The month of August has a unique position. The last full month of summer, the weather and attitude are definitely pure summer. Yet at the same time, when August arrives, we know that autumn is just around the corner, and so a lot of the colors and flowers which are in season then have a bit of a fall preview feeling to them. Take advantage of this when planning your August wedding. It will make your day feel extra special when you celebrate the season.

Bright, spicy colors work beautifully for an August wedding. Think fuchsia, paprika, goldenrod, and accents of brown and white. The colors we associate with a Mexican fiesta are fantastic for a late summer ceremony and reception. The bold colors combine very well, so you can mix and match them without fear, especially when it comes to flowers. For the bridesmaid dresses, pick one main color, such as the fuchsia, and accent it with multi-colored bridesmaid jewelry and bouquets. Crystal station necklaces with a few crystals in each of the wedding colors would make fantastic bridesmaid jewelry with a solid color dress.

Informal vibrant flowers are ideal for August weddings. Some of the best varieties are those which remind us of fall, yet are in season in bright summer colors at that time of the year. Zinnias are especially fun, as they often have several colors on each bloom. They would suite a fiesta theme wedding perfectly, and also work well for any colorful late summer celebration. “Plant” the zinnias in clay pots for a casual Southwestern vibe or arrange them in black iron urns for a more elegant style. Clear glass vases in interesting shapes also work well when you want the flowers themselves to be the entire story.

Other great flowers for an August wedding include mini-sunflowers, asters, and mums. Use the mini-sunflowers as an accent in bouquets with rich hues like russet and tie it all up with a wide chocolate brown satin ribbon. The asters and mums are a lot of fun, and can perfectly capture the idea of August being both high summer and the gateway to fall. The flowers themselves are often thought of as classic autumnal blossoms, but when used in more summery shades like pink and purple, they are definitely not too fallish for an August bride. All of these make excellent choices for casual outdoor events.

For the wedding cake, continue the theme of August as the gateway to autumn by choosing a delicious chocolate cake. When decorated with brightly colored flowers, it will be the perfect sweet ending to your wedding. Just be sure to keep your fantastic cake out of the hot August sun or you will end up with an accidental chocolate fountain, as the frosting melts down the side of the wedding cake!

About the Author Bridget Mora

Ask Bridget for advice in areas of bridesmaid jewelry or weddings. She writes numerous articles providing information for the customers of http://silverlandjewelry.com, where we offer complimentary shipping on all jewelry orders over $99.

When you begin planning your reception centerpieces, think about the ways in which you can tie the arrangements in with both your wedding style and the season. If you are having a beach theme wedding, right down to the food and jewelry, incorporate that motif into your centerpieces. Or perhaps you are having a 4th of July wedding; DIY decorations with an Americana flavor would be ideal. Summer weddings tend to be brighter and more relaxed than winter events, so keep your design light and laid-back.

A gorgeous DIY centerpiece for a garden wedding would be a butterfly “bouquet”. Take a cute enamel watering can in your favorite color to use as the vessel. Then use a collection of butterflies on long stems to wire together into a unique and colorful centerpiece. Of course, you won’t use real butterflies, but rather ones created from beautiful paper, fabric, or feathers. They make a colorful and charming alternative to a floral table arrangement and are easy to assemble yourself. One of the best part about using non-floral elements for DIY centerpieces is that you can put them together a long time before the wedding.

Fresh fruit can make a striking wedding centerpiece. One of the simplest DIY table decorations you can create is to fill a tall clear vessel with sliced lemons and limes. Pack them tightly around the sides so that the round slices are pressed against the edges of the vessel for a great graphic design. The citrus fruit adds color and a summery feeling to the wedding. For a more modern effect, use a clear tall cylinder or choose a footed urn if your wedding style is more romantic. A lemon or lime flavored signature drink would be the perfect accompaniment to these centerpieces.

