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The lime green bridesmaids’ dress trend may come and go, but some seasonal wedding colors are always in style. These classic color staples remain eternally elegant because they take their cue from Mother Nature, mimicking the colors that are typically associated with each season in the great outdoors. Check out a lineup of seasonal wedding color schemes that remain fresh, fabulous, and beautiful year after year.

Fall

Earth tones make sensational wedding colors in autumn, particularly because the season is packed with some of the most amazing natural colors. You don’t have to opt for pumpkin orange tablecloths, but you can take advantage of autumnal accents. Accent a nude or taupe base color with hues of golden yellow, rust, and forest green for effortlessly amazing results. Autumnal earth tones look as gorgeous inside as they do outside, providing a warm and cozy feel.

Winter

Winter weddings stir up images of a magical wonderland, and you’ll always be in style if you deck out your wonderland with the classic combo of white and gold. Winter white paired with metallic gold brings a sophisticated touch to any event, providing a clean, crisp, and classy atmosphere. These seasonal wedding colors not only provide a nod to the holidays and snow, but they add a layer of polished opulence to your affair.

Spring

Spring is when nature begins to wake up from its long winter nap. Bring that fresh and airy feel to your wedding with a palette of pastels. While soft pink may immediately come to mind, you can also choose hues like chiffon yellow, robin egg blue, or seafoam green. Pair your pick with neutrals to create a captivatingly sophisticated vibe.

Summer

Summer is one of the hottest seasons for weddings, and you can keep the sizzling ambiance alive with a vibrant color scheme. Jewel tones are a stunning option for summer weddings, with a bright energy that matches the season’s intensity. Choices here include passionate purple, magnificent magenta, and enriching emerald green. Jewel tones are forever dramatic and bold, with a deeply vibrant edge.

Choosing your seasonal wedding colors is the first step in creating a gorgeous backdrop for your big event. Selecting the table settings, flowers, wedding stationery, and other elements to create your backdrop is the next step. Yes, your bridesmaids’ dresses are part of the equation, and no, they never have to be lime green!

Head to PaperDirect today to shop wedding invites, menu cards, place cards, and even vinyl banners for your most important day.

Life happens. Sometimes things beyond your control make it necessary to postpone or cancel your wedding. A family emergency, unexpected illness, loss of wedding budget or change of heart can mean it’s time to let your guests know the change in plans. Here’s how to do it with grace and tact.

Contact Your Vendors

As soon as you choose to postpone or cancel the wedding, review each vendor contract. Some will refund your deposit, while others will keep the money and charge you a partial fee if you cancel too close to the event date.

Call each vendor and explain your situation. If you’re postponing the event, it may be as simple as creating a new contract and moving things to a future date. For cancellations, vendors may ask for a written explanation or proof of the hardship if you back out just days before the wedding and ask for a refund.

If you have a wedding planner and opted to buy wedding insurance, now is the time to review the specific details of your plan.

Let Your Guests Know

Next, you need to make an announcement. If you’re having a small, private ceremony, making phone calls is simple. However, if you have a large guest list — or no energy to deal with the situation — sending a quick note to the vendors, bridal party and everyone on the guest list is perfectly acceptable.

Ask your bridal party to assist with this task if you’re not able to do it in a timely manner. Letting guests know as soon as possible is imperative if you have people traveling from afar who were booking flights and taking time off work to attend the wedding.

The letter can be as short or elaborate as you’d like as you explain the reason for calling off the wedding. Remember: You are in control of this event. Do what feels comfortable.

Take Care of Yourself

Finally, you come first during this difficult time. If you need to tend to a personal illness, the death of a relative or a broken heart, don’t let anyone stand in your way. It’s best to appoint a best friend or family member to follow-up with any inquires about the wedding after sending out the letter. These tasks might include replying to follow-up correspondence, returning early wedding gifts, returning the engagement ring to the groom’s family and cancelling bridal shower or bachelorette party plans.

When you’re ready to send a formal note to friends and family, let Paper Direct help you choose elegant cardstock and paper for your letter or postcard. Browse the online wedding invitation store for ideas.

