Picking Your Wedding Theme

Most people don't see a need for a wedding theme. Of course, the theme for any wedding is "marriage."

However, when all the little planning details start to come together, you should have some cohesion to everything. With so many choices to make, having a theme helps to guide you to simple elegance. But beware, theme incorporation should be subtle. Too obvious theme elements can take away from the real reason for your special day and make the festivities feel like a theme party.

The season during which you hold your wedding can provide many cues for theme and color. Try a few of these seasonal suggestions to help make your wedding unique and fun.

Spring:
What leaps to mind when you hear "spring wedding?" Flowers! Of course, every wedding has flowers. When flowers are your theme, you can incorporate them not only in dÈcor, but in other decorative elements as well.

- Use a subtly flowered fabric for your bridesmaids' dresses.

- Give your guests flowery favors. Seeds for their gardens in decorative pots are one way to do that. Bud vases are another.

- Incorporate fresh flowers in your cake design or have your baker craft them out of fondant.

- Use pressed flower stationary for invitations and programs. You'll find these little lovelies at many invitation providers.

- Ask your caterer to include flowers in your menu - edible flowers look lovely in salads and as garnish for your main course.

- Colors for spring often include muted pastels, such as buttercup yellow, lilac, pale blue, carnation pink and sage green. These colors can be found in many of the season's flowers.

Summer:
When it's hot outside, choose a sunny theme that tells guests that your wedding is the cool place to be? A tropical paradise! A fuchsia wedding dress would be inappropriate, but putting a taste of the tropics in the details can go a long way.

- Feature faux "Tiki" torches as part of the reception lighting scheme.

- Serve fruity drinks with little umbrellas at the bar, and have sangria available in carafes at the tables.

- Make dried fruits and nuts available for snacking.

- Include tropical flowers in bouquets and boutonnieres, and flowered leis as part of the table design.

- Incorporate some reggae music into your playlist.

- Hot colors for those hot summer nights include electric blue, royal purple, magenta, lime green and chili-pepper red. While these colors may seem like a throwback to the 1980s, when you incorporated these hues using a simple elegant touch, they can help make your wedding the most festive fete in town.

Fall:
When the leaves turn from green into beautiful fall hues and the air starts to have a nip of cold, what comes to mind but autumn harvest? There are many opportunities to incorporate a little flavor of fall into your wedding celebration.

- Serve cider-inspired drinks and ales.

- Use a leaf motif throughout all aspects of your wedding.

- Include fall wildflowers in the bouquets, boutonnieres and dÈcor.

- Serve spice, apple or pumpkin cake with cream cheese icing decorated with leaves and fall flowers.

- Use cornucopias with various fruits for snacking and centerpieces.

- Look to the trees for the colors of the season. Rich golds, chocolate browns, deep burgundies, dark eggplant and spicy pumpkin can turn your wedding
into a harvest of love.

Winter:
Whether it's cold or not, when you proceed down the aisle, walk in a winter wonderland. Winter provides a serene backdrop for your nuptials. Consider adding these chilly touches to enhance the sparkle and elegance.

- Include silver sparkle everywhere you can - flowers, dresses, centerpieces.

- Serve warm drinks along with traditional bar fare - hot toddies and hot chocolate.

- If there is snow on the ground, make sure to take some outdoor pictures, even if it's cold. You and the wedding party will look like snow angels.

- Have the bride and bridesmaids carry faux fur muffs - very "Dr. Zhivago."

- Use winter-like fabrics, such as velvets, in dresses and dÈcor.

- Plan your wedding festivities with a "holiday" theme.

- Colors for winter weddings should be cool. These blue-based hues can include ice blue, silver, red and emerald green. Set against the crispness of a winter day, cool colors can warm the heart.

Seasonless style:
The combination of black and white always makes an elegant statement. It is especially fitting for an evening wedding. You can incorporate black and white in any number of ways - dresses, accessories, flowers, favors and even dessert. This study in contrasts can pull it all together.

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