Beach theme centerpieces always fit in with summer weddings and are very easy for the DIY bride. Fill tall clear vases with a variety of seashells and surround them with low votive candles. Or go for a modern beach style by placing red faux coral into clear Lucite boxes and stacking them up. They will make very striking centerpieces for your reception, yet are a breeze to assemble.

Of course flowers are always popular for wedding decorations, and there are plenty of designs which do not require any experience to create. If you want to try your hand at DIY centerpieces but are not confident in your flower arranging abilities, gather a collection of pretty potted plants. For an Americana wedding, bright red geraniums would look fantastic in white wicker baskets. Best of all, after your wedding, the cheerful flowers can be planted outside your new home.

About the Author Guy Antonelli

Guy has been writing about society and weddings for a long time. If you have a topic you would like to know about, let us know at http://silverlandjewelry.com/. Let us help you select the perfect wedding jewelry for every member of the bridal party. All jewelry orders over $99 receive free shipping.

If you don’t live near the beach, you can always consider a garden wedding. No matter where you live, there’s bound to be a beautiful garden somewhere within driving distance. It may be your sister’s backyard, the local historical house with beautiful grounds and gardens, or an elderly couple’s estate on the outskirts of town. These are all possible outdoor wedding location ideas! Look around your local area, talk to people you know, ask the local mailman about any beautiful grounds he is familiar with, talk to the local tourist association or ask a local wedding planner. You just may be surprised at what you find right there in your neighborhood. There may even be gazebos and such already in place. If you’re lucky enough to find a special like this, you’ll be able to save lots of money and choose whether to keep that money to start your new life or use it for extra bells-n-whistles for your wedding.

There are some awe-inspiring locations in almost every state. These can range from historical sites to national parks, but there’s always something. You could find a beautiful canyon, mountain top, waterfall, or park that doesn’t require thousands of dollars for traveling, passports, etc… So before you jump in head over heels, in love with that far off wedding destination you’ve been considering, check out what’s available in your own state.

If the you can’t seem to find an ideal outdoor wedding location with any of the above, don’t fret. Many hotels and inn’s offer wedding special packages and are happy to host your wedding. They often offer many extras that make planning your wedding easier, too. Consider country clubs in your area, too. They usually have beautiful grounds or gold courses that could easily be transformed to a magical oasis for your wedding day.

About the Author Alice Douglas

Engaging Images is a team of Toronto wedding photographers who combine art and photo journalism. Visit their site if you are looking for the best wedding photographers.

You can keep it simple by using nature as your backdrop. These nature-based themes are wonderful starting points for backyard wedding ideas.

Tea Party

Simply fill some second hand teapots with different types of wildflower arrangements that include many sizes and colors. You might choose daintily sweet color combos for your wedding colors and then give your wedding guest some tea wedding favors.

Nature Gone Wild

This simple theme includes various types of huge leafy centerpieces, which can be a bit expensive depending upon the choice of plants you plan to include.

Backyard BBQ

This fun and inexpensive wedding theme will have your friends and family all excited to attend. You may cater your barbeque or you may choose to hire a barbecue only service catering company, which are quite popular today.

This offers you an inexpensive option for food that your wedding guests will enjoy talking about for years!

You may want to use tiki torches and simple flowers and then give your wedding guests practice and edible Personalized BBQ Sauce Wedding favors.

Patio Lanterns for Backyard Wedding Decorations

You can use patio lanterns to adorn any surrounding area from the dance floor to the dinning area. You may even choose to use a stunning patio lantern as your centerpiece.

You can easily create a delightful wedding while using inexpensive paper lanterns for wedding decor!

Summer Garden

This is simplicity at its best! Choose colors you adore and then add flowers to your garden and you are good to go. You may choose colorful or clear vases according to your color theme choices, watering cans also make interesting centerpieces.

Your summer garden wedding theme will be highlighted by your choice of simple potted plants and seeds as your wedding favors.