A limited budget does not have to limit the beauty or creativity of your wedding. In fact, having a limited budget enhances the creativity and helps to find beautiful alternatives to pricey centerpieces.

Weddings are one of the most memorable and important days of our lives and what better way to honor that than by having stunning centerpieces that reflect our true hearts—without having to drain the bank account?

We all know how easy it is to overshoot the wedding budget. All of those beautiful details add up and end up leaving a sizable debt if we’re not careful. That’s why budget friendly centerpieces are all the rage right now.

Are they gorgeous? Absolutely.

Here are some stunning and money saving ideas we think you’ll love.

Leaf Centerpieces

If you are planning a tropical or garden wedding, this idea saves a lot of money. Simple purchase oversized leafs by themselves or with simple vases or candles. This will add a warm pop of color without the price tag of flowers. Pictured is a hosta leaf. 

Dessert As Centerpiece

If you are having cupcakes, make them do double duty as your centerpiece? Cupcakes are little works of art and look beautiful on stands. By using them as the centerpiece you can save on big floral arrangements and choose something small and beautiful to supplement the entire look.

You could also go the route of placing individual chocolates in a designed spread. Double purpose and pleasure!

Borrow

If you need something for your centerpieces, consider borrowing them from others.  Assisted living facilities, service organizations, and clubs may all have just the item you need and will often lend them to local residents. Friends and family are also great resources.

Party & Gifts

If you’re seeking a more-casual wedding, place vintage board games or party favors as centerpieces. Browse Oriental Trading Company for some great inexpensive items you can buy in bulk.

Use What is Available to You

In planning your wedding centerpieces, don’t forget to consider things that are available to you right outside your home. Things like tree branches, wildflowers, sand, bark, fruit, lanterns, antiques, and drift wood are all lovely and can serve as wonderful centerpieces.

Check with Your Location Vendor

If you are renting a venue, find out if they have supplies you can rent. Many have vases that can be rented at a nominal cost.

Go Minimalist

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Flowers are one of the most expensive elements of the wedding. One way to save is by making a few flowers go a long way with a minimalist design.Try either one flower per vase or a bouquet of baby’s breath.

Go Eclectic

If you do not have a collection of matching vases or containers, you can go eclectic and tie the look together with flowers.  Another way to bring the look together dramatically is by spray painting the containers all one color such as silver, white or cream.

Designed Table Tents

If you’re going for as inexpensive as possible, consider ordering some plain table tents. Then you can design them yourself, print them at home and you’re done. Try using whimsical fonts to add the table number, or better yet, include an ice breaker conversation starter for the table.

The wedding of your dreams is within your reach, no matter the budget. Get creative and the beauty will come to life!

Outdoor weddings are becoming more and more popular every year.  Perhaps it is because an outdoor wedding offers elements of freedom and chance which are lost in the certainty of an indoor space.

However, with that freedom comes the necessity of dealing with the unexpected elements, such as rain.

Rain might seem disastrous when it comes to the most important day of your life but, with a few genius tips and a back-up plan, it doesn’t have to ruin the event.

Plan for Rain, Don’t Hope it Won’t

If your wedding falls in a month with any chance of rain, plan as if rain is a certainty.   If it does rain, you’ll be able to act with certainty instead of wasting time trying to figure out what to do in the moment or collapsing in tears.

Have Tents Available

Even if you want to do without tents or canopies if possible, have them available just in case. While they may not be ideal in some cases, it is important to think of the comfort of your guests.  Another great option is to plan to have the reception under tents that way you can move to the space quickly if necessary.

Choose Water Proof

Another way to rain-proof your big day is to rain-proof it! Choose a hair style that will look great wet or dry, bridesmaid dresses that can withstand elements, umbrellas that worth with your colors, and bring in some stepping stones for the aisle if needed.

Keep Them Warm

Remember to keep your guests warm. Consider serving warm drinks and having fire pits.

Make Rain Prep Camera Ready

Rain or no rain—you can still have stellar wedding pictures.  In fact, you can even make rain part of the pictures with fabulous results! Think of rain gear as props and get cute matching umbrellas and fun rain boots to add visual interest.

