The Wedding Dress
It is easy to get caught up in a nuptial frenzy. At every turn, family members, friends, experts, magazines, blogs, Pinterest, etc. are offering inspiration and helping instill panic in every bride-to-be. One bride or groom’s “nice-to-have” is another couple’s essential. It’s common to hear “You cannot possibly get married without a champagne toast!” or a church ceremony, or a live DJ, or a designer gown. So how does a couple decide to save or splurge?
There are necessities for a wedding and then there are “like-to-haves.” One particular “like-to-have” is a pretty white gown, but see, the thing is, the marriage will occur whether my bridal gown has a designer label or not. read more
Aqua
Aqua, one of the season’s hottest colors, is a reflection on all things aquatic. It is no wonder that the power of water has captured the attention of many couples seeking wedding color inspiration. The color is both soothing and intense with ranges from bright turquoise to rich indigo.
There are so many fun ways you can incorporate this theme into your wedding, and it would work perfectly for your something blue! Pair with pale pink, ivory, or gold, or think outside the box and try an unexpected pairing with poppy red or lemon. Aqua is so versatile, your choices are virtually limitless! read more
Top Ten: Summer 2014
The wedding season has been in full swing here at the Shadowland Ballroom. With over thirty beautiful weddings completed this summer, we saw a lot of new and inspiring ideas pass through our walls and want to share them with you! Here are ten of our top favorite ideas which took place in the Ballroom this past season:
1. Unique Table Numbers
From bride+groom photographs to open seating, table numbers are no longer 1, 2, 3. Our bride from the wedding shown below is an English teach and decided to letter the tables rather than number — how awesome! read more
10 Inspirations for Your Carousel Portraits
The Silver Beach Carousel is a magnificent addition to the St. Joseph community. Not only is it a reminder of the city’s history, but it inspires all ages with its beauty and entertaining prospects. It is no wonder, then, that many Shadowland brides and grooms have been inspired to use the Carousel as means for truly unique and marvelous wedding photographs…
Men’s Attire
More and more weddings are moving away from the classic black tuxedo look and going more for a modern suit design, particularly with shades of grey or tan. Though wedding rules once stated that any wedding at night meant men would wear black tuxedos (usually with tails), now wedding parties are tending to make up their own rules. Basing a suit on the colors of the bridesmaids has become more popular, and wearing tan or light gray colors are now acceptable for anytime of the day.
Weddings seem to be becoming more relaxed, and the wedding party often exemplifies this trend. All weddings are not held in a church with a following reception; now weddings take place in backyards, music venues, and barns. Due to the lack of formality, the need to mirror the overall vibe of the big deal is pronounced. A suit allows for the wedding party to remain classic and well-dressed while straying away from the traditional tuxedo. read more
Black on Bridesmaids
There is no doubt that the Little Black Dress is a fashion staple for a reason. Done properly, black bridesmaid dresses can be amazing. It’s a classic, sleek look that almost every woman can pull off because its flattering for every body type. Plus, your girls will actually be able to wear a LBD again! (Not saying she won’t want to wear that lime green dress anywhere else but…) However, is black appropriate for bridesmaids to wear at any time of the year, only during the fall or winter, or is the color not acceptable for weddings at all? read more
14 Great Summer Wedding Ideas
Blogging about weddings causes us to come across thousands of fun and unique ideas every day. With summer wedding season in full swing, it seemed only pertinent to share some of our absolute favorite fun ideas that will make summer brides swoon. (We’ve seen some of these in Shadowland, but would love to see more used as inspiration in the Ballroom!) Our fourteen top details and/or ideas for warm-weathered nuptials in 2014 are:
1. Skip the cake, hire an ice cream truck (or Mimi’s) instead! read more
Who to Ask: Bridesmaids
There are a lot of imporant questions circling your mind now that you’ve said “Yes!”
What venue should my ceremony and/or reception be held?
Which caterer should I go with?
Which DJ will be most interactive?
Well, to assist you in your endeavors, we have found a great system to help you with another important decision: who should I ask to be my bridesmaids?
The most obvious question is how many attendants to ask and who should be your maid/matron of honor. A new trend in the wedding scene is an increase in bridal party members. While it is important that you include those people to whom you feel closest, the etiquette is to limit the party to 12. Also consider how many people can fit on either side of you while you’re standing at the altar. Ideally, the same number of attendants on both sides looks best, but there is no rule that says they have to match. read more
Morning Weddings
I woke up this morning to sunshine and birds chirping, and thought to myself: how beautiful would a morning like this be for a wedding? The idea of hosting a breakfast or brunch wedding is becoming more popular. The morning wedding isn’t a new invention, though, but was actually pretty normal a few decades ago. I don’t know if it’s the retro-craze trending these last few years, or the vintage feel morning weddings seem to hold, but here are a few reasons to consider having your wedding at sunrise! read more
11 Must Have Pictures Near Silver Beach
We all know the traditional wedding photos that every couple who wed need to take: the family photos, the bride with her parents, the groom with his family, etc.
But what about those amazing photos that only the sands, sunsets, and unique backdrops of Silver Beach can help you capture for your big day? Whether it be great beach colors, the visible excitement of wedded couples, or the utilization of nature’s beauty, Silver Beach is a great destination for your wedding photographs. Here are 11 of our favorite photographs taken right on the Lake Michigan shore in St. Joseph, Michigan: read more
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