Click here for more pictures and backyard wedding ideas: Backyard Wedding Ideas at K.i.s.s.

This article was written by Susanna Miles, K.I.S.S Specialist, and online publisher of K.I.S.S Honeymoon and Wedding Ideas, a resource site which provides honeymoon and wedding ideas that help brides and grooms K.I.S.S – keep it simple + special that is!

Born and raised in Ontario, Canada this genuinely warm young woman and bride-to-be recently started her web development career in the throws of wedding planning. With a background in event planning her advice is invaluable in helping other brides and their grooms plan a wedding free of the common stresses and anxieties involved. The philosophy of her website is quite simple as it focuses on ideas for both weddings and honeymoons and are incredibly unique and beautiful but also simple enough to relieve the pressures involved with a lot of the ideas out their that will involve ridiculous hunts for items or outrageous costs that will blow most budgets. With a strong focus on wedding planning for simplicity this playful and informative site is a must for the bride and groom who want to keep it simple + special.

K.i.s.s Website: http://www.kiss-honeymoon-and-wedding-ideas.com

The most important idea is to have a plan in case it rains. Many garden weddings are held in back yards and hopefully you have a big enough one to rent a large tent for the reception. If necessary the wedding can also be held in the tent if it rains. Just be sure to have people on hand that can help move tables and chairs if you must. If there is a church or other building nearby that is suitable in which to hold the ceremony make sure to talk with the owner and have them on board if the venue needs to be changed because of weather.

Decorating for a garden wedding can be elaborate or simple, but the most important part is that most of the decorations are already in place in the garden. Take a look around the area in which you are having the wedding with a critical eye. Are there things there you do not want your guests to see? Are the garbage cans hidden? Is the shed slightly unsightly? Make sure there is nothing there that you would would not want to see in one of your wedding pictures and if there is there are a few things that can be done to hide them. Rent some large palms from a florist to hide things you might not want to be seen. Groupings of large plants can hide a multitude of sins. Decorate outbuildings with ribbons, streamers, and tulle or other material. This can hide any chipped and peeling paint or other imperfections.

The area in which you are going to have the ceremony needs to have some sort of backdrop. This can be as simple as employing a grove of trees that are already on the property or using an area where flowers grow up a trellis. A stone wall makes a great focal point or you can rent or make your own arbor. Many rental stores have metal arches or arbors that you can decorate with tulle fabric and flowers. Weave in some ivy or grapevines for more interest and place a few bows. Make sure the area is decorated with some potted plants and bright colored flowers. Also make sure that you or your guests will not be looking right into the sun during the ceremony. A wooded area makes a great place to have the ceremony.

Make sure if you need electricity you can get it where you want it. Many musicians will need electric especially outside. Sound does not carry very well outdoors and if the music is being produced by an acoustic instrument it will need amplification. Electricity is needed for electric pianos as well and if you have a singer they will need to have a microphone. Even the clergy may appreciate be amplified so he does not have to scream over the birds and outside noises. The DJ or the band for the receptions will certainly need electric and a lot of it.

You will want to decorate the yard with flowers and more flowers. If the flowers in the beds are not adequate you can add more in containers. Make sure the beds are mulched neatly as well. Garden ornaments such as statues and gazing balls make wonderful small focal points for areas in the yard where people can gather. A few benches or lawn chairs will beacon guests to sit and enjoy the scenery for awhile before the wedding and after.

If the wedding will go into the night entwine twinkle lights on the trees or sting pastel colored lanterns from tree to tree. Fill large wide mouth canning jars three fourths full of colored sand and place a votive candle inside to line paths. Place a birdbath near the receiving line after the wedding with a pretty sign to make a wish for the newly married couple and throw a coin in.

Your garden wedding can be the most romantic and beautiful one ever. Starting in the atmosphere of nature is a great way to start a life together.

About the Author Lisa Rina

Planning a garden wedding? Visit Favors-n-Gifts.com to get a feel of unique garden wedding favors. You will be able to find over 300 cheap wedding favors, priced $1 or less.