With the right planning, rain can not only not be a problem, but be a beautifully romantic addition to your special day.

Looking for wedding invites to include in your wedding? Rain or shine, PaperDirect has what you need. 

Just about everyone (including us here at PaperDirect) is head-over-heels over canning jar ideas, crafts, and décor so incorporating them into a wedding is the perfect match!  We love the sense of Americana and visions they evoke–, visions of savvy citizens putting up staples, generations of children catching fireflies, Aunt Bee’s pickles, and lemonade so cold it freezes your teeth.

Yes indeed, that is the stuff love is made of.

Now we lift our glass (a canning jar, of course) to love and weddings, and offer you some fabulous ways to incorporate this simply marvelous piece of ingenuity into your wedding.

Centerpieces

The ways to use canning jars as a centerpiece are endless with results from elegant to rustically beautiful.  Some of our favorites include these uses as center pieces.

Here is an idea for a beautiful centerpiece using a mossy tree cutting, canning jars and flowers, and another use fit for even the most refined wedding.

We love that you can incorporate stunning blasts of color like in this example using these bright yellow and blue flowers and colored glass stones.

Canning Jar Wedding Favors

Wedding favors are always so much fun!

Not only is it nice to give guests a keepsake for your special day, you can tell a fun story of who you met, common interests, or the theme of the wedding.

Canning jars as wedding favors hold a world of beautiful possibilities.  Some of our favorites include this canning jar wedding favor, hot coco mix in a jar—perfect for the winter wedding!

We also love the idea of filling the jar with sweets, and writing the date on the jar lid, as they do here in this canning jar wedding favor idea.

Canning Jar Aisle Runners

What could be prettier than a bride walking down the aisle which is lined by mason filled with flowers?  Whether you paint the jars, hang, or decorate them, they are a delightful way to highlight the special event.

Canning Jar Lighting

Wouldn’t it be romantic to light the way for an outdoor evening wedding with these rustic hangers? From candles and tea lights to hanging twinkle lights, we love them all. This canning jar oil lantern had us all feeling in love.

Canning Jar Cups

Of course no list of canning jar uses could be complete without mentioning using them as beverage containers!  There are many ways to personalize them (you’ll want guest to be able to identify their own) such as paint, pens, and personalized labels and make it tons of fun. We loved this idea, using a chalkboard.

Let us know how you use canning jars! We’d love to hear!

Wedding slideshows are the perfect thing to schedule between cocktail hour and dinner. It’s a moment of relaxation and enjoyment where everyone can sit back and be entertained. While the basics of a wedding slideshow are pretty straightforward, if you want to successful slideshow that you can keep for years afterwards, there are some photos you MUST include. These wonderful pixels include:

Embarrassing Kid Photos

This one is a must, and we’re not talking about cute toddlers in diapers, but truly embarrassing middle school photos that showcase the “transformation era” of both the bride and groom. This will give your audience a real hoot and show how far you’ve come!

Family Members that Got You There

Include some thoughtful photos of mom and bride, brother and groom, kids from previous relationships, and even grandma! These close family members support you and your new marriage, so be sure to have some touching photos of them. This will remind you and them how far you’ve come.

Engagement Photos

Whether you choose to grab a professional engagement photo or an iPhone image taken immediately after the big question, include this type of photo in your slideshow. It showcases that special time in your family’s life and brings back fond memories before your wedding journey began.

Candid

This may be easy for some couples and difficult for others. The truth is that candid photos can be just as heartwarming and lovely as staged, professional photos.

If you’re finding that all of your slideshow photos are hand-on-hip type of photos, go out and get goofy!

Including these candid photos will show the connection between bride and groom in a different way than staged photos.

Hobbies

If the bride and groom both love to travel, include some destination photos. If you both love cooking, show some action-in-kitchen photos. Including these hobbies further shows the love and bond you share and can be a great talking point for your distant relatives you haven’t seen in a while.

Okay, are there any slideshow photos we’re missing? Please comment below and tell us the best slideshow photo you’ve ever seen!

Looking for wedding invitations and paper products? Shop PaperDirect for DIY weddings!

