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Mini Winter Pies
Clockwise top left: Createdby-diane.com | BBCfood | BBCgoodfoodme | Ardent Photography via TheSweetestOccassion
Compiled by Karen Birney
A cute way to greet your guests at your reception venue during the winter months is with a cup of tea and a mini pie. Go for mini mince pies decorated with a little heart or a star to generate a genuine Christmas feel, or maybe have some mini blackberry pies for something a bit sweeter. Pile them up on a cake stand and provide little bowls of fresh cream for the guests to help themselves. The homemade, rustic look of these mini bites creates instant warmth and an informal feel to your reception and will have your guests in a super mood!
If you want to go for something a little more formal but still in-keeping with the winter warmer theme, serve canap�s of mini savoury pies such as spinach and goat's cheese for the vegetarians, or ham and mushroom for the meat eaters.
Winter Warmers
Clockwise l-r: Martha Stewart Weddings | Drink Inventor | via RailEurope.com
There’s nothing better than a hot drink on a cold day, whether sweet, spicy or somewhere in between. Hot chocolate is a favourite amongst young and old on a Yuletide, and will bring an instant smile to everyone’s face. If you choose to serve the drink as a pick-me-up either after the ceremony or as a dessert, add a little more bite to it with a sugared doughnut garnish. Hot Toddies are a traditional way of beating the cold (both types!) and would be a lovely option for older guests at the reception. For people who would prefer something a little smoother, think about serving some beautifully balmy buttered-spiced cider.
Edible Favours
Clockwise from top left: CutestFood.com | RuffledBlog.com | Firefly Creative Design | Photo by Carly Taylor via ProjectWedding.com
Who doesn’t love treats you can eat?! These favours aren’t only a great way to show your appreciation of your guest’s time and presence, they are practical too! Hot chocolate favours are relatively easy to make yourself; all you need is some cocoa powder, marshmallows, some chocolate shavings, some plastic wrapping, a cute ribbon and a tag! Bride and groom cake pops or toffee apples are another yummy favour and will look very cute on each place setting.
Chocolate Apple Station
Photos by Katherine Elizabeth Photography via GreenWeddingShoes
This is a sweet and fun idea for a smaller wedding (adults only around the hot pots!), or maybe even winter hen party.
Create a little station with some melting hot chocolate and bowls of assorted nuts, marshmallows, hundreds and thousands etc to decorate.
A Winter Toast with a Difference!
Birdsong Photography via PolkadotBrides.com
These hot chocolate toasting mugs are a very fun winter alternative to a champagne toast, and would make great keepsakes for years to come!
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Wonderful winter weddings are all the rage this time of year, so to make yours stand out from the crowd try something a little different like a vintage winter theme! The best thing is this wedding look is chic and beautiful and you can never, ever go wrong with chic and beautiful. Compiled by Amy Croffey.
Wedding sign - Confetti.co.uk | Table setting by Jenny Haas Photo | Shoes in the snow by Camilla Photography | Shoe clips - B Poetic at Etsy | Miss Dior Perfume by Christian Dior | Earrings - Confetti.co.uk | Sequin dress - River Island | Corset - Agent Provocateur | Nude shoes - Office | Speech image by Studio 33 Weddings | Nail varnish - Chanel | Wedding dress by Monique Lhullier | Wreath - Debenhams | Banner - The Ruffled Word at Etsy | Bride with gift by Camilla Photography | Tulle dress by Modcloth |
It's Bridesmaid Week on WeddingsOnline.ie and we're picking some of our favourite looks for a winter wedding! On Tuesday we featured our favourite red and cranberry bridesmaid dresses, both designer and high street, and now we're showing you how to style the colour!
The gals in WeddingsOnline HQ are mad for a bit of leopard print, not to mention faux fur, so we've added a touch of animal to accessorize our fave red dress this season. FIERCE. Leopard print really compliments bright red, but don't go overboard if you're not into the Cat Slater look, a clutch (below, Karen Millen) is a great way to add a hint while keeping it classy. Diamont�s (bracelet from Coast) and fur (cropped jacket, Karen Millen) are Christmas staples, so it would be an awful shame not to bling your bridesmaids up with a little of both!
Finish the look off with a red lip, some Louboutins (or similar!) and a gorgeous brooch bouquet. Divine.
PS Will work as well for guests or for a party outfit, just maybe give the bouquet a miss.
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Cardigans are a pretty way of keeping out the cold during the autumn/winter months. Try a bold colour to make a fun and feminine statement on your big day, matching the colour to your bouquet and his buttonhole. By Karen Birney
Clockwise from top left: Photo by Adrienne Gunde via PerfectBoundBlog.com | Photo by Rebecca Hansen via InspiredbyThis.com | Photo by Christina Brosnan, Brosnan Photographic | Photo by Anne Hamilton
Wearing a short, waist-legth cardigan over the shoulders is very 50s, and very lady-like (coowee!). To go the full hog wear a diamond or pearl clasp to hold the collar together. If you're going for a colourful cardie however, keep the detail to a minimum, you don't want the cardigan to overshadow your dress! Some pearl buttons would give it a glamorous edge but keep it simple!
Left: Photo by Braedon Photography | Right: Photo via FortheLoveofSkinny
If you are wearing a sheath dress, your cardigan can be a little longer, but your best option is to keep it to the waist if you are wearing a traditional dress. If your dress is a-line you could get away with ballerina-style wrap around (see above).
