When it comes to reception centerpieces, there are brides who feel elegance and appropriate decorum require a massive display like this in the center of each table.

Me? I gotta say I HATE those centerpieces. They’re impossible to converse around. I might have a fighting chance, but then I’m pretty short. I can duck under the branches on a lot of them. But Mr. Twistie is tall. And these things often branch out in width, as well as in height. My poor beloved finds himself spitting out ivy and rose petals every time he opens his mouth, or in grave danger of his moustache catching fire if there are candles involved.

I know where the concept came from. It came from Victorian dinner party extravaganzas. Those tables often featured huge, florid arrangements of flowers in massive silver, glass, or ceramic display pieces. Guests would enter the hall, ooh and aah over the centerpieces as they found their seats, and tell the people sitting on either side how impressive they were.

Then – and this is the bit most people don’t know anymore – the servants (usually the footmen) would come and remove the centerpieces from the table so that conversation was possible.

Any rebuttals? Additions to my chorus?

You guys know I love DIY. I think it makes for a unique, highly personal celebration. On the other hand, it’s not for everyone. Some of us don’t have the time, or the inclination to do the work for ourselves. And let’s face it, there are some amongst us who simply do not have the crafting chops to get the job done right. For example:

(Image via CraftFail)
I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t want to put up that poor mess of string at my wedding reception!

So what do you do if you love DIY but don’t have the time or the space or the talent? Why you go to people who have those things and pay them to do it for you. And that’s where Etsy comes into play.
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Right now one of the big decorating trends for weddings is copper. I love this. Copper is a warm, inviting metallic that goes well with a wide variety of other colors. Whether you’re going for a blast of color or a restrained, neutral palette, copper will round your look out nicely. It can even bridge the gap between gold and silver handsomely if you want an all metallic look.

I’ve found a few examples of the versatility of copper, just in case you’re undecided on the matter.

(Image via Delightfully Engaged)
Here copper combines with red for a sumptuous, elegant look. It’s rich and warm.
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Once upon a time, if you mentioned an eco-friendly wedding, people tended to think of something like this:

You know, obviously hand-hewn, crunchy granola, unfashionable, and probably reeking of patchouli.

In short, even a lot of people who admired the commitment these couples made to living lightly on Mother Earth wouldn’t be caught dead in a ditch looking – or smelling – like them.

But times have changed. You don’t have to be a card-carrying hippie to care about the environment anymore. and you don’t have to completely reject both tradition and fashion to follow your convictions.
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2012 is just around the corner, and that means that the experts are lining up to tell us what’s hot and what’s not for the coming year. I’ve browsed a few of these lists. Some of them contradict one another, but after looking over dozens of guesses, I’m seeing some pretty clear clues to what’s coming in the next few months. Let’s take a look at a few of them.

Dessert tables are expected to continue to be a big deal in weddings. Variety is the spice of life, and a wonderful way to end a reception meal.

A further wrinkle on this trend that’s on the rise for parties that last late into the night is a second spread of snacks offered to guests on their way out. Doughnuts, cookies, sliders, coffee and cocoa… this is the chance to offer up a tasty final gift to your guests.
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Here at Manolo for the Brides, we’re in favor of bridal DIY. It’s a great way to save a buck or three and create an intensely personal celebration.

Whether you’re looking to make centerpieces, design and make your own veil, or coming up with handmade favors, chances are you can find inspiration and instruction somewhere on the net. So I’m going to hunt down some of the coolest ideas and clearest instructions to help you get started finding what projects are right for you.

Today, we’re talking about flowers. I’ve been looking around and I’ve discovered some fun projects that nearly anyone can do.

First up, see that picture at the top of this article? Wouldn’t those be delightful on the tabletops at a spring wedding, particularly with a Japanese theme? They’re also origami. This is the sort of project you can do over time or organize a party to play with.
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Captured by Daniel Usenki Photography

Fact: When it comes to personalizing a reception venue dance floor, options are limited. You can use lighting design to spruce up your party space. Or choose a reception venue with a dance floor that’s a cut above – something like a wood tile floor or light up dance floor. The only other option that comes to mind is the vinyl dance floor monogram, provided your wedding venue of choices allows such things.

But when you’re hauling in your own dance floor, anything goes. Er, within the limits of the local event rental companies’ inventories, I suppose. If I had my wedding to do all over again, I would spring for the dance floor – sandy soil underfoot didn’t exactly inspire booty shakin’ – and furthermore opt for a checkerboard like the one above. Probably wee like the one above, too, since I like the idea of everyone cramming their finely dressed selves onto a tiny checkerboard dance floor outside in the empty air as if that’s only place dancing is permitted. The contrast between the checkerboard floor and nature is fantastic.

Have you thought about your dance floor options? Or is that just too tiny a detail to matter in your wedding planning book?