marriage inspiration

Wedding Flowers

Flowers are a huge part of the average wedding. Whether the event is held outdoors and surrounded by nature’s bounty or it takes place inside and away from the natural elements, there are likely going to be countless bursts of colorful blossoms dotting the space. If you’re stuck on which flowers to select, it can sometimes be useful to think outside the box. Understanding the symbolism behind different popular wedding flowers, for example, can provide you with immediate perspective.

No matter what kind of wedding you envision, make sure you have flowers that add the right energy to the event. Review these choices and see if the meaning behind a particular piece of flora is enough to sell you on the arrangement. 

Strong and Proud Flowers

One of the more popular flowers included in wedding bouquets in recent years is amaryllis. This is a blossom with a lot of things going for it. The average couple opts for amaryllis in neutral shades. For example, coral is one of the most popular colors because it is understated and still enhances the rest of the scene with its presence. However, this is not true of all versions of this flower. Amaryllis can be found in bold colors like red, which helps to explain why the flower is symbolically connected to the idea of pride.

If you’re bursting with pride over the love you share with your partner, amaryllis in a strong color could be a perfect fit. Experts state that this flower is also connected to the themes of determination and flashiness. Couples tying the knot in the winter will be happy to learn that this is a winter flower, meaning it is typically easier to obtain and less expensive during the colder months.  

Beautiful and Fortunate

For couples planning to marry in the spring, cherry blossoms can make for absolutely spectacular flowers to use as décor. Cherry blossoms are so spectacular that people come from all over to witness the trees changing color when the spring hits, with entire festivals all over the world dedicated to this moment for the blossom. If you’d like to include this type of plant in your wedding, you can guarantee it will enhance your event’s overall visuals. 

On a symbolic level, it has been said that cherry blossoms are associated with beauty and hope. It is also common for women in different cultures to include these blossoms in their weddings as a way of encouraging good luck with fertility in particular. If you want to have a child right away after your event, this could be a simple way to rouse some luck in your favor. Whether used for its visual appeal or symbolic meaning, it is hard to deny how beautiful cherry blossoms can be. 

Big and Bold

Finally, summertime affairs can benefit from a flower that makes a statement. Few blooms are as captivating in this way as the dahlia. Dahlias are large and colorful in a way that makes them a perfect addition to bouquets, garden ceremonies, and more. Beyond this, the dahlia is said to be the flower associated with gratitude and grace. Since these are traits you likely want to embody during your wedding and beyond, it may be the perfect push you need to pick this flower for your event.

Though there are hundreds upon thousands of different types of flowers to consider when putting together wedding décor, you can easily narrow your search by thinking about the symbolic side of things. Learn more about what flowers mean and see if this can help you figure out the right bouquets for your big day.

Wedding Tips Newlyweds Want All Engaged Couples To Know

One of the best ways to plan your wedding is by looking for useful advice. When planning your nuptials there is no shortage of publications online and in print that can provide you with insight. there’s also a lot to be said for searching out input from those with actual authority on the matter. Specifically, there have been a lot couples who have been through the process of planning their nuptials. Therefore they can provide you with a ton of helpful information related to getting your own event off the ground. Take a look at these tips offered by newlyweds, and weed through some of your future challenges.

Inspiration Should Always Be Welcome

From the second you get engaged, your subconscious mind will be thinking about your wedding in some capacity. Most couples warn against diving right into planning, as you want to actually enjoy the engagement period without feeling the pressure of the future. However, there is an agreement among newlyweds that you should take inspiration whenever it comes along. Whether you create a mood board, surf the internet for pictures, or think back on what your childhood image of a dream wedding looked like, letting your wheels turn can be incredibly useful. 

If you are excited to get married and want to ensure your event looks and feels exactly how you envision, then starting the preliminary steps of feeling inspired can be invaluable. Despite that it is practical in most ways, it is also a lot of fun and can get you feeling nervous butterflies and other motivational anticipatory sensations.

