Non-Flower Centerpieces!

Get creative with your centerpieces! Flowers are traditional and can be manipulated into stunning works of art, but that is not your only options.

Moss has an unappreciated beauty. Paired with succulents and birch wood you can keep the elegance without the flowers.

Strung lights make an outdoor wedding picture-ready.

Candles, candles and more candles! Not only are these great lighting options for evening receptions, but they are also an inexpensive alternative to floral centerpieces. Use pillars of different heights, candelabras and lanterns to make this look complete.

We eat with our eyes, so you can be sure that your guests can appreciate the beauty of a fruit centerpiece.

Inspiration Board: Seafoam Green, Melon and Gold

Seafoam green has been rising in popularity among the spring and summer brides. A soft color that is easily complimented by the strong hue of gold, don't count it out for your autumn nuptials yet! Pair the two with  a darker orange color and use light orange or cream as accents for the season change.

Cheers! Creative Food and Drink Idea.

Guests come for the nuptials but stay for the food and drinks! A creative idea is offering individual bottles of champagne, soda or an alcohol of choice. These can be given to guests as favors or for their use during the reception. You will just need to contact the individual companies for more details.

A Little Piece of Elegance: Chandeliers

An outdoor wedding does not mean you have to sacrifice some of the elegant features of a ballroom. Chandeliers are the perfect decor piece that brings the indoors outside. This piece of decor costs a pretty penny, but installing one at the ceremony structure, or a few at the reception goes a long way.

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Belle the Magazine

Belle the Magazine

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Preston Bailey

Wedding Trends to Love: Creative Engagement Shoots

Engagement photos have gotten very creative over the past few years. Couples are breaking the norm and taking ideas from movies, pop culture and literature. Some couples use the pictures as save the dates, and others display these great pictures for their guests at the reception. The engagement photo shoot is another trend that allows the couple to show off their personalities and enjoy their time as a newly engaged weddings.

Bonnie and Clyde Inspired Shoot

Pixar's UP has been a fun inspiration for many couples. I love how to see the different takes on this movie

This is adorable

The First Dance: Choosing a Song

Photography by Kevin Weinstein

By: Amber Cooper (@TheHoneyLife)

For many couples the first dance is where they can finally decompress and take in their newlywed status, if only for a few minutes. After much socializing and picture-taking, to be in the arms of your beloved as your guests quietly look on can be a true "Cinderella"-moment.

Here are 15 of my favorite songs (in no particular order) for The First Dance:

1. "Like a Star" - Corinne Bailey Rae
2. "The Look of Love" - Diana Krall
3. "Spend My Life With You" - Eric Benet
4. "All of Me" - John Legend
5. "The Only Reason" - JP Cooper
6. "Whenever Wherever Whatever" - Maxwell
7. "Our Love is Easy" - Melody Gardot
8. "Unforgettable"-  Nat King Cole
9. "Collide"-  Nayanna Holley
10."Baby It's U"-  Brian McKnight
11."Imposible Vivir Sin Ti" - Buena Vista Social Club
12."If I Never Get To Heaven" - Javier
13."Lovers Rock" - Sade
14."That's Where It's At" - Sam Cooke
15. "So Amazing" - Luther Vandross

As you can see I'm a bit of a classic R&B/jazz-head. If you're more of the country or classic rock-type check out these posts from The Knot!

Wedding Songs: 35 Country-Flavored First Dance Songs
Wedding Songs: 33 Rockin' First Dance Songs

Top 5 Guest Book Alternatives

Guest Books are a keepsake for the Bride and Groom as a reminder of the family and friends that shared their special day with them. The guest book can sometimes get lost in the corner or pushed off by guests until "later". A popular trend is to eliminate the traditional guest book for more creative and personal alternatives. These are my top 5 guest book alternatives:

1. The Engagement Photo: Display engagement photos in a book, or one main picture on an easel, and allow guests to write their names and a quick message to the bride and groom.
   
2. Puzzle: The Puzzle Piece or Jenga Blocks are fun and quirky. Allow guests to write messages and set up the pieces after the honeymoon. Have fun reading the messages as you put the puzzle together, or take the Jenga tower apart!
   
3. Envelope Guest Book: I know I said alternatives to guest books, but this is very different from the traditional guest book. Guests write well wishes to the happy couple and insert it into an envelope on the page. The notes are private, only for the bride and groom to open and receive. 
   
4. Wish Tree: The wish tree allows guest to hang their well wishes for the bride and groom and their future, while creating a piece of art. Wish Trees are gorgeous decor pieces that continue to grow as guests add more wishes. A great way to preserve these wishes is to frame them. They make a gorgeous piece, that all of your guests helped to create for your home.
   
   
   
   
5. Fingerprint Tree: This is my favorite alternative. Guests press their fingerprints, in whatever color you choose, onto a tree template (or any other template like below), slowly creating the actual artwork. Guests can also initial their fingerprints.They can be customized with the names of the bride and the groom and the wedding date. Since no two fingerprints are the same, this will truly be a one-of-a-kind piece of art.