Get the look -Brides in Cardigans
Top row, l-r: Topshop �38 | Savida at Dunnes | AWear €26.25 | Bottom row, l-r Topshop �42 | Topshop �46
Green Cardigan, AWear €16.50 | Yellow Cardigan, Penneys €14 | Purple Cardigan, Dunnes | Pink Cardigan, Topshop €20 | Blue Cardigan, People Tree �125
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Photography by Jenny Haas | Styling by Ashley Krogman Designs
To view the full photo gallery, click here.
{Get the Look}
Clockwise left-right: Couple photo by Jenny Haas | Love Bird Bulletin €15 25/pack, Snowflake Bubbles €5 6/pavk, Snowflake Confetti €4 28g all from WeddingsOnline Shop | Middleton Park House photographed by Studio33Weddings
>> See if Middleton Park House is available for your wedding!
Clockwise left-right: Dress by Monique Lhuillier, Snowflake Glass Name Card €4.50 10/pack, White Bell Heart Decroation (COMING SOON!), Bauble Name card Holder €8 6/pack, Snowflake Candle €4.50 12cm all from the WeddingsOnline Shop | Bridesmaid dress from Asos.com
>> Remember! FREE DELIVERY of all WeddingsOnline Shop Products til this Monday!
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By Karen Birney
Part 3 and the final part of our Winter Wedding Trend Report! Hope you've enjoyed checking out all the WeddingsOnline picks for a winter wedding. And remember: It's the most wonderful time of the year (except if you've to commute to work on public transport, obvs).
Quick links: Utah Bride Blog / Amy Carroll Photography / Confetti UK / OneWed / House of Fraser / Debenhams / River Island
By KB
Right, let's get the obvious out of the way: Most Irish people don't like winter. In fact, we DREAD it (present company included). But there is something just so warm, cosy and romantic about winter weddings. So let's put all the salted nonsense out of our mind and concentrate on some of the beautiful trends that could make your winter wedding even more delicious. Enjoy!
Part 2 of Winter Wedding Trends will be up tomorrow! Like us on Facebook to view first!
I will never forget sitting in the Seattle airport last December, vowing that I never wanted to see snow again. Trying to make our way from Dublin to my Washington home was pure travel hell as the whole of northern America was under several feet of snow. We were layed over in NY, San Francisco and Seattle, where finally my dad was forced to drive over the treacherous mountain passes for 5 hours to collect us, because all flights were cancelled until after Christmas. Even though I have spent the whole of 2009 hating the white stuff, as Christmas rolls around...dare I say it...I kind of miss my white Christmas.
Images from Country Living.
No better way to kick off Christmas week, than with this perfect Style Me Pretty photo shoot!
Art Direction/Concept & Design/Styling: Lucinda Wesson, Chocolate Creative Design / Photography: Anna Sawin, Anna Sawin Photography / Flowers: Yumiko Fletcher, Hana Floral Design / Hair & Makeup: Jennie Fresa & Lindsay Milan, Jennie Fresa Beauty Library / Clothing/Styling: Women- Tove Vigen, Tova's Vintage / Kids and Men: Lucinda Wesson/Crista Taylor, Chocolate Creative Design / Film/Video: Mike Cyr, Buzz Media Company / Food, drinks and dessert: Lucinda Wesson, Chocolate Creative Design / Rentals: Party Rental (three silk linens, napkins and tinted glassware) / Tableware and brooches: Private collections of Island Farm, Hester & Ben Smith and Lucinda Wesson / Models: Nicole Frechette, Crista Taylor, Tove Vigen, Chelsea Tyler, Steve DePino, / Jayson Drobiak, Gabriella Taylor, Henry Sawin and Sophie Heublein
This may be a little to complicated for me, but for all you DIY divas you should totally try this! Would be perfect for favours or bridal party gifts. From the amazing Style Me Pretty by Grey Likes Weddings.
I couldn't resist these winter inspired palettes from Ritzy Bee Blog and Lucky Me Blog. They are simply stunning, and would work perfect for a Christmas wedding.
Top row from left: gold leaf hair wreath by Ban.do, gold-foil pear place card via 100 Layer Cake, blue trailer photo by Elizabeth Messina, Edgardo Bonilla dress on gold sofa from D Magazine
Row 2: escort cards in gold ribbon and branches from Martha Stewart Weddings, pale blue strapless dress by Samuelle Couture, gold banded wedding cake from Rebecca Thuss, gold pear still life by Matthew Mead Style
Row 3: tissue rosettes by A.Hana Design, lily bouquet with gold and blue ribbons by Ariella Chezar, gold and pale blue invitation suite from Martha Stewart Weddings
Bridesmaids - Carla Ten Eyck Photography via Wedding Chicks; Cake - The Knot, Pillow - Lotta Helleberg ; Earrings - Kandle; Flowers - Classic Bride, Bride - {this is glamorous}, Drinks - Martha Stewart, Groom - Weddings By Two; Placecards (Breakers event)- Michelle Rago; Star Wand - Just be spLendid; Monogram letters - lavender613 via Weddingbee
I think we saved the best for last. I love this!
Found this on The Ritzy Bee Blog.
{Photo credits: Row 1: White Chocolate Label, Country Living, Martha Stewart. Row 2: Calla Evans, Country Living, Martha Stewart. Row 3: Calla Evans, Amy Atlas, Kate Headley Photography via Janie Medley Flora Design}
Even though the autumn issue of B has barely hit Eason’s shelves, Karen and I are starting to think about the winter issue. We want the next issue to be fresh and warm and to stay away from the bog standard holiday themes. I found these amazing colour palettes, which I think would be great for any winter event.
First and second montage from Style me Pretty.
Third and fourth image from TheKnot.com