Theme Weddings

Theme weddings are great for couples who have a hobby or interest in common. For the sports fan couple, team-themed weddings are always fun. You can have a sports team wedding cake and have guests dress the part.

Costume Weddings

Costume weddings are gaining popularity because they are so much fun for not only the happy couple, but the wedding guests as well. Some couples like to pick a movie theme, such as Star Wars or The Nightmare Before Christmas. Other couples might enjoy themes like “the 80s” or “the 60′s”. With these kinds of weddings, the possibilities for fun are endless!

Weddingmoons

A weddingmoon is a wedding and a honeymoon all rolled into one. Typically, the bride and groom go away to get married either alone or with a very small group and then enjoy their honeymoon while they are gone. Many times, weddingmoons take place on a beach, however, others even enjoy weddingmoons in Europe or Asia.

Backyard Weddings

There are lots of people who want a casual wedding with a few guests. The backyard wedding is perfect for those couple who want to share their ceremony, but don’t want a big, huge deal. The wedding food can even be pot-luck or grilled!

Non traditional weddings are a great way for any couple to express themselves and are fun for the whole party!

About the Author Jen Brister

Jen Brister is a geek and freak who loves writing about non traditional weddings You can find out more at http://www.bad-assweddings.com

The Flowers

Flowers can be a very costly part of a wedding. Here are just a few wedding ideas on a budget for flowers.

* A spring wedding can save money as flowers are all around you.
* In a fall wedding, leaves and bare branches may be used.
* For a winter wedding, you can make use of pine boughs, tulle, and lights, creating a simple yet beautiful look.
* Artificial flowers can save a lot of money especially if you use the great specials found at hobby stores.

The Decorations

Decorations can be a very important part of the wedding. Here are some wedding ideas on a budget for decorating.

* Keep it simple
* Use more greenery instead of flowers
* Use white lights and tulle. It adds class at a low cost.
* Use what you already have. Integrate your own personal style into the wedding.
* Hit the thrift stores. They are a great place to find glass vases and other items that would add to your wedding.

The Food

The food for a wedding depends a lot on where you are from. My being from the Midwest, it was expected that I have a meal for my wedding. In the South where I lived for a time, they often have cake and hors d’oeuvres. Here are some wedding ideas on a budget that will help keep those traditions.

* Instead of having a large wedding cake, use double layer cakes with a tall candle in the middle. Put them on every table as a centerpiece. You can put them on various cake pedestals you borrowed from friends.
* If you still want to have a wedding cake and use the cakes as centerpieces, have a small tiered wedding cake specifically for family.
* Rather than using a caterer, ask several family and or friends to make you and your spouse’s favorite dishes.
* If you feel you need a meal, use heavy hors d’oeuvres in a buffet.
* If you want a served meal, just do a main course rather than three courses, and have the cake served.

Finding wedding ideas on a budget is very important…and you’ve done that! But how are you going to use them? That’s the key.

About the Author Rebekah Fraiser

Looking for wedding ideas on a budget? Check out==> http://www.savemoneyonawedding.com for a FREE video that unveils the #1 Secret for cheap wedding ideas!

The wedding invitations are your first chance to be expressive. A fantastic way to show your love of animals is with a small motif on your stationery. A gold embossed dog, horse, or bird motif can be done in a very tasteful way that will definitely not resemble a child’s birthday party invitation. If you have a favorite pet at home, take the concept to the next level and have custom postage stamps made featuring a picture of your furry friend.

Many animal lovers like to find ways to incorporate one into the wedding ceremony. One of the most popular ideas is to have a beloved dog walk the bride down the aisle or to have him walk down the aisle with one of the attendants. Make it even more fun by adorning the dog with a floral wreath over her collar. Not all venues will permit non-service animals inside, so be sure to take that into consideration when booking a ceremony site.

