everyone bounce some ideas around. Compile a listing of names that you like the best. Once you have that list, do as much free research as you can before you delve into comprehensive research.

      I listed some links where you can do some preliminary name checking. However, please be aware that this is merely scratching the surface of what’s out there.

      Only comprehensive research will tell you if the name is truly available. But, these links are free & a great place to start, so I’d try them out first.

      Comprehensive research consists of looking at marks that are similar in Sound, Appearance or Meaning in the pending & registered Federal AND State trademark files as well as the US National Common-Law files.

      There are other sites that offer free searching capabilities in conjunction with their commercial services, so I’m not able to post those links due to the Yahoo! TOS. You’ll also want to check domain names & yellow pages, so simply do a search for “free domain name search” and “national yellowpages” and the appropriate links will pop up.

      Hope that helps! I wish you much success & happiness in all your ventures!

41. QUESTION:
    Business Name??
    I would like to start a business selling/creating homemade cards and invitations. Mainly wedding invitations, programs, etc…. but I also want to include corporate parties and all other functions like (b-day, engagement, graduations…etc.). I am STUCK.
    The name needs to express/say “elegant and unquie” because these are my two main goals. My favorite color is purple(various shades)…..Please Help!
    Thanks

    • ANSWER:
      Business Name: Royalty Cards and Invitations
      Tag Line: Only the Best for your special occassion
      Logo: diamond tiara purple background graphic

42. QUESTION:
    Wrong color printing on Kodak AIO 5500 … help!?
    I’m in the middle of printing my wedding invitations. The chocolate brown color all of a sudden switched to a pretty obvious purple. I have not changed anything on the file or my computer. I changed the color ink to see if that would help … even though it was only a little less than half full … and it made no difference. I haven’t changed the black ink, because there’s more than half left in that as well. I tried a print head cleaning and a calibration. No change. Please help!

    • ANSWER:
      It does sound like a clogged printhead. The reason your color changed is because whichever color has the clogged printhead is not getting through and onto the paper.

      Run a test page/nozzle check pattern, clean your printhead 3-4 times, run another test pattern and you should see a difference. It may take more printhead cleanings to completely unclog the printhead.

43. QUESTION:
    Wedding theme color to go with TEAL?
    I need some help deciding what other color would go nice with teal. I’m having a hard time finding any teal colored decorations, invitations, and flowers, so I need a second color. It seems like there are alot of turquoise and aqua, but no teal. From the following choices, which color would go best with teal? (The reason I am using these colors is because these are the options offered by my florist):

    - purple
    - yellow
    - orange
    - red
    - pink
    - peach
    - burgundy
    It’s a Spring wedding

    • ANSWER:
      I would go with purple and pink. You can get the bridesmaid dresses, the tableclothes, napkins, etc. in a teal color. Then for your flowers you can do a nice rich purple and pink color. I think that combination would look beautiful together…and it’s a little easier to find things in that color.

44. QUESTION:
    What do i wear for a wedding? (long)?
    So I’ve been invited to a wedding at the end of this month in Scotland and i cant find anything to wear, I’m totally lost. I’m quite tomboyish and i live in jeans, trainers, vest tops and check shirts and i don’t wear anything else. I’m also short and pretty fat ( 5’3 18st/252lb) and a typical apple shape ( big boobs, big belly and muffin top ) I was told that you go by the invitation colours and stuff which seems to be purple and cream with a purple and green tartan strip and doesn’t say what the dress code is. Its a afternoon wedding with the reception straight after. Ive asked the groom ( who invited me ) and hes saying where what i want but i cant really do that or I’ll stick out like a sore thumb. I don’t do dresses, heels, dress pants or anything for that matter. If i don’t wear my usual i just feel fat and frumpy and heels make me look butch. The only thing i do like is having my chest uncovered but my arms need to be covered up for my unsightly tattoos. I’m a very difficult person to dress. Ive found a couple of things i could wear but I’d end up dressed like a 40 year old. Ive never wore a dress since i was like 9 about 15 yr ago. But i was thinking of just going for it and wearing a dress and heels but i dunno. Ive got a pair of purple satin wedges that i could wear with possibly this dress http://www.littlewoods.com/holly-willoughby-drape-front-jersey-dress/826869354.prd and purple accessories but not sure I’d suit it. The dress would cover my tattoos and my long hair helps but i wont wear one of them shawls or whatever they are. Someone please help!!!