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While romantic, heartfelt love songs certainly have their time and place, some couples want to take a more lighthearted approach to their weddings songs and first dance.

If that’s you, browse this playlist and find a simple wedding song that can become a romantic favorite over the next years together. 

Songs:

Nothin about Love Makes Sense – LeAnn Rimes

Just the Way You Are – Bruno Mars

Home – Edward Sharpe & Magnetic Zeros

You and I – Ingrid Michaelson

1,2,3,4 – Plain White T’s

I’m Yours – Jason Mraz

Lucky – Jason Mraz & Colbie Cailat

Would You go with Me – Josh Turner

Ours – Taylor Swift

I Do – Colbie Caillet

Everything – Michael Buble

Wildfire – John Mayer

Your Song – Ellie Goulding

Marry you – Bruno Mars

Do you have an amazing wedding song you’d like to share? Comment below! 

As the age of social media and ever-changing technology is upon us, it comes as no surprise that many people want to add multimedia elements to their wedding receptions. One of the most popular events at any reception is the wedding photo slideshow.

These wedding slideshow tips will help any bride and groom create a memorable, fun and sentimental montage for their guests to enjoy.

Variety

Choose a variety of photos from many different stages of life. Your guests will love to see those cute and slightly embarrassing baby photos, but don’t forget to add in some from the awkward teenage years and your early years as a couple.

Set a Time

Allow each photo to be displayed for approximately 2 to 3 seconds. This allows your photos to run in-sync with the song or songs that you have chosen for the slideshow, while also not lingering too long on the screen.

Your slideshow should continue moving at a steady pace in order to keep the interest of your guests.

Keep it Short and Sweet

Do not create a slideshow that lasts for more than 7 minutes.

Your guests may get antsy or lose interest if you make a slideshow that lasts for much more than this. The goal of 5-7 minutes works well, because it is about the same length of time as two songs.

Have a Backup!

Always back-up your slideshow on multiple platforms, including the cloud. You want your wedding day to be flawless, and this means you should always have a back-up plan.

Bring the slideshow on multiple discs, but also back it up in the cloud in order to make sure you can access it no matter what.

Music

Pick songs that have meaning for both the bride and the groom. The songs should also reflect the personality of the couple. For instance, a couple that is comfortable showing their romantic side might choose slow and meaningful songs.

Another couple that prefers to keep things fun and fresh might choose upbeat music that keeps guests smiling and laughing for the duration of the slideshow.

There are many aspects to planning the perfect wedding, and creating a stunning slideshow is just one of them. Brides and grooms also will want to prioritize the details of the day, including programs, napkins, invitations, menus and seating charts. To find the best paper products for all of your wedding planning needs, be sure to visit PaperDirect today.

Planning your wedding is one of the most exciting times of your life, and you have probably agonized over every little detail. When it comes time to creating your wedding invitations, you will want to choose beautiful invitations that match the general theme of your wedding.

However, the words that are printed on your wedding invitations are just as important as the invitation color, design and pattern. Consider including a sweet Disney movie quote on your wedding invitation in order to set the mood for your big day.

Fun & Lovey Dovey Wedding Quotes from Disney Movies

“You mean more to me than anyone in this whole world,” – Peter Pan.

“We finish each other’s… Sandwiches.” –  Frozen

“All it takes is faith and trust. And a little bit of Pixie dust.” – Peter Pan

“To face the future with another who means more than any other is to be loved,” – The Rescuers.

 

“Laughter is timeless, imagination has no age, and dreams are forever.” – Walt Disney

More Quotes:

“You’re the one that I’ve been looking for,” The Little Mermaid.

“Let me share this whole new world with you.” – Aladdin

“You are my greatest adventure,” The Incredibles.

“If you keep believing, the dream that you wish will come true.” – Cinderella

“Ohana means family. And family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten.” – Lilo & Stich

Incorporating a Disney movie quote onto your wedding invitation will allow you to express your love for one another while also relating to your guests at the same time.

Whichever quote you choose, it’s sure to make your wedding invitations uniquely yours. Now that you know what you want to say on your invitations, you need to choose a design. Check out all of the options available at PaperDirect today.