Wedding Themes

David Tutera's wedding show, My Fair Wedding, highlights one very big difference between a professionally planned wedding and a DIY wedding.  The theme!  While themes are very helpful in focusing a wedding's style, it's so difficult to make it look right.  To make that wedding convey the theme, surrounding the couple with the ideas they love, without going overboard or kitschy (unless kitsch is what you are going for!) is a matter left to the professionals.  

Let's take the theme of a peacock feather as an example.  Suppose a bride decides that she loves peacock feathers and all of their colors,  the bold greens, blues and purples.  How would you incorporate this into your wedding without overdoing it?  The first step is don't take it too literally.  For example, instead of a floral arrangements full of peacock feathers, which would be the obvious choice, try taking the colors as the inspiration and hinting at the theme...

Next, and this one will seem counter-intuitive, don't limit yourself with those colors!  Your theme colors will stand even more out when set off by a different color.  In this example, how about washing the walls in amber light to draw the eyes to the rich peacock colors?

Finally, don't overdo yourself in the theme.  Your wedding pictures are going to last through generations, please take it seriously.  You want to have a lasting image of YOU, not your theme, to hand down.  Just because Carrie Bradshaw had those giant peacock feathers in her hair at her over the top wedding, that doesn't make it right for you.  I'm not saying don't put feathers in your hair, just do it tastefully.  Try something in the back that can pinned in after your ceremony is over and you've removed your veil...

This just scratches the surface of how to handle a theme properly, but it's a good start!  Happy planning!

Most Unique Destinations for Weddings

Do you want a destination wedding but not the kind where the name of the resort is on the bottom of the pool?  Here are some unique choices for destination weddings (and tell them a.muse sent you).  Of course, this is just a flavor.  I have many, many more destinations that I've either personally been to, or can vouch for.  If you are planning a destination wedding, drop me a line and I'd be happy to help!


The Inn at Palmetto Bluff in Bluffton, South Carolina

In the beautiful South Carolina low country, near Savanna and Hilton Head Island, the Inn at Palmetto Bluff has gourmet catering and award winning accommodations in a sumptuous location.  They have a darling chapel on the premises, bicycles to ride and take photos with, marshmallow roasting at night, a lovely pool, even a private yacht charter that can accomodate 28 guests for a little party the night before.  I recommend taking in the award winning spa for the ladies and canoeing for the guys on the day of the wedding.  Hand fans out to your guests, encourage hats, and have a charming southern wedding.  A very unique and luxurious setting!  Take a little scroll through their wedding slide shows here.

Alternate:
Chatham Bars Inn, Cape Cod Mass.


The Canouan Resort at Carenage Bay, The Grenadines

If a beach wedding with white sand beaches on a remote island that is more your speed, try the Island of Canouan, which means Island of Turtles.  Belonging to St. Vincent, Canouan is only 3.5 miles by 1.25 miles.  Also with a chapel onsite for your ceremony (if you choose not to have it right on the beach), the romance begins there, the 19th century church that brought stone by stone from England.  With ocean front pool suites to provide the bride and groom with some privacy, spectacular golf resorts for the men, and an over water spa for the girls, your guests would NEVER forget this wedding!  Watch a youtube slideshow of images here.

Alternate:
Cap Juluca, Anguilla

Four Seasons Hotel in Istanbul at the Bosporus, Turkey

Were you thinking of something more exotic?  Did you know that Istanbul is the wedding capitol of the world?  There are so many Istanbul hotels to choose from, but with a spa inspired by the public baths of ancient Rome, the Four Seasons on the Bosporus has a unique couples hammam experience.  Schedule a tour of the romantic city for your guests, and skip to your honeymoon in the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts visiting the beautiful town of Kas or the Greek Islands (or both).  An exotic experience for sure!

Alternate:
Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur India