Ceremony Alter Design Inspirations

Ceremony altars come in many different shapes and sizes, textures and styles. When you think of walking down the aisle, what type of altar do you envision? Here are a few altar inspirations to get your creative juices flowing!

wedding-ceremony-altar-decor-ideas-006
wedding-ceremony-altar-decor-ideas-006
Desert Wedding
Desert Wedding
eco-friendly-wedding-th
eco-friendly-wedding-th
TreeWithWhiteRIbbon
TreeWithWhiteRIbbon
danver10055
danver10055

The 530 Bride's wedding planning services can help you create the wedding of your dreams by helping you craft the details and the atmosphere that will not only set the tone for your event but make a lasting memory for you and your guests.   Learn more on our services page. 

The Do's and Don'ts of Valentines Day ~ Ladies Edition

I was going to write about what men should do for their ladies on Valentine's Day, and then it hit me.  This whole site is about weddings, and "girlie" topics so it isn't likely that a man will be reading this.  However, Valentine's Day is a two-way street so here is the alternative: The Do's and Don'ts of Valentine's Day ~ Ladies Edition 1. What Wedding? Going out on a limb to bet that you have been talking wedding pretty much since he proposed, so number one on the list is to not talk about the wedding AT ALL! That's right, no talking about the wedding on Valentine's Day because you can't forget about the things you used to talk about and enjoy doing together before the wedding planning began.  Remind him of your sense of humor, and your spontaneity.

2.  The Key to His Heart Plan a dinner at a low key restaurant, somewhere that HE feels comfortable.  Flip the switch and pay the bill, a guy likes to be wined and dined once and awhile!  If you know your way around the kitchen, then whip out that family recipe and enjoy the evening together without having to deal with the crowds in town.

3.  It's The Little Things That Count Make a basket of his favorite items such as: - Favorite Coffee - His Favorite Jerky, or Snacks, Sweets etc - Sports/Hobby related such as a hat or t-shirt - Tickets to an upcoming event such as the races, sports game - Action Movies, Books or a CD These things may not sound like much but it shows him that you pay attention to even the small things that he enjoys

4.  Day Trip While not everyone can take the day off for Valentines Day, consider planning a weekend trip or day trip a few days later.  You can give him a card with a few hints about what you have planned over the weekend.   We are lucky in California to have so many natural beauties at our fingertips, so you don't have to spend a fortune on activities. Pack up your bikes or hiking shoes and just enjoy the outdoors together.

5. Royal Treatment Before you think you yourself that your guy would never step foot in a salon, keep in mind their are some easy alternatives to this.  Give the ultimate royal treatment with a couples massage, if you don't think you could talk him into going to a salon then bring the salon to him.  A mobile massage therapy company can come to your house and possibly even give you some pointers on technique for massage so that you know how to work out the knots yourself.

What do you think the ultimate gift is for your guy? Share your ideas or comments here!

Related Posts Guys List of Do's and Don'ts GetWed's List Real Buzz's List Marie Claire's List

DIY Inspiration

Real Wedding at Yuba City Fairgrounds

When planning a large wedding couples might not think of the local fairgrounds, but considering the ample indoor space, parking, and on-site kitchen you may want to keep the fairgrounds in mind.  Besides, we haven't seen the Yuba City Fairgrounds look this cool in well, ever.  Our team assisted WeDo Designs with setting up for this 600+ wedding, and we heard it was quite the party!  Table settings, linens, decor, florals, glassware & flatware provided by WeDo Designs.  Congratulations to Navi & Raj  Kalkat![gallery columns="1" orderby="rand"]

For information about events & rentals at the fair grounds click here.

Bouquets without flowers

Looking for a way to cut down on your floral expenses? Searching for something a little different for your wedding? Do you love DIY crafts? If you answered yes to all 3, then these non-floral bouquet ideas might be for you!

And if nothing out there quite catches your fancy, you can always make something entirely unique, like this bride did:

Posted by Kendall Arelleis, Event Coordinator with The 530 Bride

Open House at The Palms ~ Recap

Good times were had at The Palms' Open House and for those of you who couldn't join us, here is a recap!  The lush landscaping of The Palms set the mood with the beautiful fountains, waterfalls and koi fish.

WeDo Designs teamed up with Cambray Rose to create these lovely table settings!

Head Table Decor featuring Gold Chiavari Chairs by 530 Events

Mims Bakery Showed off their lovely Cake Design Steelhead BBQ Catering Company was a crowd pleaser with their delicious Tri-Tip, Ribs and Pulled Pork Tastings along with the pasta salad, green salad with citrus dressing, and baked beans; yum!

John the DJ got turned down the lights and turned up the music...

Stay tuned for futre Open House events at Local Wedding Venues so that you don't miss out on a great opportunity to not only take a tour but to also speak with local wedding professionals about the services they can provide for your upcoming event.

~Happy Planning~

Display Your Wedding Keepsakes with A Shadow Box

Wedding Photography captures your big day, but what about physically preserving some of your most sentimental wedding items?  Shadowboxes are a great way to put some of your most cherished items on display.

If you plan to use your bouquet or other fresh flowers in your shadow box, check with your florist to see if they offer preservation services.