If you really want to make a splash, make a grand entrance or exit at an outdoor ceremony on horseback. A lovely bride in her flowing white gown galloping up to her groom instead of merely walking down the aisle is something that no guest will ever forget. Bedeck the horse’s mane with ribbons and flowers. This is a great idea for a bride who is an experienced horsewoman, but a risky one for a bride who is not a strong rider.

Gifts are an important part of weddings, and offer another chance to honor animals. A lovely gesture is to make donations to the Humane Society or other association that helps animals in need. This can be done in lieu of traditional favors. You simply place a card at each guest’s place which states, “A donation has been made in your name to the Humane Society”. To sweeten the gift, think about tying the card to a small box of chocolates in the shape of your favorite animal (guests do like to get something tangible). It would not be equally appropriate to substitute a donation in lieu of classic bridesmaid gifts, however. Bridesmaid gifts should be something of lasting value that your friends will have for years, such as jewelry. You could, however, add on a donation in addition to a more traditional bridesmaid jewelry gift.

There are many other neat ideas for showing a love of animals on your wedding day. You can even display an ice sculpture made in the form of your favorite animal or have a groom’s cake modeled after a beloved pet. Instead of conventional table numbers, name each table after an animal. For example, a dog lover could have tables called Bulldog, Golden Retriever, Pekinese, Whippet, Saluki, and so on. Truly there is no limit to the create yet elegant ways in which animal lovers can pay tribute to their beloved furry friends at their wedding.

About the Author Guy Antonelli

Guy has been writing about society and weddings for a long time. If you have a topic you would like to know about. Let us know at SilverlandJewelry.com. Thank your attendants with beautiful bridesmaid gifts that they will adore.

Now, most brides do not set out to be tacky. They usually fall victim to poor advice from friends or family, and decide that the suggestion sounds good, and that because it came from a trusted source, it must be in good taste. Sadly, this is not always the case, and before they know it, well-meaning brides have turned their weddings into something that they never intended. Don’t less this happen to you!

One of the first examples of this that comes to mind is something that happened at a friend’s wedding. When her in-laws suggested a dollar dance, the innocent young bride, thought to herself, “Money is tight when planning a wedding, so a dollar dance would be a great way to raise some cash for the honeymoon.”. What she did not consider is that a dollar dance was not a custom that was usually observed where she came from, and far from lining up to dance with the bride and stuff money into her apron, the guests were appalled. Everyone remained standing on the sidelines while the bride suffered through the awkwardness of standing out on the dance floor alone for most of the dollar dance. A word to the wise, ladies, no matter how good it may sound at first, a dollar dance is always a tacky idea.

Another truly tacky idea that some couples have is to attempt to round up sponsors for their wedding in the same way one would for a charity event. The bride and groom go around to their relatives asking for donations in exchange for billing in the wedding program or a mention in the wedding toasts. It usually goes something like this: “Aunt Margaret, if you wanted to buy my wedding jewelry and veil for me, I will put a note in the program telling everyone how generous you were. And Uncle Bill, would you like to sponsor the d.j. for the reception?”. There is no other word for this behavior than shocking (or at least no other word that can appear in print!).

Oftentimes, a close family member might offer to help the couple with their wedding expenses, and if Aunt Margaret had come to the bride and told her that it would be her honor to gift her the wedding jewelry and bridal veil, that would be a lovely offer that the bride could accept in good conscious (with no note of thanks in the program, just a handwritten thank you note directly to the generous person). However, a wedding is not a commercial enterprise or a charitable foundation, no matter how much the bride and groom might try to pretend otherwise.

There is another very tacky thing that is sadly rather commonplace these days, which is including bridal registry information in the wedding invitations. Many brides may not even realize that this is in poor taste, especially since some registries will give you little cards for the express purpose of putting them in the envelopes with the invitations. However, a bride cannot always trust a store as her etiquette expert, as their goal is to sell as many sets of china and toasters as possible; whether you offend your guests is not a particular concern for them. But it should be for the bride and groom, which is why registry information, or worse yet, a notation requesting “cash gifts only”, should never, ever appear in a wedding invitation. After all, the last thing that you want is for the first impression people have of your wedding to be,”Oh my gosh – how tacky!”.

