Planning a Spring Wedding
First, consider your location. Spring weather is often unpredictable, to say the least. Your wedding day may be 70 degrees with glorious sunshine, or you may end up with a slow drizzle and freezing rain. If you want to be married outside, you will want to look at late April and May; even then, you’ll want to be certain you have an indoor alternative readily available. Many community parks are simply bursting with color and also offer shelters of one sort or another. If you’re getting married in a church, their Easter decorations may be able to save you money. Many churches will allow you to use theirs. While limousines, photographers and sites may be more available in the spring than in the summer or fall, remember prom; you may need to arrange for limousines and tuxedos extra early to beat the rush.
Next, consider your wedding attire. Look for dresses with sleeves that you can also pair with a wrap or smart jacket. Be kind to your bridesmaids and consider charming umbrellas in colors to compliment or match their dresses if there will be travel from the wedding site to the reception site. Make sure the umbrellas will be large enough to cover your wedding party and forget satin shoes as they will only get ruined in rain.
While we’re talking about kindness to bridesmaids, allow your bridesmaids to help choose the dresses they will wear. It is no longer the rule that all dresses must match exactly, and you’ll find yourself far less stressed out if no one is complaining about the dress she has to wear. Spring weddings seem to cry out for pastels, but the spring palette has plenty besides pinks and baby blues.
Flowers in season and spring flowering plants can be the inspiration behind your decorating scheme as well as offering a wide, affordable selection of fresh bouquet options. Roses, lilies, tulips, hyacinth, narcissus hybrids, Gerber daisies, cherry blossoms, daffodils, irises, and lilac are all gorgeous selections that can be used in as many different arrangements as there are brides. A simple, striking blossom, such as a Gerber daisy or Calla lily can be carried by the bride, or combined in a hand tied with colorful ribbon to make a stunning nosegay. Silk flowers are also an option, although potentially a more expensive one.
Offer your guests seed packets in ribbon-tied bags or in terra cotta pots to plant in honor of your wedding. Centerpieces of small candles arranged on a mirror scattered with rose petals add a lovely touch to any table setting. You could also make a nod toward Easter with cheerily-wrapped chocolates offered in small baskets. This will give your guests something to do as the festivities begin or as food service begins.
When planning your menu, let the bounty of spring shine with fresh young vegetables and fruits. Mimosa on the lawn before a light lunch can make for an elegant or casual wedding – and what better way to celebrate the end of winter? You could arrange a beautiful fresh fruit bar (make sure you dip the knives in lemon juice to keep your fruit from turning brown) or a shortcake bar with fresh fruits for toppings. Another option is phyllo dough cups with light, airy mousse or strawberry-topped custard. Strawberries, blueberries, peaches, nectarines, rhubarb, and apricots are sweetly delicious for a spring wedding, and baby asparagus, baby carrots and new potatoes are also wonderful at this time.
Spring is a time for celebration and seems to be the perfect season to celebrate a wedding. By planning a spring wedding you have a wide selection of gorgeous flowers, your choice of most venues and services if spring weddings are unpopular in your region, and a truly tempting array of fresh foods to provide to your guests.