A DIY Shadowbox could be a great project to keep your creative juices flowing after the wedding, and help reduce some after wedding blues that some brides experience.  Consider making a set of shadow boxes to include your milestones as a couple, (honeymoon, family vacations, first home, birth of a child etc.) Shadow Boxes don't have to be large, you can mix and match the sizes and styles.

Happy Planning!

Real Northern California Weddings

Veronica & DanielChico, CA 10.10.10

With all of the planning leading up to my wedding day in October, I had begun to get overwhelmed with all of the details. Eventually, I let myself stop stressing and try to enjoy everything that was happening. I knew my vendors had everything under control so it was time for me to just be a Bride!

Initially I had wanted to hire a wedding coordinator, but I had confidence that I could handle organizing the details myself, and although there were a few rough patches I must say everything went rather smooth!  (Believe me when I say I was far from a DIY Bride)

My theme was black and white damask, with an accent of red. (Oh and of course some bling)  When I booked WeDo Designs, I knew that the owner, Rabina Khan really understood my vision and from samples of her work I knew she would be able to exceed my expectations.

The wedding venue was The Card Center in Chico, which offers an outdoor area for the ceremony as well as indoor reception area with a patio for the cocktail hour.   The Card Center staff provided me with a floor plan of the reception area, and we were able to work on the layout and plan out how the tables and chairs would be set up.  We also decided we would use floor to ceiling fabric, and up-lighting to really transform the room. See the before and after photos below.

When I met Lisa Hunter of Lisa’s Flor Décor, I was hooked on her artistic creations with flowers and centerpieces. I had so many different pictures of designs I liked, but she was able to choose designs and flowers that were cohesive with my wedding theme. She made sure that the centerpieces were an appropriate height for the room and really accomplished what I had asked of her. I loved that she was willing to mix things up and play with different heights and centerpiece ideas. When it came to the altar, Lisa brought my vision to life and I couldn’t have been happier with how it turned out.

I really loved our aisle, and Lisa's Flor Decor made a beautiful Monogrammed "E" covered in Roses.

Speaking of flowers, every bride dreams of walking down the aisle holding her beautiful bouquet! I loved the mix of flowers used in the my bouquet, and the Gerbera Daisy’s had a dark center which matched the bridesmaid dresses.

I wore a Casa Blanca wedding gown and the Bridesmaids wore Black Alfred Angelo gowns with Red Accents.

Daniel wore a black Tuxedo with a White Vest, and the Groomsmen wore Black Tuxedos with Red Accents from Mens Wearhouse.

What is a wedding celebration without appetizers and a delicious dinnner? Leslie with Shelly’s Creative Catering really brought her A game to the wedding and not only was the food amazing but she was also great at keeping the festivities on schedule. The cocktail hour consisted of an open bar, fruits, cheese and crackers, and veggies, followed by a tri-tip and chicken buffet dinner.

Christy, with Christy's Creations created a cake that tasted amazing and fit perfectly into our theme. It was a three-tierd white cake with fondant. The photo-booth was a blast, and the photos served as our wedding favors. Chico Photo and Video brought the booth to the reception, provided props and also a cd of the photos for us to be able to see all of the pictures. Having the props really added to the fun, and since there was no limit on how many pictures we could take I think the kids at the wedding probably went in the booth over 20 times! Tracy with Tracy Lynn Photography captured some great shots, and really made us feel comfortable in front of the camera. She knew I wasn't a picture person so she really had a challenge on her hands!

Cheers!

Lisa's Flor Decor

If you are looking for a florist you can depend on to take your floral arrangements and decor to the next level, chances are you have heard of Lisa Hunter and her amazing work. Lisa is the owner/operator of Lisa's Flor Decor and she puts her all into making your day, even more fabulous than you could have imagined. I can say this because she transformed me from a bride who wasn't into flowers, to the girl who couldnt take her eyes of her centerpieces at her wedding because they were breathtaking. With the help of her husband Greg, she constructs pillars, altars, aisle runners, flower boxes and anything else you can dream up. In addition to Weddings she can also be booked for Bridal Showers, Prom, Valentines Day, or any other special event.Dont take my word for it though just let her work speak for itself.

monogram made with moss!Black & White Wedding Wedding at The Palms

Are You a Spring Bride?

Spring is the time of year that just makes you appreciate mother nature and all of her beauty.  The grass is at its greenest, the birds are chirping, everything is blooming and chances are love is in the air.  So why not plan your blissful day in the spring time and take advantage of the lovely backdrop of nature! A great way to plan a successful spring wedding is to book a venue with both indoor and outdoor areas for your ceremony and reception.  This ensures that if the weather takes a sudden turn for the worst you are still covered (literally, who wants to get rained on in their wedding dress?) Another positive, is that you should be able to have a wide array of floral options because most of popular flowers are going to be in season.  A great way to lower your cost and keep your floral budget in check is to consider which flowers are in season and readily available in your area.  If your florist has to have flowers shipped from out of the country, chances are your budget will be busted! A few of the top spring flowers are Tulips, Hyacinths, Peonies, Forsythia, Lily of the Valley, Freesia, Pansies, Poppies, Ranunculus, Roses, and Violets.

Check out a few of these spring beauties!