Finding the whole process of weddings and all the planning that goes into one fascinating, Laura writes about many of the considerations that brides have to deal with. Wedding jewelry makes a lovely gift for the bride.

Weddings have not changed much over the past hundred years, but the awareness surrounding environmental impact has changed. There are a number of different ways to throw an eco-friendly and cost-effective wedding; all that’s needed is a little creativity. Basic understandings of where products originate, and were they go to end their lives is also helpful when planning an eco wedding.

There are a vast number of things needed for the big event that will impact the environment. There are wedding invitations, shower announcements, rings, dresses, flowers, and leftover food. That’s just a few of the necessities! The following article will help couples find creative and festive ways to save on wedding costs, while doing their part to protect the planet.

Once the date is set, the couple should start sending out invitations for both the wedding shower and the wedding ceremony. An eco conscious way to use paper is to ensure that no trees are cut down during the paper-making process. Many companies make tree-free paper products using recycled coffee beans, cotton, denim and hemp. Of course, there are also lots of places on the Internet to purchase 100% recycled paper.

In addition to tree-free paper products, the paper should also be off-white or colored. The chemical bleaching process used to make white paper emits many toxic chemicals into the atmosphere. Many of these chemicals take years to break down in the environment.

Recycled rings are not only more cost-effective, but have a large impact on protecting the environment. Gold mining is one of the most toxic of all gem-mining procedures. Many jewelers today can use any type of recycled precious metal to create custom wedding and engagement rings. For a more traditional approach, the couple could also use vintage pieces, which can be redesigned into radiant new pieces that will be both beautiful and unique.

After the rings, the wedding dress is the single largest expense for most weddings. The choice of dress can be another great way to cut costs to both the budget and the environment. If the wedding will be in a sunny, summer location, a nice cotton dress might be nice for the bride. Cotton is a natural material, and does not require the toxic chemical processing that satins, or other human-made fibers require.

Other human-made materials used in many traditional weddings are plastics for fake flowers. Traditional floral arrangements are used in centerpieces and bouquets that are designed to last long after the ceremony. Instead of using silk or plastic flowers, consider using potted flowers, flower petals, tree saplings, and flower bulbs. These can be used for centerpieces, decorations, and the petals and flower blossoms can be used to shower the new couple as they leave the reception hall. For a twist, throwing lavender blossoms or rose petals is a lovely idea. They create a picturesque backdrop for wedding photos and they smell wonderful!

Many couples choose to open their gifts at a date sometime after the wedding reception. But no matter when they are opened, gifts are a big part of any wedding celebration. A bridal registry is a great way to eliminate the possibility of receiving duplicate gifts, but frequently leaves the new couple with lots of items they don’t truly need. Instead of setting up a bridal registry, many couples choose convenient ways for their guests to make charitable donations. Making the donation in the bridal party’s name gives the new couple a wonderful feeling, and prevents pollution to the environment from the manufacturing of unnecessary gifts.

While the wedding ceremony is one of the most important events the newlyweds will ever celebrate, it is only for one day of their lives. However, the impact on the environment will last well beyond their wedding day. Making environmentally conscious decisions will make a great difference on the effects for Mother Nature. Many of the aforementioned eco wedding ideas are extremely cost effective and show future generations that weddings can be fun and conscientious.

About the Author Dee Sommers

Dee is the Director of Media Relations at a publicity firm on the West Coast. She has a law degree and a communications degree, both from privately run colleges. She has been writing for 25 years, and loves the knowledge that comes with researching new topics for articles. In her spare time she reads, does logic puzzles, watches movies with her son, and plays various sports.