Apples!

During the last few years, we have had the privilege of working with countless vendors in the West Michigan Area. We love sharing with our clients the best that West Michigan has to offer-- because we want our clients to have the event of their dreams.

Fall weddings are wonderful-- they are always unique, and there are countless ways to have fun with a fall theme.

We have a great opportunity for some great party favors-- apples! These aren't just any old apple, as you will see below. Kristin Huyck has developed a way to mark the skin of an apple with nearly any design imaginable. It is completely natural, edible, and awesome! 

Below is what she has to say about her business:

"Each year, the calendar tells us when fall officially starts. Not for me. The fall season starts when the apples are ready for picking. Harvest time. I cant wait to take that first bite, crisp and full of flavor.

Apples are part of me. I am number six, the sixth generation of growing and harvesting Michigan apples. So, naturally, when it came to planning my wedding, apples were a must. And being a woman, I have been planning my wedding since I was 12. 

With the help and support of my father, who doesn't miss a beat with what is going on with the orchards, I began to play around with apples and experimenting with designs on their skins. After many, many seasons, I came up  with what is pictured below. The perfect little gift for each one of my guests. And they are tasty too!" 

Wedding Video

Dont stop at pictures: many photography studios now provide video services, as well. Dont forget to incorporate this into your special day. You want to remember this day forever, and video captures so much more than picture.

Below is a short clip of Bethany Edwardson walking down the aisle earlier this summer. Video captured by Ryan Humm.



Bethany walking down the aisle from Ryan Humm on Vimeo.

Guest Photobooth

While guests books are great, many couples desire to have a more memorable keepsake to remember the guests who were present for their wedding. While guest books allow each and every member to sign that they were present, it doesn't represent the personalities of your guests. For the bride and groom who desire to have a keepsake of the guests and their personalities, and and opportunity for something really fun, a photobooth is a great option! 

How to make it happen: 

During your reception (or at another casual moment) have an area set up with decorative curtains that an individual, or group of individuals can step into to have their photos taken. For even more fun pictures, have a basket of props near the photo booth for guests to pose with for their pictures. Pictures can be taken by a gracious family friend, or you might consider hiring a amateur photographer who might charge you less for their time than a professional, but would produce quality pictures, nonetheless. Also consider using a digital camera, and using photo-editing to achieve a look that matches the feel of your wedding! This is a great idea for someone looking for a memorable, fun keepsake from a reception, and you'll be surprised to see the pictures once they're printed! 

Somethig Blue!

This is by far the favorite element for brides of the bridal rhyme, which signifies purity, and royalty, amongst other things. Finding blue things to incorporate into your wedding is a blast-- have more than one! The regular stand-by is a blue garter, but there are lots of other options, too! Consider:

Light blue (or any shade of blue!) toenail polish, or even blue fingernail polish! Go bold!
Blue shoes-- so much fun!
Blue earrings
A blue diamond wedding ring
A blue wedding dress-- a popular trend in the 19th century
Blue flowers
Blue cocktail drinks during the reception
A blue carpet to walk down the aisle on
Get crazy-- have a blues band at your wedding!
A blue wedding cake
Or get married with the blue ocean behind you, or outside, with the blue sky above!

Have fun planning!
Leave a comment if you have any more ideas for any of these elements!

Something Borrowed

Incorporating something borrowed into the wedding day symbolizes borrowed happiness, or continued good luck from a long-married couple. Most people, for this reason, borrow something from a long-married friend or relative. It is recommended that after the wedding, one person is assigned to returning this item to its owner, in order that it remain borrowed-- not stolen! A great person for this job is often a wedding attendant or the mother-of-the-bride. Additionally, be sure to write a thank-you letter after the wedding!

Some great ideas for borrowed items include the traditional jewelery, sewing a father or grandfather's silk handkercheif (as long as it isn't flu or cold season) into the bridal gown, or borrowing a family member's ceremonial book (Bible, Torah, etc.) for the ceremony. Less traditional ideas include borrowing library books for ceremonial readings, borrowing a friend's home for the reception, wearing a friend's shoes, or even borrowing your mother's own wedding gown!

Nearly anything can be borrowed for your wedding, so get creative! Remember, the whole point is to remember that you can count on your friends and family, and to receive continued good luck from long-married friends and family!

Something New

For most brides, the majority of their wedding consists of things that are 'new,' from their dress, to their shoes, to their rings, and so forth. The trick to this portion of the rhyme is finding something that is unique and significant to the bride and her husband, new, and symbolic of the life that they are looking forward to living together.

Great ideas would be:

The key to your new home tucked into your handbag, or sewn into your dress.
An engagement picture inside of a silver locket
A new shade of lipstick, or a new tattoo for someone a little more daring.
A great, common idea would be new lingerie to wear for the wedding, the wedding night, or on the honeymoon (or for each night of the honeymoon!)

The idea of incorporating something new doesn't need to be extravagant, simply meaningful. It can be anything from a new pack of gum, to a new car, to simply considering the wedding bands the "new." Be creative, unique, simple, or traditional with this element of the rhyme. The most important thing is that it represents the bride and groom, and their future together.

Something Old, but Wonderful

The idea of utilizing something old in your wedding ceremony can be a wonderful addition to your day. Something old signifies continuity from within the bride's family. For this reason, brides often incorporate a piece of memorabilia from her family.

One great way to personalize this tradition for your wedding day would to use a classic car (possibly lent from a grandfather or family member) for transportation. A grandmother's antique hat pin could also be tucked into the bride's bouquet. Traditionally, brides sometimes wear a grandmother's pearl necklace, or another jewelry item that has been passed through generations. For brides looking for a more classic look, consider wearing vintage white gloves, or wear a headpiece, tiara, or veil that has been handed down.

A few more unique, even more sentimental way of utilizing this great tradition would be to tuck a love letter from the bride's father to the bride's mother into the bride's purse. Another great idea is to set a display table of antique pictures from the family of the bride and groom. This is a classic look, especially if the pictures have been printed and framed in black and white, or in frames according to the wedding party colors or theme. Another great idea would to create luminaries of pictures of the bride and groom to be placed along with, or as centerpieces on tables.

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