Your Needs Come Before Any Checklist

When you’re on the hunt for planning advice, you are undoubtedly going to come across the suggestion to create a thorough checklist. There’s a lot to be said for being organized and understanding your timeline. Still, you might find your own needs or desires conflict with what professionals have to say. When all is said and done, this is your wedding. If there’s a certain service you want to book early because it seems most exciting to you, then feel free to take care of this task before any of the recommended steps.  

Certain checklist points will naturally fall into place. Most couples set their budgets before anything else, which is usually the first tip that wedding experts offer to the recently engaged. This means that any list you create should be used as a loose guideline so you still feel in control of the planning process.

Remember You Need To Have Fun Too 

While booking vendors, a common mistake that couples make is selecting businesses based exclusively on price and the services offered. Though very useful, you should also consider factors like the way the business conducts operations. Some vendors are not as adept at handling big events, constantly interrupting the couple during the festivities to ask questions. Since you want to enjoy your big day and not spend half of your time handling inquiries from vendors, you should seek out professionals who exude self-sufficiency.  

Schedule Some Breaks

Once the actual planning process starts, you may feel like it cannot stop until you walk down the aisle. However, newlyweds push the idea of scheduling breaks into the planning period in order to stay sane. If you constantly force yourself to focus on wedding tasks, you may burn out fast. By taking a few days off, you can take a lot of the pressure off and come back to the drawing board with a renewed sense of confidence.  This is also true during your wedding, as small breaks can keep you in the best spirits.

While you can easily find a ton of helpful wedding advice on the internet, you should also remain mindful of what married couples have to say on the matter. When you take heed of the suggestions offered by those who know what it is like to go through the process, it can provide insight in a way that delivers tangible results.

Canadian Wedding Traditions Make for a Unique and Memorable Experience

There's lots of things you can do before, during, and after a marriage that are traditionally Canadian.

Your wedding is one of the biggest and most important days in your life, so there is no doubt that you’re going to want everything to be perfect. But there is so much that goes into planning the wedding and making it unique and special for you, your fiance, and everyone else in attendance. If you are looking for marriage inspiration in order to find the perfect way to experience your wedding, look no further than some of these classic Canadian traditions. There are a variety of wedding officiants from the Universal Life Church who specialize in these Canadian traditions and can help ensure that everything goes as planned.

Before the wedding, many Canadian brides like to host what is called Trousseau Tea, which is an event held specifically for friends who did not make it on the guest list for the wedding itself. Trousseau Tea is like a bridal shower but on a more personal level; the wedding dress is traditionally laid out in order for the guests to see it, and the bride-to-be and her family spend time with each of the guests in a much more intimate fashion. Trousseau Tea is usually held by brides who are intent on a small wedding that will be attended only by family or exceptionally close friends.

During the wedding party, an event called the wedding wheel is usually held by both the bride and groom. The wedding wheel is incredibly fun for everyone- it involves the guests forming two lines for an opportunity to dance with the happy couple. When a guest reaches the front of the line, he has the chance to pay any amount of currency to “buy” his or her dance. At the end of the party, the bride and groom get to dance together, and the money is put toward honeymoon or other marriage expenses.

While the wedding wheel is certainly entertaining, the bride/groom roast is even more so. This event is held at the wedding reception and involves close friends or family making a toast to either the bride or groom with the intention of embarrassing them and having a laugh at their expense. The jokes are all in good fun and everyone gets a good laugh out of the stories, including the bride and groom themselves. At the end of the roast, the toaster offers the couple their best wishes in an emotional speech that will be sure to bring some tears of joy, and then the party continues.

These marriage inspiration ideas will contribute to a wedding that will be memorable for everyone involved, especially for you and your spouse-to-be. It is best to use wedding officiants who are well-versed in Canadian wedding traditions such as these because they have experience and knowledge into how to perform them so that everything runs smoothly. Whether you use an officiant from the Universal Life Church or elsewhere, these marriage inspiration ideas will create an experience that are sure to create long and successful memories.