    • ANSWER:
      A dress like this works because it can be tied at the waist which helps add curves and can cover problem areas. Plus it will work find with your wedges, and black accessories can go well with it.

      http://www.simplybe.co.uk/shop/product/details/show.action?pdLpUid=RC832&pdBoUid=3233&lpgUid=11148585#colour:3674,size:

      Wrap dresses help tuck things into places and add curves, plus with a V-neck you can show off your chest.

      http://www.curvydiva.co.uk/cnb/shop/curvydiva?productID=500&op=catalogue-product_info-null&prodCategoryID=4

      A dress like this also helps add curves and gives the appearance of a slimmer look. The fabric is soft and will be able to flow over troubled spots. The grey would look really good with purple wedges

      http://www.simplybe.co.uk/shop/product/details/show.action?pdLpUid=AX395&pdBoUid=3422&lpgUid=11148585#colour:1079,size:
      

45. QUESTION:
    Critique my wedding vision?
    OK, so I have just about everything in place. I’ve got the dress picked, how I’ll do my hair, etc. So now that I’ve designed the entire wedding I want to hear from people! I want to have a completely unique, unforgettable wedding, so I’m at a year to the wedding and want to be *done* with planning so I can relax and just pay for it over the next year! Please, if you don’t know the meaning of something (because I’ve been in NM all my life, I don’t know what people outside here are and aren’t familiar with), feel free to look it up lol. Also, we’re already legally married so you will see some different traditions and lack of certain concepts. For a hint of our personalities, feel free to go to http://www.myspace.com/tyedyegoddess. It’s private so you can only see the front page but it’s everything you need to know.

    I’ll walk you through beginning to end…

    You have your invitation, which is here: http://www.somethingnewinvitations.com/img/pr/lg/lg_2183.gif . So you drive up to a 200-year-old restored adobe house late in the afternoon in August. After entering through the huge wooden doors and walking through the foyer, signing the leather and parchment guest book on the antique chest, you walk into the main room, with a kiva fireplace in the middle of the room (surrounded in summer blooms), saltillo tiling, and famous local artists’ work on the walls (,000 pieces). You go out the wood and glass doors on the left to the huge backyard that wraps around to the back of the house. There’s a huge tree that looks like something out of a fairy movie. There’s a tall adobe wall (at least 8ft tall) surrounding the entire backyard, that has a full-length wooden gate to the back parking area) and has stringed lights along the top. The back of the house has two horno ovens. Along the left side of the house where you enter the backyard, there are scattered round tables with an aisle down the middle. On the tables are black linens and short rectangular vases holding dark purple hydrangeas. The vases are filled with crystals, with purple LED lights in the crystals to illuminate them. There are votives, bearded iris buds, and small purple flowers in the center. An usher guides you to your seat, and once everyone’s seated, you look up front. There’s a small dark wooden stage with a lighted arch decorated in scattered dark purple blooms and lights. There’s a quartet to the right of the stage, that is playing the Glasgow Love Theme from Love Actually, and a couple other classical light pieces.

    They then start playing The Painted World from What Dreams May Come (http://www.imeem.com/drag0niizz/music/v4xB8NZL/michael-kamen-the-painted-world/ if you don’t know it), while people begin walking down the aisle between the tables. You can hear with music changes that at first it’s the groom who walks his mother to her seat, then walks up to and stands on the stage. Next is the maid of honor/best man, then all the bridesmaids and groomsmen paired up, then while the cute sweet singsong part is going the flower girls (older gals, my sisters) and ring bearer, then at the big swell at almost 3 minutes I enter and walk down the aisle accompanied by my mother, wearing this: http://demetriosbride.com/us/collections/blue/highres/B141%20FULL_U8L8832cymk.jpg (I’m not a skinny girl and this picture doesn’t do it justice… it’s got gorgeous beading!). I’ve got a bouquet made up of purple calla lillies, purple hydrangeas, a couple bearded iris buds, and some scattered baby’s breath. I’m wearing my hair down but held behind my shoulders in curls, and I’m wearing a short tiara with a fingertip-length veil edged with swarovski crystals.

    The groom is in a zoot suit, and the groomsmen are in 3-piece black suits with purple accents. The bridesmaids are in this dress: http://www.dessy.com/dresses/bridesmaid/d405/#LineList=7&attributeMask=33&catid=1&displaytype=GridMedium&activePage=1&rpp=9&SortOrder=BridesmaidLineDefault (in aubergine), and have either silver or black accents (black for maid of honor).

    The maid of honor and best man lead the ceremony, explaining we’re here to celebrate an existing marriage and bond, and each does a reading. The bridesmaids and groomsmen each take turns sharing readings or whatever that they’ve picked out. Then, we renew our vows to each other, and replace our current rings (we have rings now but want to give each other our “permanent” rings at the ceremony). As silly as it sounds, I think it’d be cute to have the wedding party get everyone in the crowd to say “you may kiss the bride”. Kiss, and the quartet starts playing the traditional recessional (from Midsummer Night’s Dream originally), and we have the traditional recessional. We go into the front of the house and around to the backyard behind the adobe wall for some initial pictures with the sunset.

    The reception starts at sunset, and is a combination between indoors and outdoors. There’s kid-style finger foods, everything from mozzarella stick

    • ANSWER:
      It sounds very well thought out. I hope that you have included your fiance along the way while planning, remember it’s his wedding too. I know from my own wedding planning that from the time of conception to the time of the actual wedding many things changed, so don’t get too hung up on the finer details.

46. QUESTION:
    Ideas for wedding stationary designs? Simple & tasteful?
    I’m going to be designing our wedding stationary (from the save-the-dates, to the whole invite to the thank yous and place cards) but I’m having trouble coming up with a theme or design that I can use in the wedding itself and reception as well.

    I’m a stickler for making designs match or following a pattern. Actually, I’m more than a stickler, it bothers me when there’s an obvious pattern or theme and it isn’t followed through all the way. I’m not an over-doer, if I picked roses I would not have rose-pattern napkins and rose-handled cake cutters, and rose-shaped confetti. But the cake would be decorated with roses, the flowers would mostly be roses, the design on the stationary would be roses, etc.

    Part of the problem I’m having with the design is that our wedding colors have changed. I originally picked fern, champagne, and ivory. But my fiancé wants to wear blue or purple. We haven’t picked a new shade yet to replace champagne, because he’s very busy with his senior research project for his BAF.

    So I don’t know what kind of flowers we’ll be using, etc. I want the design color to be primarily fern and I’d really like to design around some kind of plant. I love orchids and lily-of-the-valley but because of expense we’re probably not using them in the wedding.

    I was thinking of going with the design of a fern plant, but I’m seeing that done a lot recently and I want my design to be a little more unique. I considered designing something that reflects our interests, but most of those wouldn’t make for a simple and elegant invitation.

    Thinks we like to do: cook, hard-core hiking, play video games, read, watch sci-fi telly and movies, and play chess.

    Any one have any suggestions? I don’t have to put out the save-the-dates til January, so I have three months. But the sooner I design something, the sooner I can start printing and hand-writing the envelopes (I can do calligraphy).
    What do you guys think of a design using fiddlehead fern?

    http://images.google.com/images?um=1&hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&q=fiddlehead+fern&btnG=Search+Images

    • ANSWER:
      I can tell you have good taste. Im do graphic design, and did our invitations from scratch, so I understand how important this is to you.

      My personal preference for invitations is to use something with life- whether it be a flower, a fern, a seashell, a butterfly, or some element of nature. Im not so crazy about using a barn, a horseshoe, or some other inanimate object. This is just my opinion.

      So if I were you, I would do the fern! If you are designing your own, it WILL be unique! And there are so many kinds of ferns, you could use one for the invitations, one for the cake, one for the programs.. but all unified in color of course. Just an idea. I agree not to use orchids or lily of the valley if youre not using them in the wedding. Dont let your fiances clothes change your whole color scheme, just keep going on your original path as it is a tasteful one, and whatever he decides to wear it wont matter!

      Feel free to mail me if you need to bounce more ideas off someone.

      **Fiddlehead is a great choice, unique but distinct! Actually, several months ago Martha Stewart did a special on ferns in her Living magazine, FYI if you need inspiration.

47. QUESTION:
    cocktail dress too dressy for late afternoon wedding?
    My cousin’s wedding is this January at 2:00 PM at a church in Seattle, reception at a nearby university. The invitation does’nt state dress code so I am clueless on what to wear. The invitation itself was a postcard, and my cousin and her fiance are outdoorsy, casual people so this is definitely not a black tie event. However, I would like to think that the wedding is not going to be completely casual as it is at a church, and the reception will go into the evening.

    If this is a casual wedding I am sad because I love getting dressed up, and I am wondering if the cocktail dress I picked is too much. I fell in love with a knee length purple strapless satin dress that has some nice gathering at the waist and an attached silver brooch. I will accessorize with a wrap/coverup for the church and silver high heels and clutch and minmal jewlery, since dress has a brooch. Is the dress to dressy? If I can get away with this dress should I tone it down by going with black shoes/ bag

    • ANSWER:
      Your dress sounds beautiful, but I’m afraid your outfit is a little too dressy for their wedding. I say you can still wear the dress. Just dress it down with a black fitted velvet jacket, and black shoes and bag. That way, you can still wear your gorgeous dress, but not look like you’re outshining the bride.

48. QUESTION:
    Which dress should I wear to my friend’s April wedding?
    The invitation says to dress “hawaiian tropical casual” and my boyfriend was told he should wear khakis… so bearing that in mind, which dress do you like and why? Thanks for your help in advance. =)

    1) http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_031D3890000P?vName=Clothing&cName=Women%27s+Plus&sName=Dresses

    2) http://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=7323&pid=633995&scid=633995022 (in yellow)

    3) http://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=7323&pid=633993&scid=633993002

    4) http://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=15292&pid=633407&scid=633407022 (in blue or purple)

    5) http://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=15292&pid=633413&scid=633413022 (in pink floral)

    6) http://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=15292&pid=633403&scid=633403012

    7) http://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=15292&pid=625657&scid=625657022 (in teal)
    http://www.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=13658&pid=624848&scid=624848022 (in pink)

    I know it’s a lot but thanks for looking.
    I’ve never been to a “casual” wedding before. Only really formal ones so I’m having a hard time thinking that a dress from Old Navy or similar will be appropriate but apparently it is. I’ll just dress it up, lol. =)

    • ANSWER:

49. QUESTION:
    what do you think of my wedding?
    This is my dress (with eggplant trim)

    http://www.alfredangeloca.com/Collections/ProductDisplay.aspx?productID=996cef5f-7aab-49ff-abd1-92c8e1509231&categoryID=f24c3867-7b3b-419c-8135-b2d0c61e116a&pg=1&colorId1=

    These are my bridesmaids and flowergirl dresses

    http://butterick.mccall.com/b5458-products-10841.php?page_id=147

    (the bigger picture dress in eggplant sash in cobalt blue)

    http://www.alfredangeloca.com/Collections/ProductDisplay.aspx?productID=08c98e2a-4340-45ad-a9f9-72589d86968e&categoryID=053f22f3-72d9-4a6d-af34-392c45fe8c96&pg=1&colorId1=

    these are my invitations

    http://www.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=http://www.myexpression.com/ProdImages/MSMEDIUM/2367.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.myexpression.com/prodDetail.cfm%3FProductID%3D2367&usg=__JRCJuHZ9leoPa_pJRkkYR-jJk4k=&h=257&w=414&sz=16&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=NbWg_ce49oKlcM:&tbnh=97&tbnw=157&ei=0eYvTdqlF4OBlAeQpPmWCg&prev=/images%3Fq%3Ddouble%2Bheart%2Bwedding%2Binvitations%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DX%26rlz%3D1T4ACAW_enCA372CA370%26biw%3D1345%26bih%3D496%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=929&vpy=199&dur=530&hovh=177&hovw=285&tx=162&ty=103&oei=0eYvTdqlF4OBlAeQpPmWCg&esq=1&page=1&ndsp=27&ved=1t:429,r:16,s:0

    and my decorations

    http://www.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=http://www.superweddings.com/decor/martini.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.superweddings.com/decor/weddingdecor_0901.html&usg=__5d653Dm7zrtjx4-x6cyKEujCj44=&h=300&w=300&sz=15&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=If9AMxXq2bKslM:&tbnh=114&tbnw=114&ei=WOcvTeqRKMOblgf97JGkCg&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dfloating%2Bmartini%2Bwedding%2Bdecorations%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1T4ACAW_enCA372CA370%26biw%3D1345%26bih%3D496%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1&iact=rc&dur=531&oei=WOcvTeqRKMOblgf97JGkCg&esq=1&page=1&ndsp=27&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0&tx=62&ty=59

    flowers
    white daisys
    blue and purple roses

    http://www.flowersbydesign.net/images/details/brides-bouquet-pink-rose-gerbera.jpg

    • ANSWER:

50. QUESTION:
    courthouse marriage, questions and opinions?
    I don’t want to have a big wedding, I just want to have a simple little ceremony with just our like 4 closest friends (his 2 and my 2) and our parents and siblings. I mean I want to dress up, like in a cute little white dress and him in like khakis and a white or purple (our wedding color) shirt, but I don’t want to have to send out a bunch of invitations and fork out a bunch of money.

    So my question is: can we have that many people there for just a courthouse marriage with a justice of the peace?

    and what are your opinions on this? do you think it’s stupid?

    • ANSWER:
      Depends on the courthouse, but usually you’re allowed at least a few guests, you usually need at least 1-2 to provide as witnesses.

      I don’t see anything stupid about your idea, only that you’re asking if it’s stupid which makes you sound insecure and not like an adult ready for the serious commitment marriage is.